demobrats

This week on the pod, State Representative for HD 22 (Woodburn) and Labor Champion, Lesly Muñoz​ joins us to talk about her run for office (it was a close one) and her first session as a State Representative. Lesly is a fighter, a local legend, and one of our favorite humans. We are so excited to share her with all of you!

Get out there and stay loud.

If you have questions, topics you'd love discussed, or want to advertise on the pod, contact us:

BUY MERCH: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://demobrats.printify.me/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tiktok: VirginiaStapleton / TellYourFriendsV

Bluesky: Demobrats

Instagram:VoteVirginiaStapleton // Tellyourfriendsoregon // Rep.LeslyMunoz

Facebook: Elect Virginia Stapleton

email us: [email protected]

Join us Mondays at 8 AM for Willamette Wake-Up on KMUZ Radio! 100.7 FM / 88.5 FM

Stream demobrats on Youtube on the CC Media Channel

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode!

*Note: The Christmas Tree Bill HB 5006 has not yet been signed into law by the governor.* The Keizer Times has reported the funding in the Christmas Tree bill is for infrastructure at the fields, not the fields itself. Regardless...we need money for emergency services.

We've been a bit behind on the local news, but we're here to catch you up. What's been happening in Keizer and Salem and why is it problematic as ever?! Enjoy this update on Christmas Tree Bill gifts, Proclamations, City Council Norms, and the new gatekeeper to downtown Salem. Oh, and we have included a fantastic review of the pod just for kicks and giggles.

ICE has been spotted in Salem. Salem and Oregon remain a sanctuary city and state. We have learned since this recording that the detentions were targeted incidents. Download the ICEBlock app free to report any sightings of ICE you encounter in our community.

Get out there and stay loud.

If you have questions, topics you'd love discussed, or want to advertise on the pod, contact us:

BUY MERCH: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://demobrats.printify.me/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tiktok: VirginiaStapleton / TellYourFriendsV

Bluesky: Demobrats

Instagram:VoteVirginiaStapleton // Tellyourfriendsoregon

Facebook: Elect Virginia Stapleton

email us: [email protected]

Join us Mondays at 8 AM for Willamette Wake-Up on KMUZ Radio! 100.7 FM / 88.5 FM

Stream demobrats on Youtube on the CC Media Channel

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode!

I don't know what you were doing at 8, but it probably wasn't organizing to save critical city services. This week we have Salem's favorite tiny community organizer, Zoey, with us on the pod to talk about her experience working tirelessly to get the most recent Livability Levy across the finish line. We can't wait to see what Zoey does next in local politics, but no doubt, she will be in the room where it happens. Zoey for Mayor! 💚🩷💚

Get out there and stay loud.

If you have questions, topics you'd love discussed, or want to advertise on the pod, contact us:

BUY MERCH: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://demobrats.printify.me/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tiktok: VirginiaStapleton / TellYourFriendsV

Bluesky: Demobrats

Instagram:VoteVirginiaStapleton // Tellyourfriendsoregon

Facebook: Elect Virginia Stapleton

email us: [email protected]

Join us Mondays at 8 AM for Willamette Wake-Up on KMUZ Radio! 100.7 FM / 88.5 FM

Stream demobrats on Youtube on the CC Media Channel

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode!

*a note, the flag Councilor Day mentioned was a Confederate flag. Sorry our audio dropped out*

Hey Brat Pack! In this bonus episode, we can't wait to share the recent round up and long term history of political antics in Keizer. From the recent citing of a current councilor, to the cancellation of the community-led Pride event, to the problematic history of other local officials, it's a lot. We'd say enjoy...but none of us are enjoying this.

Sources:

https://www.keizertimes.com/2024/03/14/ethics-investigation-into-juran-underway/

https://leftcoastrightwatch.org/articles/keizer-or-pride-fair-canceled-after-doxxing-harassment-citys-support-of-far-right/

https://www.salemreporter.com/2021/05/17/internal-investigation-keizer-city-manager-told-others-he-was-breaking-policy-on-firearms/

https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/politics/2021/03/13/keizer-investigate-after-city-manager-discharges-gun-city-hall-office/4687526001/

https://www.keizertimes.com/2025/05/01/flareup-at-council-reveals-continuing-strains-between-mayor-councilor/

https://www.keizertimes.com/2025/04/16/keizer-councilors-oust-diversity-panel-members/

https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2022/01/far-right-reawaken-america-tour-canceled-in-redmond-moved-to-salem.html

Get out there and stay loud.

If you have questions, topics you'd love discussed, or want to advertise on the pod, contact us:

BUY MERCH: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://demobrats.printify.me/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tiktok: VirginiaStapleton

Bluesky: Demobrats

Instagram:VoteVirginiaStapleton

Facebook: Elect Virginia Stapleton

email us: [email protected]

Join us Mondays at 8 AM for Willamette Wake-Up on KMUZ Radio! 100.7 FM / 88.5 FM

Stream demobrats on Youtube on the CC Media Channel

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode!

In this brat pack bonus we just want to ask the really hard questions to our billionaire counterparts.

Vik is back y'all! We know, you forgot she existed...but she's here. And we're joined by Zack Surmacz today to talk about rising up the next generation of Democrats to lead the party across the country! What is it going to take to win young voters to our side and how do we share our values through our messaging and policy creation? We also tackle other important conundrums like are you for or against using a top sheet and do you embrace watching videos in 2x speed? Season 2 of demobrats will make your dreams come true. Stay brat.

Get out there and stay loud.

If you have questions, topics you'd love discussed, or want to advertise on the pod, contact us:

BUY MERCH: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://demobrats.printify.me/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tiktok: VirginiaStapleton

Bluesky: Demobrats

Instagram:VoteVirginiaStapleton // Tellyourfriendsoregon

Facebook: Elect Virginia Stapleton

email us: [email protected]

Join us Mondays at 8 AM for Willamette Wake-Up on KMUZ Radio! 100.7 FM / 88.5 FM

Stream demobrats on Youtube on the CC Media Channel

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Today our new friends Susan and Brian join us to discuss why it's so hard to have public art happen in Salem (and how Brian might be fixing this problem all by himself). Paint by Bureaucratic Numbers with us. And don't forget to check out Make Music Day this weekend!

(AND YES--we're VERY sorry we used AI to make the theme song. It was before we knew how much water it wasted!)

Salem's public art collection: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/e086aebd172149cfb38c4a3d1e69d796

Get out there and stay loud.

If you have questions, topics you'd love discussed, or want to advertise on the pod, contact us:

BUY MERCH: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://demobrats.printify.me/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tiktok: VirginiaStapleton

Bluesky: Demobrats

Instagram:VoteVirginiaStapleton

Facebook: Elect Virginia Stapleton

email us: [email protected]

Join us Mondays at 8 AM for Willamette Wake-Up on KMUZ Radio! 100.7 FM / 88.5 FM

Stream demobrats on Youtube on the CC Media Channel

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode!

This bonus episode is available for free, because you should all know what's up.

The Mayor and the entire Salem City Council is being investigated by the Ethics Commission over possibly unethical communications. Our jaws stayed in place.

Something felt off to us about this situation from the jump and thanks to the complaints of more than one community member, the Ethics Commission has decided to run a full investigation.

Our mayor has a troubling track record. Three ethics issues in as many years and spending nearly $300,000 to call yourself a volunteer is wild work. If it walks like a duck and it talks like a duck...it's probably a politician.

And if you need something to noodle on....why is Councilor Vanessa Nordyke suddenly refusing to be a part of any budget votes? We think Ward 7 deserves to have a voice in budget conversations and decisions.

Sources:

Ethics Issue 1: https://www.salemreporter.com/2024/04/11/julie-hoys-efforts-to-promote-tire-business-prompted-city-ethics-warning/

Ethics Issue 2: https://www.opb.org/article/2024/11/18/salem-city-council-censures-two-members-including-mayor-elect-julie-hoy/

Ethics Issue 3: https://www.salemreporter.com/2025/06/13/ethics-commission-votes-to-investigate-salem-mayor-councilors-over-possibly-unethical-communications/

Julie Hoy's Secretary of State Page: https://secure.sos.state.or.us/orestar/cneSearch.do?cneSearchButtonName=search&cneSearchFilerCommitteeRsn=60338&cneSearchFilerCommitteeTxt=&cneSearchFilerCommitteeTxtSearchType=C&cneSearchTranStartDate=&cneSearchTranEndDate=&cneSearchTranType=&cneSearchTranAmountFrom=&cneSearchTranAmountTo=&cneSearchContributorTxt=&cneSearchContributorTxtSearchType=C&cneSearchContributorType=&search=Search&OWASP_CSRFTOKEN=AOGP-Z238-KUFV-MWS1-UZ8T-H8FR-EVVP-90A1

Get out there and stay loud.

If you have questions, topics you'd love discussed, or want to advertise on the pod, contact us:

BUY MERCH: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://demobrats.printify.me/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tiktok: VirginiaStapleton

Bluesky: Demobrats

Instagram:VoteVirginiaStapleton

Facebook: Elect Virginia Stapleton

email us: [email protected]

Join us Mondays at 8 AM for Willamette Wake-Up on KMUZ Radio! 100.7 FM / 88.5 FM

Stream demobrats on Youtube on the CC Media Channel

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Morgan and Felix from CouplaGoofs join Virginia this week to discuss making content full time, being new parents (not to a Vampire's baby), creating authentic community, living fully as your best self, and the absolute CHAOS that erupted at Salem City Council on Monday night concerning the Avelo Airlines contract and the use of cell phones during City Council meetings. We promise you will LAUGH....like a lot.

This Saturday: No Kings Rally, Capitol Mall, 12-3 PM

Get out there and stay loud.

If you have questions, topics you'd love discussed, or want to advertise on the pod, contact us:

BUY MERCH: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://demobrats.printify.me/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tiktok: VirginiaStapleton // Couplagoofs

Bluesky: Demobrats // Couplagoofs

Instagram:VoteVirginiaStapleton // Couplagoofs

Facebook: Elect Virginia Stapleton

email us: [email protected]

Join us Mondays at 8 AM for Willamette Wake-Up on KMUZ Radio! 100.7 FM / 88.5 FM

Stream demobrats on Youtube on the CC Media Channel

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Hey Brat Pack!

Enjoy this bonus episode from Virginia giving you a life update on some hard stuff she's dealing with. Don't forget: we can do hard things. And you don't have to pull yourselves up by your bootstraps every time. That's what brats are for.