Nathan Vasquez (lawyer)
Nathan Vasquez | |
|---|---|
| District Attorney of Multnomah County | |
Elect | |
| Assuming office January 1, 2025 | |
| Succeeding | Mike Schmidt |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Republican (before 2017) Independent Party of Oregon (2017–present) |
| Education | University of California, Davis (BA) Lewis and Clark College (JD) |
Nathan Vasquez is an American attorney who is the District Attorney-elect of Multnomah County, Oregon. In May 2024, Vasquez defeated incumbent Mike Schmidt.[1][2]
Career
[edit]In 2001, Vasquez graduated from Lewis & Clark Law School.[1] He joined the Multnomah County District Attorney's office as an intern, and later as a prosecutor.[3][4]
In 2022, Vasquez prosecuted the second-degree murder case of Benjamin Smith stemming from the February 2022 Normandale Park shooting.[3]
In April 2024, Vasquez faced an ethics complaint before the Oregon State Bar when, in election material, he publicly accused a man of being a serial killer despite the man facing no charges.[5] The Oregon State Bar ultimately dismissed the complaint, citing "no sufficient basis to warrant a referral to Disciplinary Counsel."[5] In May 2024, the man Vasquez accused, Jesse Lee Calhoun, was charged with three counts of murder and three counts of abuse of corpse.[6] Calhoun was previously imprisoned for burglary and vehicle theft but in July 2021, his sentence was commuted by then-Governor Kate Brown.[6]
2024 District Attorney Election
[edit]In 2023, Vasquez announced his intention to challenge incumbent Schmidt in the 2024 election.[1]
During the campaign, Vasquez has earned broad support from Portland's public safety unions and business leaders.[7] He received sizable campaign contributions from business leaders like Phil Knight and Tim Boyle.[2] Before the primary election on May 21, 2024, Vasquez was endorsed by The Oregonian[8] and Willamette Week.[9]
On May 22, 2024, Schmidt conceded the election.[10] Vasquez received 53.3% of the vote while Schmidt received 46.3%.[11] Since Vasquez won a majority in this primary election, there was no general election in November 2024 for the position. Although he was elected on May 21, 2024, Vasquez will not become Multnomah County district attorney until January 1, 2025.[11]
After Vasquez defeated Schmidt, internal strife occurred within the Multnomah County district attorney's office. On May 29, 2024, Schmidt sent Vasquez an e-mail ordering him to refrain from transition-related activity during business hours unless authorized by Schmidt.[12] Although Schmidt's predecessor resigned before the end of his term, leaving him to deal with the unrest in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota[13], Schmidt's full term was scheduled to run through December 31, 2024.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Wilson, Conrad (May 24, 2023). "Multnomah County DA Mike Schmidt draws 2024 challenger from the inside". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on February 24, 2024. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
- ^ a b Manfield, Lucas (November 15, 2023). "Nathan Vasquez Builds a Big Fundraising Lead in District Attorney Race". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on May 2, 2024. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
- ^ a b Crombie, Noelle (May 26, 2023). "Longtime prosecutor says he will challenge Multnomah County DA Mike Schmidt". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on April 30, 2024. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
- ^ "Progressive prosecutor in Portland, Oregon, seeks to fend off tough-on-crime challenger in DA race". WSAV-TV. 2024-05-21. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ^ a b Wilson, Conrad (April 26, 2024). "Ethics complaint dismissed against candidate for Multnomah County DA". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
- ^ a b Sparling, Zane (June 6, 2024). "Jesse Calhoun, charged with killing 3 women in Portland area, pleads not guilty". The Oregonian. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
- ^ Manfield, Lucas (February 12, 2024). "Six Public Safety Unions Endorse Nathan Vasquez". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on February 17, 2024. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
- ^ The Oregonian Editorial Board (May 3, 2024). "Editorial endorsement May 2024: Vote for Nathan Vasquez for Multnomah County DA". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on May 3, 2024. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
- ^ WW Staff (May 1, 2024). "WW's May 2024 Endorsements: Multnomah County". Willamette Week. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
- ^ Zielinski, Alex (May 22, 2024). "Nathan Vasquez wins race to be Multnomah County district attorney". OPB. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
- ^ a b "Elections in Multnomah County, Oregon (2024)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
- ^ Boddie, Ken (July 7, 2024). "Multnomah County DA-elect Nathan Vasquez talks policy changes, transition to new role". KOIN 6. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
- ^ Dooris, Pat (May 22, 2024). "Nathan Vasquez prepares to take on the role of Multnomah County district attorney". KGW 8. Retrieved October 23, 2024.