Once a hero, Oregon congressional candidate funds questioned

By BRIAN SLODYSKO
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Oregon congressional candidate and hero soldier Alek Skarlatos formed a nonprofit to advocate for veterans after he lost his 2020 race. The group has done little to advance that cause since then. But it has helped get the Republican’s bid for a 2022 rematch with longtime Democratic Rep. Peter DeFazio off the ground. The nonprofit was started in early 2021 with $93,000 in leftover campaign funds from Skarlatos’ last run. Several months later, the group gave $65,000 of that back to the campaign. But it hasn’t said what happened to the rest of the money. Skarlatos’ campaign says he did nothing wrong.