Goldschmidt's portrait moved
Paul J. Berg
It will be removed from its prominent place and put in a library room.
PETER WONG
Statesman Journal
June 22, 2004 - 3:56 PM
Neil Goldschmidt's portrait will remain in the Capitol, but it will
hang in a less public place.
The legislative committee that oversees the Capitol voted today to
move the portrait of the former governor from the corridor outside the
Senate chamber to the third-floor library, which is rarely used by the
public.
Several legislators and others called for the relocation or removal of
the portrait of Goldschmidt, who was governor from 1987 to 1991, after
recent disclosures of his sexual abuse of a 14-year-old girl in the
1970s.
"We can neither rewrite history nor erase the fact that Neil
Goldschmidt was our governor, nor do I wish to do so," said Sen. Vicki
Walker, D-Eugene, in a letter.
"However, I think it's important to understand that he became our
governor based on a lie involving the rape and abuse of a 14-year-old
girl, and the subsequent cover-up of that crime," said Walker, who
previously disclosed she was the victim of sexual abuse.
There were no dissenters on the 10-member Legislative Administration
Committee, which consisted of four senators and six representatives.
Democrats and Republicans each had five members present.
Rep. Tim Knopp, R-Bend, originally proposed the removal. He said
portraits should not be removed or relocated on the basis of an
allegation or misdemeanor.
"But we're talking about a person-to-person felony here," he said.
The committee acted on a suggestion by Senate President Peter
Courtney, D-Salem, who said its relocation would respond to public
reaction and also protect the portrait from vandalism.
"There have been no threats to damage or deface it, but it is
conceivable," he said.
The relocation is likely to occur in the next day or two.
The portrait was painted by Robert Bibler in 1992.
The action does not affect the photos or portraits of all 36 governors
that are on display in the governor's ceremonial office on the second
floor.
Five recent governors have had their painted portraits displayed in
the hallways of the Capitol, going back to Tom McCall, a Republican in
office from 1967 to 1975. John Kitzhaber, the most recent governor who
left office, does not have a portrait yet.
They are paid from private donations, but the state owns them.
The legislative committee requested the Oregon State Capitol
Foundation to develop some guidelines for display of portraits.
"At some point we are going to be out of space," said Legislative
Administrator Dave Henderson, who is responsible for Capitol
operations.
Last month, Goldschmidt resigned from the state Board of Higher
Education after the disclosure of his sexual relationship with a
14-year-old girl and family friend while he was mayor of Portland in
the 1970s. Although it is considered statutory rape, it cannot be
prosecuted because of the statute of limitations.
"I'm saddened we even have to take this up," said House Speaker Karen
Minnis, R-Wood Village.