Oregon Republican Party officials called for an investigation Thursday into how the state's most powerful labor union spends money on political campaigns. The request from Bill Currier, the state party chairman, comes after Washington's attorney general alleged in court filings this month that union officials in that state spent millions on political races without reporting the spending.

In a letter to Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum and Secretary of State Dennis Richardson, Currier asks the state Department of Justice and Richardson's elections investigators to "open an inquiry" into the campaign finances of Service Employees International Union affiliates in Oregon.

Brian Rudiger, the union affiliate's executive director, said Currier's complaint is "meritless" and part of a campaign of union-breaking. Rudiger said the union will cooperate with state officials who come asking questions and added, "We're very confident they will agree that our contributions are fully transparent and in accordance with Oregon law."

At the heart of Currier's request is his assertion that SEIU has failed to list each time each union member's dues are spent on political races and the member's name along with the spending. Currier contends state law requires that kind of disclosure.

"If indeed Oregon's SEIU affiliates have been operating in violation of our state's campaign finance laws, we'd like corrective action to take place immediately," Currier said in his complaint.

Rudiger said Currier's interpretation of the law is misguided. "That's not what the law requires in this state," Rudiger said. "If they want to change the campaign finance laws they should take that up with the Legislature."

-- Gordon R. Friedman

503-221-8209; @GordonRFriedman