Nathan Vasquez | |
---|---|
District Attorney of Multnomah County | |
Elect | |
Assuming office January 1, 2025 | |
Succeeding | Mike Schmidt |
Personal details | |
Political party | Republican (before 2017) Independent Party of Oregon (2017–present) |
Education | University of California, Davis (BA) Lewis and Clark College (JD) |
Nathan Vasquez is an American attorney who is the District Attorney-elect of Multnomah County, Oregon. In the May 2024 election, Vasquez defeated incumbent Mike Schmidt, who was previously his superior in the department.[1][2]
In 2001, Vasquez graduated from Lewis & Clark Law School.[1] He joined the Multnomah County District Attorney's office as an intern, and later as a prosecutor.[3][4]
In 2022, Vasquez prosecuted the second-degree murder case of Benjamin Smith stemming from the February 2022 Normandale Park shooting.[3]
In April 2024, Vasquez faced an ethics complaint before the Oregon State Bar when, in election material, he publicly accused a man of being a serial killer despite the man facing no charges.[5] The Oregon State Bar ultimately dismissed the complaint, citing "no sufficient basis to warrant a referral to Disciplinary Counsel."[5]
In 2023, Vasquez announced his intention to challenge incumbent Schmidt in the 2024 election.[1]
During the campaign, Vasquez has earned broad support from Portland's public safety unions and business leaders.[6] He received sizable campaign contributions from business leaders like Phil Knight and Tim Boyle.[2] Before the primary election on May 21, 2024, Vasquez was endorsed by The Oregonian[7] and Willamette Week.[8]