Oregon Democratic Gov. John Kitzhaber’s fourth term is quickly descending into Hiking The Appalachian Trail levels of goofiness.
In one of the most surreal days in Oregon political history, the state’s top Democratic leaders called for Gov. John Kitzhaber to resign, and the governor vanished from public view.
With support of even allies evaporating, the ability of Kitzhaber to remain in office appeared less viable by the hour.
The day started with Senate President Peter Courtney and House Speaker Tina Kotek meeting Kitzhaber, a fellow Democrat, for breakfast and telling him it was time to step down.
Later in the morning, Secretary of State Kate Brown – next in line if Kitzhaber resigns – released a statement called her interactions with the governor the day before “strange,” “bizarre” and “unprecedented.”
Then Treasurer Ted Wheeler pressed him to resign, calling the situation “untenable.”
By then, Kitzhaber’s whereabouts were not publicly known, and he issued no responses. But it was clear that the insiders of his own political party wanted him to go.
Crisis management. How does that work again? What the hell is going on with Kitzhaber and his fiancee, Cylvia Hayes? And what is this all about, anyway?
Kitzhaber has faced ever-increasing scrutiny about ethical issues surrounding this fiancee’s paid contracts, but the intensity flared two weeks ago after the Oregonian/OregonLive reported that Hayes didn’t report a a large chunk of the $118,000 in payments on her personal tax returns and after the governor batted away questions at his own press conference.
A wave of The Oregonian/OregonLive reports followed: that Kitzhaber aides had helped arrange jobs for Hayes; that Hayes directed top state officials on a policy while under contract to push the same policy; and that the couple’s attorneys were quietly making the case that Hayes was never first lady, nor a public official, to try to shut down an ethics inquiry even as the governor promised cooperation.
On Monday, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum announced she had opened a criminal investigation. By then, both Kitzhaber and Hayes had retained criminal defense attorneys.
Oh. Well this seems problematic. Any Oregonians in the audience want to shed some light on this?
[UPDATE]: KOIN-TV is reporting that Kitzhaber is expected to actually resign this time later today. [UPDATE 2]: Gov. Kitzhaber will resign effective Wednesday. His full resignation statement is here.
