Blog Posts - LINN COUNTY DEMOCRATS

LINN COUNTY DEMOCRATS

April 09th, 2026

4/9/2026

Albany Honk & Wave

Lebanon Honk & Wave

Friday Honk & Waves continue;
'coal-roaling' driver gets maximum fine

The weekly Honk & Wave protests are scheduled for 4 to 6 p.m. Fridays on Ellsworth Street at Fourth Avenue in Albany and along Main Street at Academy Square in Lebanon. The Honk & Waves are organized by Albany Region Indivisible in Albany and East Linn Indivisible in Lebanon.
***
East Linn's Indivisible's Karen Schueller provided this timely news on April 9: "In a local win for our side, yesterday in Lebanon Municipal Court a man who thought "coal rolling" (diesel-smoke spewing) the participants of Lebanon's Friday Honk & Wave was a good idea was taught a lesson we hope will be passed on to others. After five people who experienced the coal-rolling incident were subpoenaed and testified in court, the judge increased the original fine from $115 to the maximum fine of $250. In addition to the five people who testified, there were an additional 10 people from East Linn Indivisible in the courtroom to show support for our members."
Way to go, East Linn Indivisible!

April 02nd, 2026

4/2/2026

Linn Democratic Central Committee
Platform Convention set for May 23

The Linn County Democrats' first platform convention in just over three years is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 23, at the Albany Main Library, 2450 14th Ave. S.E. Delegates to the convention must be Democrats registered in Linn County. People interested in serving as delegates should click the sign-up button below. Proposed platform planks and legislative action items (LAIs) can be submitted before the convention by clicking the button below. The last LCDCC County Platform Convention was held in April 2023. Convention delegates produced, and the Central Committee approved, the current platform,

Sign up to become a delegate

Submit a plank, Legislative Action Item

March 28th, 2026

3/28/2026

'No Kings' rallies draw big mid-valley crowds

Sunshine greeted protesters for the "No Kings" rallies Saturday, March 28, in Albany and Lebanon. Turnouts in Albany and Lebanon nearly matched the second "No Kings" rally attendance last October. An estimated crowd of close to 1,200 showed up for the 2 to 4 p.m. March 28 rally along Ellsworth and Lyon streets in downtown Albany. In Lebanon about 475 people gathered in Academy Square along Main Street from noon to 2 p.m. A large crowd attended the Corvallis "No Kings" rally that started at noon at McNary Field and processed to Central Park and the Benton County Courthouse. A "No Kings" rally also was held in Harrisburg.
The mid-valley protest rallies were among 3,300 scheduled around the country, with an estimated 8 million people participating. That's about 1 million than the turnout for "No Kings 2" in October and 3 million more than "No Kings 1" last June.
Indivisible, the national lead organizer of the March 28 rallies, states on its website that "No Kings" is more than just a slogan:
"It is the foundation our nation was built upon. Born in the streets, shouted by millions, carried on posters and chants, it echoes from city blocks to rural town squares, uniting people across this country to fight dictatorship together.
"Because this country does not belong to kings, dictators, or tyrants. It belongs to We the People — the people who care, who show up, and who fight for dignity, a life we can afford, and real opportunity. No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings."

March 28th, 2026

3/28/2026

Linn Dems to meet Thursday, April 2,
at Lebanon Senior Center and on Zoom

The Linn County Democratic Central Committee will conduct our next regular monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 2, at the Lebanon Senior Center Amphitheater, 80 W. Tangent St., and on Zoom. Social time starts at 6. (Links to Zoom registration, the agenda, minutes from the March meeting are below.)
The agenda includes:

Guest Speakers: Democratic candidates Ivan Maluski (House District 11) and Sierrah Williams (Senate District 6).
Committee reports.
Linn County Platform Convention Standing Rule review.
First Quarter State Central Committee Meeting review.
Special Election for two Alternate Delegates for Congressional District 5 Committee..
Consider stamps of approval for Primary Election candidates.

Register for Zoom

March 5 Minutes

March 28th, 2026

3/28/2026

Neighborhood Leaders to debrief 'No Kings' rallies,
hear from candidates at March 29 Zoom meeting

Our next Neighborhood Leaders meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, March 29, on Zoom. (For Zoom access, contact Nancy Greenman.)
  We'll debrief Saturday's "No Kings" events and look ahead to the Primary, hearing from Congresswoman Val Hoyle (CD4), Congressional Candidate Zeva Rosenbaum (CD5) and Benton County Commissioner Pat Malone.
  We'll talk about what those "No Solicitation" signs can mean and, as always, we'll finish with a role play of a Neighborhood Leader knocking on a neighbor's door.
  Looking forward to seeing you on the street tomorrow and on Zoom on Sunday!
— Brenda, Carol, Steve, Carrie, Mark, Linda, Susan & Nancy
Linn Benton Democrats Neighborhood Leader Team

March 15th, 2026

3/15/2026

Brigade continues banner drops

The Albany Banner Brigade turned out with more of its timely I-5 banner drops March 14 from the Santiam Highway overpass.

March 01st, 2026

3/1/2026

Protesters: No war on Iran

In response to the Saturday, Feb. 28, U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran, Albany Region Indivisible quickly scheduled an 'emergency' protest gathering for March 1. Nearly 50 people turned out for the two-hour protest at Fourth Avenue and Ellsworth Street in downtown Albany. Albany Region Indivisible posted this on its Facebook page before the protest: "Simple. No war on Iran. This is a peaceful gathering. We are committed to peace.'

February 28th, 2026

2/28/2026

Linn Dems meet March 5
at Albany Library and on Zoom

The Linn County Democratic Central Committee will conduct our next regular meeting, starting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 5, at Albany Public Library, 2450 14th Ave. S.E., and on Zoom. Social time starts at 6:30 p.m. (Links to Zoom registration, the agenda and minutes from last month's meeting are below).
The agenda includes elections of two Congressional District 5 Committee delegates. Precinct Committee People can nominates others or self nominate. Nominations can be emailed to [email protected].

Register for Zoom

February 28th, 2026

2/28/2026

Neighborhood Leaders to hear
from Democratic Primary candidates March 1

Please join us at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, March 1, for the first of our Primary Election Lead-Up meetings on Zoom. (To register for Zoom access, contact Nancy Greenman.)
And mark your calendars for ongoing Zooms every other Sunday through April 26, all at 6:30 p.m.
On March 1, we'll hear from our first three candidates running in the Democratic Primary.

Joanna Robinson, candidate for House District 15 (Albany, including North Albany; Millersburg; and Tangent);'
Ivan Maluski, candidate for House District 11 (Linn County east of Albany); and
Dr. Melissa Bird, candidate for Congressional District 4 (Benton County)

We'll also review the Primary calendar and sharpen our skills with a role-play. Hope you can be there!
— Brenda, Carol, Steve, Carrie, Mark, Linda, Susan & Nancy
Linn Benton Democrats Neighborhood Leader Team

February 26th, 2026

2/26/2026

Epstein files

Bill Clinton says he had no knowledge of Epstein crime

• The former president tells GOP-led House panel that compelling his wife to testify
“was simply not right." (Feb. 27, CNN)

Video: Former President Clinton's statement after testifying

Hillary Clinton: 'My heart breaks for the (Epstein)
survivors. And I'm furious on their behalf'

Hillary Clinton

Here is the full text of Hillary Clinton's opening statement Feb. 26 to the  House Oversight and Government Reform Committee:
  Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member, Members of the Committee… as a former Senator, I have respect for legislative oversight and I expect its exercise, as do the American people, to be principled and fearless in pursuit of truth and accountability.
As we all know, however, too often Congressional investigations are partisan political theater, which is an abdication of duty and an insult to the American people.
The Committee justified its subpoena to me based on its assumption that I have information regarding the investigations into the criminal activities of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Let me be as clear as I can. I do not.
As I stated in my sworn declaration on January 13, I had no idea about their criminal activities. I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein. I never flew on his plane or visited his island, homes or offices. I have nothing to add to that.
Like every decent person, I have been horrified by what we have learned about their crimes. It’s unfathomable that Mr. Epstein initially got a slap on the wrist in 2008, which allowed him to continue his predatory practices for another decade.
Mr. Chairman, your investigation is supposed to be assessing the federal government’s handling of the investigations and prosecutions of Epstein and his crimes. You subpoenaed eight law enforcement officials, all of whom ran the Department of Justice or directed the FBI when Epstein’s crimes were investigated and prosecuted. Of those eight, only one appeared before the Committee. Five of the six former attorneys general were allowed to submit brief statements stating they had no information to provide.
You have held zero public hearings, refused to allow the media to attend them, including today, despite espousing the need for transparency on dozens of occasions.
You have made little effort to call the people who show up most prominently in the Epstein files. And when you did, not a single Republican Member showed up for Les Wexner’s deposition.
This institutional failure is designed to protect one political party and one public official, rather than to seek truth and justice for the victims and survivors, as well as the public who also want to get to the bottom of this matter. My heart breaks for the survivors. And I am furious on their behalf.
I have spent my life advocating for women and girls. I have worked hard to stop the terrible abuses so many women and girls face here and around the world, including human trafficking, forced labor, and sexual slavery. For too long, these have been largely invisible crimes or not treated as crimes at all. But the survivors are real and they are entitled to better.
In Southeast Asia, I met girls as young as twelve years old who were forced into prostitution and raped repeatedly. Some were dying of AIDS. In Eastern Europe, I met mothers who told me how they lost daughters to trafficking and did not know where to turn. In settings around the world, I met survivors trying to rebuild their lives and help rescue others – with little support from people in power, who too often turned a blind eye and a cold shoulder.
If you are new to this issue, let me tell you: Jeffrey Epstein was a heinous individual, but he’s far from alone. This is not a one-off tabloid sensation or a political scandal. It’s a global scourge with an unimaginable human toll.
My work combatting sex trafficking goes back to my days as First Lady. I worked to pass the first federal legislation against trafficking and was proud that my husband signed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, which increased support for survivors and gave prosecutors better tools for going after traffickers.
As Secretary of State, I appointed a former federal prosecutor, Lou CdeBaca, to ramp up our global antitrafficking efforts. I oversaw nearly 170 anti-trafficking programs in 70 nations and directly pressed foreign leaders to crack down on trafficking networks in their countries. Every year we published a global report to shine a light on abuses. The findings of those reports triggered sanctions on countries failing to make progress, so they became a powerful diplomatic tool to drive concrete action.
I insisted that the United States be included in the report for the first time ever in 2011. Because we must hold ourselves not just to the same standard as the rest of the world but to an even higher one. Sex trafficking and modern slavery should have no place in America. None.
Infuriatingly, the Trump Administration gutted the Trafficking in Persons Office at the State Department, cutting more than 70 percent of the career civil and foreign service experts who worked so hard to prevent trafficking crimes. The annual trafficking report, required by law, was delayed for months. The message from the Trump Administration to the American people and the world could not be clearer: combatting human trafficking is no longer an American priority under the Trump White House.
That is a tragedy. It’s a scandal. It deserves vigorous investigation and oversight.
A committee endeavoring to stopping human trafficking would seek to understand what specific steps are needed to fix a system that allowed Epstein to get away with his crimes in 2008.
A committee run by elected officials with a commitment to transparency would ensure the full release of all the files.
It would ensure that the lawful redactions of those files protected the victims and survivors, not powerful men and political allies.
It would get to the bottom of reports that DOJ withheld FBI interviews in which a survivor accuses President Trump of heinous crimes.
It would subpoena anyone who asked on which night there would be the “wildest party” on Epstein’s island.
It would demand testimony from prosecutors in Florida and New York about why they gave Epstein a sweetheart deal and chose not to pursue others who may have been implicated.
It would demand that Secretary Rubio and Attorney General Bondi testify about why this administration is abandoning survivors and playing into the hands of traffickers.
  It would seek out officers on the front lines of this fight and ask them what support they need.
  It would put forth legislation to provide more resources and force this administration to act.
  But that’s not happening.
  Instead, you have compelled me to testify, fully aware that I have no knowledge that would assist your investigation, in order to distract attention from President Trump’s actions and to cover them up despite legitimate calls for answers.
  If this Committee is serious about learning the truth about Epstein’s trafficking crimes, it would not rely on press gaggles to get answers from our current president on his involvement; it would ask him directly under oath about the tens of thousands of times he shows up in the Epstein files.
  If the majority was serious, it would not waste time on fishing expeditions. There is too much that needs to be done.
What is being held back? Who is being protected? And why the cover-up?
My challenge to you, Mr. Chairman, Members of the Committee, is the same challenge I put to myself throughout my long service to this nation. How to be worthy of the trust the American people have given you. They expect statesmanship, not gamesmanship. Leading, not grandstanding. They expect you to use your power to get to the truth and to do more to help survivors of Epstein’s crimes as well as the millions more who are victims of sex trafficking.