FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Brad Martin / press [at] dpo [dot] org / (503) 239-8634
Today, the Democratic Party of Oregon released the following statement on Republican candidate Bud Pierce winning the Republican nomination for governor:
“Tonight, Oregon Republicans chose a pair of out-of-touch millionaires who will leave middle class families behind,” said Democratic Party of Oregon Chair Frank Dixon. “The Trump/Pierce agenda would be devastating for working families in Oregon. Bud Pierce enriched himself off of Medicare funding, but opposed increasing wages and providing paid leave to working families. It’s no wonder he endorsed Donald Trump’s dangerous campaign."
Backup:
OPB Headline: “Oregon's Republican Gubernatorial Candidates Pledge Support For Trump.” According to Oregon Public Broadcasting, “Salem oncologist Bud Pierce is challenging Alley for the Republican nomination. He said Trump is a clearly better choice than Democratic contenders Sanders and Hillary Clinton. ‘I think it’s important for Democrats out there … to realize that on the Republican side over the past eight years there was a great amount of concern that if Barack Obama was elected and re-elected that society would come to an end,’ Pierce said. He added that he has a lot of differences from Trump and believes in an inclusive Republican Party. Pierce said he has confidence Oregon’s voters ‘will elect the right person for president.’” [OPB, 5/6/16]
In May 2016, Bud Pierce Said He Will Support Donald Trump for President. According to KGW News, Bud Pierce said he will support Donald Trump. “Well certainly with Donald Trump versus Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders, I will firmly be backing Mister Trump,” he said. [KGW News, 5/4/16]
Statesman Journal Reported Pierce Argued That “Raising the Minimum Wage is the Wrong Tactic” to Help Working Oregonians. According to the Statesman Journal, “Bud Pierce, the foremost Republican challenger for the governor's office, said trying to bring Oregonians out of poverty is a good idea, but raising the minimum wage is the wrong tactic.” [Statesman Journal, 1/21/16]
Pierce Suggested He Wouldn't have Supported Legislation Such as the Paid Sick Leave Measure and That He Wouldn't Support Raising the State's Minimum Wage. According to the Oregonian, “Pierce listed one main focus should he take office: looking into the operations of state agencies in hopes of saving money that might be reinvested into fresh programs. But he initially passed when asked to specifically critique Brown's performance during this year's legislative session. Instead, he said he suspects he and Brown ‘have a little bit of a different view on economics and capitalism.’ He suggested he wouldn't have supported legislation such as the paid sick leave measure that passed this session and that he wouldn't support raising the state's minimum wage. ‘Those kinds of decisions I'm much more apt to put in the hands of business,’ Pierce said.” [Oregonian, 7/31/15]
Pierce Opposed Paid Sick Leave Requirement. According to The Observer, “Pierce opposes the recently passed low carbon fuels bill. His website indicates he would fight to repeal the law. He also objects to the paid sick leave requirement, also recently passed, and said he would prefer that those in business — and their employees — handle their benefits packages.” [The Observer, 10/30/15]
In 2012 Dr. Pierce was Medicare’s Third-Highest Paid Provider in Salem. According to the Statesman Journal, “A Salem rheumatologist received more money from Medicare in 2012, $2.7 million, than any other doctor in Oregon. Dr. Rebecca Callis practices at Salem Rheumatology, having treated 547 Medicare patients. The next highest earning rheumatologist in Oregon was Dr. Gregory Borstad in Bend, with $1.2 million. The data show that he had 684 beneficiaries. The national data was released by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services last week, revealing for the first time how much individual physicians received from the federal health insurance program for people 65 years and older. The new data set has information for more than 880,000 health care providers who collectively received $77 billion in Medicare Part B payments in 2012. The data include physicians’ professional services, but not fees charged by hospitals associated with those services.” According to an included chart of the “Highest paid providers in Salem,” Dr. William Pierce was listed as third with specialty listed as “Hermatology/Oncology” and having $763, 713 in payments. [Statesman Journal, 4/14/14]
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