Committee of One Thousand to Re-Elect State Senator Brown v. Eivers

*197PETERSON, C. J.

Plaintiff is a political committee1 organized to support the election of Walt Brown to the state senate. It brought this action seeking compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorney fees and costs for violation of ORS 260.532, an election offense statute. A jury awarded plaintiff compensatory damages of $384.12 and punitive damages of $2,500. Defendant appealed.

On defendant’s appeal, the Court of Appeals reversed, holding that the plaintiff was not an “aggrieved” party under ORS 260.532(4) because the published statements at issue in the case referred to the candidate it…