Nigel Jaquiss tells the most shocking story in modern Oregon political history | EP 86

Nigel Jaquiss is one of the top political reporters in Oregon. He has helped the Willamette Week, an alternative newspaper, punch above its weight class in breaking multiple major political stories over the last 25 years. Before entering journalism, Nigel worked as a crude oil trader on Wall Street--in this episode he talks about why he made a significant career change, his view on the role of journalism in politics, and how his role at WW has changed over time. 

 

We also talk about the story that won him the Pulitzer Prize in 2005: one of the most shocking stories in modern Oregon political history. Nigel broke the news of former Governor Neil Goldschmidt's repeated sexual abuse of a 14-year-old girl in a dramatic, horrifying story called "The 30-Year Secret". Our younger listeners are likely not familiar with this story, so we asked Nigel to re-tell it and explain its significance for a younger audience. Our older listeners may have forgotten some of the jaw-dropping details. 

 

There is no contemporary equivalent in Oregon politics to Neil Goldschmidt in power or stature. He was Portland mayor, a cabinet secretary in the Carter Administration, and a popular governor. Even after he left office, he wielded tremendous political power, as Nigel describes in the podcast. Exposing his sexual abuse rocked the political world and changed Oregon politics forever. 

 

In this episode, we do not cover the woman who was raped by Goldschmidt as a young teenager, Elizabeth Lynn Dunham. Dunham's name was withheld by WW until she died in 2011. To learn about who she was and the troubled, heartbreaking life she lived--and the lifelong impact of Goldschmidt's abuse--we recommend you read her obituary (also by Jaquiss).