Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan resigned Tuesday morning following reports that she had been consulting for a private cannabis company at the same time as her office was auditing the state’s marijuana program.
Fagan, a Democrat, will leave office after May 8. She said that while she is “confident” that an ethics investigation will show that she followed the law, her work for the company has become a “distraction.”
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“While I am confident that the ethics investigation will show that I followed the state’s legal and ethical guidelines in trying to make ends meet for my family, it is clear that my actions have become a distraction from the important and critical work of the Secretary of State’s office,” Fagan said in a statement. “Protecting our state’s democracy and ensuring faith in our elected leaders — these are the reasons I ran for this office. They are also the reasons I will be submitting my resignation today.”
Fagan admitted last week to accepting a role at the cannabis firm Veriede Holding, an affiliate of La Mota, bringing in $10,000 a month in additional income. Her contract indicated that Fagan would receive a $30,000 bonus if the firm obtained a business license in a state other than Oregon or New Mexico, according to The Oregonian.
The private company also donated around $250,000 to her campaign, along with contributions to other top Democrats, including Gov. Tina Kotek.
Kotek has pushed for two investigations related to the matter, one by the Oregon Government Ethics Commission and the other by the Department of Justice.
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Kotek has selected Deputy Secretary Cheryl Myers to serve as acting Secretary of State while searching for a replacement.
“At this time, I believe it is in the best interest of our state for me to focus on my children, my family, and personal reflection so that the secretary of state staff can continue to offer the exemplary customer service Oregonians deserve,” Fagan said in the closing of her statement.
