Sharon Biddinger Tells Her Story

"Please tell me how Claire Hall cares about me."

My name is Sharon Biddinger and those of you who know me understand that the last couple of years have been extraordinarily difficult. After a major operation in my heart and my spine, uh followed by a significant accident that severely damaged my leg with a plethora of devastating events ultimately forced me to close the physical location of my studio, my portrait studio earlier this year. The same period included multiple other surgeries, recovering from a second viral brain injury and navigating two criminal trials at the same time. One trial has recently concluded with a prison sentence for the man who tortured and murdered my black lab, Daisy. 

The second involving three acts of vandalism against my business property by the same individual remains unresolved. I share this not to seek empathy, but to establish context. The last thing that I want is another fight. And I have no interest in political conflict, public controversy, or inserting myself into anything beyond healing and rebuilding my life. 

But what has happened to me and my family, however, should never happen to anyone here in Lincoln County or anywhere else for that matter. Daisy's case exposed a broken system. During the 16 months we fought for justice. In Daisy's case, we endured far more than the normal stress of a criminal trial. 

Multiple times, communication from the district attorney's office ceased entirely without explanation. Critical filings were missed, including handwritten orders from the judge that were essential for law enforcement um by the sheriff's office. One hearing was missed outright. Another one was moved up without our knowledge. 

These failures had real consequences. They were not harmless. The man who murdered my dog was able to repeatedly violate direct court orders and pre-trial release conditions with no repercussions. The ongoing anxiety and fear that caused my family cannot be overstated. 

On more than one occasion, communication from individuals directly working on our case simply stopped during crucial periods, including the full week leading up to a long weekend when our first trial date was set. Um, when communication resumed, we were handed off to someone new and forced to start over yet again with little to no explanation as to why. Less than a week before our second trial date, District Attorney Jenna Wallace was reassigned to another case due to staffing shortages. After 15 months of preparation with her, we were suddenly left with a brand new attorney. 

Although DA Wallace was eventually able to rejoin our case as council to the DDA Thompson, the disruption and stress of that transition were overwhelming and entirely unnecessary. I want to be absolutely clear that I am not in any way blaming the district attorney's office. Quite the opposite. The integrity, compassion, and commitment de demonstrated by District Attorney Wallace, our victim's advocate, and many others in that office are precisely why I'm speaking now. 

They did their jobs despite being stripped of staffing, resources, and institutional support necessary to function effectively. After nearly a year away from social media, I was shocked to learn what was happening behind the scenes and appalled by the public treatment of our elected DDA, a respected judge, a former sheriff, local business owners, and community members simply trying to be heard. As I learned more about the ongoing conflict between the board of commissioners and the district attorney's office, specifically under the leadership of Chair Commissioner Claire Hall, a painful realization set in. The communication failures, missed filings, staff upheaval, and instability were not isolated mistakes. 

They were symptoms of a system deliberately weakened. And understanding that my family and I were nothing more than collateral damage in this conflict was devastating, infuriating, and completely unacceptable. Because of what I personally endured during Daisy's case, I've made the difficult decision to walk away entirely from the ongoing vandalism trial. I will not pursue justice or my entitle restitution, even though I deserve it. 

I simply do not have the capacity sur to survive this broken system a second time. My prior experience with Commissioner Hall is why I'm speaking today. Unfortunately, this was not my first experience with the unchecked authority from Commissioner Clare Hall. I want to be very clear that I am addressing Commissioner Hall alone. 

I have worked with nearly every other commissioner and county leader, past and present, both personally and professionally. Let me say this plainly. This is not about gender, race, or personal politics. This is about conduct, power, and accountability. 

I am sharing my lived experience. For years, I supported Commissioner Hall. I met her in 2015, photographed campaign materials in 2016, specialized family portraits, and continued photographing her at public events. I truly believed in her leadership. 

I never wanted to share what I'm about to describe, but the misconduct and intimidation I personally experienced mirror the same abuse of power now harming our district attorney's office and silencing others. In the spring of 2018, after expanding my portrait studio into a larger building, I became the target of Edward Patrick Bigger, also known as Weedman. At the time, he had multiple felony convictions, including violent crimes against women, a long history of erratic behavior, and several active restraining orders. He fixated on me and my business. 

Believing that I was in good standing with Commissioner Clare Hall, I reached out repeatedly for help and received no response. I finally went to the city in person and I was informed by Commissioner Claire Hall herself that my messages had not been overlooked. they had been intentionally ignored. I was told that because of her close relationship with this individual, I would not be granted a meeting or support. I was told I could not discuss the situation with city hall staff or city manager, even though this individual had been granted a meeting just one week prior. 

She claimed that I was violating his civil rights to freedom of speech. During this time, Commissioner Hall supported this convicted felon through social media, local TV, radio, Facebook live appearance, and multiple broadcast. She posed in photos and participated in messaging that frame my efforts to protect my business was an attack on his right to conduct business and his freedom of speech. By this point, he had been transferred from every neighboring business at that intersection due to his menacing behavior. 

After months of escalating harassment and more than 70 documented incidences incidents, excuse me, the Newport Police Department issued a temporary temporary stocking order that was followed by a cease and desist order when it was discovered that he did not possess a valid business license. However, within 24 hours, he was back outside of my window. I was informed that Commissioner Hall had intervened and helped reinstate his presence. I was told that she had been warned not to interfere again as the matter was under investigation and placed the city of Newport and Lincoln County at legal risk. 

By this time, I had enlisted the help of state legislators, the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission. By the time a permanent stocking order was granted, I had documented daily filmings, hired harassment, vandalism on every vehicle, including my 16-year-old son, repeated property damage, threats towards me and my family, non-stop phone harassment, online slander, and coordinated smear campaigns accusing me of every form of bigotry imaginable. This directly destroyed my livelihood and cost me a second business I was in launch of processing. uh was in the process of launching. Even after the final stalking order was granted, it was violated repeatedly until the DA proceeded with criminal charges. 

By the time the case was set for trial in January of 2020, there were nearly 300 documented incidents. Still, Commissioner Hall continued to publicly advocate for this violent felon rather than maintain a neutrality or even acknowledge me as the victim, a legitimate business owner who had invested deeply in this community. Just before the trial, Mr. Bigger plead guilty to the crime of stalking. 

I was encouraged to sue the city of Newport and the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners and was advised I would likely prevail based on my documentation. After two years of fighting for my safety and my survival, I chose instead to move forward with my life. Yet, Commissioner Hall did not leave me alone. Despite repeated requests, including public requests made in the presence of law enforcement, Commissioner Hall continues to insert herself into my life in ways that are intrusive and utterly inappropriate. 

Recently, I unblocked her from social media solely to understand the current controversy. Within 48 hours, she shared one of my personal posts. At public events, Commissioner Hall has repeatedly found ways to physically touch me, either placing a hand on my shoulder, reaching for my arm, touching my back, or making what we describe accidental bumps. This pattern has become so predictable that at the last event we attended, I warned the sheriff in advance, and within minutes, I was bumped again. 

The sheriff spoke with Commissioner Hall and strongly advised her to keep her distance from me for the remainder of the event. This behavior is deeply unsettling and precisely because it appears innocuous for those who don't know the history. The retaliation faced by anyone who stands on the other side of Commissioner Hall is unfathomable. I know others who have experienced similar treatment and remain silent out of fear for good reason. 

I am speaking because abuse of power without any accountability destroys real people, real families and real livelihoods. My family and I have already lived through this. We deserve a leadership that protects, not punishes, doesn't bully, retaliate, or destroy reputations. No one should lose their livelihood because or their character because this county commissioner promotes harmful behavior and protects it. 

Others are afraid to speak out because they understand the cost. If you are inclined to dismiss me with labels, I urge you to look at public records. Court filings, hearings, social media posts, radio appearances, and recorded meetings are available to anyone willing to examine them. I urge you to step outside what you think you know and look at the facts and ask yourself, what if this were your mother? 

What if this were your daughter or your sister? What if this happened to you? And for those who are continuing to defend this kind of contact conduct, please tell me how Claire Hall cares about me.