(RepublicanNews.org) – Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan will be the former Secretary of State after her resignation becomes effective May 8th.
Fagan, a Democrat, announced on May 2nd that she is stepping down after it came to light that she worked as a consultant for a marijuana business at the same time that her state office was performing an audit on the cannabis industry.
As disgraced politicians often do, Fagan seemed to credit her own integrity while she was announcing her departure. She said she ran for office in order to protect Oregon’s democracy and ensure that citizens have faith in their elected leaders. Because those values are important to her, she said, she was resigning to make sure they were fulfilled.
Fagain will spend her time contemplating the issue, and “focus[ing] on my children, my family.”
When Fagan steps down, Deputy Secretary of State Cheryl Myers will assume Fagan’s duties until Governor Tina Kotek appoints a replacement.
The Secretary of State is the second-ranking political office in Oregon. In that role, Fagan was responsible for overseeing elections and state audits, such as the one her office was performing in the industry that she was working in. The job pays $77,000 per year. Fagan has said that salary is insufficient to pay her student loans and bills while raising two children.
After initially refusing to provide details about her consulting work, Fagan changed her mind on May 1st and emailed her contract to the media. She was working for a business related to the marijuana retail company known as La Mota.
Her contract paid Fagan $10,000 per month. If she was able to help the company get licensed to do business in other states, she would have received bonuses of up to $30,000.
This apparent conflict of interest might have gone unnoticed until Fagan’s office released a report recommending “reforms” to the rules governing marijuana businesses.
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