TOO MANY SECRETS

Yesterday (4/8/21), the Oregon Department of Justice issued an ORDER requiring the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) to DISCLOSE complaints made in 2020 against Ranch Matters John Stevens’ private investigators license.

Justice Departments Letter ATTACHED

SOME BACKGROUND

On October 23, 2020, we posted a story titled, FALSE ALLEGATIONS as part of a series of reports regarding complaints filed by former Ranch president Dave Palmer and the Ranch Association against John Stevens’ private investigators license with DPSST.

The first confirmed complaint was filed by Palmer on February 20, 2020 followed by a second complaint March 12, 2020 and an addendum to the second complaint submitted April 20 by the SECRET complainant(s).

On June 4, 2020, FORMER DPSST Investigator Karen Evans notified John Stevens for the first time about the complaints that had been filed months earlier by the secret complainant(s). Interestingly, Evans referenced Jefferson County Circuit Court Case No. 18 CV 16980-Pending (AT THAT TIME) 2016 Ballot Measure Lawsuit?

According to Evans, all of the complaints were directly related to the Association. She stated, “AS YOU KNOW, THIS INVESTIGATION RELATED TO YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH CROOKED RIVER ASSOCIATION.”

Evans confirmed she was conducting a DPSST Investigation based on complaints she admitted were submitted as stated above without identifying information as to the person(s) or complaint which related.

Further, while refusing to provide Stevens with copies of the complaints or complainant names, thus violating Stevens Due Process Rights, Evans demanded answers to very specific questions about the 2016 Ballot Measure Lawsuit.

AT WHOSE BIDDING?

While Evans refused to provide any information remotely related to the nature of the complaints, she demanded Stevens answer her questions regarding the 2016 lawsuit or face REVOCATION of his license. Evans-DPSST, was using their power to compel answers about completely SECRET/UNDISCLOSED ALLEGATIONS under threat of REVOCATION.

As reported last October, DPSST officially dismissed the complaints as “FALSE/UNFOUNDED”, but refused to provide records reflecting the full identity of the complainant(s) and copies of the complaints.

For the last several months our lawyers have been working behind the scenes trying to compel DPSST to release all of the complaints submitted by the Ranch Association to no avail.

GAME CHANGER

On April 1, 2021, Portland attorney, Robert Birk filed a “PETITION FOR AN ORDER…” requesting the Oregon Department of Justice intervene and Order DPSST to release the secretly withheld complaints.

As stated above, yesterday, the Department of Justice issued an Order requiring DPSST to release the withheld documents by granting Birk’s petition.

Today, DPSST complied with the Department of Justice’s Order and began releasing the complaints and other documents.

More to come.

INFORMATION IS POWER