Oregon Rep. Greg Smith Pays $12,000 Ethics Fine Over Grant Pay Raise

Oregon’s longest‑serving state representative, Greg Smith, R‑Heppner, agreed to pay a $12,000 civil penalty to the Oregon Government Ethics Commission for multiple ethics violations. The commission found Smith used a federal grant application to secure a $66,000 raise while serving as executive director of the Columbia Development Authority (CDA) in Boardman, a publicly funded body that redevelops a former military chemical depot. After the CDA board reversed the raise, Smith retained roughly $33,000 of the excess pay and has not yet returned the money, though the commission says he “continues to stand ready to repay” upon direction from the Port of Morrow, the CDA’s fiscal agent. The investigation also cited unauthorized vacation time and other breaches of state law. Smith did not respond to requests for comment.