Tell The Truth Lori
Both before and after she was elected to represent ORD5, Lori Chavez-DeRemer has tried to trick people into thinking that she is a “moderate, sensible” Republican.
Don’t be fooled!
Instead, compare what she says (or fails to say) with what she does, what she supports, what she votes for.
Lori votes with Marjorie Taylor Greene 88% of the time.
She is endorsed by the NRA and National Right to Life.
She has an F rating from Progressive Punch.
She is MAGA through and through!
Click here for an email template to share this page with your friends and family, and click here for a helpful article on Lori’s record.
Additional topics are coming soon:
Diversity, LGBTQ+, Civil Rights
Ethics
Health Care - Medicare, Medicaid, ACA
Lori's MAGA Donors
Voting Rights
Regulations
Immigration and the Border
And More!
Would you like to volunteer to help research these or other topics?
Reproductive Health
LCD has sometimes tried to conceal her extreme MAGA position on abortion by saying that she will “always advocate for sensible and compassionate policies that protect the unborn” and promising “I will oppose extremist policies.” (Twitter 7-25-22) She pretends to be against a national abortion ban and for a state’s right to enact its own abortion laws. But she:
supports the Dobbs decision, which overturned women’s constitutional right to control their own bodies
supports a ban on abortion before a woman even knows she’s pregnant
denounces Oregon’s abortion laws and seeks to overturn them
has earned a 100% rating with National Right to Life by voting for two extremist MAGA anti-abortion bills.
Tell the truth, Lori! You are a MAGA extremist on Abortion!
WHAT SHE SAID
THEN
THEN
During her campaign, when Lori was endorsed by National Right to Life, she tried to downplay her extreme MAGA position on abortion by saying, “I will always advocate for sensible and compassionate policies that protect the unborn…. I will oppose extremist policies.” See Tweet --->
But she also said, “ It’s time to listen to 80% of Americans who want some level of restriction on abortions and pass legislation like the heartbeat bill.”
And she praised the Dobbs decision that overturned a woman’s constitutional right to choose.
WHAT SHE SAYS
NOW
NOW
Lori now says: “To be absolutely clear, I do not support a national abortion ban."
WHAT SHE
DOES
She has earned a 100% rating from the National Right to Life.
Talk about extremist! Lori supports a ban on abortion before the woman even knows she is pregnant!
How does Lori think she’ll get her “heartbeat bill” in states like Oregon unless she and her MAGA buddies pass a national abortion bill?
Do we really think that Lori would defy the Republican National Committee, which says that it seeks to impose a national ban on abortion?
During her campaign, Lori denounced Oregon’s exercise of its state’s rights when it passed state laws protecting a woman’s right to choose, saying: “Oregon has passed extreme laws that allow abortion on demand and taxpayer funded abortions.”
Lori now says, " Oregon law allows abortion without restriction, but a vast majority of Americans support rational protections – and that certainly applies to infants who survive abortion attempts."
And she says: “To be absolutely clear, I do not support a national abortion ban."
Lori is trying her best to have it both ways. She pretends to be both for “states’ rights” to have their own abortion laws and against the national abortion ban that the Republican National Committee supports.
But she voted for federal legislation aimed at frightening healthcare providers from providing women needed reproductive care because she disagrees with Oregon’s abortion laws.
Lori voted for the completely unnecessary and extremely divisive “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act,” a bill intended to weaponize women’s health care and intimidate health care providers, because claims “Oregon law allows abortion without restriction” even though she asserts that “a vast majority of Americans” support what she calls “rational protections.”
But Oregon does NOT have any laws that would permit infanticide. No state does. Lori is using a made-up issue that doesn’t even exist as an excuse to vote for federal legislation that would prevent states like Oregon from ensuring that abortions are legal and accessible.
So much for states’ rights!
And it sure sounds like the beginning steps to a national ban on abortion!
Lori said, “I will always advocate for sensible and compassionate policies that protect the unborn…. I will oppose extremist policies.”
Lori says, “...no matter where you stand on this issue, we should all be able to agree that politically-motivated violence is wrong. In the wake of the leaked Supreme Court opinion last year, we saw violence unfold too close to home as Oregon’s Right to Life offices were attacked.”
She voted for a bill that condemns attacks on pro-life facilities, groups, and churches, while overlooking the murderous assaults that have terrorized women’s health care facilities and providers for decades.
According to the National Abortion Federation, “Since 1977, there have been 11 murders, 42 bombings, 196 arsons, 491 assaults, and thousands of incidents of criminal activities directed at patients, providers, and volunteers.”
Why do Lori and MAGA Republicans single out pro-life facilities for protection when attacks on abortion providers have sky-rocketed from their already high levels?
During her campaign, Lori denounced Oregon’s exercise of its state’s rights when it passed state laws protecting a woman’s right to choose: “Oregon has passed extreme laws that allow abortion on demand and taxpayer funded abortions.”
She called for the enactment of the so-called “heartbeat bill,” which would ban abortion before a woman even knew that she was pregnant.
Lori now says, "I think that that decision [by the federal judge in Texas banning the use of mifepristone nationwide] was not a good decision. And I'll tell you why. This is a state's rights issue."
She also says, “The Supreme Court’s recent decision allows state legislatures to determine abortion laws, and that’s the way it should be. The decision took power away from unelected judges and put it in the hands of the people through their elected state legislators.”
Maybe she should check with the Republican National Committee, which says that it seeks to impose a national ban on abortion. The heck with states’ rights!
Lori has voted for the two MAGA anti-abortion bills that National Right to Life supports and has a 100% rating with NRL.
That is the mark of a MAGA extremist.
Lori now (4/18/23) seeks to pivot away from abortion to birth control, saying she "strongly supports efforts to increase access and reduce costs for over-the-counter birth control for adult women" and it "should not be a partisan issue.”
Climate and the Environment
Lori’s website lists the issues that are important to her, the usual MAGA GOP favorites – crime, inflation, the border. But she doesn’t even mention climate change, the existential issue that we have only a few years left to address! Like the rest of the MAGA GOP, she focuses on keeping our economy centered on fossil fuels and carbon. She thinks we have “the next couple 100 years”!! We can’t afford to do this any more!
Tell the truth, Lori! You are a MAGA extremist on Climate & the Environment!
WHAT SHE SAID
THEN
THEN
Lori doesn’t believe there’s a climate crisis and thinks we have hundreds of years to address it.
“We can't say that all Republicans are climate deniers, we recognize the climate is changing, but it's been changing for thousands of years. It's the trajectory that they want us to change.
And who's going to take the hit for that? And what's the cost of transitioning, you know, over the next couple 100 years, they want us to do it by what, 2035, then 2050? And who are they infringing upon? Americans, everyday hard working Americans and business owners. That's the problem.” [Facebook, Captive Audience, 7/25/22]
WHAT SHE SAYS
NOW
NOW
In January 2023, when LCD joined the Conservative Climate Caucus (an oxymoron if there ever was one), she said: “There’s only one planet Earth, and it’s our responsibility to leave it better than we found it so our children and grandchildren can live happy, healthy lives, From mountains and valleys to forests and lakes, Oregon is home to a beautiful, scenic landscape that you can’t find anywhere else.
It’s our duty to protect it. Addressing climate change should not be a partisan issue. I’m excited to work with my colleagues on climate-friendly policies that protect our environment without overregulating or restricting energy production.”
WHAT SHE
DOES
On March 30, 2023, she voted for HR 1 which would expand mining and fossil fuel production while repealing important elements of the Biden administration’s long-awaited and desperately overdue climate legislation.
But wait, there’s more! She has voted for or sponsored a host of other bills that will increase the ravages of climate change, like:
H.R.21, the Strategic Production Response Act, a bill that has passed the House that would limit the drawdown of petroleum in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve until the Department of Energy submits to Congress a plan to increase the percentage of federal lands leased for oil and gas production.
H.R.1362, the Saving America’s Energy Future Act, which would prohibit the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture from issuing a moratorium on issuing new oil and gas leases and drill permits on certain Federal lands.
HJ Res 30, a joint resolution that would have nullified a DoL rule allowing (but not requiring) plan fiduciaries to consider climate change and other environmental, social, and governance factors when they make investment decisions and when they exercise shareholder rights.
Plus, she has joined the MAGA GOP in sponsoring silly bills like the STOVE Act and the GAS Act, which would prohibit federal agencies from banning gas-fueled stoves.
She has also voted to undermine important environmental and conservation measures like H.J.Res.27, which would have rescinded a regulation clarifying the definition of “waters” under the EPA.
Gun Safety
This is the crazy stuff that Lori said on her campaign website issues page:
“Our founding documents give us the right to keep and bear arms. The Second Amendment is our safeguard against tyranny in the United States. We have seen the left go after our right to protect ourselves time and time again. They politicize national tragedies to argue that law abiding citizens should have their guns confiscated. Law abiding gun owners have never been the problem. Violent crime is caused by criminals. The left doesn’t want to talk about cracking down on illegal drugs, gang violence, antifa, rioting, or looting. They want to ban you from protecting yourself and your family.” Lori Chavez-DeRemer Campaign Website, as of 3/22/2022.
WOW! NO WONDER THIS PAGE ON HER CAMPAIGN WEBSITE HAS BEEN DELETED!
Tell the truth, Lori!
You are a MAGA extremist on Gun Safety!
WHAT SHE SAID
THEN
THEN
“As a gun owner, concealed carry permit holder, and NRA member I am a champion of the second amendment. I vow to fight against gun control policies in Congress that will attack our freedoms.” Twitter, 12/8/2021
“The Radical Left wants to take away our right to bear arms. We cannot let them redefine our Constitution. As a gun owner and longtime member of the NRA, I will always protect our 2nd amendment.” Twitter 10/23/2023
“I’m a proud NRA member.” Twitter 3/20/2022
Lori offers “thoughts and prayers” but no concrete answers after mass shootings in Las Vegas and Uvalde. Twitter 10/2/17, Twitter 5/24/22
WHAT SHE SAYS
NOW
NOW
SAME!
Lori says: “Law-abiding citizens should have their second amendment right protected, absolutely. But addressing gun control through that without addressing the mental health crisis…the criminal behavior that we’re seeing is just a bigger discussion. I think there’s more to address than outright gun control and not protecting our Second Amendment right.”
This is the typical Lori word salad, including mention of the MAGA GOP favorites – “mental health” and “criminal behavior.”
WHAT SHE
DOES
Refuses to support HR 625, the Keep Americans Safe Act (regulates large capacity magazines), HR 698, the Assault Weapons Ban, HR 660, Ethan’s Law (a safe storage bill), HR 1145, Safe Guns, Safe Kids Act (a safe storage bill).
She is endorsed by the National Rifle Association
Spending & MAGA Default
Like other MAGA Republicans, Lori is a staunch believer in “trickle-down” economics, the repeatedly disproved Reagan-era myth that enormous tax cuts for the wealthiest result in benefits that “trickle down” to the rest of us. But in fact, the tax cuts enacted under Reagan, George W., and especially, under Trump blew up the budget time after time, destroying the budget surpluses created under Clinton and causing financial catastrophes!
History has shown that the “revenue crisis” due to insufficient taxes on the wealthiest, not a “spending crisis,” has caused our expanding deficits. But even though the GOP, the party that claims to be fiscally conservative, is responsible for the bulk of these deficits because of its tax cuts, it has only shown concern over the national debt during Democratic administrations, never Republican ones. In fact, Dick Cheney famously said, “Reagan proved deficits don’t matter.”
The GOP has fulminated about deficits (while refusing to raise taxes) selectively – only during Democratic administrations. This year, the MAGA GOP has irresponsibly weaponized the debt ceiling, an historical relic which was enacted in WWI to smooth the issuance of Liberty Bonds. It is threatening to cause the US to default on its already-accrued debt unless Biden agrees to extreme across-the-board 22% cuts to discretionary spending and to roll back key components of his already-enacted legislative agenda!
Lori voted for the MAGA Default bill, which will slash funding for veterans, students, SNAP, and prevent us from addressing the climate crisis, among many other things. The MAGA Default bill was passed by ONE vote, including that of indicted felon George Santos. If Lori had voted NO, the MAGA Default bill would have failed. She acknowledges that default will result in financial disaster. Yet she supports it anyway! And she always has!
Here are the consequences for Oregon if this bill passes! Oregon-1.pdf (whitehouse.gov)
Tell the truth, Lori! You are a MAGA extremist on Spending and the MAGA Default!
WHAT SHE SAID
THEN
THEN
On the Trump tax cut: Lori said, “It is going to be great for some of us.”
Lori said she opposes “government funded healthcare” (such as Medicare, Medicaid, ObamaCare, and the VA system).
Back in 2021, Lori tweeted: “Disappointed to see the Democrat controlled House raise the debt ceiling tonight.”
WHAT SHE SAYS
NOW
NOW
Justifying her vote for the MAGA Default bill, HR 2811, Lori said “...we cannot saddle our children with tomorrow’s bill for today’s out-of-control spending decisions,” without any mention of the profligate and irresponsible Bush/Trump tax cuts primarily benefiting the wealthiest, which increased the national debt by trillions of dollars.
WHAT SHE
DOES
Lori voted for HR 2811, which will send the US into default unless the MAGA Budget, with across-the-board cuts to programs such as the VA, education, Medicaid, SNAP, plus the rescission of funding for renewable energy and the IRS, goes into effect.
Lori knows what a disaster default would be but she still voted for the MAGA Default bill. “We … cannot default on our debt, which would have a devastating impact on our economy and severely weaken our position on the world stage.”
She’s lying. Lori has always supported risking financial disaster through defaulting on our national debt and holding the country hostage to enact unpopular MAGA legislation.
Social Programs - Food Stamps, Social Security, Housing
Lori’s shell game of hiding and obfuscating the truth is at its worst when it comes to social programs.
She pledged to work with Rep. Salinas on the Farm Bill, which is the bill that provides funding for SNAP (food stamps). Then she voted twice for massive cuts to the program, first in the so-called “America Works Act” and then in the MAGA Default/Budget.
She said that she opposes all “government funded healthcare,” then voted for the MAGA Default/Budget bill, which will cut the VA budget.
She says she won’t cut Medicare or Social Security, but won’t sign a pledge not to.
She says houselessness is “one of her top priorities,” blaming it on lots of unrelated things.
She says “90% of homeless people are addicted to drugs or alcohol.”
She faults Oregon’s landmark land use planning laws.
She even says the “first step to end homelessness is to secure the southern border.” “We will deal with it in Oregon by working on border issues. Enough is enough. We have to stand up for our beautiful state.”
Did she derail a promising Clackamas County effort, “Project Turnkey,” by making a last minute phone call to Commissioner Tootie Smith?
She opposed compromise (“you can’t compromise the Oregon Fifth’s vote”), then promised that the House would “find a middle ground” to avoid default. In the end she voted for the extreme MAGA Default/Budget bill that would slash the VA, SNAP, education, infrastructure spending, spending on border security, derail progress on climate change mitigation by increasing fossil fuel production, and cut many other programs. Some “middle ground”!
Tell the truth, Lori! You are a MAGA extremist on Social Programs!
WHAT SHE SAID
THEN
THEN
She said, “I don’t know about the word compromise. You can’t compromise the Oregon 5th’s voice.”
WHAT SHE SAYS
NOW
NOW
She says the House will “find a middle ground” and that she will not support “cuts to Social Security or Medicare.” LCD Town Hall 2/28/23
WHAT SHE
DOES
She refuses to sign a pledge not to cut Social Security or Medicare.
She voted for the MAGA Default/Budget bill, which imposes a 22% across-the-board cut on all discretionary and non-defense spending, including the VA, housing, social services and more.
She issued a joint statement with Rep. Salinas, her Democratic colleague who represents the neighboring ORD6 (and with whom she serves on the Agriculture Committee), and has promised to collaborate on the farm bill.
She says “The Farm Bill is one of my top priorities.” “SNAP is 80% of it.” LCD Town Hall 2/28/2023
She co-sponsored the “America Works Act,” a bill to increase the work requirements for SNAP (by far the largest program in the farm bill), which will effectively cut the spending for, and limit access to, SNAP benefits. This bill will have an even more negative effect on states such as Oregon, which operate under a work requirement waiver that this legislation seeks to eliminate. Her position is extreme even in her own caucus, as she is one of only three Republicans from 18 GOP-held swing districts to co-sponsor the bill.
Lori blamed Oregon’s landmark land use planning laws for homelessness. “Oregon has a restrictive land use system that discourages the development of affordable housing. I’d be in favor of loosening our land use system and streamlining the building permit process. We also promote multiple housing options like middle housing.”
Lori said that more than 90% of homeless people are addicted to drugs or alcohol. [Facebook, Captive Audience 7/25/22 video]
Lori opposed rent controls as a tool to alleviate homelessness.
Lori claimed that the first step to ending homelessness was to secure the southern border.
“Addressing the homelessness crisis is one of my top priorities. I'm working on legislation that would help provide the unsheltered population with needed care so they can transition off the streets and into safe and stable housing.” Twitter 4/13/23
She says, regarding houselessness, “We will deal with it in Oregon by working on border issues. Enough is enough. We have to stand up for our beautiful state.” LCD Town Hall 2/28/2023
Seriously? Who would vote to cut Meals On Wheels? Lori would!
Did Lori persuade Clackamas Co. Commissioner Tootie Smith to reverse her vote to defeat the County’s “Project Turnkey,” to mitigate homelessness, which was opposed by local Republicans? Lori and Tootie had a phone call right before Tootie acted.
Education
Lori probably wishes she could take back some of the extreme things she’s said, like saying she was in favor of defunding the Department of Education. Plus, she had incendiary things to say about the “threats” that she thinks critical race theory poses. She believes that “this theory is being used to indoctrinate students as young as elementary school in Oregon and around the country”!
WOW! NO WONDER THIS PAGE ON HER CAMPAIGN WEBSITE HAS BEEN DELETED!
Good thing we kept a record of what she said!
Tell the truth, Lori! You are a MAGA extremist on Education!
WHAT SHE SAID
THEN
THEN
When asked, do we need the federal Department of Education, she said: “We don't need to defund the police. But we can certainly start taking a hit at the federal education department, because it has proven to be defunct.” [Facebook, Captive Audience, 7/25/22] (VIDEO)
WHAT SHE SAYS
NOW
NOW
So far she has remained mum on whether she supports H.R. 899, a bill to abolish the Department of Education.
“Our children are being taught to hate each other based on the color of their skin, under the guise of ‘equity.’ Critical Race Theory teaches victim mindset – that minority students are automatically disadvantaged and that white students are intrinsically racist. These aren’t ideas limited to debate in higher education lecture halls. This theory is being used to indoctrinate students as young as elementary school in Oregon and around the country.”
“...I think it's important to
denounce any sort of racism.
CRT doesn’t do that except further divide the children they are just, the developable souls of these young people,
and we’re imposing CRT to further divide them…” [KOIN 6, 6/5/22]
She says: “Oregon Children were stripped of their right to a quality education because of unconstitutional mandates and harmful school closures. Now, when Oregon kids are struggling to catch up, schools are forcing divisive and politically charged issues into the classroom. As a mom of twin girls, I firmly believe Oregon Parents deserve a say in what their children are taught, which is why I will support a Parental Bill of Rights that ensures transparency for school curriculums and protects the rights of parents.”
She co-sponsored and voted for the innocuous-sounding, but insidious and divisive, “Parents Bill of Rights,” a bill that has been passed in various forms in GOP-controlled states like Florida and which has led to the censorship of our history and the banning of classic American literature from our schools.
She opposes the Biden Administration’s loan forgiveness plan even though she received more than $1.3 million in PPP loans that were forgiven.
She supports the bipartisan Student Loan Disclosure Transparency Act.(Big deal!)
She signed an amicus brief opposing the Biden administration’s efforts to relieve a portion of the crushing burden of student debt.
Veterans
Just days before she voted for the MAGA Default bill, which will cut the VA budget by 22%, she gushed over her meeting with some veterans: “I had the awesome opportunity to greet veterans … from both the Cold War and Vietnam War. It was an honor to thank them for their service to our country…. May God bless our veterans!”
This is classic Lori! She pays lip service to our veterans and votes for uncontroversial, minor bills. But when it comes to taking a stand against the MAGA Default bill, she immediately fell in line behind MAGA Speaker McCarthy, voting to slash the VA budget!
Tell the truth, Lori! You are a MAGA extremist on Veterans!
WHAT SHE SAID
THEN
THEN
Lori said she “won’t stand for” “government-funded healthcare,” like the VA, Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act. Chavez-DeRemer Campaign Website, as of 3/22/2022. NOW DELETED!
WHAT SHE SAYS
NOW
NOW
“More must be done to honor the sacrifices of the men and women in uniform and ensure they are given the resources they need after serving our country. The attacks by the Radical Left on our armed forces is counter to the very fiber of what makes us American.” From Chavez-DeRemer website, as of 4/17/2022
WHAT SHE
DOES
Lori has photo ops with veterans and veterans groups. https://twitter.com/RepLCD/status/1637144080823242752?s=20
She took credit for the passage of 3 veterans bills that were passed with no opposition (H.R. 1226, H.R, 815, and H.R. 502) and finally got around to co-sponsoring one bill, H.R. 1282, the Major Richard Star Act, along with 275 other House members.
Meh!
Neither Does Lori
Lori says, “…despite false accusations, my colleagues and I will make sure our veterans and service members are taken care of in the upcoming appropriations process. Any claims to the contrary are disingenuous political attacks.”
But, Lori voted with the MAGA House majority to pass the MAGA Default Bill, HR 2811, which cuts funding to the VA by 22%, slashing veterans’ access to health care, housing programs, food security, and training programs, among many others.
Lori shows how far her worthless words are from what she actually does.
Economy
Lori reliably parrots the MAGA GOP party line about the economy and inflation. She blames Biden and the Democrats for economic challenges and supply chain issues caused primarily by Trump’s reckless tax cuts for the wealthiest, mishandling of the pandemic response, and refusal to accept responsibility for any of the myriad mistakes he made. She claims “our labor force participation rate is at its lowest point in decades and real wages haven’t kept up with inflation,” which is a flat-out lie!
And she refuses to give Biden any credit for his many successes and for exceeding all expectations by:
Adding over 13 million jobs (so far!) and attaining the lowest unemployment rate in over 50 years, with the highest job participation rate in more than 15 years!
Staving off a predicted recession.
Lowering costs for drugs for seniors and expanding healthcare coverage.
Passing landmark legislation to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure, after Trump pledged and failed to do so.
Passing the CHIPS Act to re-establish American investment in critical technologies and supply chains.
Taking the most significant steps to date to restructure the US economy to rely on renewable energy.
Bringing the pandemic under control after it was horribly mismanaged by Trump, resulting in the largest death toll of any country in the world.
But Lori is always happy to take credit for funding provided by the Biden Administration through the advocacy of our hard-working Democratic Members of Congress.
Tell the truth, Lori! You are a MAGA extremist on the Economy!
WHAT SHE SAID
THEN
THEN
WHAT SHE SAYS
NOW
NOW
Lori says, “Oregon manufacturers and skilled workers stand ready to lead in the domestic production of semiconductors and 21st century technologies that will invigorate our economy and strengthen our status as an economic powerhouse.”
And, “Our American workers, farmers, and manufacturers should be our first consideration with any legislative agenda.”
WHAT SHE
DOES
But, Lori says not a word about the passage of Biden’s CHIPS Act, designed to do exactly that. It passed the House with 214 Democratic votes and only 1 Republican vote, the year before she was elected. The CHIPS Act has already begun to rebuild American supply chains, manufacturing, and infrastructure, while lowering the costs of goods, creating high paying manufacturing jobs around the country, and ensuring the US can make more critical technologies at home. Cliff Bentz, whom she “sees almost every day,” voted against it.
Lori said, ““The Radical Left wants you to believe that Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan has done positive things for our country. The reality is, all it’s done is hurt the American people and lead our economy to spiral out of control.”
Lori says, “The Radical Left’s policies have turned our economy into shambles and pushed inflation to record breaking numbers.”
“As your Congresswoman, I will always support lower taxes and reigning [sic] in spending that mortgages the next generation of Americans.”
Lori does not mention that the MAGA tax cuts benefit millionaires like her, while causing deficits that she uses as an excuse to cut spending for social programs.
And she does not begrudge the $1.3 MM in American Rescue Plan loans she received and that were forgiven to keep her business afloat, while she and her husband took home salaries in excess of $1MM!
As of June 2021, Oregon had received $531 MM in restaurant revitalization funding under the American Rescue Plan to help restaurants keep their doors open.
Although Lori voted for the disastrous MAGA “Sophie’s Choice” Default/Budget bill, she doesn’t say a peep about the disastrous and feckless actions of “The King of Debt,” as Trump calls himself, that caused enormous deficits and an economic meltdown. Trump came into office with a healthy economy, declining interest rates, and relative peace after 15 years of global military conflict. In just four years, Trump’s irresponsible tax cuts, passed in the dead of night with only GOP votes, and the sudden economic downturn in 2020, exacerbated by his mishandling of the pandemic response, resulted in an unprecedented increase in the national debt. In fact, nearly 25% of the national debt was incurred under Trump!
Just as Obama had to clean up the enormous economic mess created by George W. Bush, Biden has had to clean up after Trump!
Enough of this nonsense about economic mismanagement by the so-called “Radical Left”! Lori and the MAGA GOP should look in the mirror!
Lori said, “Spending has been out of control with the national debt surpassing $30 trillion in February [of 2022]
Lori opposes raising the federal minimum wage. Really? She and her husband are millionaires.
Lori says, “I will rein in out-of-control spending, which has been a driving factor of inflation.”
But she is happy to take credit for millions of federal dollars for Oregon’s seafood industry, money provided by the Biden Administration through the advocacy of Senator Merkley and our hard-working Democratic Members of Congress.
Lori signed a letter drafted by Senator Merkley. Then she said, “I’m pleased that the USDA has fulfilled our request for additional support for fisherman and seafood processers across the Pacific Northwest.”
The Big Lie and Trump
In response to a question about the Big Lie, she said: “In terms of the 2020 election, Joe Biden is the president. How do we know he is the president? He is responsible for record-high inflation, skyrocketing crime rates, and a humanitarian crisis at our southern border since he was sworn into office.” OMG!! How about the fact that he won the election freely and fairly?
Lori has also spread misinformation and lies about the January 6 criminals. She implies that they were “peaceful protesters” who were incorrectly portrayed as rioters by the media. She outrageously claims, “[W]e got to read between the lines and we have to know what really happened. People who are held without due process, and still are being held today, I think is completely unconstitutional, it shouldn’t be allowed, and we should be fighting against anything like that.”
Tell the truth, Lori! You are a MAGA extremist who refuses to repudiate The Big Lie!
WHAT SHE SAID
THEN
THEN
When asked in April 2022 whether Biden won the 2020 election, Chavez-DeRemer skirted the question, saying it should be a concern that “there are millions of Americans that doubt the integrity of the 2020 election.”
She was a proud Trump delegate in 2020. “I am deeply honored to be chosen as a delegate for President Donald Trump to the Republican National Convention.”
During the 2016 presidential primary, Lori decided she “could get behind” what Trump was “fighting for” when he “started to be a man of substance.”
WHAT SHE SAYS
NOW
NOW
NOTHING!
WHAT SHE
DOES
She refuses to denounce ex-president Trump’s calls to violence and his continuing lies about winning the 2020 election.
Regarding the January 6 insurrection, Lori said,
“... we have a protected right for people to peaceful protesting, we should have been allowed to do so.
So I think the media had something to do with all of that when what we saw from all the way here in Oregon it can
be scary at first and think what is happening and we’re shocked by it all but we got to read between the lines and
we have to know what really happened. People who are held without due process, and still are being held today, I
think is completely unconstitutional, it shouldn’t be allowed, and we should be fighting against anything like that.”
Lori joins Trump in echoing the fascistic call to “put America first.”
Infrastructure
Remember when The Former Guy kept promising to pass an infrastructure bill? Time after time he proclaimed an “Infrastructure Week,” but not a thing ever got done even though he had a MAGA majority in the House and Senate for two years.
Once Trump bungled the response to the pandemic and crashed the economy, it was up to President Biden to clean up yet another GOP mess. And he did so by passing the American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure law, the CHIPS & Science Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and many other long-delayed investments in our economy and infrastructure.
Did MAGA Lori support these measures, even the ones that were bipartisan? Of course not! Instead, she erroneously blames Democrats for the worldwide inflation caused by the pandemic, disruptions to international supply chains, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and corporate profiteering. Lori and other MAGA Republicans don’t mention the fact that the inflation rate in the US is lower than that in many other developed countries and that it has subsided from its height of 9.1% in June 2022 to 4.9% in April 2023 while the US job market has remained robust and resilient.
To date, $2.6 billion in funding for roads, bridges, and other infrastructure has been earmarked for Oregon, with much more yet to come. Of course, Lori is happy to take credit now for the infrastructure investments she opposed. What a hypocrite!
Tell the truth, Lori! You are a MAGA extremist on Infrastructure!
WHAT SHE SAID
THEN
THEN
She says, “Passing that infrastructure plan this last cycle was not a benefit. Why? We had just come out of two years of COVID mandates, supply chains were broken, they infused trillions of dollars into the economy, and now the inflation’s gone up. What’s going to happen to those dollars? We’re going to see pennies on the dollar come back to these communities. We’ll not see the roads and bridges be built because we’re not going to be able to afford them when we finally get them on the ground.” Interview in Bend Bulletin, 4/25/22 [at minute 11:00]
WHAT SHE SAYS
NOW
NOW
“Flip-flop Lori” now says, “…certain policies, like the bipartisan infrastructure law, were necessary investments that will continue to pay off…”
“Aging and fragile bridges across the country are in desperate need of repair, and that includes the I-5 bridge used by thousands of Oregonians and Washingtonians every day...We need to complete these projects to keep travelers safe and ensure these lanes of economic activity remain open and running smoothly.”
Loris is happy to spend infrastructure funding that she opposed, saying: “Oregon’s economy runs on our roads and bridges, through our airports, and over our waterways. Whether it’s hauling cattle or driving to work, infrastructure investments are critical to ensure our vibrant economy continues to thrive. As more grants are awarded under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I’ll work hard to ensure Oregonians’ hard-earned tax dollars come back to our great state.”
WHAT SHE
DOES
She supports the Interstate Bridge rebuild, made possible by funds from the Biden Infrastructure Bill, which she opposed.
It’s a lot of fun to spend money for programs that you didn’t vote for and opposed at the time, isn’t it, Lori?
Photo Credit: Oregon Department of Transportation
Crime
Lori repeats favorite MAGA lies in seeking to demonize her own constituents who live in Portland, claiming that “the radical left” cut the local police budget in 2020 by $26 million. Actually, after a short lived cut of $15 million in 2020 while Portland was under siege by thousands of Trump’s federal police agents, the police budgets were increased from $223,323,085 in 2020-21 to a proposed $261,003,425 in 2023-24. She also repeats a MAGA lie that Portland’s murder rate increased 800% as a result of this “defunding.” Murders in Portland have increased, from 36 in 2019 to 101 in 2022. Do the math, Lori. It’s too high, but it’s not 800%!
Maybe she should remember that she has tens of thousands of constituents in Portland, who don’t appreciate her denigrating their city with lies instead of helping fix its problems. Instead Lori seeks to divide us by peddling MAGA lies and propaganda about cities and the people who live there.
Portland is Oregon’s economic engine. Tearing Portland down does no one good, except Lori and the other MAGA radicals who are part of the Greater Idaho movement!
Tell the truth, Lori! You are a MAGA extremist on Crime!
WHAT SHE SAID
THEN
THEN
In 2021, Lori said, “For the past year, I've watched Portland being destroyed and looted while radical politicians treat rioters better than our brave men and women in law
enforcement.”
WHAT SHE SAYS
NOW
NOW
On her website, Lori says, “The city of Portland has become a lawless place marked by riots, autonomous zones, and defunded police units. The radical left in Portland cut their police budget by $26 million, causing an increase of 800% in homicides within the city.”
Lori is LYING! The Portland Police budget figures are:
$223,323,085 in 2020-2021 $230,731,539 in 2021-2022 $246,267,000 in 2022-2023
$261,679,425 in 2023-2024 (proposed).
Portland’s murder rate data is as follows:
2023 - down 24% through March.
Singling out Portland, Lori says, “Rampant crime has forced too many Oregon businesses to close their doors recently, and I know many shoppers and retailers are forced to be constantly vigilant and concerned for their safety… Recently, REI became the latest Portland-area business to close due to safety concerns associated with rising crime…”
Tell the Truth, Lori! An REI spokeswoman also said, “... we have outgrown our current space, and the building requires significant investment to address issues that we have been unable to reach agreement on with the landlord.” There are also reports that the closure is due to a “long-simmering battle with employees over everything from Covid policies, sick days, and efforts by workers to unionize.”
In announcing her support for a host of pro-law enforcement measures, Lori embraces the “thin blue line” flag that for many symbolizes division between the police and the community and has been adopted by white supremacists and neo-nazis. Since that flag was prominently displayed during the Charlottesville “Unite the Right” white supremacy rally in 2017, a number of police departments, including those in Portland, Vancouver, WA, Bend, Boise, and Los Angeles, have banned its display.
Lori needs to learn that one can appreciate the sacrifices of the police without using that hateful thin blue line flag.
Lori voted for a package of measures, H.Cong.Res. 40, expressing support for local law enforcement officers and condemning efforts to defund or dismantle local law enforcement agencies and H.Res. 363, memorializing officers killed in the line of duty. She also voted for H.R. 3091, a bill supported almost exclusively by GOP House members, that directs the General Services Administration to establish a program under which a federal law enforcement officer may purchase a retired handgun from the agency that issued the handgun to the officer. And, she voted for H.R. 2494, which makes it a deportable offense to assault a law enforcement officer.
Miscellaneous
Welcome to Lori-Land, where up is down, black is white, right is wrong, and disinformation is everywhere! Lori has an F rating from and her voting record is tied for last place by Progressive Punch!
Tell the truth, Lori! You are a MAGA extremist! PERIOD!!
WHAT SHE SAID
THEN
THEN
Where does Lori live? She says she lives in Happy Valley, OR, but does she live in AZ?
WHAT SHE SAYS
NOW
NOW
WHAT SHE
DOES
Here is what Lori calls her “Home sweet AZ home!” Plus here’s a picture of Lori with the person she calls “my State Representative, Michelle Udall” with whom she “discussed at length on the need to fund public education.” In Arizona, we presume!
She said, “I don’t know about the word compromise. You can’t compromise the Oregon 5th’s voice.”
Lori can’t resist the opportunity to join her fellow MAGA Republicans and vote for silly bills that are just designed to throw red meat to their base. For example, she voted for the following bills designed to stoke the culture wars:
HR 40, the Protecting Speech from Government Interference Act, a solution in search of a problem.
HR 139, the SHOW UP Act, a bill that requires each executive agency to reinstate the telework policies that were in place on December 31, 2019. (We thought Republicans didn’t like micromanaging and red tape?)
HR 382, the Pandemic is Over Act, which terminates the COVID-19 public health emergency that was declared on January 31, 2020.
All of these silly bills have passed the House and now sit in permanent limbo.
She was a proud Trump delegate in 2020. “I am deeply honored to be chosen as a delegate for President Donald Trump to the Republican National Convention.”