I am very dismayed that Claire Syrett felt forced to drop her lawsuit (David Fidanque’s Viewpoint, “After the Recall,” 9/29).
I am very familiar with these legal tactics that allow people with money to so greatly raise the risks of pursuing matters of principle that even someone who is willing to risk a great deal cannot seek a day in court. Effectively, this means that money wins. If one has enough money, one can do anything they want to our elections and other civil processes and buy not only the outcome, but also buy their way out of responsibility for their actions.
I do not live in town, but the integrity of elections, including recalls, should be of concern to every citizen. Next time it could be in my community. It might even be perpetrated by the same people. Normally, I would be very cautious about drawing conclusions on such matters, but the evidence that something is not right about what happened in the Syrett recall is quite objective and publicly available.
If the conduct in the recall was just, let it be judged in court.
Perhaps the ACLU should look at the case? After all, what is more a matter of civil liberty than the integrity of elections?
Steven Berkson
Veneta
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519
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