Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley and U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle held a “stop the corruption” town hall in Springfield Thursday. The town hall was a part of a tour focusing on concerns about corruption in politics.
During the townhall, both called for a ban on congressional stock trading. Both have signed on to bills that would do that.
Merkley also raised concerns about the Trump administration's involvement in cryptocurrency and prediction markets.
"It's not just that people are enriching themselves rather than doing the people's work,” Merkley said, “every elected person should be thinking not about their portfolio, but about public good."
The White House has consistently denied that Trump's involvement in cryptocurrency is a conflict of interest, according to reporting from NPR.
Hoyle, who is from Springfield, said Trump’s most recent proposal to influence the mid-term election, a promise to send $5,000 to every adult if Republicans win, is probably illegal. She also doesn’t believe he’d follow through.
"He's not going to send that money out and this is a really desperate attempt from a man that knows he's going to lose and will be held accountable," Hoyle said.
Hoyle and Merkley, both Democrats, have Republican challengers on the ballot this fall. Hoyle is in a rematch with retired Air Force Colonel Monique DeSpain and Merkley is facing State Senator David Brock Smith.
As the Trump administration has attempted to limit access to mail-in voting through the US Postal Service, Merkley said he’s backed an emergency budget request this week to add more drop boxes to ensure every ballot is counted, even in communities that have historically not voted for him.
During the townhall at the Bob Keefer Center, Merkley also heard from voters, who shared their concerns about Trump’s attempts to roll back birthright citizenship, presidential immunity and other issues.
Merkley also planned to stop in Portland and Medford Thursday.
