Top Kotek staffer resigns (storm looms)

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

Lindsey O’Brien, Oregon Governor Kotek’s deputy chief of staff, who went on extended leave earlier this year, has officially resigned this week. Lindsey was among the three top staffers who stepped down all at once over Kotek’s push to expand a role for her wife within the Governor’s office. In the past few weeks, Kotek has closed the planned First Spouse office for her wife. Kotek’s wife’s personal aid ($11,000/month) also recently resigned last August. Also in August, it was reported that Oregon Governor Tina Kotek spent $200,000 of taxpayer dollars for a health-care event put on by her wife where only some 48 people attended.

The Oregonian Editorial ran this hard-hitting headline

 

This month, The Oregonian again criticized Governor Tina Kotek over the $500,000 donation FTX scandal.

 

That $500,000 donation was used to help Kotek win election.

Eagen wrote, “The Oregon Department of Justice declined to prosecute former FTX crypto executive Nishad Singh for violation of the state’s law against making political contributions in a false name even though Singh admitted to DOJ investigators that at least part of the $500,000 he gave to the Democratic Party of Oregon in 2022 came from FTX-affiliate crypto firm Alameda Research, documents produced by DOJ last month show. Singh’s admission gave DOJ exactly what it needs to enforce Oregon’s campaign finance laws against Singh, who pleaded guilty to violating a similar federal statute. Oregon DOJ has an easy path – highlighted by its own investigation – to prosecute Singh, and fulfill its obligation to uphold the state’s campaign finance laws. Yet, it inexplicably declined to do its job.
Oregon law, at ORS 260.402, provides, “A person may not directly or indirectly reimburse a person for making a contribution or donation, or make a contribution or donation in any name other than that of the person that in truth provides the contribution, to . . . [a]ny political committee.” Violation of that law is a Class C felony, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $125,000 fine.To convict Singh, DOJ would need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that at least part of the $500,000 he contributed to DPO came from someone other than him. Singh admitted to doing exactly that when DOJ Assistant Attorney General Toby Greenleaf and DOJ Special Agent Kerri Jasso interviewed him June 5, 2024.” (More to story here)

The Oregonian wrote, “Elections Division Director Molly Woon, who previously served as the Democratic Party of Oregon’s deputy director, never recused herself from oversight of the investigation. Her boss, then-Secretary of State Shemia Fagan – who was both a heavy donor to and recipient of party contributions – agreed there was no need for Woon to recuse herself. Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, who has given more than $115,000 to the Democratic Party of Oregon over the years, made a $2,500 contribution at the same time the party was under active investigation by elections officials – even though Rosenblum’s office would be responsible for pursuing any criminal charges that the investigation might prompt.And while Rosenblum finally recused herself from overseeing the case, she did so only after elections officials cut a deal with the party that slashed a proposed fine from $35,000 to $15,000 and pledged not to request a criminal inquiry. These are not reasonable actions by leaders who take seriously the conflict of interest that their deep connections presented.Then there’s the lack of reasonable due diligence by staffers with the Democratic Party of Oregon. Despite dealing with the party’s largest-ever donation, they ignored red flags and failed to show much interest in sorting through conflicting information about who to list as the correct donor. Both Singh and Prime Trust were listed as “originator” on the wire transfer, and an attorney for the party said officials believed Singh was an owner or representative for Prime Trust.But Nevada business records showed that Singh does not control or hold ownership in Prime Trust.”  (more to story, please read here)

The storm clouds are looming over Kotek with bad news coverage almost every other week.

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