Is Something Rotten in the State of Oregon?

For decades now, Oregon has been regarded as one of those good-government states, not afflicted with the cronyism and corruption of, say, Louisiana or New York or New Jersey.

It may be that the worm has turned.

Kitzhaber

This week, Oregon's largest newspaper called for the resignation of the governor, John Kitzhaber, who was re-elected last year.

The issue is the governor's fiancee, whom Kitzhaber describes as Oregon's first lady.

There are her petty problems -- the first lady's use of an unauthorized state pass to park her car for free in downtown Portland; her sham marriage for money some years ago to an undocumented immigrant seeking a green card; her helping a former boyfriend buy property for an illegal marijuana farm. Also her under-reporting of taxable income.

What seems to have upset the Oregonian, though, is the first lady's repeated instances of trading on her position to get consulting jobs with agencies and companies doing business with the state.  To quote the editorial:

     "To recite every reported instance in which (Cylvia) Hayes, ostensibly under Kitzhaber's
      watchful eye, has used public resources, including public employee time and her 'first
      lady' title, in pursuit of professional gain would require far more space than we have here
      and, besides, repeat what most readers already know. Suffice it to say there's a pattern,
      and the person who bears the responsibility for allowing it to form and persist is
      Kitzhaber, who should known better. After all, as he pointed out during Friday's press
      conference, he's been serving in public office on and off since the 1970s."

The newspaper, which was beaten, several times, on the story by a scrappy Portland weekly, endorsed Kitzhaber for re-election last year.  Now it has changed its mind.

Oregonian reporters recently uncovered collusion between the first lady and volunteers in Kitzhaber's 2010 campaign.  The volunteers found work for her with "groups interested in Oregon policy" and then were given jobs in the governor's administration.

The paper's editorial said the governor had accomplished much in the state, but concluded:

      "He is now less a governor than a source of unending distraction. He can no longer lead
       Oregon effectively and should resign. His constituents deserve better."

For his part, the governor insists that he isn't going anywhere.


Tomorrow:  Oregon Missteps