OPB Politics Now

Public employee unions have historically been one of the reasons Democrats enjoy a stranglehold on Oregon politics. But that might be changing. In this episode, we look at how a vote on state employee pensions is coming back to bite Democratic legislators.

National news was dominated by impeachment talk this week, but amid all the conversation about the Trump administration and Ukraine, there’s an Oregon angle. We’ll tell you how a Portland hotel owner found himself at the center of the fight.

The cannabis industry is booming in the Pacific Northwest -- and now state leaders and industry advocates want banks to get involved. Plus, there’s a move afoot to ask Oregon voters to decriminalize all drugs.

This week we discuss Governor Kate Brown’s proclaimed commitment to government transparency -- including in how she picks her judges. We also discuss a shakeup in House Republican leadership.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown promised to improve transparency when she was elected. But this week the state’s first-ever public records advocate quit. This week we talk about the state of transparency in Oregon and whether Brown has been a help or hindrance to transparency in the state.

It’s Labor Day weekend, otherwise known as the ceremonial start of the upcoming campaign year. We give you a rundown of what to watch for as the state and local campaigns heat up.

Governor Kate Brown can't seek reelection again, yet her future was the big question in Oregon politics this week. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Lauren Dake, Dirk VanderHart and Jeff Mapes explore her recent big fundraising push and the dueling campaigns to recall her from office.

This week, OPB politics reporters Lauren Dake and Dirk VanderHart and Jeff Mapes discuss some of the repercussions we’re already seeing from the 2019 legislative session.

the recent horrific mass shootings have once again prompted the gun control debate to take center stage. This week, we localize the national conversation around gun control and talk about what has - or hasn’t happened - in Oregon.

We’re taking a break at OPB Politics Now to recover from the 2019 Oregon legislature and prepare for the 2020 campaign cycle. While we’re off, here’s a special look at season 2 of Bundyville, a podcast from OPB and Longreads that chronicles the rise of the so-called patriot moving and how extreme rhetoric is going mainstream. In this episode, freelance journalist Leah Sottile looks at Washington Rep. Matt Shea and his push for a 51st state — a place governed by biblical law and made up of white people.