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PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Former Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber insisted he broke no laws, and federal prosecutors backed him up Friday, announcing that no criminal charges will be filed against Kitzhaber or his live-in fiancee over allegations she used their relationship to win contracts for her consulting business. Kitzhaber surrendered to political pressure in February 2015 and resigned over allegations that Hayes used their relationship to win contracts for her green-energy consulting business and failed to report the income on her taxes. The U.S. Attorney's office in Portland said in a brief statement that the criminal investigation that began more...

The prosecutor that U.S. Attorney for Oregon Amanda Marshall is accused of stalking was at the time under 24-hour-a-day armed protective guard because of a contract Mexican drug dealers placed on his life. That news adds a bizarre turn in a situation that appears to have cost Marshall, the top federal prosecutor in Oregon, her job.

(Oregon governor) John Kitzhaber told his staff that new state energy policies should match those that special interests were paying his fiancée to promote, newly released records show. The directive could be significant as federal investigators dig into whether Kitzhaber and Hayes engaged in illegal influence peddling – promising or trading government action for money. . . . . The release underscores how the Kitzhaber administration operated through back channels that couldn't be traced through government records. Kitzhaber himself relied on a personal email account to conduct government business – emails his attorneys are now fighting to keep from the...

Dignitaries gathered on a dry Klamath Falls hillside in August 2011 to celebrate the launch of the largest solar power project ever attempted in Oregon. As then-Gov. John Kitzhaber and others dug their golden shovels into the hard ground, they were adamant that this was not another state-sponsored green energy boondoggle. This $27 million collection of solar arrays would be a boon for the economy as well as the environment. For nearly $12 million in tax credits, state officials said, taxpayers could expect the project developer to buy local and hire local, creating a virtuous circle of energy savings, reduced...

By now, you may know that disgraced Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber, a Democrat, was brought low this week by a scandal concerning his fiancée’s dealings with green energy groups. You may not be aware, however, of exactly the extent to which Kitzhaber’s fiancée, Cylvia Hayes, is a corrupt, serial-marrying tree-hugger with a background of scandals galore. The green energy scandal involved consulting and policy work conducted by Hayes. Reports have revealed that she was advising several state employees on energy policy while simultaneously receiving substantial payments from the Clean Economy Development Center — a direct and obvious conflict of interest.

Oregon governor John Kitzhaber may have announced that he will resign, but a sweeping FBI investigation of him and his fiancée, Cylvia Hayes, is only getting started. While the story involves personal failings, the green-energy lobbying scandal that brought them down has national lessons and implications. If oil companies and pharmaceutical concerns shouldn’t exercise undue influence in government, the same is true for green energy — which can’t yet survive in the marketplace without giant subsidies or special tax favors.

Mired in scandal, the longtime Democrat governor of Oregon, John Kitzhaber, finally stepped down from office last week. Plenty of Democrat politicians become embroiled in scandals yet continue serving in office for many years, so what made this different? Kitzhaber took on a powerful government union and failed to implement an Obamacare exchange, the kiss of death for a Democrat. Powerful members of his own party failed to stand up for him in the end, as well as the stateÂ’s formerly adulatory left-wing newspaper, The Oregonian, which called for his resignation. The 67-year-old KitzhaberÂ’s problems originated with his much younger...

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Just hours after Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber announced his decision to resign, a subpoena arrived in a state office building confirming that federal agents are looking into the influence-peddling scandal that led to the abrupt end of a four-decade political career. The Democratic governor gave in to mounting pressure Friday, abandoning his office amid suspicions that his live-in fiancée used her relationship with him to land contracts for her green-energy consulting business. His resignation, which takes effect Wednesday, cleared the way for Secretary of State Kate Brown to assume Oregon's highest office and become the nation's...

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber's fiancée, Cylvia Hayes, has confirmed she collected $118,000 in previously undisclosed payments from an out-of-state clean energy group while she was advising the governor on clean energy policy. Clean Economy Development Center of Washington, D.C., paid her $30,000 in 2011 and $88,000 in 2012. The disclosures mean Hayes has collected at least $213,000 in consulting fees since Kitzhaber took office in 2011. She serves as first lady of Oregon.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35 NIV Once again the immorality of the earth worshipers raises its evil head in Oregon as a Governor gets caught with his hand in the $olar cookie jar. Fortunately, thanks to the corruption of the Democrat Party activists in the state media they were able to divert his guilt long enough to get him re-elected for his 4th term beginning last month and...

Oregon Gets America's First Openly Bisexual Governor... as Oregon's embattled John Kitzhaber RESIGNS over scandal involving fiancee's consulting contracts Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown rushed back from a conference in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday to succeed John Kitzhaber, only to be told he was staying By DAVID MARTOSKO, 13 February 2015 Oregon's new governor will be the first open bisexual to serve as a state's chief executive when Secretary of State Kate Brown steps in for resigning Gov. John Kitzhaber on Friday. The embattled now-former Democratic governor Kitzhaber, 67, has resigned his office amid allegations his fiancee used her...

<p>Gov. John Kitzhaber announced his resignation Friday, ending weeks of speculation about whether he could lead Oregon with the cloud of at least two investigations into possible ethical breaches hanging over his head.</p> <p>The embattled governor faces allegations that his fiancee used their relationship to win contracts for her consulting business and failed to report income on her taxes. The state’s two top legislative leaders and the state treasurer -- all Democrats, as is the 67-year-old governor -- had called on Kitzhaber on Thursday to resign. Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber, fiancee provide new green energy scandal Caption Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber, fiancee provide new green energy scandal Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber, fiancee provide new green energy scandal Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber, fiancee provide new green energy scandal After rumors swirl. Gov. Kitzhaber says he's not resigning After rumors swirl. Gov. Kitzhaber says he's not resigning Oregon governor insists he won't resign Oregon governor insists he won't resign Oregon sec. of state 'headed to the capitol to do some work' Oregon sec. of state 'headed to the capitol to do some work'</p>

Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber submitted his resignation on Friday, just one month into his record fourth term in office. Kitzhaber's fate was all but sealed Thursday, after Secretary of State Kate Brown issued a statement describing his behavior, accurately, as "bizarre," top Democrats called on him to step down, and several of his closest advisers resigned.

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber submitted his resignation Friday. He met with his senior staff and administration officials before the official announcement, sources with direct knowledge told KOIN 6 News. The resignation will take effect as of 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015. Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown will become the next governor.

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber is expected to resign Friday, perhaps in the early afternoon, multiple sources told KOIN 6 News. The decision came after intense debate among the governor and those close to him. These sources say Kitzhaber has wanted to pursue that course since the weekend but had been dissuaded by his fiancée, Cylvia Hayes, and his legal team.

John Kitzhaber, the Democratic governor of Oregon was sworn into his fourth term of office just last month. But it seems highly unlikely he will be able to survive this month in office. Last October, the Willamette Weekly newspaper published an exposé showing how the governor’s fiancé, Cylvia Hayes, was taking money as a private consultant to environment groups and then pushing their policies in her public role as “First Lady” of the state. Most infamously, she ordered state employees to follow a policy she was being paid $25,000 by an advocacy group to promote. Apparently, some of the money...

Gov. John Kitzhaber’s office last week requested state officials destroy thousands of records in the governor’s personal email accounts, according to records obtained by WW and 101.9 KINK/FM News 101 KXL. The request came as investigations into allegations of influence-peddling involving Kitzhaber and first lady Cylvia Hayes were intensifying. Records show the request to destroy Kitzhaber’s emails came from Jan Murdock, Kitzhaber’s executive assistant. She wanted all emails from Kitzhaber’s personal email accounts removed from state servers. [snip]Personal emails of public officials can be subject to the state’s open records laws if they are used to discuss public business. Earlier...

Embattled Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber had reached a decision to resign because of an ethics scandal surrounding him and his fiancée, but he changed his mind, three people with direct knowledge of the situation said Wednesday. They said the Democratic governor informed some of his aides on Sunday that he was going to resign and on Tuesday he asked his would-be successor, Secretary of State Kate Brown, to rush back from a conference in Washington D.C. They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk about private discussions. Brown’s abrupt and unexplained...

Recent revelations in The Oregonian that Cylvia Hayes, Gov. John Kitzhaber's girlfriend, was involved in yet more questionable activities should not surprise anyone. It is not a big step from immigration fraud to conspiracy to produce illegal drugs to charging taxpayers $41 for a breakfast while promoting climate hysteria. I hope that she got three strips of bacon with the $41 breakfast!

The colorful past of Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber’s fiancee includes a phase as an aspiring marijuana farmer.