After MSNBC tweeted this morning that the secretary of state, who would replace Governor John Kitzhaber in the event of a resignation, had suddenly bolted a conference in Washington DC for a trip back to Salem, the Oregonian's Jeff Mapes has just heaped more intrigue onto the drama over whether Kitzhaber might reverse course in the wake of an ethics scandal and criminal probe and resign as soon as today.
Mapes says the Capitol has been beset by "a series of reports" and rumors that Kitzhaber's resignation is imminent—among them that department heads in the state bureaucracy have been called into a meeting with the governor's office this afternoon. He also pointedly mentions that Kitzhaber's office has "made no attempt to tamp down" the rumors and reports.
Kitzhaber's office has since confirmed to media outlets that the governor has canceled an appearance in Tigard this Saturday. A call to the governor's media office hasn't been returned.
Update 12:28 PM: Kitzhaber's lawyer has told the O that he has "every reason to believe the governor will stay in office." But the attorney also used words like "hope" and "expect." So...
Brown's departure for Salem seems like a big deal, especially because her spokesman hasn't told media outlets why she's come back sooner than anticipated. She was attending the National Association of Secretaries of State's annual conference—a group she leads as president. According to the Oregon Constitution, in the event of a resignation, Brown would serve as governor at least through 2016, when a special election would be held to fill the rest of Kitzhaber's term, which lasts through 2018.
Update 1:06 PM Hannah Hoffman of the Statesman Journal is pointing out another potential reason for Brown's sudden arrival while asserting that "rumors that Kitzhaber's resignation is imminent appear to have no firm support at this time."
Brown's bill pushing automatic, opt-out registration for voters, based on Department of Motor Vehicles data, is up for a hearing Friday when she otherwise would be returning from DC. Hoffman also quotes officials refuting talk of a department heads meeting.
Brown's pet bill in the Oregon Legislature, HB 2177, is scheduled for a meeting at 8:30 a.m. on Friday morning. The agenda was not posted until 5:15 p.m. last night, announcing the bill's placement on the budget committee's schedule.
If her plane lands as scheduled this afternoon, she will have all day Thursday to prepare for that hearing.
Meanwhile, rumors have circulated that state agency heads are meeting together in Kitzhaber's office today, but Department of Administrative Services spokesman Matt Shelby said that is false.
DAS Director Michael Jordan has been in his own office all day preparing for a budget hearing this afternoon, Shelby said
