GOP House candidate cites business ownership, but records indicate otherwise

David Darnell, a Republican House candidate, says on elections documents that he owns a business, but records indicate he does not have an active business registered with the state.

Darnell in his Voters Pamphlet statement lists his occupation as General Supervising Electrician/Business owner. His company, Electrical and Lighting Services, failed to renew its license Dec. 7, 2013, according to the Oregon Secretary of States business registry.

Actually, its my wifes (business) that we still own, Darnell said. Its pretty much defunct. It was a little thing we started after the economy went to heck, and it petered out, and we havent done much with it.

Darnell said he didnt know when he stopped running the business and did not recall the last time it worked on a project.

Darnell and his wife previously owned at least two other businesses. One businesss license lapsed in 2006 and then again in 2008, and another business dissolved in 2007.

Darnell is a Hubbard electrician and chairman of the Marion County Republican Party. Hes challenging Rep. Vic Gilliam, R-Silverton, in the May 20 primary and has received $75,000 from Loren Parks, a reclusive Nevada millionaire and owner of an Aloha-based medical equipment supply company, and $25,000 from Stimson Lumber.

Tony Green, a spokesman for the Oregon Secretary of States Office, said the agency would investigate any Voters Pamphlet statement if it receives a complaint. It has not received a complaint on Darnell, he said.

Knowingly making a false statement in an official elections document is a Class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $125,000 fine.

We have to look at if there was an actual falsehood, and then we have to look at intent because itd be a criminal case, Green said. If we did receive a complaint, wed have to look at the facts and come up with our record because thatd be the basis of the decision on what to do.

In 2010, former West Linn Mayor Patti Galle was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and complete 120 hours of community service for lying on her Voters Pamphlet statement. Galle had bought an associates degree online and backdated the diploma to support campaign claims that she was degreed in English.

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GOP House candidate cites business ownership, but records indicate otherwise