Rainmaker Rankings August 2-8, 2026
Executive Summary
Courts and watchdogs led the rankings this week. Judge Karin Immergut and the Ninth Circuit both earned +2 scores for stopping federal actions they found unlawful. Oregon leaders also pushed back on tariffs, studied their impact, helped wildfire victims, and called for stronger oversight of the state pension fund.
At the bottom, Rep. Greg Smith earned -3 after agreeing to a $12,000 ethics fine for using his public job to benefit himself. The Trump administration also received -3 after Oregon reported billions of dollars in tariff costs and major losses in exports and state revenue.
Weekly Scoring Table
| Rank | Leader / Organization | This Week | Overall | Articles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Karin Immergut | +2 | +2 | 1 |
| 1 | U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | +2 | +2 | 1 |
| 3 | Dan Rayfield | +1 | +3 | 1 |
| 3 | Tina Kotek | +1 | +2 | 1 |
| 3 | Jeff Golden | +1 | +1 | 1 |
| 3 | Oregon Department of Human Services | +1 | +1 | 1 |
| 3 | Oregon Quality Education Commission | +1 | +1 | 1 |
| 8 | Mitch Green | -1 | +1 | 1 |
| 8 | Elizabeth Steiner | -1 | -1 | 1 |
| 8 | Oregon Universal Health Plan Governance Board | -1 | -1 | 1 |
| 11 | Greg Smith | -3 | -3 | 1 |
| 11 | Trump Administration | -3 | -11 | 1 |
Articles Scored This Week
9th Circuit strikes down Trump mandatory detention policy
Date: August 4, 2026
Leader / Organization: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Score: +2
Score Headline: ICE detainees keep access to bond hearings
Score Explanation: The Ninth Circuit protected an important right for people detained by ICE in Oregon and other Western states. Instead of automatically keeping many detainees locked up for months or longer, the ruling gives them a chance to ask a judge for release. This is especially important when someone may have strong reasons to remain free while their immigration case is decided. The ruling does not guarantee release, but it requires an individual review instead of automatic detention.
City Councilor Mitch Green Violated Burn Ban by Starting Backyard Brush Fire
Date: August 4, 2026
Leader / Organization: Mitch Green
Score: -1
Score Headline: Burn ban hypocrisy
Score Explanation: Green broke local burn rules by starting a backyard brush fire during hot, dry weather. This was especially hypocritical because he has repeatedly warned about wildfire danger in his district, called for more wildfire prevention, and said it is better to prevent a crisis than react after one happens. He also recently pushed to protect fire department resources because of the danger of a hot, dry summer.
Oregon extends deadline for SNAP recipients to replace benefits lost in July wildfires
Date: August 4, 2026
Leader / Organization: Oregon Department of Human Services
Score: +1
Score Headline: Gave wildfire victims more time to collect SNAP benefits
Score Explanation: ODHS made it easier for families hurt by wildfires to replace food they lost. The normal 10-day deadline can be hard to meet when people are evacuating.
16 Democratic Lawmakers Press Treasurer Steiner for a Full Audit of Retirement Fund Risks
Date: August 5, 2026
Leader / Organization: Jeff Golden
Score: +1
Score Headline: Called for a full audit of Oregon’s $104B pension fund
Leader / Organization: Elizabeth Steiner
Score: -1
Score Headline: Hasn’t done a comprehensive audit
Score Explanation: Golden is pushing for stronger oversight of one of Oregon’s largest pools of public money. The pension fund has been heavily invested in private equity, which has often performed below its benchmark. A full audit could identify problems, reduce unnecessary fees, and protect taxpayers and public employees.
Oregon paid nearly $3 billion in tariffs, hit harder than other states, according to new report
Date: August 5, 2026
Leader / Organization: Tina Kotek
Score: +1
Score Headline: Measured Oregon’s tariff damage
Leader / Organization: Dan Rayfield
Score: +1
Score Headline: Filed another tariff lawsuit
Leader / Organization: Trump Administration
Score: -3
Score Headline: Tariffs cost Oregon importers $2.9 billion
Score Explanation: Kotek ordered a detailed study that showed how tariffs were affecting Oregon’s economy. The report gives Oregonians clear information about higher costs, falling exports, and lost state revenue. The report does not fix the problem by itself, but it gives the state useful evidence for future policy and legal action.
Oregon judge orders Pentagon to resume wind energy reviews
Date: August 6, 2026
Leader / Organization: Karin Immergut
Score: +2
Score Headline: Unblocked federal reviews for wind energy projects
Score Explanation: Immergut stopped the Defense Department from using an indefinite freeze to block wind-energy projects without following the process required by law. Her ruling allows projects to move through federal review again while still letting the Pentagon raise legitimate national-security concerns. In Oregon, the decision could help move forward the Big River project in Gilliam County, which could bring about $1 billion in investment, hundreds of construction jobs, permanent jobs, and new local revenue.
Oregon universal health care board punts single-payer report over funding uncertainty
Date: August 6, 2026
Leader / Organization: Oregon Universal Health Plan Governance Board
Score: -1
Score Headline: Missed its health care plan deadline
Score Explanation: The board was given years to develop a comprehensive plan but will miss its Sept. 15 deadline and still does not have clear answers about funding or savings. Delaying the report until Dec. 1 is a failure to deliver the work on time. The delay also pushes the report past the November election.
Eastern Oregon state Rep. Greg Smith will pay $12K to settle latest ethics violations
Date: August 7, 2026
Leader / Organization: Greg Smith
Score: -3
Score Headline: Used public office to boost his own pay
Score Explanation: Smith used his public job to get more money for himself without clear approval. He helped put his own raise into a federal grant, approved his own paid time off, and kept extra pay after the board canceled his raise. Oregon ethics officials found that he broke state ethics rules. This was a serious misuse of public office and public money.
Tug-of-war over Oregon’s school funding intensifies after new report says schools need billions more
Date: August 7, 2026
Leader / Organization: Oregon Quality Education Commission
Score: +1
Score Headline: Put a price tag on what Oregon schools need
Score Explanation: The commission completed its required biennial report and gave lawmakers and the public an estimate of what Oregon schools need. The report does not change school funding by itself, and there are questions about its methods, but providing this information helps Oregon make better-informed budget decisions.
