Page 8
The
Portland Observer Black
History Month
February 18, 2015
Governor Kitzhaber Resigns
Says no laws
broken, but
scandal turned
to liability
(AP) — Long-time Demo-
cratic Oregon Gov. John
Kitzhaber on Friday announced
his resignation amid allegations
his fiancee used her relation-
ship with him to enrich herself.
In a lengthy statement re-
leased Friday, Kitzhaber said he
broke no laws and said his res-
ignation would be effective on
Wednesday.
"Nonetheless, I understand
that I have become a liability to
the very institutions and poli-
cies to which I have dedicated
my career and, indeed, my en-
tire adult life," he said.
The decision capped a wild
week in which Kitzhaber seemed
poised to step down, then
changed his mind, but ultimately
bowed to calls from legislative
leaders that he quit the state's
top job.
The announcement is a stun-
ning fall from grace for the
state's longest-serving chief
executive.
Secretary of State Kate
Brown, a Democrat like
Kitzhaber, was expected to as-
sume the office and become the
first openly bisexual governor
in the country. Unlike most
states, Oregon does not have a
lieutenant governor, and the state
Constitution puts the secretary
Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber (middle) is sworn in for an
unprecedented fourth term by Senior Judge Paul J. De
Muniz in Salem on Jan. 12, 2015. Standing next to
Kitzhaber is his fiancée, Cylvia Hayes. (AP photo)
of state next in line.
her revealing that she accepted
Kitzhaber called Brown back about $5,000 to illegally marry
to Oregon from a conference in a man seeking immigration ben-
Washington, D.C., earlier this efits in the 1990s. Later, she
week. People close to Kitzhaber admitted she bought a remote
say he asked her to come back property with the intent to grow
after deciding to resign in the marijuana.
wake of the influence-peddling
Though questions about
allegations involving his fian- Hayes have swirled for months,
cee, a green-energy consultant. the pressure on Kitzhaber in-
But he then changed his mind, tensified in recent weeks after
saying he wouldn't step down, newspapers raised questions
which led to a Wednesday meet- about whether Hayes reported
ing between Kitzhaber and all her income on her tax re-
Brown that she described as turns. She has not publicly ad-
"strange."
dressed the allegation and
By Thursday, the leaders of Kitzhaber has declined to. Ear-
the state House and Senate said lier this week, Oregon Attorney
he had to go. Other top officials General Ellen Rosenblum said
in the overwhelmingly Demo- she was launching a criminal
cratic state also said Kitzhaber investigation.
should resign.
Kitzhaber has consistently
"I finally said, 'This has got maintained that he and Hayes
to stop,'" Senate President Pe- worked hard to avoid conflicts
ter Courtney said after he met between her public and private
with Kitzhaber. "I don't know roles.
what else to do right now. It
A fiercely private person,
seems to be escalating. It seems Kitzhaber has been forced to
to be getting worse and worse." answer embarrassing and per-
Kitzhaber handily won re- sonal questions about his rela-
election in November to a fourth tionship. In response to ques-
term after surviving the botched tions at a news conference last
rollout of Oregon's online health month, Kitzhaber told reporters
care exchange, which turned that he's in love with Hayes, but
into a national embarrassment. he's not blinded by it.
But the allegations surround-
Kitzhaber, 67, met the 47-
ing his fiancee Cylvia Hayes' work year-old Hayes before the 2002
were more harmful, dominating election, when he was governor
headlines in the state following and she was a candidate for the
his victory.
state Legislature. She lost her
A series of newspaper reports race, but they later reconnected
since October have chronicled after Kitzhaber's term ended.
Hayes' work for organizations
After eight years out of of-
with an interest in Oregon public fice, Kitzhaber was elected gov-
policy. At the same time, she was ernor again in 2011. Hayes used
paid by advocacy groups, she the title "first lady," though the
played an active role in Kitzhaber's couple never married, and she
administration, a potential con- took an active role in his admin-
flict of interest.
istration. They were engaged
The spotlight on Hayes led to last summer.