PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — In the wake of Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan resigning from her position, Deputy Secretary Cheryl Myers will become the acting secretary next week.
The transition of power will take place Monday at 1 p.m.
The Governor’s Office says they will have more information about a permanent replacement next week.
Before her position as deputy secretary, Myers was the Director of Economic & Business Equity in the Governor’s Office. She was also Chief of Staff for the Higher Education Commission and an Operations & Engagement Director for Educator Advancement in the Chief Education Office.
Fagan announced on Tuesday that she would resign following calls from Gov. Tina Kotek for an investigation of her recusal from a state audit on the cannabis industry.
Documents signed in late February show La Mota was paying Fagan $10,000 per month. Fagan recused herself from an audit on the cannabis industry that was already near completion.
Fagan said she was struggling with the Secretary of State’s salary that pays $77,000 per year.
“For individuals to get into office and have salaries that are so low, it makes sense that a political system that requires people to develop strong ties with wealthy individuals would maintain those ties when they’re in office,” political analyst Chris Koski said about pay for Oregon politicians. “There’s kind of an irony here, that if Fagan or other officials at the top were appointed, they would be paid more, and likely would not in a position that Fagan was in.”
In a letter on the SoS website, Myers released a letter addressing her role as the acting secretary.
“Dear Oregonians,
I’m introducing myself to you under difficult circumstances. This week, Secretary of State Shemia Fagan admitted to a mistake and resigned her position. I believe she made the right decision by resigning.
I will assume the duties as Acting Secretary of State on Monday, May 8th, until the Governor makes an appointment for a new Secretary of State to serve the remainder of the term. While I already possess the same authorities as the Secretary from when originally sworn in as Deputy SoS, I am not an elected official. Since December 2020, my role has been to manage the directors of the Elections, Audits, Archives, Corporation and internal divisions, with a focus on helping them serve Oregonians. That’s what I’ll continue to do through this transition.
This is a resilient agency. Secretary Fagan put us in an unfortunate situation, but her resignation will allow agency staff to continue their good work with less distraction moving forward. We have strong division leadership and internal systems that can withstand change. We are ready to continue the important work of the Secretary of State’s office during this transition.
My first priority is to make sure Oregonians receive the customer service they deserve. This agency does such critical work, and it’s our job to put Oregonians first during this transition.”
