Former governor John Kitzhaber directed his office to align some of its interests with the ones fiancéeCylvia Hayes was being paid to advance, according to newly-released emails.
Kitzhaber told his staff that Hayes’ message on clean energy from the governor’s office should the same as the one she was being paid to promote.
The Oregoniangot a hold of a 2011 memo, and that’s where Kitzhaber wrotes, “There cannot be any daylight between them.”
He meant between Hayes’ message as a consultant and the first lady.
In the memo to staff, the former governor also said, "This is another reason why she needs a role in developing policy itself.”
Federal investigators have been looking into whether Kitzhaber and Hayes broke ethics laws.
This memo was not part of an earlier release from state files. The newspaper got it by requesting messages to his former chiefs of staff.
Kitzhaber resigned in February amid the criminal ethics investigation and has repeatedly denied misusing his role.