Tag Archives: State Investigations

Editorial: OLCC was home to ethical lapses | Opinion |

OLCC employees allegedly “for their own benefit or that of a third party, used their positions and special knowledge to obtain in-demand bottles of liquor that were not then available to the public.” That’s one of the first lines in the 11-page summary of the Department of Justice investigation into potential criminal acts by members […]
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Oregon DOJ says no criminal charges warranted in bourbon scandal

A state ethics investigation of the six former employees will proceed with the criminal probe completed. The Oregon Department of Justice concluded that no criminal charges are warranted for the six former Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission employees who set aside bottles of in-demand bourbon for their personal use. Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum on […]
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No criminal charges for OLCC managers who set aside rare bourbon for themselves, state says

The Oregon Department of Justice on Monday said it would not pursue criminal charges against the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission director and other managers who used their positions to access prized Kentucky bourbon. The Justice Department’s 18-page report on its investigation underscored challenges state investigators encountered: Investigators weren’t able to locate anyone who could […]
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No criminal charges in Oregon liquor diversion scandal

The Oregon Department of Justice says it doesn’t have enough evidence to prosecute managers who steered rare liquors to themselves. Top managers at the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission who used their inside knowledge to buy hard-to-find whiskeys won’t face criminal charges, the state Department of Justice said Monday. After a 15-month investigation that spanned […]
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Oregon DOJ concludes criminal investigation into rare bourbon scandal

The Oregon Department of Justice will not pursue criminal charges against Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission employees for diverting coveted bottles of rare liquor for themselves and lawmakers, assistant Oregon Attorney General Lisa Upland said in a letter Monday to Gov. Tina Kotek. The OLCC had a “long-standing agency practice” where an OLCC employee could […]
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‘I’ve been doing it for months’: Oregon police chief confessed immediately after worker reported missing drugs

Tillamook Police Chief Raymond Rau had just learned someone in his department discovered drugs missing from a property storage locker. He immediately rushed into the office and approached the desk of his evidence technician. But instead of launching an investigation, he made a remarkable confession. “Yeah, I’ve been taking the evidence and destroying it,” Rau […]
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Dump on Marion County farm worries neighbors. Oregon environmental agency investigating

Some residents, farmers and a farmland conservation group in Marion County, Oregon, say they are outraged after finding out a local farm owner, along with the services of an excavating company, dug an open pit and allegedly violated Oregon land use protections and environmental laws. An Oregon environmental agency has ordered the excavating company to […]
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Lawsuit involving Portland students highlights statewide questions around child sex abuse

Oregon wants to change the way it handles child abuse investigations and how it responds to child perpetrators. But first, it has to figure out how. Note: This story contains details of sexual assault. If you or someone you know may be a victim of sexual assault, confidential support, information and advice are available at […]
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Coffin Butte Landfill given citations after worker complaints

Oregon OSHA has cited and fined Coffin Butte Landfill, owned by Republic Services, following investigations into worker complaints that they are exposed to dangerous conditions on the job. The current and former employees of the landfill north of Corvallis have been taking their concerns around air and water quality and exposure to dangerous wastes to […]
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Environment, climate policies mostly took a backseat during Oregon’s 2024 short session

Much of Oregon’s 2024 short session was focused on housing regulations and drug criminalization, putting many of the state’s lands and climate policies on the backburner. Oregon lawmakers spent much of the short 2024 legislative session focused on housing regulations and drug criminalization. That often left environmental policies around wildfires, farms and climate change on […]
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