Disgraced Ex-Governor and His Fiancée Are Seen Dumping Trash in Landfill After Learning They Were Subject of a Corruption Investigation

01 Mar, 2015 by Greg Campbell

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As a proud citizen of Oregon, the recent scandals surrounding our disgraced former governor, Democrat John Kitzhaber, has served as a black mark upon our state’s highest office. However, as if selling influence was not enough, it seems Kitzhaber and his fiancée may be in more trouble, according to a report from the Daily Mail:

Landfill workers called police after seeing Oregon’s disgraced former first couple dumping trash after learning they would be the subject of a federal investigation.

John Kitzhaber, who resigned as the state’s governor last week, and his fiancée, Cylvia Hayes, were seen at the Knott Landfill Site in the city of Bend.

With federal investigators looking into the scandal that forced Kitzhaber to quit, employees alerted authorities after the pair paid a visit.

Kitzhaber bowed to pressure following months of news reports alleging Hayes used her relationship with him to land clients for her consulting business.

The probe is looking into possible corruption and financial crimes including wire or mail fraud, bribery and tax evasion

Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies poked through the couple’s trash for about an hour, Timm Schimke, director of the county’s solid waste department, told the Bend Bulletin.

The Knott Landfill is located just outside Bend, where Hayes owns a home.

‘They looked like any other people who were cleaning out their garage or cleaning out a rental. It was just stuff,’ Schimke said.

‘They weren’t manipulating the stuff. They were just tossing it out, and they were only in there for two or three minutes and then they left.’

Their trash included old campaign signs for Hayes, who ran for the Legislature more than a decade ago, and a mattress or box spring, Schimke said.

Kitzhaber resigned last week under pressure over Hayes’ work for advocacy groups with an interest in state policy.

Federal authorities are investigating. Kitzhaber has denied the couple did anything wrong.

‘It just seemed strange that they were at a transfer station dumping waste so soon after him resigning and them being under investigation,’ Schimke said.

Darryl Nakahira, legal counsel at the Sheriff’s Office, is forwarding all questions and requests for information to the FBI, which doesn’t respond to inquiries involving ongoing criminal investigations.

Who knows what the former first couple were doing; however, at this point, it seems clear that ethics are not at the top of the priority list for them.