XPost: or.politics, ca.politics, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh

<http://oregonlive.com>
Gov. Tina Kotek's wife says she is in recovery from alcoholism, lives with mental illness
Mar. 26, 2024

Aimee Kotek Wilson, the wife of Gov. Tina Kotek, said Tuesday she lives
with mental illness and is in recovery from alcohol use disorder.

"I share this information about myself now, and have in the past, in the
hopes it will make a difference and reduce stigma," said Kotek Wilson in a statement issued by Kotek's spokesperson.

Woman was going 155 mph before causing crash: DPS

Kotek Wilson said many Oregonians struggle with mental health challenges
and addiction, and increasingly people have spoken out about their
experiences "in order to help others." She didn't specify what type of
mental illness she lives with.

"Far too often, individuals have remained silent about their experience
because of shame, pain, and fear," she said. "And, that is why it is so important for me to do my part to reduce the stigma around addiction and
mental health."

Kotek Wilson's statement did not disclose how long she has been in
recovery.

"To all individuals who are living with a mental illness, struggling with addiction, or are in recovery, I want you to know that you matter and
should have hope," she added.

Kotek Wilson's statement comes amid questions by news organizations
including The Oregonian/OregonLive about her newly elevated role in
Kotek's administration and her personal history.

Kotek Wilson, who has worked as a social worker and has a master's degree
in the field, has taken a particular interest in the governor's work
around mental health and addiction, taking part in some of Kotek's weekly policy meetings on behavioral health initiatives. During the governor's listening tour of 36 counties, Kotek Wilson also took part in most
meetings with mental health and substance abuse providers on how the state
can improve its response to unmet needs.

The governor has brought on a state-funded adviser to explore the
possibility of forming an Office of the First Spouse and announced this
week that she had ordered the Oregon State Police to provide her wife with
a security detail while attending events on her behalf. The state-funded adviser, Meliah Masiba, will be paid $72,000 during the six-month
rotation, the same rate that she has earned at the Department of
Administrative Services. The governor's office did not say how much the upgraded security protection will cost, but said the money would come out
of the governor's existing budget.

Kotek Wilson's role in the governor's office has received scrutiny over
the last few days since it came to light that three of Kotek's top aides
were departing.

Multiple sources who said they had spoken directly with people in Kotek's office said ongoing tensions between Kotek Wilson and the staff members
led to the departures. The governor's chief of staff and deputy chief of
staff were among those who departed.

The dramatic staff shakeup has stirred intense speculation among current
and former Salem insiders.

Jeff Barker, a former Democratic lawmaker from Washington County, said he
knows Kotek and her wife and had them to his home, but he disagrees with
the governor's decision to raise Kotek Wilson's profile at the governor's office.

"I was surprised to see her doing that, you know, trying to make her that special person and giving her an office and giving her state police
detail," he said. "It looks too much like nepotism."

On Monday, the Oregon Government Ethics Commission said it had received a complaint related to Kotek. The commission, which investigates ethical violations, has opened a preliminary review of the complaint, according to Susan Myers, executive director of the commission. The complaint's details
will remain confidential for at least 60 days, Myers said, after which the commission will vote whether to open an investigation.

Several states, including California and Maryland, have created offices of first spouses, providing paid schedulers and other staffers to help
governors' partners or spouses elevate policy initiatives.

But not every state does so, and it would be new for Oregon and possibly fraught in light of former Gov. John Kitzhaber's and his fiancee Cylvia
Hayes' ethics problems.

In Kitzhaber's third term, he allowed Hayes to play a powerful role in influencing some policies and recommending some personnel choices. They
both got into serious ethical trouble – not because of Hayes' policy work
per se but because she accepted paid contracts from parties with a
specific interest in policies she tried to promote.

Hayes eventually agreed to pay $44,000 for ethics violations arising from
her use of public office for personal profit. She acknowledged securing
work as a paid consultant by playing off her role as unpaid adviser to Kitzhaber. He resigned over the scandal.

--

Created with https://notepad-plus-plus.org/ $Free
Posted Through Usenet Server: http://news.individual.net/ $10 annually
Using Forte Agent 8.00 news reader $29 for the life of product ==================================================
Anyone that isn't confused doesn't really
understand the situation.
~Edward R. Murrow USA WWII Correspondent ==================================================

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)