As Probe of Oregon's Ousted Governor Continues, 17 State Workers Seek Protection

The federal influence-peddling investigation of former Gov. John Kitzhaber and his partner Cylvia Hayes has largely gone silent since February, but outside of the public's view it continues.

 

As a grand jury and agents for the IRS and FBI contact potential witnesses, 17 members of Kitzhaber's office and other state employees have asked the state to pay their legal bills in connection with the case, records obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive show. At least five have received personal subpoenas to testify before a federal grand jury in Portland.

 

The documents came from the state's program that pays as much as $35,000 in legal costs for employees who are witnesses or targets in criminal investigations pertaining to their job.