Emails offer glimpse of ex-governor's legal strategy, show efforts by staff to distance 'first lady'
Former Gov. John Kitzhaber. (Image from the State of Oregon website.)
Personal emails between former Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber, his fiancee, the state’s volunteer “first lady” Cylvia Hayes, and members of his staff show her jockeying for a more influential position in state government, even as others in Kitzhaber’s administration were trying to distance her from potentially crossing ethical lines.
At issue was Hayes’ self-expressed desire to leverage her role in state government for career advancement, as well as paid consulting work she was doing that overlapped her role as a representative of the state. Although Hayes wasn’t paid, she could still be considered a state official subject to government ethics rules, according to the Oregonian and Willamette Week.
As an Oregon Government Ethics Commission probe gathered steam, the governor pledged his cooperation. However, in a December email to his lawyer, Steve Janik, the governor seemed to be looking for a way out. “We will convey that we are willing to take this all the way and have a strong case for prevailing,” wrote Kitzhaber. “But the end game is not actually to have the complaints dismissed but rather to negotiate a stipulated settlement agreement in which we might acknowledge some minor mistakes we may have made and have the matter resolved at the March meeting. Do I have that right?” He did, Janik replied.
That resolution didn’t materialize, the situation snowballed and, as state and federal criminal investigations were launched, Kitzhaber decided to step down this week. Once the criminal probes are completed, the ethics commission is expected to complete its work, the Oregonian notes.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Under fire over fiancee’s role as ‘first lady’ and paid outside consultant, Oregon governor resigns”
New York Times (req. req.): “Experts Say Oregon Probe Focusing on Financial Crimes”
Willamette Week: “Feds Issue Criminal Subpoenas For Gov. John Kitzhaber’s and First Lady Cylvia Hayes’ Records”
See also:
Willamette Week: “First Lady Inc.”
Willamette Week: “Hit the Delete Button”
