Nathan Vasquez (lawyer)
Nathan Vasquez | |
---|---|
District Attorney of Multnomah County | |
Elect | |
Assuming office January 1, 2025 | |
Succeeding | Mike Schmidt |
Personal details | |
Political party | Republican (before 2017) Independent Party of Oregon (2017–present) |
Education | University of California, Davis (BA) Lewis and Clark College (JD) |
Nathan Vasquez is an American attorney who is the District Attorney-elect of Multnomah County, Oregon. In the May 2024 election, Vasquez defeated incumbent Mike Schmidt, who was previously his superior in the department.[1][2]
Career
In 2001, Vasquez graduated from Lewis & Clark Law School.[1] He joined the Multnomah County District Attorney's office as an intern, and later as a prosecutor.[3][4]
In 2022, Vasquez prosecuted the second-degree murder case of Benjamin Smith stemming from the February 2022 Normandale Park shooting.[3]
In April 2024, Vasquez faced an ethics complaint before the Oregon State Bar when, in election material, he publicly accused a man of being a serial killer despite the man facing no charges.[5] The Oregon State Bar ultimately dismissed the complaint, citing "no sufficient basis to warrant a referral to Disciplinary Counsel."[5]
2024 District Attorney election
In 2023, Vasquez announced his intention to challenge incumbent Schmidt in the 2024 election.[1]
During the campaign, Vasquez has earned broad support from Portland's public safety unions and business leaders.[6] He received sizable campaign contributions from business leaders like Phil Knight and Tim Boyle.[2] Before the primary election on May 21, 2024, Vasquez was endorsed by The Oregonian[7] and Willamette Week.[8]
References
- ^ a b c Wilson, Conrad (May 24, 2023). "Multnomah County DA Mike Schmidt draws 2024 challenger from the inside". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on February 24, 2024. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
- ^ a b Manfield, Lucas (November 15, 2023). "Nathan Vasquez Builds a Big Fundraising Lead in District Attorney Race". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on May 2, 2024. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
- ^ a b Crombie, Noelle (May 26, 2023). "Longtime prosecutor says he will challenge Multnomah County DA Mike Schmidt". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on April 30, 2024. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
- ^ "Progressive prosecutor in Portland, Oregon, seeks to fend off tough-on-crime challenger in DA race". WSAV-TV. 2024-05-21. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ^ a b Wilson, Conrad (April 26, 2024). "Ethics complaint dismissed against candidate for Multnomah County DA". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Manfield, Lucas (February 12, 2024). "Six Public Safety Unions Endorse Nathan Vasquez". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on February 17, 2024. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
- ^ The Oregonian Editorial Board (May 3, 2024). "Editorial endorsement May 2024: Vote for Nathan Vasquez for Multnomah County DA". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on May 3, 2024. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
- ^ WW Staff (May 1, 2024). "WW's May 2024 Endorsements: Multnomah County". Willamette Week. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
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