Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan Under Fire for Alleged Ethics Violations

Oregon Secretary of State Under Fire for Moonlighting as Cannabis Industry Consultant

Shemia Fagan, the Oregon Secretary of State, is facing backlash after it was revealed that she had been working as a consultant for the cannabis industry while her office was conducting an audit that favored the industry. The audit results called for less regulation and financial assistance for the industry’s growth.

Fagan claims that she recused herself from the audit of the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) before taking the contract. However, the recusal allegedly occurred after the audit was substantially finished.

This controversy comes on the heels of two other scandals involving Fagan, including an investigation into $500,000 in campaign contributions from an entity connected with FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried to the Democrat Party of Oregon, and another scandal related to OLCC, which Fagan oversees.

DOJ and Ethics Commission Investigate

The news prompted Oregon Governor Tina Kotek to call for two investigations—one by the Oregon Government Ethics Commission into Fagan’s actions and another by the Department of Justice (DOJ) into the audit. Fagan responded with a statement welcoming the investigations, saying that the facts will restore trust in their audits division and in her as Secretary of State.

However, Fagan later issued a second statement admitting that she was contracted by a cannabis company to “review the landscape for expanding their operations outside of Oregon.” This sparked widespread condemnation from Democrat legislators who are concerned about the allegations.

Key Points:

• Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan worked as a consultant for the cannabis industry while her office was conducting an audit that favored the industry.
• Fagan claims she recused herself from the audit before taking the contract, but the recusal allegedly occurred after the audit was substantially finished.
• Two other scandals involving Fagan have recently come to light, including an investigation into $500,000 in campaign contributions and another related to OLCC, which Fagan oversees.
• Oregon Governor Tina Kotek called for two investigations into Fagan’s actions, one by the Oregon Government Ethics Commission and another by the DOJ.
• Fagan later admitted that she was contracted by a cannabis company to “review the landscape for expanding their operations outside of Oregon.”