"It's quite concerning to me that someone who virtue signaled to the county about protecting vulnerable populations is allegedly credibly accused of preying on the same people she vowed to protect," Clackamas County Commissioner Ben West said.
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An Oregon woman recently elected to the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners is under investigation for felony theft allegations. Democrat Melissa Fireside, 43, of Lake Oswego, had her home raided by police on a search warrant signed Oct. 30, just days before the general election.
According to court filings, Fireside is at the center of an ongoing investigation into aggravated first-degree theft and aggravated identity theft allegations. On November 5, she ousted Republican incumbent Mark Shull, 72, by just four percentage points in the politically moderate county that could swing either direction. Fireside, an anti-police progressive feminist, has a history of supporting radical left-wing causes and candidates, including the contentious former leftist Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty.
Ben West, a Republican Clackamas County Commissioner, said the allegations are alarming. He told The Post Millennial that he does not want citizens of his county to be "exposed to an alleged felon," particularly vulnerable populations. West noted that the current board, which is made up of four Republicans and one moderate Democrat, has been functioning well, but he is now concerned about the county's future after several board members were ousted by Democrats this past cycle, with one being embattled Fireside.
"It concerns me to see a Board of County Commissioners that was formerly highly stable and had objectively solid local outcomes based on good policy and governance now potentially descend into a state of chaos," West said. "The allegations will, sadly, weaken public trust because they entail potential election interference, as it has been disclosed to me that local Democratic lawmakers and media outlets were aware of the claims but neglected to publish the allegations before the general election. Now, my greatest concern is to safeguard Clackamas County's finances and vulnerable populations from being exposed to an alleged felon."
The commissioner then criticized Fireside for leading the charge to remove Shull over politically incorrect remarks about minority groups in the early stages of his term, saying, "It's quite concerning to me that someone who virtue signaled to the county about protecting vulnerable populations is allegedly credibly accused of preying on the same people she vowed to protect: This time being an elderly man with cognitive disabilities."
Shull, a military veteran who was elected in 2020, attracted strong criticism from progressives for remarks he made about Islam, Muslims, the transgender community, and the Black Lives Matter movement, whose protestors were part of the months-long downtown Portland riots that year. Fireside told the Oregonian upon her election win that she hopes to bring "prosperity and a competitive edge" to the board.
West has since asked for the resignation of everyone aware of the allegations before the election but refused to disclose them to the public.
"I believe voters should demand to know why they were kept in the dark, and anyone in positions of power or responsibility who was aware of the allegations should resign. It's evident that this was a tight election, and if voters had known about the charges, the results could have been different," West said.
Melissa Fireside described controversial anti-police ex-Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty as an "inspiring activist"
Fireside snaps a selfie at an anti-police protest
Fireside attended a Black Lives Matter protest in 2020 and called for "no peace"
Fireside has not yet been charged with a crime. Sources in Clackamas County told The Post Millennial that an indictment may be forthcoming and that the Clackamas County District Attorney's Office has referred the case to the Department of Justice. The search warrant was signed by Clackamas County Judge Jeffrey Jones, according to court filings. Police served the warrant at Fireside's home in Lake Oswego.
Mark Cogan, a lawyer for Fireside, told the Oregonian that the commissioner-elect is "presumed innocent" and that the allegations should not derail her intentions to take office in January.
Under Oregon law, convicted felons are permitted to hold office. If Fireside were to be convicted of a felony crime, she would either have to resign or be ousted by voters in a recall effort or the next general election cycle. Clackamas County Commissioners serve four-year terms.
The Post Millennial reached out to Fireside for comment.
According to court filings, Fireside is at the center of an ongoing investigation into aggravated first-degree theft and aggravated identity theft allegations. On November 5, she ousted Republican incumbent Mark Shull, 72, by just four percentage points in the politically moderate county that could swing either direction. Fireside, an anti-police progressive feminist, has a history of supporting radical left-wing causes and candidates, including the contentious former leftist Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty.
Ben West, a Republican Clackamas County Commissioner, said the allegations are alarming. He told The Post Millennial that he does not want citizens of his county to be "exposed to an alleged felon," particularly vulnerable populations. West noted that the current board, which is made up of four Republicans and one moderate Democrat, has been functioning well, but he is now concerned about the county's future after several board members were ousted by Democrats this past cycle, with one being embattled Fireside.
"It concerns me to see a Board of County Commissioners that was formerly highly stable and had objectively solid local outcomes based on good policy and governance now potentially descend into a state of chaos," West said. "The allegations will, sadly, weaken public trust because they entail potential election interference, as it has been disclosed to me that local Democratic lawmakers and media outlets were aware of the claims but neglected to publish the allegations before the general election. Now, my greatest concern is to safeguard Clackamas County's finances and vulnerable populations from being exposed to an alleged felon."
The commissioner then criticized Fireside for leading the charge to remove Shull over politically incorrect remarks about minority groups in the early stages of his term, saying, "It's quite concerning to me that someone who virtue signaled to the county about protecting vulnerable populations is allegedly credibly accused of preying on the same people she vowed to protect: This time being an elderly man with cognitive disabilities."
Shull, a military veteran who was elected in 2020, attracted strong criticism from progressives for remarks he made about Islam, Muslims, the transgender community, and the Black Lives Matter movement, whose protestors were part of the months-long downtown Portland riots that year. Fireside told the Oregonian upon her election win that she hopes to bring "prosperity and a competitive edge" to the board.
West has since asked for the resignation of everyone aware of the allegations before the election but refused to disclose them to the public.
"I believe voters should demand to know why they were kept in the dark, and anyone in positions of power or responsibility who was aware of the allegations should resign. It's evident that this was a tight election, and if voters had known about the charges, the results could have been different," West said.
Melissa Fireside described controversial anti-police ex-Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty as an "inspiring activist"
Fireside snaps a selfie at an anti-police protest
Fireside attended a Black Lives Matter protest in 2020 and called for "no peace"
Fireside has not yet been charged with a crime. Sources in Clackamas County told The Post Millennial that an indictment may be forthcoming and that the Clackamas County District Attorney's Office has referred the case to the Department of Justice. The search warrant was signed by Clackamas County Judge Jeffrey Jones, according to court filings. Police served the warrant at Fireside's home in Lake Oswego.
Mark Cogan, a lawyer for Fireside, told the Oregonian that the commissioner-elect is "presumed innocent" and that the allegations should not derail her intentions to take office in January.
Under Oregon law, convicted felons are permitted to hold office. If Fireside were to be convicted of a felony crime, she would either have to resign or be ousted by voters in a recall effort or the next general election cycle. Clackamas County Commissioners serve four-year terms.
The Post Millennial reached out to Fireside for comment.
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