Breaking: Oregon ethics commission OKs new investigation into Greg Smith
Published 2:10 pm Monday, October 13, 2025
Commission to investigate Smith for possible violations in his Columbia Development Authority position
SALEM — The Oregon Government Ethics Commission voted Friday, Oct. 10, to open an investigation into Greg Smith, state representative and executive director of the Columbia Development Authority.
The commission enforces public meeting laws, ensures government officials follow state ethics laws and holds public officials accountable for financial and economic behavior. During its monthly meeting Oct 10, the commission considered a preliminary review into Smith.
The commission conducts preliminary reviews after receiving complaints about public officials’ possible ethics violations. The review is not an investigation — it is the step to determine if there’s a basis to believe an ethics violation has occurred.
Ethics complaint and review
The complaint about Smith alleged the Columbia Development Authority paid him “for days of work where he was not actually doing CDA work, but was doing other work,” and that he received unauthorized benefits from the CDA as well as used CDA resources for his business’s financial benefit.
The Columbia Development Authority itself is not a public entity; however, its five member entities are all public and Smith, executive director, is a public official. Earlier this year, the CDA lost federal funding due to compliance issues.
“The question, therefore, is whether Greg Smith was able to work, or did work, the hours required by the CDA for the full-time salary while also serving as a legislator and while his company was providing services to various public and private entities,” said Casey Fenstermaker, the commission’s compliance and enforcement coordinator.
She also told the commissioners the preliminary review focused on 2024.
“If this preliminary review is moved to investigation, we’ll review information from other years within the commission’s jurisdiction as well,” Fenstermaker said.
Completing her presentation to the board, Fenstermaker said “there is a substantial objective basis to believe that Greg Smith may have violated provisions of Oregon government ethics law” and recommended moving the case to the investigation phase.
“It appears that Greg Smith may have engaged in prohibited uses of office by accepting a full-time salary without working full time,” she said, “by accepting various benefits from the CDA that do not appear to be captured in an official compensation package, and by keeping a retroactive payment for a salary increase that was determined to not be properly authorized.”
Smith’s lawyer pushes back on ethics claims
Amanda Gamblin called into the meeting to represent Smith and make remarks on his behalf. She said Fenstermaker’s preliminary conclusion “shows a misunderstanding of what federal law and Oregon law requires employers do with respect to salaried employees.”
Those who receive salaried compensation are not required to work a certain number of hours in any given work week or pay period, so long as that individual completes their tasks. As the CDA’s fiscal agent during 2024, Gamblin said, the Port of Morrow would have been unable to reduce Smith’s pay when he was working on other responsibilities.
“Rather, the CDA had agreed to pay him a salary,” she said, “and that salary by law is not subject to deduction regardless of hours worked.”
Fenstermaker clarified the scope of the investigation. She said the investigation, if approved, would focus on whether Smith’s actions complied with Oregon Revised Statute 244.040 — whether he used his position as a public official to avoid financial detriment or obtain financial gain he wouldn’t otherwise be able to.
The commission voted 6-0 to move the case forward into the formal investigation phase with one abstention from the newest commissioner, Cheri Helt, who abstained from every vote in the meeting, as it was her first.
The commission now has 180 days to investigate. Staff members will build a report and recommendation for the commissioners, who will vote on what to do next, which may include dismissing the case or finding a violation.