You’d certainly think so reading this Politico headline:
“Oregon Senate hopeful accused of stalking boyfriend”
Her ex-boyfriend, timber magnate Andrew Miller, called police last year after seeing Wehby leaving his home. In a police report, he is quoted as accusing her of “stalking” him and told the police he would get an order of protection the next day.
As it turns out, Miller did not seek the protection order, and both sides describe the break up as “amicable.”
What happened then?
Miller and Wehby’s relationship has become an issue ahead of Oregon’s GOP Senate primary on Tuesday. Miller has helped fund radio and billboard ads slamming one of Wehby’s rivals for the Senate nomination, state Rep. Jason Conger. The Oregon Democratic Party has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission against Wehby in which it noted that Miller has given nearly $31,000 to a super PAC attacking Conger. Miller said he does not think his relationship with Wehby is relevant “outside a group of people who pay a lot of attention to politics.”
Miller has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in recent years backing GOP candidates in Oregon, including Chris Dudley in the 2010 gubernatorial campaign.
In a statement to POLITICO, Wehby said she was unaware that a police report had been filed over the 2013 incident and downplayed the episode.
“The first time I ever learned of this report was this evening and there really isn’t much to it of consequence,” Wehby said in her statement. “A year ago I went through the process of concluding a relationship. That relationship ended amicably, and while I’m not pleased that it has been deemed newsworthy, I guess that is the cost of challenging the political status quo.”
In an interview, Miller said he now regrets calling the police on Wehby. The couple had dated for about two years, but broke up in 2013. Miller, who is divorced with four children, said they remain friendly.
“There was a week there or so when we were breaking up that people can be emotional. And me included,” Miller said. “If I think back to that period of time, I regret saying those things in that light.”
“There’s a lot of things that I like about Monica and respect about her,” Miller added. “I never sought [a protective order]… We’re friends.”
Miller said he supports Wehby’s candidacy, yet he will not be involved in the Senate campaign if Wehby is the Republican nominee. Miller said his efforts to defeat Conger are not related to his relationship with Wehby.
Where did the police report come from? The Oregonian says that Politico obtained it. Suspicion on who put the bug in Politico’s ear about a juicy police report that was published 4 days before the GOP primary has fallen on incumbent Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley. But Merkley denied leaking the report — which, when you think about it, is not quite the same as telling Politico it existed in the first place.
Merkley has plenty of reason to drag Wehby down — or even try to alter the GOP primary where Wehby is heavily favored to win. Wehby is running neck and neck with Merkley in the polls and is likely to be well funded and very competitive in November.
We’ve all been where Wehby was two years ago; suddenly dumped by your ex like a sack of potatoes with no explanation, no call, no nothing. It’s clear she wasn’t stalking Miller — that all she wanted was some kind of explanation for his sudden change of heart.
This really is a non-story, but whoever leaked the police report has gotten what they wanted; a barrage of negative press for Wehby just a few days before the primary.
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