It's not rocket science: the other commissioners have very little to lose politically by taking a strong stand against what Cogen has done. They would be vulnerable to attack later on if they appeared too sympathetic. They forced Cogen to make the vote to save his own butt, and they ordered investigations, and so now they get to claim later they immediately did all they could.

I agree with Cogen that the media is turning this rinky-dink affair into something way bigger than it is, and at the end of the day, we're going to be out two great public servants because we've decided to get all high and mighty for a week, before we all inevitably completely forget about this and move on to the next teapot-contained weather event.

Oh no, its the media!

Cogen knew and knows exactly what happens when a public official is caught in an extra-marital affair and he let his impulse and self interest override his judgment. That it involved a county employee only adds that extra layer of intrigue because its not just about the naughty bits and it opens up the potential for undue influence (I'm not convinced of this in this case) and misuse of public funds (the hotel upgrade is enough for me). To cry about the sensationalism now that he got caught speaks to his arrogance.

I do think time should be allowed for an investigation (hopefully the AG's office won't send a bill to Multnomah Co.) and he should resign then if the report bears it out. But, as far as future office goes, he's done and I hope he's not arrogant enough to run for anything again (I think the recent Olive report on another extra-marital affair probably put the nail in that coffin).

Can someone do a count of the number of Cogen articles Olive has run in the past week or so? I ran out of fingers.

I would be willing to weigh the value of Cogen's work and wait for the investigation to conclude had his own subordinates treated Manhas the same way.

I'm less concerned with an affair than I am with the gross handling of her side the situation and the sexist double-standard in this case.

When does Dan Savage lead a parade in support of Jeff Cogen? I'm sure Tom Lauderdale and Storm Large are available.

I wasn't going to join the "Cogen should quit" bandwagon, until Manhas was basically forced to resign yesterday. Totally unacceptable if one employee (female) gets canned and the other (male, more powerful job) doesn't.

Nothing more contrite and appologetic than getting a bunch of your friends and business associates who rely on you for funding to testify to your wonderfulness. What a super fella.

Why was Manhas forced to quit? Should there be an investigation into that?

@BG, "the hotel upgrade is enough for me,"

Seriously? You're aware the previous room was $199 and the upgrade was to $249, right? You think someone should lose their job because they questionably expensed a fucking $50 hotel room upgrade?

@Chuck Garabedian The only thing I can think of would be casting the lone vote to prevent your own censure resolution from passing.

who the fuck cares whether they were fucking each other or not as long as they were doing their jobs; and according to all the accounts I've read, they were doing their jobs more than adequately.

Colin:

When that expense account is on the public dime, absolutely. I'm kind of in the zero graft is acceptable camp. C'mon over, we have s'mores!

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