Agency Investigating Ex-SAIF Leader

The Oregon state ethics commission has launched an investigation into the lobbying activities of Katherine Keene, the former president of the SAIF Corp.

At issue is whether Keene, who resigned in 2003, failed to register as a lobbyist and report lobbying expenses. Patrick Hearn, executive director of the Government Standards and Practices Commission, said the ethics staff has 120 days to finish the probe.

In September, the commission and SAIF reached a settlement calling for the insurance company to pay a $2,000 fine for underreporting its lobbying expenses. That investigation turned up information leading to the closer look at Keene. A preliminary review from the commission says Keene, who had not been registered as a lobbyist with SAIF since 1993, had been reimbursed by the state-owned workers’ comp insurance company in recent years for costs of meals provided to legislators.

State law requires a person to register as a lobbyist when devoting 24 hours to lobbying or accumulating $100 in lobbying expenses during a calendar quarter. The report cited five quarters during a three-year period in which Keene appeared to reach those thresholds.

Moreover, when lobbyists spend more than $50 on a public official, they must notify the official in writing of the amount spent.

Stephen Houze, Keene’s attorney, told The Oregonian he hadn’t been informed of the ethics panel’s decision and couldn’t comment on specifics.

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