Mayor Takes Heat Over Sex Workers’ Campaign Donations – For NOT Taking Them

PORTLAND, Ore. – I’ve been writing about the interplay of porn and politics for many years and something I’ve never seen – until last week – is a politician facing backlash over not accepting campaign donations from sex workers.

It all started when Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler announced that he would accept campaign contributions that exceed the limits approved by the city’s voters in a referendum last year (those limits are on hold due to a lawsuit challenging them), but he will not be accepting donations from certain industries – including the pharmaceutical, oil, coal, firearms, tobacco and adult entertainment sectors.

Wheeler has capped contributions to his campaign at $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for unions and other organizations – both of which are significantly higher than the $500 limit on individual contributions set by the voter referendum in 2018. The $500 cap was approved in a landslide, with 87.4% of the vote cast in favor of the limit.

Sensing an opportunity presented by Wheeler’s campaign contribution hair-splitting, rival mayoral candidate Sarah Iannarone’s campaign decided to explicitly solicit campaign contributions from Portland’s stripper population – and chose a very specific amount to request.

On November 14, the day after Wheeler’s announcement he wouldn’t take contributions from the adult entertainment industry, Iannarone’s campaign manager Greg McKelvey tweeted her campaign’s response:

@tedwheeler announced yesterday that he will not accept campaign contributions from strippers. He will however accept checks up to $5,000 from the ultra wealthy. In contrast, @sarah2020 supports decriminalizing sex work and is asking every stripper for $8.74.

— Gregory McKelvey (@GregoryMcKelvey) November 14, 2019

Note the amount solicited — $8.74 – echoing the percentage of Portland voters who approved the contribution limit Wheeler has declined to abide by. (To be clear, due to the lawsuit in progress, the limit is on hold and Wheeler is not legal obligated to honor it in the current election.)

Incredibly, considering how toxic any amount of comfort with sex work has been for politicians over many decades of American politics, the backlash over Wheeler’s announcement prompted the Mayor to issue a clarification stating that his campaign will be accepting donations from strippers and other sex workers.

“We are not taking donations from the corporate side of the adult entertainment industry,” Wheeler campaign spokesperson Amy Rathfelder told Willamette Week. “We welcome contributions from any working person.”

The campaign also said it welcomes “the opportunity to speak with any leader or resident of Portland who wants to engage in a substantive policy discussion with the State of Oregon in crafting legislation that would prevent these workers – and employees in any service industry – from suffering from wage or tip theft, and other mistreatment.”

In a tweet mocking Wheeler’s reversal, McKelvey suggested that while Wheeler is paying lip service to respecting sex workers, Iannarone – who publicly advocates for the legalization of sex work – is the real deal.

What’s next? Riding around town on an e-bike? Why vote for the diet version when you can vote for the original. @sarah2020 https://t.co/1kQGhbPOlV

— Gregory McKelvey (@GregoryMcKelvey) November 16, 2019

In his comments to Willamette Week, McKelvey left no doubt that Iannarone’s campaign sees Wheeler’s handling of the campaign contribution controversy as an opportunity to burnish Iannarone’s progressive credentials.

“We do believe that because of his announcement to demonize and continue to stigmatize people engaged in the adult entertainment industry that it is worth it for us to reach out and double down on our commitment to de-stigmatize that industry,” McKelvey said.

The stigma of adult entertainment, prostitution or exotic dancing being used as an issue to criticize a politician is nothing new, of course. What’s new is that the politician is being criticized for not supporting sex workers, as opposed to getting caught putting bills in their G-strings or using public funds to pay for a porn site membership. From where I sit, it’s been a long time coming… and a beautiful sight to behold.