Edward Fadeley - Political Career

Political Career

In 1960, Fadeley was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives as a Democrat from Eugene. He would serve 26 years in the Oregon Legislature. In 1963, he moved to the Oregon State Senate where he would become Senate President in 1983. Beginning in 1971 he would serve several session in the legislature with his wife Nancie Fadeley in the House, who he would later divorce. While in the legislature in 1983 he failed in an attempt to amend the Oregon Constitution to prevent any sales tax in the state, but did defeat attempts to pass a sales tax during the session.

In 1986, he ran for Governor, but lost in the primary election to Neil Goldschmidt. In 1988 Fadeley ran for an open seat on the Oregon Supreme Court to fill the position of J. R. Campbell whose term had expired and won on November 8, 1988 against Vern Cook. He won re-election to a second six-year term in 1994 before resigning from the court on January 31, 1998.

During his campaign in 1988 Fadeley violated the rules of judicial ethics by asking for campaign contributions. This led to the first time in the history of the Oregon Supreme Court that the court censured one of its own members. In 1996, the Commission on Judicial Fitness and Disability filed a complaint against justice Fadeley alleging sexual harassment, among other charges. It was said about Fadeley that: “During a period when women went from being office toys and decoration to serious partners in the world of work, I think Ed was one of those people who never really understood the transition.” Mary Botkin, labor lobbyist. Other comments about Fadeley included: “He thinks any woman wants to be told -- even in a business setting -- that they are good looking.” Betty Roberts former colleague in the Oregon State Senate, and former Oregon Supreme Court Justice. The following year the Commission recommended Fadeley be suspended, but the Oregon Supreme Court dismissed all allegations after Fadeley resigned from the court.