• discussions >
• Front Room

Mayoral Candidate Sarah Iannarone is Requesting $8.74 from Portland Strippers Th

This candidate supports the decriminalization of sex work:



Mayoral candidate Sarah Iannarone today requested all Portland strippers donate $8.74 to her campaign.

The move follows incumbent Mayor Ted Wheeler's announcement yesterday that he will limit contributions from individuals to $5,000—and will not accept money from people involved in "adult entertainment."

Iannarone's campaign manager, Greg McKelvey, announced the ask on Twitter today.

"@tedwheeler announced yesterday that he will not accept campaign contributions from strippers. He will however accept checks up to $5,000 from the ultra wealthy. In contrast, @sarah2020 supports decriminalizing sex work and is asking every stripper for $8.74," tweeted McKelvey.

The unusually specific amount is a reference to the 87.4 percent of Portlanders who voted in 2018 in favor of capping individual campaign contributions in city races at $500. McKelvey says Iannarone would like to get a similar contribution from all voters.





"We're asking everybody in Portland, including sex workers, full-service or not, to commit to giving our campaign $8.74 per month," he says.

The ploy is a nod to an Iannarone policy to decriminalize sex work in Portland and a wink at Wheeler's willingness to accept campaign donations over $500, "so long as they are not [from] sex workers," says McKelvey.

As WW reported yesterday, Wheeler will take contributions of more than the $500 limit voters approved but which is currently the subject of a court challenge. He will not, however, accept campaign donations from certain industries including tobacco, firearms and adult entertainment.

"We do believe that because of his announcement to demonize and continue to stigmatize people engaged in the adult entertainment industry that it is worth it for us to reach out and double down on our commitment to de-stigmatize that industry," McKelvey adds.


https://www.wweek.com/news/2019/11/14/ma…