A second Republican group has called on state Rep. Greg Smith to resign over ethical lapses. The Sherman County Republican Central Committee issued its call on Feb. 9, reporting a unanimous vote by 10 members. “We believe enough is enough and it’s time to put a Republican in office that wi ll better serve us in Salem,” the committee said in transmitting its letter to Smith and Oregon Republican leaders. The central committee said in its letter that it was supporting a resolution adopted in January by the Morrow County Republican Central Committee. That resolution listed Smith’s ethical violations and allegations in calling for him to resign. The Sherman County group delivered its letter by email to Smith. He has so far publicly stayed silent on the Sherman County action and didn’t respond to requests for comment. In January, he issued a statement shortly after the Morrow County resolution became public, dismissing it as an act of political opponents. The Sherman County letter also went to state Rep. Lucetta Elmer, the House Republican leader, and Connie Whelchel, chair of the Oregon Republican Party. Elmer and Whelchel haven’t responded to requests for comment on either the Morrow or Sherman County resolution. Sherman County is a rural county of 2,000 people with 721 registered Republicans. The central committee’s action was first reported by the Condon Times-Journal. Smith has represented House District 57 in eastern Oregon since 2001 and is seeking another term in the 2026 election. State records show his campaign raised $15,000 so far in 2026 but with no significant campaign donation from within his own district. The state records show is funded largely by political action committees outside his district, including $5,000 from the Western States Regional Council of Carpenters in Los Angeles and from the Evergreen PAC, controlled by Elmer to back Republican House candidates. He also reported $2,500 from The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation in central Washington state. On Friday, Feb. 13, Smith announced he had been endorsed by the state troopers union. Smith has faced rough waters in the past year. He twice in 2025 conceded violating state ethics laws by failing to fully disclose clients of his private company, Gregory Smith Associates. He casts himself as the “budget leader’ of House Republicans and has used his position to steer state money to private clients. He also until recently worked full time for the Columbia Development Authority, a small public body charged with turning a former military depot into an industrial complex. The Oregon Government Ethics Commission recently concluded that Smith illegally arranged to increase his own pay at the CDA. The ethics commission is finishing a related investigation into allegations he claimed pay for hours he didn’t work at the development authority. In January, Smith abruptly quit his six-figure job at the development authority, turning in his resignation letter at an authority board meeting before walking out. The two Republican groups have called on the state party to act if Smith doesn’t step down as representative. They want state party leaders to censure Smith “for conduct unbecoming of a Republican election official,” withhold party support from any Smith campaign, and support a challenger. Jim Doherty, a rancher and former Morrow County commissioner, is opposing Smith in the Republican primary. The Morrow County resolution backed by Sherman County Republicans detailed Smith’s conduct at the development authority and ethical investigations as justifying his resignation. Smith violated “Republican Party values of ethical governance, fiscal accountability, personal responsibility, limited government and rule of law,” the resolution said. It said Smith had not repaid $33,130 in excess pay that the authority board had directed him to return and that his actions cost the development authority $800,000 in federal funding The Sherman County committee members included long-time wheat farmers, a retired commercial airline pilot and a retired sheriff. Brad Lohrey, who served as sheriff for 24 years before retiring in 2025, spoke for the county group in an interview with Salem Reporter. He said Smith’s ethical lapses could no longer be tolerated. “It’s an embarrassment. It’s time for him to go,” Lohrey said. The committee vote, he said, was “one hundred percent unanimous.” He said hopes other Republican county committees join in and he said elected officials should “consider their own ethics” if they continue to support Smith. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Morrow County Republicans call on Rep. Greg Smith to resign over ethics Rep. Greg Smith admits ethics violation, fails to disclose business client Ethics commission finds Greg Smith repeatedly violated state law in boosting his pay Greg Smith sued over role in nonprofit scheme, faces third ethics investigation CONTACT: Editor Les Zaitz – [email protected] LOCAL NEWS DELIVERED TO YOU: Subscribe to Salem Reporter and get all the fact-based Salem news that matters to you. Fair, accurate, trusted – SUBSCRIBE The post More rural Republicans call on Smith to resign House seat appeared first on Salem Reporter. ...read more read less