Lane County Commissioner David Loveall is under investigation by the Oregon Ethics Commission, according to an April 15 report. The commission is looking into allegations that Loveall used his State of the County address in January to promote his own businesses and improperly completed required ethics paperwork.
The investigation is significant because it concerns transparency and potential conflicts of interest among public officials. The outcome could affect public trust in local government and may have implications for upcoming elections.
Ethics investigator Josh Sullivan said he did not find evidence during a preliminary review that Loveall used his position to benefit Masaka Properties or DNL Properties, which he owns. Sullivan said that while Loveall mentioned these businesses during the address, it did not appear sufficient to break any laws. However, commissioners voted to move forward with a full investigation, with some saying that even mentioning personal businesses could be seen as free publicity.
Another issue under review involves Loveall’s Statement of Economic Interest form. This form must be filed annually by lawmakers and certain officials in Oregon to ensure financial transparency. Jill Gibson, Loveall’s attorney, told the commission at its April 10 meeting that her client made a paperwork mistake in 2024 but had filed correctly in other years. She explained that income from those businesses was listed under a different category because they do not conduct business with Lane County.
Gibson did not comment on concerns about using county resources for business promotion but raised due process concerns regarding the expanding scope of the investigation. Previously, complaints against Loveall included an alleged conflict of interest—which was dismissed—and another incident where all five county commissioners unintentionally violated open meeting law; this resulted only in a letter of advice.
Loveall is currently running for reelection against Springfield Mayor Sean VanGordon amid ongoing controversy during his first term as commissioner. The complaint leading to this latest inquiry was filed by Eugene resident DJ Kelly-Quattrocchi, who accused Loveall of repeatedly mentioning religion during his address and focusing solely on his own business’s contributions rather than others involved in revitalizing Springfield.
