Remember the days when it took only a modest blurb to sum up the latest drama in the ongoing Cylvia Hayes/John Kitzhaber debacle? Yesterday was not one of those days. One gets the feeling those days may have left for a while. (Why does this thing not have a snappy “-gate” name yet? Get on it!) Anyway, reviewing:
Kitzhaber’s office is under official investigation by the Attorney General. Kitzhaber personally asked for that Monday morning, and AG Ellen Rosenblum replied she’d BEEN investigating the governor… since Friday. But what kind of investigation is it? Can Rosenblum muster real prosecutorial heft or is she more restricted in scope? She and Kitzhaber disagree.
What’s Cylvia Hayes doing in the mean time? Lawyering up—with a prominent criminal defense attorney. And also claiming it’s PREPOSTEROUS people are calling her a “public official,” which would make her e-mails subject to public records requests and could land her in hot water with the state’s ethics watchdogs. Instead, Hayes insists that the title “first lady” is ceremonial frippery, and that we shouldn’t be distracted by the fact she was essentially giving orders to the state’s top bureaucrats.
Elsewhere, the Independent Party is celebrating its newly won “major party” status, a designation that puts it on par with Democrats and Republicans. The Independents were able to prove they’ve wrangled a full 5 percent of the voting electorate, and so get to make the state finance their primaries. The only catch: The party has to prove it’s still got that 5 percent in August. It was only 3 voters above the threshold in the latest count, so fingers crossed.
The pieces of Portland’s police reform settlement are finally in place. The brand new citizen group that will oversee the deal between the city and the US Department of Justice met last night, along with a team of experts who will be scrutinizing every cog of reform. And hey! The DOJ called us “innovative.”
Common Core testing is here, and that means Oregon schools might be able to take a quick break from living or dying on the basis of test results.
“One of Oregon’s most prominent economists” told the City Club of Portland last week that a minimum wage hike is probably a good idea. Not a panacea, but not the devastating jobs killer opponents will claim, either.
The latest for the wilds of West Hayden Island: They’re probably safe from development for now, the Trib says.
Keurigs have moved on: From offensively and needlessly ballooning our landfills to straight-up arson.
An American aid worker being held hostage by ISIS has been confirmed dead. Unclear exactly how she met that death, though.
Good news, probably: Even conservative US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas acknowledges same-sex marriage is likely going to clear a major test before the court later this year.
Damn it, California. Stop purposefully giving your kids measles. We’ve been over this.
We’ve clawed another half hour back from the unremitting gloom, Portland! Today’s sunset: 5:30 pm.
It would be so easy to just pick up the cymbal. But patriots pick brave over easy.
Firstladygate should come to its thrilling conclusion in the next few months, I’d guess.
Something-about-Kitzhaber’s-wife-I-don’t-know-it’s-just-so-goddamn-boring-gate?
Fucking politicians – gate.
Why-is-Nigel-Jaquiss-so-obsessed-with-people-who-politicians-sleep-with-gate?
Fitz/Hayes Gate. For what it’s worth.