15-05-2025
Former DA Mike Schmidt flips the narrative in new ‘Schmidt Show' podcast
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Remember those billboards in downtown Portland that called the city a 'Schmidt Show?' So does Multnomah County's former DA Mike Schmidt.
Nearly a year after , Schmidt is launching a new podcast called '.' In his debut episode, he said he hopes to 'take the insult, flip it, and reverse it.'
California-founded Southern food chain expanding to Oregon
'The idea for 'The Schmidt Show' came out of a pretty bizarre political moment. Back starting in 2022, a wave of negative attack ads tried to make 'Schmidt' into a punchline,' he said in the show's introduction. 'Apparently everything wrong with Portland was somehow my show.'
The billboards were created by , an organization led by two men who said they wanted to place a spotlight on what they believed to be failed leadership in the City of Portland and Multnomah County.
A total of three anti-Schmidt billboards began making their way into downtown Portland in 2023, listing 'record crime,' 'fewer prosecutions' and 'empty jail beds' as some of Schmidt's accomplishments in office. The final sign read,
Erroneous lockdown announcement at Lakeridge Middle School prompts district-wide protocol review
While in office, that 'undermines the work of the DA and discredits the dedicated work of all employees in the Multnomah County District Attorney's office who are serving our county during one of the most challenging periods in recent memory.'
Schmidt with the . But as the city navigated a major drug crisis and a growing number of homelessness on Portland's streets in the wake of a pandemic, his reputation began to suffer.
A hardline campaign against Schmidt's decisions in office led to Vasquez's election in May 2024. In contrast to Schmidt's promise of reform, to crack down on crime and the fentanyl crisis.
People for Portland's co-founders, Dan Lavey and Kevin Looper, later disbanded the group ahead of the November 2024 election. In an interview on , they said they had formed the group — and installed those billboards — to show elected officials that they were 'vastly out of step with 80% of the people in this city.'
Now Schmidt wants to flip the narrative.
'Portland, like the rest of the country, is vulnerable to misinformation that can bring division to our communities. Real human connections are an antidote to that division,' Schmidt said. 'When we know our neighbors, when we work alongside people in local organizations or causes, we start to see each other differently. We might not agree on every issue, but we share values like wanting to make our neighborhoods better. That's why another goal of this show is to help build resilience and create space for understanding by highlighting people who remind us why we love this place and why it's worth fighting for.'
'The Schmidt Show' shared its on May 14. In it, Schmidt tackled his reasons for starting the podcast and led a conversation with Zachary Lauritzen, the executive director of .
Episodes are slated to release every Wednesday.
'While Portland has had our challenges, there are so many incredible people doing meaningful work here every day. This podcast provides a platform to tell those stories and lift up the voices of people who are out there making a difference,' Schmidt said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
