Go to the surprise intersection
of Ted X Portland,
OR gubernatorial candidate Betsy Johnson
and the nations debate over gun laws.
Ted X Portland is facing criticism
after adding an unannounced interview
with Johnson at its event Saturday.
Investigative reporter Evan Watson
was there for fun and ended up
recording the frustration of the crowd.
Evan, how did this all play out?
Well, I can tell you the thousands
of attendees had no idea Betsy
Johnson would be speaking.
It was tense, and the anger of a lot
of people grew as that talk went on.
Now, Ted X. Portland,
a nonprofit organization,
could be in trouble for giving a political
candidate preferential treatment.
OK, OK we wanted this.
We wanted energy.
We've arrived in that right.
The theme of this
of this scrambled as audience
members shouted for Nonaffiliated
Oregon gubernatorial candidate
Betsy Johnson to address gun laws
in light of recent mass shootings.
Johnson has voted against expanded
background checks and a red flag
law in Oregon and previously
received an A rating from the NRA.
Eventually Ray asked Johnson to
answer the calls from some of the
thousands in attendance at the Moda Center.
She started by saying she's a gun owner
who has represented gun owners in a
rural district before pivoting the
discussion to mental health problems.
I think that we have so
divided this debate on gun.
No gun that we're losing track of some
of that stuff in the middle ground and
that stuff in the middle ground
is we have by any definition.
Mental health system.
But the cheers didn't last long
as more people yelled that she was
avoiding the topic of gun control.
Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop.
Gun doesn't dictate the
lethality, but I think.
Boo. Ray explained event organizers
decided to add an unannounced sit
down with Johnson two weeks ago
before attempting to end the session
by praising Johnson's work ethic,
which frustrated more people.
I know you're up at
4:00 in the morning working. Right?
It's not a campaign.
Ted X Portland apologized after the event,
saying having a potential political
candidate on our stage this morning
was not the right decision.
We apologize for the error in
judgment and the distraction.
This moment created as part
of a statement, Johnson said.
While the vast majority
of people were supportive,
a few folks tried to shut
down productive dialogue,
and that's unfortunate Democratic
candidate for Governor Tina Kotek said
she wasn't invited to speak adding.
I'm disgusted by the way Senator
Betsy Johnson dismissed concerns
about deadly firearms.
Republican candidate Christine Drayson
didn't answer our request for comment.
After the interview with Johnson ended,
the next speaker at Ted X Portland received
one of the largest cheers of the night.
We just had some background checks.
Can we not sell assault rifles 18 year olds?
So.
Super interesting Evan. Now let's talk
about this nonprofit status. Yeah,
well, federal laws say nonprofits
must give equal opportunity for
all political candidates to speak.
If ones invited to talk at an event.
Even though Ray introduced Johnson
as a candidate for governor
and she's been running as a
candidate openly since last fall,
there could be a caveat here.
As a non affiliated candidate
collecting voter signatures,
the state still needs to formally approve
Johnson to get on the ballot this fall.
That could play a role if challenged,
so I could see. A lawyer really
getting into this and saying,
well of course everybody
knows that she's a candidate,
but until she gets those signatures
and she's not officially put into the
ballot by the state, she's not really
legally technically a candidate.
And maybe that's what gets them off the hook.
That's how I see it right now.
OK, thank you, Evan.