Former HD 52 State Representative Mark Johnson, having been asked to step down from the post he acquired last October as chief executive officer of Oregon Business and Industry (OBI), has resigned from the lobbying group amid allegations of racially insensitive remarks he directed at a former colleague in the Legislature. Johnson, a Hood River Republican, left the Oregon House to take
the OBI job after serving from 2011 to 2017.

The allegation stemmed from a former employee of the lobbying firm OBI,
Joel Fischer, who told The Oregonian that Johnson had referred to Portland
Democrat State Representative Diego Hernandez, “and his chain migration
homeboys from the hood.”

The Oregonian broke the story in April after having it corroborated by two
other OBI employees present during the remarks.

“It is shocking (to) be accused of insensitivity on equity I care about,”
Johnson told The Oregonian. “I apologize to Rep. Diego Hernandez for any
insensitive comments I may have made.”

Johnson went further in a statement to The Mountain Times.
“I have no recollection of making the alleged comments,” Johnson said. “I
don’t know the context or the setting where they allegedly occurred. The
quote as it has appeared in the media does not reflect how I typically talk or
words that I routinely use.”

In his defense, Johnson pointed to his public service in support of the Hispanic
community, citing his work on controversial measures like tuition equity which
allows undocumented students to be able to access post-secondary education
by paying in-state tuition rather than out-of-state tuition, plus
supporting undocumented residents to obtain drivers cards so they could buy
insurance and obtain a driver’s license.

“The comments are attributed to me by a former employee (of OBI) and two
unnamed sources,” Johnson said. “The story originated in a complaint brought
by the former employee. I think that is all clear in The Oregonian story. The
(OBI) board had subsequently completed an investigation with current staff
and did not find evidence to substantiate the claims ... But I have no
recollection of having made them.

“It’s been a real shocker for me and my family.”
Due to the situation, Johnson has also resigned from the Hood River School
Board.

The OBI board learned of Johnson’s comments at its April 10 meeting and
reached a unanimous decision to ask for Johnson’s resignation, according to
OBI Chairman Scott Parrish.