Peter DeFazio and the Oregon Kiwi Group: What's the Story?

The Oregon Kiwi Group
ISSUE IN BRIEF: Since April of 2001, Peter DeFazio has been an officer of an organization known as The Oregon Kiwi Group. The registration of this assumed business title coincides with DeFazio’s purchase of property in New Zealand. The details surrounding the Oregon Kiwi Group strongly suggest that DeFazio, for more than ten years, has engaged in secretive corporate activity.

What is the Oregon Kiwi Group?
The Oregon Kiwi Group is an assumed business title (fictitious business license) registered in Eugene, Oregon on April 2, 2001 to registered agent James R. Johnson (Charter Number: 693499). From the records available, it may be gleaned that the Oregon Kiwi Group was registered at 651 Brookside Dr, Eugene in 2001. Since its first registration, the title was renewed February 20, 2003 and again on April 6, 2005, but was apparently allowed to expire on April 3, 2007.
The existence of The Oregon Kiwi Group and DeFazio’s participation in that group is verified by private proprietary database searches, one publicly available website source, as well as the Oregon Secretary of State. (The Secretary of State’s record for The Oregon Kiwi Group may be found here.) Unless the Secretary of State’s records are fraudulent or false, it is an indisputable fact that DeFazio is an officer of an entity that calls itself The Oregon Kiwi Group.

But what is the purpose of an assumed business title? The state of Oregon’s website states the following in regard to assumed business names: “Anytime you are doing business in Oregon and are not using the legal real and true name of each owner in the title of the business, you must file an Assumed Business Name (unless you wish to file as another kind of business entity such as a Corporation or a Limited Liability Company).”The presence of multiple records substantiating OKG’s existence, and DeFazio’s involvement, is incontestable evidence that DeFazio has not been perfectly honest with Oregonians about his secret corporate life.

Who is involved in the Oregon Kiwi Group?
The business records of OKG list four officers: James R. Johnson, Rebecca Boyer, John Ebeling and Peter DeFazio. James Johnson appears to be a political consultant. Rebecca Boyer and Johnson are both somehow connected to the Eugene Parks Foundation. John Ebeling, 60, and his wife, Gerilyn Baxter, 51, own an import car service shop, Sandpiper Import Service. Ebeling and Baxter co-own a house in La Pine with Peter DeFazio and his wife, Myrnie L. Daut.

Why is the Oregon Kiwi Group important to the 2012 campaign?
Peter DeFazio has never spoken publicly about the Oregon Kiwi Group. As multiple public records demonstrate, he has a stable and enduring association with OKG and its other officers. Yet the press has not reported on the group’s existence, and DeFazio has routinely insisted that his love affair with New Zealand is innocent and folksy. But his involvement with the OKG suggests that his relationship with that foreign nation may be more commercial than he admits. Or perhaps it’s a coincidence that DeFazio bought property in New Zealand at the same time he was forming the Oregon Kiwi Group?

DeFazio has never disclosed any income related to the OKG in his mandated financial disclosures to the U.S. House Ethics Clerk; however, he does disclose three bank accounts in New Zealand, one and a half vacation homes, rental income on those homes, as well as a series of private investments in companies that operate in New Zealand or Australia.

Further Information:
According to property sale records, Ebeling and Baxter in July of 2001 paid $75,000 for a property at 1301 Lincoln St, Eugene worth $456,293. The purchase was made with the help of a $35,000 loan from Washington Mutual Bank. But how are we to explain the difference between the value of the property and the sum paid? Furthermore, why are DeFazio and his wife’s names associated with these two properties? The evidence, though inconclusive, suggests DeFazio and Daut played a role in the acquisition of the property.
Records show that Peter DeFazio in April of 2001 shared a PO Box 1, Eugene with Gary L. Gillespie, Shu Fen Yang, and Diana K. Bazamele. While it is unclear at this time who Yang and Bazamele are, Gary L. Gillespie is the head of the Oregon branch of AFSCME – the largest government employees union in the nation. Question: Why did Peter DeFazio share a PO Box with the head of Oregon’s chapter of AFSCME?

DeFazio owns a yacht which he keeps in South East Washington, DC and apparently lives on when Congress is in session. The yacht is a 33’ Cruiser named Eastward Ho!
According to Deschutes County property records, DeFazio, Daut, Ebeling and Baxter collectively own a property at 53880 Pine Grove Rd, La Pine 97739.

Questions for DeFazio?
1. What is the Oregon Kiwi Group? What is the nature of your involvement with that group?
2. During your tenure as an officer of the Oregon Kiwi Group, was the organization engaged in any money making activities?
3. If so, why do your financial disclosures contain no mention of the business? Do you believe that your financial disclosures reflect an honest accounting of your corporate activities?
4. In omitting the OKG from your financial disclosures, do you believe you have violated House Ethics Rules? If you have not, please explain to the people how this can be so.
5. Do you believe that your participation in the OKG is of legitimate interest to your constituents and the U.S. taxpayers?

Peter DeFazio is a liar and a cheat!

Here's some info from the Art Robinson campaign that once again tells me that Pete DeFazio is feelin' the heat!

District 4 voters have recently been treated to Peter DeFazio telephone town halls and a round of DeFazio campaign fliers all paid for by the taxpayers. On Tuesday, DeFazio begins a round of 16 public speeches, also provided at taxpayer expense and advertised on his Congressional website, in his taxpayer financed newsletters, and during his telephone townhall last week.


DEFAZIO CAMPAIGNS WITH TAX MONEY




 

Pete DeFazio: Art Robinson's Here!

“The public already knows, Peter, that you are a liar. Do you really want to be known as a coward, too? Why don’t you stand up and debate me in events in which we ask each other questions and the public – freely admitted to the event – evaluates our answers? If you can overcome your fear; if you can face me man to man in actual timed, back and forth debates of the real political issues – rather than continuing to hide yourself behind “moderators” and “forums” where rules made by you and your friends protect you from your opponent, you might at least rise to the level of a courageous liar – a level considerably higher than your current situation.”

~Art Robinson

Peter DeFazio has been in office so long I can't remember when he WASN'T in office.  I know I could research it quickly but why waste the time, he's been there far too long.  

The Fourth Congressional District of Oregon has long been a Democrat stronghold.  No credible candidate has faced off against DeFazio forever until 2010 when Dr. Art Robinson came along.  Not only did he give Pete a run for his money, he actually scared Pete.  Pete would not debate Art and still refuses to.  Pete would not allow town hall meetings and still doesn't.  In 2010, Pete DeFazio relied on over $1 million to run smear ads against Art Robinson and it worked.  He won by about 10 points.  

2012 is a whole new ballgame!  With this really funny radio ad from the Republican Super PAC, the tide is turning. The NRCC has also moved Art Robinson from the highly sought after "Young Guns" to the even more sought after "On the Radar".  He's even won the Ron Paul campaign over to endorsing his candidacy! 

Art Robinson is not your usual candidate for Congress.  He is not only a brilliant physicist (yes he really IS a rocket scientist) but he is extremely knowledgeable on Constitutional law and the founding of our nation.  He is a great patriot.  Did you know that nearly 17% of ALL homeschool materials were written by Dr. Art Robinson?  How much have you looked into this man?  He is the BEST chance for Oregon to gain ONE more Republican in the US House!  Imagine what a great help that would be for Congressman Greg Walden?

He has written a book this year detailing everything he believes in for America.  "Common Sense in 2012" is available HERE.  NO other candidate running for any congressional seat has written anything quite like this.  He's a gracious, humble man who wants to be a citizen representative, you know, the way Congress was meant to be?  

Pete DeFazio is about to get pummeled

Congressman Peter DeFazio from Oregon's Fourth District is about to get pummeled on the airwaves by a series of radio ads from two PACS.
Listen to radio ad: PETER DEFAZIO AD 

This is from the Republican Super PAC and Freedomworks Super Pac.  
Part of the reason they decided to jump into this was our show featuring the letter Peter DeFazio sent to President Barack Obama, asking about gas prices.  We did a comedy bit on Obama and DeFazio having a conversation, and then we went on to beg Pete to come home to Oregon and spend some time caring about OREGON for crying out loud!


After we talked about DeFazio's letter to Obama that asked Obama to look into the current gas prices, Roger Villere, Louisiana Republican Party Chairman and Chairman of the Republican Super PAC commissioned this spot.

"This is is a true story, that means you are on the cutting edge and your radio show material has been used by a national super PAC -- the Republican Super PAC."  Republican Super PAC


We appreciate that, but more importantly, it's time to RETIRE Pete DeFazio!  Folks in the 4th Congressional District of Oregon: Vote for Art Robinson and spread the word!