"At the time Portland Monthly's reporting efforts began, in mid-October, Ambassador Sondland was the targeted subject of extremely hostile partisan disparagements, coming almost exclusively from the Democratic side of the aisle," McCarthy tells WW. "That included public attacks from Democratic congressman Earl Blumenauer, who also threatened the Ambassador's business. The primary source to the Portland Monthly's reporting, its own chief executive, has long been a significant financial donor to various Democratic party entities. That fact was concealed from Portland Monthly's readers. Her magazine also has also featured Rep. Blumenauer as a contributor, also unmentioned. Another source to the reporting has been a political aide to a separate Democratic member of Congress. Taken as a whole it therefore seems obvious that the reporting was intended to serve an ulterior political agenda—and that Portland Monthly and ProPublica were more than eager to play along."