9A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2015
Kitzhaber: Four Oregon governors have resigned since 1859
Brown: Kitzhaber
situation ‘bizarre’
Continued from Page 1A
Courtney said he and Kotek
made the same request when
they met Tuesday. Kotek said
Kitzhaber requested the Tues-
day meeting.
Courtney said he had ex-
pected Kitzhaber to announce
his intentions Wednesday, when
Secretary of State Kate Brown
— the next in line in succession
²ÀHZEDFNHDUO\IURPDFRQ-
ference in Washington, D.C. at
the governor’s request.
But instead, Kitzhaber —
through his lawyer, his press of-
¿FHDQGLQFRPPHQWVZLWK3RUW-
land television station KOIN
— said he had no such intent.
Courtney said his call for res-
ignation was less about the spe-
FL¿FDOOHJDWLRQVDQGPRUHDERXW
the distractions they cause, even
though lawmakers are moving
ahead with budgets and bills.
“It just seems to me that the
perceptions and distractions
have reached a point” where
Kitzhaber cannot interact with
lawmakers effectively, he said.
State Treasurer Ted Wheeler,
in a separate statement, minced
no words in calling on Kitzhaber
to resign.
“Unfortunately, the current
situation has become untenable,
and I cannot imagine any sce-
nario by which things improve,”
he said. “Oregon deserves a
governor who is fully focused
on the duties of state.
“I hope the governor will do
the right thing for Oregon and its
citizens.”
Although four governors
have resigned since Oregon
statehood in 1859, the most
recent instance was in 1952 —
when Gov. Douglas McKay
was appointed U.S. Interior sec-
retary — and none has involved
a scandal.
The most recent midterm va-
cancy for Oregon governor was
LQ ZKHQ 3DXO 3DWWHUVRQ
died of a heart attack.
Kitzhaber was sworn in for a
fourth term Jan. 12.
After voter rejection of his
proposed tax overhaul in May
1973, Gov. Tom McCall vowed
he would resign, but was talked
out of it. He completed his term
in January 1975.
told me he was not resign-
ing, after which, he began a
discussion about transition.”
SALEM — Secretary of
Brown did not provide
State Kate Brown says she any further details of their
is unsure what to make of discussion about a transi-
a meeting between her and tion. The Oregonian and
Gov. John Kitzhaber, who is 7KH $VVRFLDWHG 3UHVV KDYH
reported Kitzhaber planned
under pressure to resign.
Brown, who will succeed to resign late this week,
Kitzhaber if he resigns, said but changed his mind after
the governor asked her this speaking with his personal
week to return to Oregon DWWRUQH\DQGZLWKKLV¿DQFpH
as soon as possible from a Cylvia Hayes.
“I informed the governor
conference in Washington,
D.C., to discuss a transition that I am ready, and my staff
will be ready, should he re-
in the governorship.
But when Brown arrived sign,” Brown wrote. “Right
home Wednesday afternoon now I am focused on doing my
and was whisked into a pri- job for the people of Oregon.”
News of the meeting left
vate meeting with the gov-
ernor, Kitzhaber questioned observers scratching their
why Brown cut short her trip heads.
“I am stunned,” says for-
and said he had no plans to
mer Gov. Ted Kulongoski,
resign.
Brown recounted the se- Kitzhaber’s successor and
ries of events in a statement predecessor, who otherwise
Thursday morning, after her did not want to elaborate
abrupt departure from the on Brown’s statement af-
conference fueled rumors ter it was read to him by
that Kitzhaber planned to phone. “This is not the John
Kitzhaber I know.”
resign.
3DXO *URQNH D SROLWLFDO
“This is clearly a bizarre
and unprecedented situa- science professor at Reed
tion,” Brown wrote in the College, said Brown was
attending a conference of
statement.
Kitzhaber issued a state- the National Association of
ment Wednesday afternoon, Secretaries of State, where
ZKLOH %URZQ ZDV À\LQJ she was to give an address
back from Washington, on Oregon’s motor voter
D.C., saying he did not plan bill. She is president of the
organization.
to resign.
“It’s not a small thing to
Brown said Kitzhaber
called on Tuesday afternoon leave a meeting like that in
and “asked me to come back the middle,” she said. “That
to Oregon as soon as possi- is a big important meeting
ble to speak with him in per- and you don’t just leave it on
a lark,” he said. “Now why
son and alone.”
Brown arrived in Oregon would you call the secretary
of state back on an emer-
at 3:40 p.m. Wednesday.
“I was escorted direct- gency, overnight expensive
ly into a meeting with the ÀLJKW WR WHOO KHU \RX¶UH QRW
governor,” Brown wrote. resigning?
“That is just not credi-
“It was a brief meeting. He
asked me why I came back ble,” he said. “It’s strange.”
— The Capital Bureau is
early from Washington,
D.C., which I found strange. a collaboration between EO
I asked him what he wanted Media Group and Pamplin
to talk about. The governor Media Group.
By HILLARY BORRUD
Capital Bureau
AP Photo/Timothy J. Gonzalez
Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney walks the hallways of the Capitol after a news
conference on Thursday in Salem. Courtney urged Gov. John Kitzhaber to resign saying
he cannot lead the state effectively amid a growing ethics scandal involving his fiancée.
determined to be incapacitated
and unable to do the job.
The provision for voluntary
leave allows the governor to
estimate the period of disability,
provide for temporary succes-
sion, and set a return to duty.
Kulongoski said he asked for
the provision to cover instances
such as surgeries like the eye op-
eration he had in 2010.
Kulongoski said he never
contemplated a scenario such as
the one Kitzhaber faces.
The changes were really
prompted by a 2007 nation-
E.J. HARRIS — EO Media Group
DOVHFXULW\H[HUFLVHLQ3RUWODQG
Democratic officials Thursday called on Gov. John when Kulongoski said there was
Kitzhaber to resign.
a debate over who could declare
the governor incapacitated. At
Rosenblum said Monday that criminal investigation is pend- that time, just three people could
her agency was conducting an ing — and commission director make such a declaration — the
investigation of potential crimi- Ron Bersin said Thursday that chief justice of the Oregon Su-
nal violations.
he received such notice Wednes- preme Court, the “dean” of Or-
Kulongoski said he is not ad- day.
egon Health & Science Univer-
vising Kitzhaber. He also says he
Unlike the ethics commis- sity, and the medical director of
does not know what Kitzhaber sion, which has deadlines in the the Oregon State Hospital.
will ultimately decide.
A 2007 revision of the Or-
law to determine its proceed-
He did say that he sent an ings, the Department of Justice egon’s government ethics law
email a few weeks ago offer- has no such limits.
² ZKRVH ÀRRU PDQDJHU ZDV
ing any assistance, but that
Ethics-law violations are Brown, then the Senate majority
Kitzhaber declined in a re- punishable by a maximum leader — does allow for public
sponse.
¿QHRQHDFKFRXQWSOXV RI¿FLDOVWRVHWXSOHJDOGHIHQVH
Hayes has reportedly re- personal gain. The law bars use funds separated from campaign
tained a criminal lawyer, sepa- RISXEOLFRI¿FHIRUSHUVRQDO¿- funds.
rate from the lawyers who were nancial gain.
Bersin said lawyers for the
jointly representing Kitzhaber
governor made inquiries via
Other options
and Hayes in ethics-law com-
email Wednesday.
Other options under state
plaints. Kitzhaber has retained
“We have been asked to pro-
ODZ\HUVIURPWKH3RUWODQG¿UP law are a voluntary leave of ab- vide information, but we have
of Ball Janik, which does not sence — in which case Brown not received a request” to create
would step in for Kitzhaber for such a fund, Bersin said.
specialize in criminal defense.
The Department of Justice DGH¿QHGSHULRG²DQGDOHJDO
He said the provision is rare-
normally investigates potential defense fund.
ly invoked.
The Oregon Constitution
criminal violations, which are
Changed nature
of a different magnitude than the provides for succession not only
Former Gov. Ted Kulon- ethics-law complaints against upon the death or resignation of
goski said that Kitzhaber must Kitzhaber and Hayes that were a governor, but also upon a dis-
be considering all his options pending before the Oregon Gov- ability.
in addition to resignation — ernment Ethics Commission.
Under a 2009 change, which Only
and that the nature of the alle-
Under the ethics law, the Kulongoski requested when he
gations against Kitzhaber and commission must suspend its ZDVJRYHUQRUVWDWHODZVSHFL¿HV
ily
+D\HV FKDQJHG VLJQL¿FDQWO\ proceedings when the Depart- how a governor may take a vol-
Ch eck out our d a
after Attorney General Ellen ment of Justice informs it that a untary leave for disability or be
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