Portland attorney authored complaint against Brown-Nike deal

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – A complaint alleging that a ballot initiative agreement negotiated by Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, Nike and a public employees union was illegal was authored by an attorney affiliated with political opponents of both Brown and unions.

Oregon Public Broadcasting reports attorney Jill Gibson acknowledged Friday that she had drafted the complaint filed last month with the Oregon Secretary of State’s office by a Portland man named Richard Leonetti.

The state Department of Justice declined to investigate the complaint earlier this month.

Leonetti had refused to say who wrote the complaint he filed, but Gibson emailed the department after it declined an investigation.

Gibson says the department “didn’t focus on the allegation and hasn’t given it due consideration.”

The Secretary of State’s Office must still decide if it will investigate.