Oregon
Ethics commission investigates Shemia Fagan’s spending on hotels, plane trips, rental cars
The Oregon Government Ethics Commission has launched its own investigation into former Secretary of State Shemia Fagan’s spending of taxpayer and campaign dollars on hotels, plane tickets and rental cars for trips with her children, aunt, sister, romantic partner and dog.
The commission voted 7-0 on Friday to delve into whether Fagan used her public office for her personal gain or the personal gain of a relative or household member. An Oregonian/OregonLive investigation in June found tens of thousands of dollars in questionable spending – and possible double-dipping – by Fagan during the nearly two and a half years she was the state’s second-in-command, from January 2021 until her resignation in May 2023.
That state spending ranged from as little as $15 for pet fees at Oregon hotels to hundreds of dollars for rental cars. It also included extensive spending from her campaign funds for a $177 meal at the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C.; $1,300 in lodging for a family weekend in Sunriver; and $3,300 in airfare to an unnamed destination. In some cases it appears that Fagan may have been reimbursed by the state for meals or plane tickets while also reimbursing herself from campaign funds. That would be a violation of state rules.
Fagan’s lawyer, David Elkanich, declined this spring to share specifics that might alleviate those concerns and did not immediately respond to a request for comment this week.
After the news organization published its June story that included criticism from former state Rep. Julie Parrish, Parrish filed a complaint that on Friday prompted the commission’s decision to investigate. The Oregon Capital Chronicle first reported on the commission’s vote.
Investigator Susan Myers told commissioners that the secretary of state’s office sent the commission more than 500 pages of documentation into Fagan’s spending and reimbursements. Myers said investigators need more time to analyze whether Fagan violated any ethics rules.
That specifically includes whether Fagan took side trips to scenic sites like the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park in Northern California, which appears unrelated to her official duties. The deeper query also will look into whether Fagan improperly rented larger rental cars using state money in order to accommodate her family and dog on business trips in Oregon – prompting a staffer to rent a second rental car because there was no room for the staffer in Fagan’s packed car. A formal investigation could take up to six months.
Myers noted that the commission doesn’t have the power to oversee Fagan’s spending of campaign funds. But if Fagan used state money and campaign donations to pay for the same expenses, that could be a breach of ethics rules, Myers said.
Fagan’s lawyer, Elkanich, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. But in a letter to the commission this month he said his client “was careful to comply with all regulations and policies regarding expenditures reimbursed by the State or her Political Action Committee.” He also pointed to a decision not to investigate Fagan’s travel after she self-reported some potential concerns to the commission last year.
This is the second investigation the commission is conducting into Fagan. The first, which began in July, is exploring whether Fagan violated ethics rules by securing a $10,000-a-month side job with a marijuana company. She’d said her $77,000-a-year state job made it difficult “to make ends meet” as a divorced mother of two. Federal officials also appear to be investigating Fagan’s ties to the pot company.
Early this year, Fagan applied to have her law license reinstated by the Oregon State Bar, in a move that would allow her to once again practice as a lawyer. But that application is still pending.
— Aimee Green; agreen@oregonian.com
Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe.
Dan Lanning looks to be turning Oregon into one of college football’s next great powers and Thursday night is arguably his biggest move yet.
In a move that may surprise some around the country, the No. 4 overall prospect, five-star wide receiver Dakorien Moore, has committed to Oregon.
Moore, out of Texas powerhouse Duncanville (Texas) is the No. 1 ranked wide receiver prospect in the 2025 cycle.
The 6-foot, 180-pounder chose the Ducks over Texas, LSU, and Ohio State.
Moore was once committed to LSU, from August 2023 to May 2024, but reopened his recruitment before going on a string of official visits to his final four contenders. His final official visit was to Oregon the weekend of June 21.
The visit to Oregon was just his second time on campus, so the experience was a much needed one for Moore and his family. The visit was crucial for Dakorien to learn about the daily life of being at Oregon and everything in regards to life in Eugene.
“It was fantastic,” his mother, Marjahn Moore told Rivals following that visit.
“I love the staff there. The love they have for my son is so genuine I know they’ll take great care of him.”
“Since it was an OV, I was able to bring my family out and my boys fell in love with the city and the people that they’ve only known through the phone. (Dakorien) has a great bond with a few of the players already so he was able to tap in and pick their brain in regards to life in Eugene.”
As a junior at Duncanville, Moore racked up 1,486 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns on 69 receptions. This was after his breakout sophomore campaign in which he hauled in 44 passes for 747 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
With the addition of Moore, he is now the second five-star prospect in Oregon’s 2025 recruiting class, joining running back Jordon Davison. He is the 15th total commitment of the class.
His commitment also helps Oregon’s class move from No. 8 to T-No.4 in the 2025 Recruiting Team Rankings.
Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on Rivals.com, the leader in college football and basketball recruiting coverage. Be the first to know and follow your teams by signing up here.
Oregon
Former Oregon Football Star Penei Sewell Rated Best NFL Offensive Lineman: Super Bowl Contenders?
As we get closer to 2024 NFL training camps, preseason rankings are dominating the sports news in Detroit with former Oregon Ducks lineman, Penei Sewell leading the way. He has been a dominant force dating back to his days when he anchored the offensive line for the Oregon Ducks and is now recognized as the highest rated lineman in the NFL. In addition, his Lions’ offensive line is also best in the NFL.
Sewell’s full college resume is far too long for inclusion here, but several of his accomplishments stand out. He was the first Polynesian, first sophomore offensive lineman and first Duck to win the Outland Trophy. Sewell joined LaMichael James (2010) and Marcus Mariota (2014) as the only Oregon players to be unanimous first-team All-Americans.
He finished his sophomore campaign as the top-graded offensive lineman in Pro Football Focus (PFF) history (since 2014). Sewell allowed just one sack over 1,376 snaps in two seasons as a Duck, and Oregon went 17-3 in the two seasons with him in the starting lineup.
Sewell opted out of his junior year in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was Detroit’s 7th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. To no one’s surprise, his dominance has continued into the NFL. Sewell has allowed just three sacks over the past two seasons with the Lions, per PFF. Sewell has also earned back-to-back Pro Bowl honors and was named a 2023 first-team All-Pro.
As a result of his stellar play, the Lions and Sewell have agreed to terms on a four-year, $112 million contract extension that includes $85 million guaranteed, keeping him under contract through the 2029 season after factoring in Sewell’s fifth-year option, according to NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo. The $28 million in new-money average over four years makes Sewell the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL, besting Laremy Tunsil’s $25 million per year mark.
Twin falls, Idaho, during warm up before the NFC championship game against San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK
Of course, Sewell is not the only highly ranked lineman in Detroit. PFF offered this rationale in naming Detroit’s line best in the NFL.
“When healthy, the Lions’ offensive line was arguably the best unit in the NFL last season. Right tackle was the league’s highest-graded offensive lineman, and earned the top spot among centers. The Lions only loss through free agency was right guard, Jonah Jackson. In response, Detroit signed veteran guard, Kevin Zeitler, who ranked 15th in PFFs grade among guards in 2023.”
In fact, all of Detroit’s 2024 projected starters rank in the top 15 at their respective positions.
LT: Taylor Decker — 81.1 (9th out of 81 offensive tackles ranked)
LG: Graham Glasgow — 74.9 (8th out of 79 offensive guards ranked)
C: Frank Ragnow — 88.8 (1st out of 36 centers ranked)
RG: Kevin Zeitler — 71.6 (15th out of 79 offensive guards ranked)
RT: Penei Sewell — 92.8 (1st out of 81 offensive tackles ranked)
Sewell is without a doubt the leader of this elite unit and has impressed coach Dan Campbell with his work ethic and attitude.
“I can’t say enough great things about Sewell,” Campbell said. “He’s our foundation. He’s one of those pillars that we talk about. He’s something else. He’s a man on a mission. I feel like we’re a team on a mission, but he is a man on a mission. You talk about being wired right, a guy that comes in every day, puts in the work, and he’s got so much ability but he’s got the right attitude, too, and I think that’s what makes him dangerous if you’re the opponent.”
Right tackle on a football team is not known as a glamorous position and usually only gets noticed when a mistake was made. In the case of Penei Sewell, he may not have raised awareness of the position, but he goes about his business, not looking for awards or recognition, but rather chasing championships. Ducks’ fans had a relatively brief view of what this man can do and now Detroit has that luxury with a Super Bowl title lurking in the future.
Former Oregon Duck basketball star Sabrina Ionescu has the highest honor of wearing Team USA across her chest for the first time her young, illustrious career. Before heading off to the Paris Olympics in the search for gold, she will have the opportunity to compete against the rest of the country’s best who didn’t make the cut.
The WNBA All-Star Game rosters are officially set and two of the top rookies in the league are leading the team. Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky will be teammates on Team WNBA. There was a lot of skepticism as to why the most popular player on the planet wasn’t named to the Team USA roster. A major head-scratcher.
Ionescu of the New York Liberty, Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty, Kelsey Plum of the Las Vegas Aces, A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces and Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury are apart of the stacked Team USA roster. The former Oregon Duck is currently averaging 18.7 points per game, 6.5 assists per game, 4.4 rebounds per game and 1.0 steals per game this season. She is 41.9% from the field, 34.0% on three-pointers and 90.5% from the free throw line.
“You’re just able to tell how they carry themselves and how they go about their business every single drill, recovery, what they eat,” Ionescu said. “It’s just an opportunity to get the best players in the world together and figure out what makes them so great. Everyone’s so unique in their own way, and these opportunities don’t come by often.”
“Everyone wants to put USA across their chests and represent their country, and I never take one of these moments for granted.”
At last season’s All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas, Ionescu won the WNBA Three-Point Shootout. At the 2022 All-Star Weekend in Chicago, the Oregon star won the WNBA Skills Competition.
It should be a jam-packed All-Star Weekend in Phoenix this summer. You can catch the exciting action between Ionescu’s Team USA and the WNBA All-Stars on Saturday, July 20th at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
Stay up to date on all things Oregon Ducks by visiting Oregon Ducks on SI daily and following Oregon Ducks on SI on Facebook and X.
Ohio tourist bitten by shark at Florida beach while playing football in knee-deep water
Fourth of July celebrations a chance for growth for some Middle Georgia businesses – 41NBC News | WMGT-DT
Former Hawaii congressman plays leading role in 80th anniversary of D-Day events
Remembering Idaho's founding fathers and the controversial debate in the road to statehood – East Idaho News
Two years after mass shooting, July Fourth parade returns to Highland Park, Illinois
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
At least 2 dead as tornadoes hit Alabama, damage homes across Southeast
Biden seemingly contradicts WH after press secretary says president did not have medical exam after debate
Remains of destroyed Kharkiv stadium exhibited in Berlin
Hunt for the nation's oldest monuments, and prepare to get muddy
Campaign crisis: Dems who have called for Biden to drop out or raised concerns about his health
Iranian-born Norwegian man gets 30 years for Oslo Pride shootings
-
Politics1 week agoOakland mayor breaks silence after FBI raid: ‘I have done nothing wrong’
-
News1 week agoWhere Joe Biden and Donald Trump Stand on the Issues
-
Politics1 week agoPopular Republican and Trump running mate contender makes first Senate endorsement in 2024 races
-
News1 week agoToplines: June 2024 Times/Siena Poll of Registered Voters Nationwide
-
Politics1 week agoFox News Politics: Trump Ungagged…Kinda
-
Politics1 week agoObama again stepping into role as Joe's closer ahead of Trump v Biden rematch
-
News1 week agoIowa floodwaters breach levees as even more rain dumps onto parts of the Midwest
-
News5 days agoVideo: How Blast Waves Can Injure the Brain