A third county Republican committee is calling on state Rep. Greg Smith to resign his House seat over ethical lapses. The Wasco County Central Republican Committee voted to do so on Monday, Feb. 16. “It is unfortunate to be in this situation with one of our representatives,” according to a statement from the committee chairman, John Grant. “The reports of misconduct and unethical behavior have led our members to bring forward a motion to sign with Morrow County’s resolution.” That’s a reference to the central committee in Smith’s home county, which in January called on him to resign. The Sherman County Republican Central Committee followed earlier this month with its own vote demanding Smith step down. Smith didn’t respond to requests for comment on the latest committee actions. The political turmoil back in his home district began with the Morrow County committee passing a three-page resolution detailing what it considered to be Smith’s unethical misuse of public office. “Representative Smith’s conduct directly violates the conservative principles and Republican Party values of ethical governance, fiscal accountability, personal responsibility, limited government and rule of law that our voters expect us to uphold,” the resolution stated. The resolution said the Morrow County Republican Party “will not tolerate corruption or ethical violations from Republican elected officials any more than we would from Democrats.” The resolution said if Smith didn’t’ resign, state Republican leaders should censure him and should cut off any support. The Morrow County group focused on Smith’s performance as executive director of the Columbia Development Authority, a small public body in Boardman. The committee noted that state ethics regulators have concluded that Smith misused his position at the CDA to significantly raise his own pay – and then failed to return more than $30,000 in excess salary when ordered to do so by his board. Days after the committee’s action, Smith abruptly quit his six-figure CDA job. He attacked the Morrow County resolution as a stunt by political opponents, citing in particular his challenger in the Republican primary. He accused Jim Doherty, a Morrow County rancher and former county commissioner, with manipulating the Republican committee. Smith’s statement didn’t address the allegations in the resolution. He stayed publicly silent when the Sherman County Republican Central Committee voted in early February to back its Morrow County colleagues. The Wasco County letter was issued to the Oregon Republican Party leadership, the House Republican caucus and Smith. It said it “agrees with all points” cited by the Morrow County committee. The cited the state party platform adopted last September that said, “Those entrusted with public office are stewards of the people’s trust and resources.” Key Republican leaders in Oregon have stayed silent on Smith’s troubles. Connie Whelchel, state Republican chairwoman, didn’t respond to requests for comments on the latest county committee action. She also didn’t respond after the two earlier committee votes. Officials from the Morrow and Sherman County committees said that as of Friday, Feb. 20, they had received no contact from state Republican officials about their actions. State Rep. Lucetta Elmer, the House Republican leader, in the past month hasn’t responded to requests for comments about the ethics findings or the county committee actions. On Jan. 5, the political action committee she controls to support House candidates gave Smith $5,000 for his reelection campaign. That was less than one month after the Oregon Government Ethics Commission concluded Smith repeatedly violated state anti-corruption laws to enrich himself. Contact Editor Les Zaitz: [email protected] LOCAL NEWS DELIVERED TO YOU: Subscribe to Salem Reporter and get all the fact-based Salem news that matters to you. Fair, accurate, trusted – SUBSCRIBE The post Calls grow for Rep. Greg Smith to resign as state Republican leaders stay mum appeared first on Salem Reporter. ...read more read less