Jim Fox needled Tim Freeman on Monday, accusing his rival for the Republican nomination for the District 2 seat in the Oregon Legislature of hiring a private investigator and also criticizing a group that has endorsed Freeman.

During a luncheon candidate forum in the Community Conference Hall at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, Fox said his opponent was looking into his background.

“They’ve hired a private investigator to check out myself and my wife and my sons,” said Fox, the owner of the Fox Den Eateries chain and James Fox Realty. “I don’t believe they’ve checked out my grandchildren, but we’ll see.”

Freeman did not respond to the accusation during the forum, sponsored by the Roseburg Area Chamber of Commerce. Afterward, he denied the charge.

“I haven’t paid or hired a private investigator,” Freeman said.

Fox also criticized Freeman’s endorsement from the Oregon Petroleum Association and the Oregon Business Association. The petroleum group gave Freeman a $3,500 campaign donation while the business organization provided $2,500.

“Frankly, there are some political groups out there that I don’t care to be associated with. Two of them that have endorsed Tim I would not speak to,” Fox said.

He said the Oregon Petroleum Association wants to raise the state gas tax, while the Oregon Business Association, he said, supports a state sales tax.

“I wanted to go ahead and thank you for bringing up the Oregon Petroleum Association, which I did not read on my list (of endorsements),” said Freeman, the owner of Freeman’s Garden Valley Shell in Roseburg. “That is my industry and it’s the business that I’ve been in for the last 17 years,” Freeman said.

Freeman said he disagrees with the petroleum group’s views on raising the gas tax and would vote against any bill that would attempt to raise the tax, if elected. He said he supports the group’s efforts, however, to ban local governments from establishing their own gas tax.

“That particular organization has been good enough to help me and is endorsing me, as are others. But I’m running to represent this community and you can rest assured that I will vote for what is right for this area.”

Harry McDermott, the lone Democrat in the May 20 primary race, told the audience of 200 that a recent survey showed the Oregon Legislature had a 30 percent approval rating. He said that wasn’t quite as low as the one for Congress in Washington, D.C., but said he wanted to work to improve that number and to improve state government.

Oakland resident Nick McKibbin, a retired environmental health specialist with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, is one of two Democrats running to oppose House Republican Leader Bruce Hanna for the District 7 seat.

McKibbin told the audience about his struggles growing up as a foster child. He said that while he was drifting through a series of dead-end jobs, an uncle encouraged him to get his mind “trained and make it useful for yourself and for society.” McKibbin, who said his high school classmates thought he was the least likely to succeed, later graduated from the University of California.

If elected, he said he would work to improve the lives of Oregonians.

“We need affordable health care for all Oregonians. We need better infrastructure. We need more for our children in education. We need more investment in our education and disinvestment in prisons and corrections,” McKibbin said.

Cottage Grove businessman Don Nordin, who is running against McKibbin, did not attend the forum.

Hanna, who has served two terms in the Legislature and who does not have a primary opponent, said he has worked hard for the residents of his district. He said he has also worked to develop good relations with members of both parties to tackle the state’s problems.