The Real Story – A Column
Pam Treece, the sitting Washington County Commissioner and former PacifiCorp executive, is currently executing a masterclass in political shape-shifting. As the primary election reaches its final days, Treece has deployed a dual-identity marketing strategy that would make a branding consultant blush.
In mailers targeting local Republicans, we see “Chamber of Commerce Pam”—the business titan ready to keep Washington County strong. For those who value fiscal conservatism and law-and-order rhetoric, Treece presents herself as the “tough on crime” candidate who will fight high taxes and bring in high-paying jobs. It is a bold pitch, considering the county’s financial health has teetered toward the brink during her eight-year tenure. But to this audience, she is the “tough gal” ready to hold the line. This is the Right Wing Warrior!
A Recent mailer dropped in the mailboxes. Pam Treece is a STRONG leader! Tough On Crime!And look at Pam’s OreStar Campaign Finance Page! Big Business and the biggest donors, using those same talking points, are with her! And boy, “Uncle Phil” is in the house too! Wheee—-
- $5,000 from The Portland Alliance PAC is a political action committee affiliated with the Portland Metro Chamber (formerly known as the Portland Business Alliance). As the political arm of the region’s largest business association, the PAC advocates for private industry, business principles, and candidates who support economic development and commercial interests. [1, 2, 3, 4]
- $500 from Waste Management – Google Says – Waste Management uses political donations to secure lucrative government contracts and shape environmental regulations in favor of their waste, recycling, and energy operations.
- $300 from Thomas Vanderzanden– family has large land interests in the #janeensollman1700 – The infamous 1,700 acres of prime farmland that Pam Treece, Janeen Sollman, and Beach Pace have lobbied so very hard to convert to Data Centers, Industrial Factories, AI Computing, etc. – This is a longtime relationship.
- $500 from the Natural Gas Political Action Committee – BlackRock and their ilk have a huge stock % in PGE, NW Natural, and Pacific Power – this goes along with landowners and data centers.
- $20,000 Phil Knight – Hmmm — A Prolific Republican and HUGE DONOR to their slates- what does he want with Pam? I wonder.
Here is the backside of this clever mailer- more of the same.
Across the street, the Chameleon changes colors. In mailers sent to Democratic households, the denim-clad, “anti-Trump” Pam emerges. Here, she is the peacekeeping, flowered-skirt candidate who promises to save us all. This version of Treece leans into progressive values, the very same values that were often sidelined or “slapped down” in board meetings when they conflicted with the interests of big business.
This ability to pivot personas isn’t just clever campaigning; it’s a distraction from a troubling pattern of non-disclosure. Records show that Treece participated in the decision to close River Road, a move that saved her donor, a massive home developer, untold riches in flagging and detour costs—without the transparency the public deserves. Similarly, she has championed the expansion of data centers on prime farmland (the infamous 1,700 acres) while accepting contributions from the very landowners who stand to gain millions from that rezoning.
The most definitive proof of this “say one thing, do another” lifestyle is now part of the legal record. The global travel on the Clean Water Services tab resulted in a signed Stipulated Final Order acknowledging violations of Oregon ethics laws. The investigation revealed that while the public paid for the flights, Treece pocketed the travel rewards and used publicly funded trips to facilitate personal business extensions.
Voters are being presented with two different Pams. One is the protector of the big-money status quo; the other is a progressive ally. In reality, she represents a brand of situational ethics where the persona changes to fit the room, but the donor-driven agenda remains exactly the same.
Because we cannot support a candidate who manipulates her identity to suit the audience while failing to disclose the financial ties that drive her votes, the Hillsboro Herald is endorsing Nafisa Fai for County Chair. We need a leader with a consistent moral compass, not a chameleon who changes colors for every mailbox.
A Tale of Two Commissioners: Why the Herald Endorses Nafisa Fai Over Ethics-Clouded Pam Treece
BONUS CONTENT For Republicans- Vote For Jenny Kampwrath – she is your gal
Let me shoot straight. I was a Republican for a long time- like I lived that life and I know it. For the last 20 years, I have been an independent, and on and off a Democrat. If you’re a Republican, I get you. But you have a great choice in the 3rd candidate, Jenny Kampwrath. She and I differ on too many fundamental points, but she has conviction and commitment to her cause. She is the person you need to stand behind, win, lose, or draw.
Nafisa Fai, Jenny Kamprath, and Pam Treece, Square Off In Town Hall Event ~ Video Coverage
She is likely doing this in anticipation of a runoff with Fai.
This suggests that Pam Treece is an opportunistic and pro-business independent, who straddles the fence between the socialists and Trumpists, and when in the room, likes the finer things in life on the taxpayer dime, not unlike liberal democrats. She fits right in with either party, at the moment. At least she’s not an insufferable hag like Betsy Johnson.
You can see this as either brilliant pluralistic campaign strategy, the bane of what it means to be “independent” in our two-party milieu and purplish county, or crass business opportunism and you would probably be right in all three assessments.
As an independent, I’m still voting for Fai in November, just on competency and good governance, if anything, and anti-land-grabbing.