Rainmaker Rankings Week of July 26, 2026
Executive Summary
Gov. Tina Kotek led this week with +3 points. She stopped the sale of state land for a large Salem data center and asked the federal government for faster wildfire help.
The lowest scores went to leaders and groups that hurt public safety or trust. Portland failed to protect a family from a dangerous tree. ICE made it hard to tell real agents from criminals. FEMA denied help for two Oregon fires, and the federal government ended legal aid that could affect about 175 immigrant children in Oregon.
Weekly Scoring Table
| Rank | Leader / Organization | This Week | Overall | Articles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tina Kotek | +3 | +1 | 2 |
| 2 | Jeff Merkley | +1 | +2 | 1 |
| 2 | Mitch Green | +1 | +2 | 1 |
| 2 | Ron Wyden | +1 | +2 | 1 |
| 2 | Andrea Salinas | +1 | +1 | 1 |
| 2 | Hillsboro City Council | +1 | +1 | 1 |
| 7 | Daimler Truck North America | -1 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | Clackamas County Board of Commissioners | -1 | -1 | 1 |
| 7 | Portland Parks & Recreation | -1 | -1 | 1 |
| 10 | FEMA | -2 | -2 | 1 |
| 10 | U.S. Department of Health and Human Services | -2 | -2 | 1 |
| 12 | Department of Homeland Security | -3 | -3 | 1 |
| 12 | Portland Trail Blazers | -3 | -3 | 1 |
| 12 | Portland Urban Forestry | -3 | -3 | 1 |
| 12 | U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement | -3 | -3 | 1 |
| 12 | City of Portland | -3 | -4 | 1 |
| 12 | Tom Dundon | -3 | -5 | 1 |
| 18 | Trump administration | -4 | -8 | 2 |
Articles Scored This Week
City ordered to pay $717,000 to Portland family whose home was crushed by a tree in 2024
Date: July 27, 2026
Leader / Organization: City of Portland; Portland Urban Forestry
Score: -3
Score Headline: City blocked family from removing dangerous tree.
The tree later crushed their home.
Score Explanation: The city used its regulatory authority to prevent homeowners from addressing a serious safety threat, then failed to evaluate that threat adequately. The result was catastrophic damage to an occupied home, prolonged displacement, a near miss involving a child, and a substantial taxpayer-funded legal judgment.
Hillsboro bans new data centers in surprise city council meeting
Date: July 28, 2026
Leader / Organization: Hillsboro City Council
Score: +1
Score Headline: Paused approvals of new data center projects for 120 days
Score Explanation: The City Council is taking time to study the issue before allowing more data centers. This gives Hillsboro a chance to protect its land, power system, and residents. The pause is short and does not stop projects that were already approved, so this is a small positive step.
Oregon congresswoman says feds provide few answers on immigrant death investigation
Date: July 28, 2026
Leader / Organization: Andrea Salinas
Score: +1
Score Headline: Called for ICE investigations, transparency, and body cameras
Score Explanation: Salinas pushed the federal government to explain deaths and injuries caused by immigration agents. She also supported fair investigations and body cameras. These are good steps for safety and accountability, but the hearing could not force DHS to give answers or change its rules.
Oregon State Police tout state law ICE is ignoring in response to impersonation report
Date: July 28, 2026
Leader / Organization: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Department of Homeland Security
Score: -3
Score Headline: Criminals copy ICE’s masks, hidden badges, and unmarked cars
Score Explanation: ICE makes it hard for people to tell who is a real officer. Criminals can copy the same masks, clothes, and cars. This made the fake ICE agents seem more believable and put people in danger. This is a serious public safety problem.
Daimler to move truck manufacturing from Portland to Carolinas
Date: July 29, 2026
Leader / Organization: Daimler Truck North America
Score: -1
Score Headline: Moving 375 manufacturing jobs from Portland to Carolinas
Score Explanation: Moving 375 manufacturing jobs out of Portland hurts workers, their families, and nearby businesses. However, Daimler is keeping its main office and thousands of other jobs in Portland. The company is moving the work to other existing factories, not leaving Oregon completely. This is a meaningful but limited setback.
Clackamas County appoints James Rhodes interim sheriff
Date: July 30, 2026
Leader / Organization: Clackamas County Board of Commissioners
Score: -1
Score Headline: Rushed the sheriff appointment without a public selection process
Score Explanation: The commissioners did not need to rush. A current undersheriff could have run the office while they reviewed candidates. Their quick decision made the process look unfair and gave Rhodes an advantage in the next election. There is no proof of corruption, but the county should have used a more open and careful process.
In hearing, Blazers refuse to supply details of renovation unless city surrenders power to sue them
Date: July 30, 2026
Leader / Organization: Tom Dundon; Portland Trail Blazers
Score: -3
Score Headline: Won’t tell city leaders what $600 million in public money would pay for
Score Explanation: Dundon is asking taxpayers to fund a major arena renovation while the Blazers refuse to explain what the money would buy unless Portland first gives up legal leverage. This prevents the city from making an informed decision and puts most of the risk on the public. The team’s conduct appears designed to gain either a highly favorable taxpayer-funded deal or an easier path to leave Portland.
Oregon Gov. Kotek stops state from selling land for Salem data center
Date: July 30, 2026
Leader / Organization: Tina Kotek
Score: +2
Score Headline: Stopped the sale of public land for a Salem data center
Score Explanation: Kotek took direct action to stop public land from being used for a major data center. She also sent a clear message that state and local leaders can put Oregon communities ahead of large tech companies. This was a strong step, although the project may still return in another form.
Following outcry, city will allow Brooklyn Park waterslide to return
Date: July 31, 2026
Leader / Organization: Portland Parks & Recreation
Score: -1
Score Headline: Parks banned the 50-year slip-n-slide; Green helped reverse the decision
Leader / Organization: Mitch Green
Score: +1
Score Headline: Parks banned the 50-year slip-n-slide; Green helped reverse the decision
Score Explanation: The city put concerns about grass ahead of a free youth activity that had served the neighborhood for decades. The harm was small and temporary, and the city later fixed the decision, so this is a minor setback rather than a major failure.
Gov. Kotek presses feds to get Oregon farmers, ranchers same urgent wildfire relief as red states
Date: July 31, 2026
Leader / Organization: Tina Kotek; Ron Wyden; Jeff Merkley
Score: +1
Score Headline: FEMA denied aid for 2 Oregon wildfires. Oregon leaders pushed back.
Leader / Organization: Trump Administration; FEMA
Score: -2
Score Headline: FEMA denied aid for 2 Oregon wildfires. Oregon leaders pushed back.
Score Explanation: Kotek, Wyden and Merkley spoke up for Oregon during a severe wildfire emergency and asked for specific federal help. Their actions may help communities recover and reduce costs for Oregon taxpayers.
Key legal resource for immigrant kids to expire with federal contract, advocates say
Date: July 31, 2026
Leader / Organization: Trump Administration; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Score: -2
Score Headline: Ended legal help for immigrant children facing court alone
Score Explanation: Ending the contract could leave thousands of children in immigration court without legal representation. About 175 children represented by an Oregon legal-services group could be affected.
