Oregon’s incoming attorney general says he doesn’t need an infusion of cash to fund legal fights against the Trump administration next year. Instead, he’s looking for better intel from Democratic allies.

To that end, Attorney General-elect Dan Rayfield announced Thursday he’s creating a new “Federal Oversight and Accountability Cabinet” to give advocacy groups, unions and others a direct line to his office. It’s a way, Rayfield said, for people impacted by the new administration’s policies — likely to include steps like widespread deportations and environmental deregulation — to communicate those impacts to the office responsible for fighting what it considers federal overreach.

“If there were an attack on reproductive health,” Rayfield said, offering an example of the group’s utility, “we will have feelers out into the community, so that the state of Oregon can be more responsive and nimble in terms of protecting our values.”

A roster of participants in Rayfield’s proposed cabinet reads like a who’s who of prominent left-leaning groups, including public-sector labor unions, the ACLU of Oregon, the state’s largest Planned Parenthood affiliate, Basic Rights Oregon, and the Oregon League of Conservation Voters. It also includes a pair of law professors, and is expected to rope in healthcare organizations that may be impacted if Trump attempts to cut Medicaid funding.

Rayfield told OPB the membership isn’t about picking favorites.

“It’s more issue-based on where the most likely impact is coming from the federal government,” he said. “It’s the high-impact areas where we think Oregon has stuck its neck out.”

The announcement comes as Democratic states around the country are preparing possible responses to a litany of campaign promises Trump made on the campaign trail. Those responses inevitably include state attorneys general, who repeatedly challenged Trump policies in court during his first term. Outgoing Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum participated in dozens of lawsuits against the Trump administration during that time, often joining forces with the same group of more than a dozen Democratic-led states.

Following Trump’s victory in November, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, called a special session in order to set aside $25 million to challenge Trump’s actions in court. In a proposed budget unveiled earlier this month, Gov. Tina Kotek included a smaller infusion: $2 million to the Oregon Department of Justice to respond to federal actions.

Rayfield said that money might not be necessary.

“I think that there are ways to creatively work within the DOJ to meet the needs in Oregon,” he said. “It’s not like those things are done easily. You have to make sure that you’re utilizing resources and not taking away from other existing work.”

Among those planning to participate in Rayfield’s group is Melissa Unger, executive director of the state’s largest labor union, Service Employees International Union Local 503. Unger said Thursday her members are concerned about possible attempts to cut Medicaid, restrict access to abortions and deport undocumented immigrants.

“If things emerge that do not uphold Oregon’s values or the ways voters have spoken… how do we make sure that we’re standing up for Oregonians?” Unger said. “Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe it’s something. But having people prepared to engage in this discussion is an opportunity.”

Also involved in the cabinet will be Joe Baessler, executive director of Oregon AFSCME Council 75, another large public-sector union. Baessler said he only learned about the new group on Wednesday, but he welcomed the approach.

“One of the things that was really frustrating with previous AGs was, like, ‘Sorry, we’re lawyers. We’re not going to tell you what’s going on,’” Baessler said. “It’s good they are talking about how they communicate the work they’re doing.”

Leading the new advisory group are DOJ attorneys Dustin Buehler and Fay Stetz-Walters. Rayfield said he hasn’t set any meeting dates for the group.

A roster of participants in the planned cabinet includes:

• Joe Baessler, Executive Director, Oregon AFSCME
• Sandy Chung, Executive Director, ACLU of Oregon
• Prof. Greg Dotson, University of Oregon School of Law
• Dr. Sara Kennedy, CEO, Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette
• Kyndall Mason, Executive Director, Basic Rights Oregon
• Isa Peña, Director of Strategy, Innovation Law Lab
• Jeremiah Rigsby, Chief of Staff, CareOregon
• Lindsey Scholten, Executive Director, Oregon League of Conservation Voters
• Melissa Unger, Executive Director, SEIU 503
• Prof. Norman Williams, Willamette University College of Law

The Oregon Ducks 2025 recruiting class is losing the commitment of five-star receiver Dallas Wilson, who will reportedly flip to the Florida Gators. Wilson has been committed to Oregon coach Dan Lanning’s Ducks since January of 2023. The five-star prospect is ranked as the nation’s No. 2 wide receiver.

Wilson asked Oregon to be released from his financial affidavit and will sign with Florida upon release, according to a report from On3’s Gators Online.

Wilson spoke with Oregon Ducks on SI in an exclusive interview after he signed during the Early National Signing Period.

“My whole life I was like, if I ever get an offer from Oregon, I’ll commit,” Wilson said on December 6. “One day, I was talking to my Spanish teacher, and I’m like, if I ever get this offer from Oregon, I’ll commit. That same day, Coach [Adrian] Klemm came to talk to me. He was like, ‘Yeah, we’d like to offer you.’ And I was ecstatic. I think that same day, right when he left, I committed and had the whole coaching staff happy about me. It was just an amazing moment.” 

“Dan Lanning is the coolest guy on earth” Wilson continued. “I think he’s one of the best head coaches in the nation, if not the best. He definitely knows how to talk to a player. He knows my background, my life, and I appreciate him taking the time to actually learn stuff about me because a lot of head coaches, they just want you to come to their schools and play for them and not care really, but Oregon’s been real since day one.” 

Two weeks later, Wilson is flipping his commitment to Florida. Coach Billy Napier’s Gators and coach Mario Cristobal’s Miami Hurricanes were pushing for Wilson to flip later in the recruiting cycle.

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Wilson is a 6-3, 195 pound receiver from Tampa, Florida and the pull to his hometown state made an impact. Wilson made a visit to the Swamp for the Gators’ 27-16 victory over LSU, which helped Florida’s case.

With Wilson flipping, Oregon will have three five-star recruits in it 2025 recruiting class, which ranked No. 2 in the nation before his decommitment. The Ducks five-star recruits are; wide receiver Dakorien Moore from Duncanville, Texas; cornerback Na’eem Offord from Birmingham, Alabama; safety Trey McNutt from Shaker Heights, Ohio.

Rounding out Oregon’s 2025 recruiting class is 15 four-stars players and two three-star players for a total of 21 new Ducks.

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Nevada offensive line transfer Isaiah World has committed to Oregon. The 6-foot-8, 309-pounder was was on campus in Eugene for a visit with the Ducks that started on Monday evening.

World is the latest transfer portal commitment for Dan Lanning and the Ducks, who add the No. 7 offensive tackle in the transfer portal according to the On3 rankings.

The San Diego native entered the transfer portal earlier this month after spending the last four seasons in Reno. As a redshirt junior World has one year of eligibility remaining for the 2025 season.

He fills a major need for Oregon, who could lose both of their starting tackles following the 2024 season in Ajani Cornelius and Josh Conerly Jr. Oregon will also lose Marcus Harper II, who will exhaust his college eligibility following this year. World is the second offensive tackle commitment from the transfer portal for coach A’lique Terry, who also landed a commitment from former Texas State offensive tackle Alex Harkey on Wednesday.

Matthew Bedford, a former Indiana offensive lineman who transferred to Oregon last offseason, could have a potential to return after missing much of 2024 with an injury and appearing in just one regular season game.

World brings a strong track record with him to Eugene, having earned All-Mountain West honorable mention honors in the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

Prior to playing for the Wolfpack, World was a three-star (80.92 per On3 Industry) prospect from Lincoln High School in the 2021 recruiting class.

Fans should expect the Ducks to continue weighing their options along the offensive line in the transfer portal, as they’ve been linked to Vanderbilt transfer Gunnar Hansen and Texas State transfer Alex Harkey.

Oregon transfer portal tracker

Departures

-OL JacQawn McRoy (Arkansas)

-OLB Jaxson Jones (Utah)

-OLB Emar’rion Winston

-OLB Jaeden Moore

-DB Khamari Terrell

-DB Tyler Turner

Additions

–S Dillon Thieneman (Purdue)

-CB Theran Johnson (Northwestern)

-TE Jamari Johnson (Louisville)

-OT Alex Harkey (Texas State)

-OT Isaiah World (Nevada)