Local Ties Exposed: Coos County Democrats Antifa Affiliation and Politician Connections Under Scrutiny

Written By Chris Castleman

Antifa was designated a domestic terrorist organization by Executive Order on September 22, 2025, for its "pattern of political violence designed to suppress lawful political activity" including "organized riots" and "violent assaults on law enforcement." The order describes Antifa as a "militarist, anarchist enterprise that explicitly calls for the overthrow of the United States Government, law enforcement authorities, and our system of law."

Yet our local Democratic Party of Coos County posted this photo from yesterday's protest, showing open affiliation with Antifa.

To highlight potential ties, here's a list of recent local politicians or candidates who've accepted contributions from (or donated to) the Democratic Party of Coos County, per Oregon's ORESTAR public records (committee ID 299):

  • John Sweet (Coos County Commissioner) ORESTAR Transaction Link

  • Drew Farmer (Coos County Commissioner) ORESTAR Transaction Link

  • Jenny Jones (North Bend City Council)

  • DeAnne Wiedenmann (North Bend School Board)

  • Julie Hale (North Bend School Board)

  • Megan Kronsteiner-Cahill (North Bend School Board)

  • Anna Huit (North Bend School Board)

  • Jeremy Skinner (SWOCC Board)

  • Marcia Jensen (SWOCC Board)

  • Corrie Gant (Bandon School Board)

  • Claudia Powers (Bandon School Board)

  • Addie Hutchison (Coos Bay School Board)

  • Melissa Cribbins (former Coos County Commissioner)

  • Rick Osborn (Candidate for Coos County Commissioner)


The party has also accepted out-of-state donations, such as $200 from a California resident on 8/12/2024 (ORESTAR Link) -- Search full records here: https://secure.sos.state.or.us/orestar/cneSearch.do?cneSearchButtonName=search&cneSearchFilerCommitteeId=299

While some debate the EO's legal scope, why is our local Democratic Party sharing content aligned with a federally designated terrorist group? Why maintain these financial links? Voters deserve transparency—contact the politicians, reach out to party leadership, or attend their next meeting to ask them about their stance on Antifa. https://www.coosdems.org/contact

In no way am I suggesting these local politicians are directly affiliated with Antifa, but their financial proximity to the Democratic Party of Coos County—which posted content showing open support for the Antifa—is concerning. For example, Commissioner Drew Farmer ran as nonpartisan (per Oregon's voter guide), so why is he aligning himself financially with the party? Does he support Antifa? Does he endorse the Democrats' apparent stance on it? These questions deserve answers from our elected officials.


More on Antifa for those who are unfamiliar: They have been notably active in Oregon, particularly in Portland, where the movement gained prominence during the 2020 protests following the death of George Floyd. These demonstrations, often involving clashes with police and far-right groups, escalated into over 100 nights of unrest, with reports of arson, looting, and assaults on federal buildings attributed to Antifa-affiliated individuals or tactics.

While Antifa is decentralized and lacks formal leadership, there have been instances of organized violence, such as the 2021 attack on the Multnomah County Democratic Party headquarters by masked protesters decrying electoral politics, and more recent 2025 protests against the Trump administration's policies, which have included property damage and confrontations amid threats of National Guard deployment. Supporters (like those within the Democratic Party of Coos County) argue these actions are defensive against fascism and police brutality, but federal designations and law enforcement reports have linked Antifa to patterns of political intimidation and riots in the state.

Chris Castleman
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