The Freedom Foundation, a conservative anti-union group, has hired Oregon state Rep. Mike Nearman, a Republican from Independence, as their new state director. Nearman was outed last year by The Corvallis Advocate for his ties to Oregonians for Immigration Reform or OFIR, an organization classified by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group.
At the time, OFIR claimed Nearman was their Vice-President, though Nearman told The Advocate he was only a Board of Directors member. Nearman plans to keep his legislative seat; State Reps are paid a part time salary, and are permitted to have other employment.
The Freedom Foundation won a 2018 victory when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled public sector unions cannot force non-member employees to pay dues. The foundation supported the suit, and regularly distributes information to union members encouraging them to stop paying dues.
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