Oregon governor seeks guidance on 'First Spouse' role from ethics commission
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — On Wednesday, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek announced that she's formally asking the Oregon Ethics Commission for guidance on the role of the "First Spouse."
This comes after Kotek’s wife, Aimee Kotek Wilson, was given an office, a paid staffer and Oregon State Police protection.
There have been a lot of questions about whether Kotek Wilson will have any policy input since she is not an elected official. The governor also recently lost three senior staffers where Kotek Wilson's role may have been an issue.
Kotek Wilson has worked in mental and behavioral health, has a master's degree in social work, and has publicly said she has lived with mental illness and alcohol abuse.
The governor said Kotek Wilson's life experience can help in the governor's office. However, although it's not unusual for many states to have an office of the first spouse, it's mostly a ceremonial position.
Kotek made her announcement about submitting questions to the ethics commission at a media event after she signed a bill on campaign finance reform. KOIN 6 News asked the governor why she is seeking guidance on the matter.
“Well I think trying to understand what a first spouse can do. Just to be clear, she is an unpaid volunteer with both lived and professional experience on an issue that is important to Oregonians,” Kotek said. “How do you do that within ethical norms guidance? That's why we're seeking that from the ethics commission.”
Kotek Wilson accompanies the governor at select appearances and sometimes represents the governor at events she can't attend. In terms of the security protection for her wife, the governor had this to say:
"It is the policy of the state to keep the first family safe, plain and simple and it is commonplace in other states that first spouses have security protection, and I'll just leave it at that because I feel giving more information wouldn't be appropriate.
The governor says she will submit the questions to the ethics commission on Friday. Meanwhile, Wilson continues her role as first spouse.
Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops.