A number of Democratic leaders have called on Gov. John Kitzhaber, a fellow Democrat, to resign.
Senate President Peter Courtney (D-Salem) said Thursday that both he and House Speaker Tina Kotek (D-Portland) have requested the governor's resignation.
"The man is struggling," he said during a press conference in his office.
State Treasurer Ted Wheeler issued a press release Thursday also calling on Kitzhaber to step down.
"Unfortunately, the current situation has become untenable, and I cannot imagine any scenario by which things improve. Oregon deserves a Governor who is fully focused on the duties of state," said Wheeler. “I hope the Governor will do the right thing for Oregon and its citizens.”
The call for Kitzhaber’s resignation comes after a number of allegations that he and First Lady Cylvia Hayes used government resources to promote business dealings of Hayes’ private consulting firm, 3E Strategies.
Secretary of State Kate Brown said she was called back to Oregon Wednesday at the request of the governor.
“I got on a plane yesterday morning and arrived at 3:40 in the afternoon. I was escorted directly into a meeting with the Governor,” Brown said in a statement. “He asked me why I came back early from Washington, D.C., which I found strange.”
“The Governor told me he was not resigning, after which, he began a discussion about transition,” she said.
Copyright 2015 Oregon Public Broadcasting
