Oregon Rep. Greg Smith fined $12,000 for ethics violations

The Oregon Government Ethics Commission has unanimously voted to fine State Representative Greg Smith $12,000 for abusing his position at an intergovernmental economic development organization for personal gain.

Smith, a Republican from Heppner and the state’s longest-serving representative, served as the executive director of the Columbia Development Authority. The investigation found that he used his leadership role within the authority to secure a salary increase and approve several weeks of paid vacation. A 2024 federal grant application had included a $66,000 raise to his $129,000 annual salary; while the authority’s board later reversed the raise and ordered Smith to repay approximately $33,000, the commission noted he has not yet done so.

Smith agreed to the fine in July without admitting to intentional violations of state law, a move that waived his right to a formal defense hearing. The commission noted that the final fine amount was negotiated down from a higher initial figure due to insufficient evidence to pursue additional alleged violations.