Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum Defers Kitzhaber Investigation to Feds

Gov. Kitzhaber Swearing in AG Rosenblum

Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum announced this afternoon that she will "temporarily defer the Oregon Department of Justice's investigation" into allegations against former Gov. John Kitzhaber and fiancee Cylvia Hayes, at the request of federal authorities.

"In return, the U.S. Attorney's Office has agreed to share information with the state once the far-ranging federal criminal investigation is completed," a press release from her office reads. (Disclosure: Rosenblum is married to WW co-owner and publisher, Richard Meeker.)

"I reiterate my prior statement that Oregonians deserve a thorough review of the allegations surrounding now former-Governor Kitzhaber and Ms. Hayes," Rosenblum is quoted as saying in the release. "I fully support the efforts of the federal authorities. We share the ultimate goal of protecting the integrity of our state institutions through a comprehensive investigation. My decision to temporarily defer our state investigation is in line with this shared goal. At the appropriate time, we will review the facts, and investigate further if necessary, to ensure that any violations of state law are addressed."

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