Former Gov. John Kitzhaber released his first public statement since his resignation via a Facebook video on Friday.
The investigation into Kitzhaber, and his fiancée, Cylvia Hayes, involves influence peddling allegations that drove him from office. Hayes served as a clean energy policy adviser to Kitzhaber while records show she also sought consulting contracts from some of the groups she was steering toward Kitzhaber’s administration.
“Not until the last month of my last campaign was there any hint of scandal or conduct of any sort. And when the truth is known and the current investigation complete, the public will know that I was not involved in any wrongdoing. This experience has personally been very painful for me. I committed my life work to public service and I’ve struggled with the feeling that I’ve let down the people who elected me. That was never my intention,” he said.
(READ MORE: KATU)
The final batch of Gov. Kitzhaber emails revealed how he influenced business and labor groups to stand down on tax reform issues.
