Gov. Kitzhaber just resigned.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by greatauntoftriplets (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: NYT

Not unexpected, but still too bad.

Read more: Link to source

[NYC_SKP]

1. And the Environmental Movement and Democratic Party Take a Body Blow.

Just when we least needed it.

[William769]

2. That gives the United States our first openly Bisexual Governor!

Out of the bad comes some good.

[In_The_Wind]

4. Indeed.

[classof56]

10. And the RW wackos were outraged by John's "live-in" first lady.

Can only imagine what they'll do when they learn this about our new Governor. It is to laugh! So glad I supported Kate Brown for SoS!

[cascadiance]

13. I just hope that she names a replacement at SOS that is open to instant runoff voting...

That was a big issue for Seth Woolley of the Greens who ran against her in the last election, and I think many progressives want to see movement towards, that would perhaps help us fend off efforts to put in bad propositions like Prop 90 (top two primaries) in last election that thankfully Oregon voters overwhelmingly voted down, and perhaps bring more independents and third party voters to support the Democrat in the next election.

I quoted an article where Woolley jokingly was speculating that she should name him to replace her, but actually I believe Oregon laws require her to name a Democrat to replace herself as SOS, so that won't happen. But if she names someone that might do reform like that, it might fend off challenges from the left that would help solidify a special election to keep this seat in Democratic hands later, and not have another Knute Buehler potentially win such an election then.

That and public campaign financing too, so that we put that back in the city of Portland the way it was earlier, and perhaps look at it as an option for statewide consideration too.

[uppityperson]

3. Here's a link

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/02/governor_john_kitzhaber_will_s.html

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber resigned effective next Wednesday, Feb. 18, in a letter submitted to Secretary of State Kate Brown.

"I am announcing today that I will resign as Governor of the State of Oregon," he wrote in a statement released just after noon on Friday.

"It is not in my nature to walk away from a job I have undertaken - it is to stand and fight for the cause. For that reason I apologize to all those people who gave of their faith, time, energy and resources to elect me to a fourth term last year and who have supported me over the past three decades. I promise you that I will continue to pursue our shared goals and our common cause in another venue."

He continued in a page-long statement adding, "I understand that I have become a liability to the very institutions and policies to which I have dedicated my career and, indeed, my entire adult life. As a former presiding officer I fully understand the reasons for which I have been asked to resign."

Kitzhaber had met with his staff late morning to tell them his plans.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

6. thank you

My iPad broke the news, I I could not find the article to link to on it.

[BlueEye]

5. My sympathies to Oregon's environmental lobby, but the Democratic Party (nationally) was pushing...

for Kitzhaber's resignation. He appears to be guilty of the ethics violations he is accused of. It just does not look good to have corrupt governors in the party.

I wish his successor the best! Very cool to have the first ever openly bisexual governor!

[classof56]

7. Oh, darn!

Makes me very sad. Have been a long-time supporter of John, he's done some awesome things for Oregon and her citizens. Can only imagine how The Oregonian editorial board is gloating. This does not portend well for my state's future, for many reasons. And right now I'm pretty ticked with our Democratic party, who threw John so thoroughly under the bus.

What a blow! Pardon me while I shed a bunch of tears.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

8. For good this time, or is this just temporary?

[blkmusclmachine]

9. If he were an (R), this resignation would never have happened. "IOKIYAR"

[valerief]

12. If he were R, we wouldn't know about any problem to begin with. nt

[George II]

11. If the details are correct, I don't know that there was any corruption but the appearance....

...is certainly there. He should have been more careful - his future wife should have resigned her job.

[cascadiance]

14. In effect his fiance forced him to choose between her and his career as governor...

A tough choice to make, but choosing her in effect forced him to have to step down, and perhaps tarnishes his image, when most of the wrongdoing, if perhaps not all was not of his making.

[greatauntoftriplets]

15. Sorry, but we're locking this because it doesn't conform to the LBN SOP.

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