Jim Feldkamp

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Jim Feldkamp is a conservative Republican, who was a candidate for the United States House of Representatives in Oregon's 4th congressional district in 2004 and 2006. Both times, Feldkamp was defeated by long-term incumbent Peter DeFazio.

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[edit] Background

Feldkamp was born in May, 1963 in Roseburg, Oregon to Barton and Phyllis Feldkamp, owners of Umpqua Dairy [1]. The Feldkamp family is influential in Southern Oregon. In addition to Feldkamp's mother and grandfather were first citizens of Roseburg, Oregon, his brother Steve Feldkamp sits of the board of the Wildlife Safari and is vice president of Umpqua Dairy, while brother Doug Feldkamp is president of Umpqua Dairy, a director of Oregon Pacific Bancorp[2], a commissioner of the Roseburg Public Works Commission, and the Douglas Country Planning Commission.

After graduating from high school, Jim left Roseburg in 1981 to attend Linfield College. A running back, Feldkamp played for Linfield in the NAIA national championship team in 1982. He went onto receive a bachelor's degree in business from Oregon State University, a master's degree in International Affairs from Catholic University of America, and a graduate of the FBI Academy. He is president of Feldkamp and Associates and an adjunct professor at Umpqua Community College and Lane Community College.

Following his graduation for Oregon State University, Feldkamp served in US Navy from 1987-1998. As a naval navigator on A-6E Intruders fighter jets, Feldkamp served in various locations including Operation Desert Storm, where he flew over 30 combat missions, and in Japan. He currently serves as a Commander in the Naval Reserve and a member of the Naval War College Foundation.

After retiring from the military, Feldkamp became and FBI Special Agent. From 1999 to 2003, he worked in Norfolk, VA on counterintelligence and counterintelligence and counterterrorism. In 2003, he retuned to Oregon to run for congress.

Feldkamp is a member of the National Rifle Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars and is an Eagle Scout. Feldkamp has one child.

[edit] Politics

Feldkamp had never ran for nor served in any public office. Yet, he returned to Oregon and made preparations to run for the Republican nomination for the Oregon's 4th District Representative to the House of Representatives.

Feldkamp has and continues to run a conservative platform. Feldkamp supports George W Bush, the war in Iraq, the Patriot Act, and tax cuts for the wealthy. Feldkamp advocates mixed stands on social issues. On one hand, he endorses legal abortion as under Roe versus Wade with limitation including parental notification [3], and civil union for same sex partners. On the other hand, Feldkamp opposed medical marijuana, federal funding of abortion, gay marriage, adoption by gay partners, and has said "Humane Society of the United States an "extreme" organization dedicated to outlawing hunting," [4].

Feldkamp is an advocate for many logging interests. He favors making changes to local laws to revive clear-cut logging in old growth forests, and changes in the Clean Water Act[5]. He supports "selling lands managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management back to the counties," [6]. Timber and logging interests have contributed heavily to the Feldkamp campaign.

In the November 2004 contest, Peter DeFazio earned 60% of the vote to Jim Feldkamp's 39%. Feldkamp easily won the May 2006 Republican nomintation. In the November 2006 election, Feldkamp was again defeated by Peter DeFazio, who earned 62% of the vote to Feldkamp's 38%.[7]

[edit] Controversial Campaign Practices

But in the areas fundraising and finances, Feldkamp has come under scrutiny.

On May 4, 2004, Feldkamp was given a $250 a ticket fundraising reception at the Capital Hill Club in Washington D.C. The event was hosted by, among others, Randy "Duke" Cunningham. Feldkamp later accepted $1000 in campaign contributions from Cunningham. Feldkamp donated the money to Food for Lane County, a Lane County-based charity after Cunningham pleaded guilty to accepting $2.4 million in bribes. On June 28, 2004, Feldkamp made a fundraising trip to Silicon Valley, California. In both instance, Feldkamp failed to report the trips as campaign expenses. Because of these trips, he was reported to the Federal Election Commission, negotiated a settlement and was fined by the Federal Election Commission (ADR Case #265). [8]

In the same year, Feldkamp failed to appropriately report over $13,000 in pre-election campaign contributions. As a result, Feldkamp negotiated a settlement and was fined by the Federal Election Commission. (ADR Case #201). [9]

Feldkamp has since accepted $10,000 from Americans for a Republican Majority, a political action committee controlled by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who resigned from his post after being charged with money laundering. [10]. Feldkamp has kept the money saying that because DeLay is not conviceted "there is no good reason to give the money back right now"[11]. In another report, Feldkamp said, he would not return the money because DeLay had not been convicted of a crime [12].

More recently, Feldkamp has come under scrutiny for an inappropriate loan he took from his campaign and failed to reimburse. As reported by Dave Steves of The Register-Guard, "Feldkamp faces new election complaint, May 23, 2006" [13], Feldkamp borrowed $77,000 from his campaign all of which was later "forgiven." Thus far, Feldkamp has failed to address questions about the issue.


[edit] External links

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