Big trouble for Oregon governor Kitzhaber -- campaign disaster

[grasswire]

Oregon's multi-term Democratic governor was blindsided Thursday by a newspaper expose of criminal past of his "first lady". The woman who is his partner accepted $5000 in 1997 to "marry" an immigrant student so he could remain in U.S. Illegal.

Statute of limitations has expired on that crime, but there is also liability to IRS.

Big mess for Kitzhaber.

Friday he is scheduled for the debate against his punk Republican opponent. What a mess.

[JI7]

1. how old was she then ?

[grasswire]

3. thirty

here's the link

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/10/gov_kitzhabers_fiancee_cylvia.html

[JI7]

6. when did the governor marry her ?

it doesn't seem like something that should be an issue considering how long ago it was and how it's not the candidate himself who did it.

especially when i think of the things candidates themselves have done over the years.

[davidpdx]

10. They married this year

[MissB]

14. They aren't married yet. Engaged, but not married.

[Cha]

2. Has Gov Kitzhaber been a good Gov for Oregon? If he has then I'm thinking maybe he

can come through this?

[grasswire]

4. The Oregonian (editorially conservative) endorsed him.

I haven't seen the polling prior to this incident, but I assume he would have been easily reelected.

There was another flap the day before accusing the "first lady" of conflict of interest.

Looks like they are digging deep.

What does he do now?

[Cha]

5. This will be interesting to watch to see what he does do .. thank you for the heads up, grass.

My daughter and her fam live in Portland for a long time now.

[davidpdx]

11. Kitzhaber has been up 10-15% on Richardson

That dick is my mom's state rep. What a piece of shit.

[Cha]

38. I can imagine, david. :(

[randome]

17. Because Good always triumphs over Evil?

Just giving you some trouble, I know what you meant.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]You have to play the game to find out why you're playing the game. -Existenz[/center][/font][hr]

[dballance]

7. NO, IT IS NOT BIG TROUBLE

The rag that broke this story is like the NY Post. Not exactly a credible source. Obviously the Oregonian needs some clicks on their website for advertisers if it is quoting the "Willamette Weekly" as a source.

I live in Oregon. It's not a big mess for Kitzhaber. No one I know could give a shit what his wife did almost 20 years ago before they were together.

Okay, his partner MAY have done something bad before they were married.

At the time he started dating her he should have vetted all her credentials with the thought he might want to run for public office?? That's what you're saying.

I know Oregon. This will not go over well. People will see it for the fucking bullshit it is. It will probably help Kitzhaber in the end.

On Edit

I erred in calling he his wife. It was late and I was typing without thinking. As for "where I live." On Heydon Island in 97217. Right across from the Red Lion. I can see the I-5 bridge across the Columbia from my yard. I just got my voter's pamphlet in the mail today. It's rather thick.

[Cha]

9. Thanks dballance!

[gratuitous]

12. I agree that Kitzhaber will weather this

But Willamette Week is a credible source, and Nigel Jaquiss is a good reporter who followed a story.

This "scandal" doesn't directly involve Kitzhaber, happened years before he met Cylvia Hayes, and she made a pretty good presentation yesterday during the press conference admitting what she had done. This might affect a few undecideds, but I doubt it will make any serious difference in the campaign. Kitzhaber has been an exemplary governor, is a known quantity, and Oregon likes and trusts him.

Bad news but not disastrous. It comes at a very bad time, but ballots will be going out next week for the mail-in election. Unless there's a major new development out of this (like the young man Hayes sham-married is an al-Qaeda terrorist), it will blow over.

[nonpareil]

13. Willamette Week

Willamette Week is a credible source. It's a Portland alternative weekly. Generally fairly left-leaning though it has done exposes of Democrats-most famously the story about Neil Goldschmidt's (former mayor of Portland, governor and Secretary of Transportation under Carter) sexual relationship with a teenage girl while he was mayor. It has won Pulitzers for reporting-not exactly the Post. And no, I don't work there.

I don't know how this will play. The governor isn't as popular as he once was but if he was able to beat Chris Dudley (former Portland Trailblazer and businessman) he'll probably be able to beat Richardson who seems like the standard-issue insane Oregon Republican who'll never get enough votes in the Portland area. It would take the ghost of Tom McCall to for a Republican to win in Portland.

[Arugula Latte]

31. Yes. We in Portland + Eugene + a few coastal pockets will outvote the red acreage yet again.

And His Awesomeness Senator Jeff Merkley will return to DC.

[MissB]

19. They aren't married yet.

I agree this wont affect the election. It may mean no marriage for them.

[LisaL]

20. They are not married.

She is described as his fiancée.

[grasswire]

22. uh, I don't know where you live

But most Oregonians know she is not his wife. And most Portlanders don't consider the Willy Week a rag. And she ADMITTED the criminality.

Those are all considerations.

I know Oregon. Third generation.

[former9thward]

23. You claim to live in OR and you claim the governor is married.

He is not. He is engaged. And the Willamette Week is not the NY Post. It is a credible paper.

[Arugula Latte]

30. I'm in Oregon and I agree. I don't think people will care much about Kitz' partner's thing.

We have not elected a Republican to statewide office in a hell of a long time, and it's not gonna happen now.

[philosslayer]

41. Doesn't matter if its a credible source or not

Its true. She admitted it.

[GeorgeGist]

8. Big nothing.

[alcibiades_mystery]

15. Pfffffffft

[MissB]

16. Given her press conference last night -

which was clearly intended to limit damage to her fiancé (the governor), I don't think this is going to change anyone's vote.

This won't sway the election to Richardson.

I suspect she will stay out of sight for the next few weeks. I won't be terribly surprised if they end up not getting married.

[LisaL]

18. He didn't even know about it.

[Blue_Adept]

21. Are these stories of what she did usually made up of feel good movies?

romantic comedies and the like?

Hollywood has lied to us again!

[LisaL]

39. Yep.

The ones and the same.

[JEB]

24. I'll be voting for Kitzhaber. eom

[grasswire]

25. yes, me too nt

[Dawson Leery]

26. This has nothing to do with him.

John has been an excellent Governor and is up by 15 points.

[unblock]

27. didn't obama admit to illegal drug use and then get elected president twice?

this sounds like a pretty minor scandal.

never mind that attacking someone's fiancée is not exactly risk free.

[WI_DEM]

28. This has nothing to do with him and they aren't even married.

[Trajan]

29. Not really a problem ...

The Governor had absolutely nothing to do with it ... This Blue State will not forsake him for this ...

[jwirr]

32. That would not be an issue for me. If he has been a good governor I would vote for him anyhow.

[MissB]

34. Well, Dennis Richardson just stepped in it.

He is trying to call for a special prosecutor for Cylvia Hayes. If you could get a chance, look at kgw.com's live feed for the city club debate.

[grasswire]

35. I was hoping he would over reach

...as Republicans usually do. Sounds like he did.

[cascadiance]

42. I wonder if he'd be even-handed and demand a special prosecutor go after Monica Wehby...

... and her stalking of her ex too which was reported earlier this year! What's good for the blue goose is also good for the red goose, right Mr. Richardson?

[Arkana]

36. And this changes Kitzhaber's ability to govern...how, exactly?

[alp227]

37. Replace "campaign disaster" with "tabloid distraction BS"

THAT's a more realistic subject line.

[Generic Brad]

40. That does not sound scandalous to me

The governor was not involved and it happened long before he was with her. We have a past president whose wife once ran over someone over with a car and caused a death. That didn't seem to affect that guy's chances to be governor of Texas or president.

[cascadiance]

43. Reminder to Oregonians... Deadline to register to vote is TODAY!

If you want to make sure you get your vote in for Kitzhaber, and aren't registered yet, you have a little time still to get registered now...