Paulus was a founding member of the Oregon Women 's Political Caucus , a bipartisan group of Oregon legislators in 1972 . She was instrumental in efforts to pass an Equal Rights Amendment in Oregon in 1973 and 1977 . Also , in 1972 , she was invited to be part of the Eagleton Institute of Politics ' first conference on women in politics . A decade later , while serving as Secretary of State , she was a principal speaker at the Institute 's 1982 conference . Paulus remarked in her speech that " We have come a long way " referring to women in politics . In 1984 , followers of the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh bused homeless people to Wasco County in an attempt to sway local elections . As Secretary of State , Paulus recommended the county institute emergency procedures to restrict these transients from registering to vote , which the Rajneeshees challenged in federal court . At that time Oregon allowed citizens to register to vote on the same day as an election . Then federal district judge Edward Leavy ruled against the Rajneeshees , determining the emergency procedures were proper . The religious sect later faced government investigations over immigration fraud , a related failed murder plot , and the first bioterrorist attack in the United States
failed murder plot
1985 Rajneeshee assassination plot
Norma Paulus