Oregon’s attorney general has labeled as “troubling” allegations against the state’s Democratic governor and his fiancée linked to a potential conflict of interest over his future wife’s consulting work and her role as an unpaid adviser.
Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum’s remarks late on Thursday added to woes facing Governor John Kitzhaber, who was re-elected to an unprecedented fourth term last year but has faced months of criticism over a string of revelations surrounding his fiancée, Cylvia Hayes.
“Recent allegations relating to Governor Kitzhaber and Ms. Hayes are very serious – and troubling. My office is considering all of our legal options to ensure that we are best serving the state,” Rosenblum said in a statement.
This comes just a couple of days after Portland’s — yes, that Portland — largest newspaper called for the governor to resign.
You know it’s a real problem when the other Democrats aren’t providing cover. It’s also pretty standard fare for a politician who is allowed to hang around in one office seemingly forever. The feeling of electoral invincibility often brings with it a sense of general invincibility (see: Anthony Weiner) and arrogance that makes things go awry in a hurry. Kitzhaber, naturally, is refusing to step down. He’s probably convinced himself that he genuinely hasn’t done anything wrong.
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