Oregon Money Flows Into WA Right-To-Die Initiative Campaign

ASSISTED SUICIDE  WASHINGTON  GENERAL NEWS 

By Austin Jenkins

Olympia, WA  June 2, 2008 1:42 p.m.

Opponents of a Washington right-to-die initiative are crying foul. They say an Oregon-based front group is funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars into the campaign and not disclosing all the names of its individual donors. Olympia correspondent Austin Jenkins explains.

So far, Oregon Death with Dignity has contributed $300,000 to the Yes on I-1000 campaign. This is the initiative that would adopt an Oregon-style assisted suicide law in Washington.

Oregon Death with Dignity got a majority of its money from its parent organization – the Death with Dignity National Center. And that’s where the trail runs cold.

Under Washington State Law, donors to the National Center do not have to be disclosed.

Chris Carlson is with the No on I-1000 campaign.

Chris Carlson: “Dr. Jack Kevorkian recently released from prison -- Dr. Death as he’s known in the state of Michigan -- could very well be contributing to the proponents cause in the State of Washington and we would have no way of knowing that.”

The Death with Dignity National Center says Kevorkian is not a donor. And it says it’s in compliance with all Washington public disclosure laws.

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