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Oregon governor’s fiancee admits to sham marriage

By WTOP Staff

JONATHAN J. COOPER
Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber is considered the front-runner in next month’s election, but his fiancee’s stunning admission that she was paid to illegally marry an immigrant in 1997 — plus other allegations about her — have suddenly complicated the race.

Wiping away tears at a Thursday news conference, 47-year-old Cylvia Hayes said she accepted around $5,000 to marry the immigrant so that he could remain in the United States.

“It was a marriage of convenience,” Hayes said. “He needed help and I needed financial support.”

Ashamed and embarrassed, Hayes said she had kept the marriage secret from Kitzhaber until a Portland alternative newspaper, Willamette Week, began asking questions.

The Democratic governor has not publicly addressed his fiancee’s secret marriage, but the issue could come up when he debates Republican state Rep. Dennis Richardson on Friday.

Hayes said she was “associating with the wrong people” while struggling to put herself through college when she agreed to the sham marriage. Hayes was twice divorced and just shy of her 30th birthday when she married an 18-year-old Ethiopian man.

“It was wrong then and it is wrong now and I am here today to accept the consequences, some of which will be life-changing,” Hayes said.

Hayes said she was “ashamed and embarrassed,” and did not tell the governor about the marriage until the newspaper’s questions this week. She appeared alone before a podium in a downtown Portland office building, saying she asked Kitzhaber not to join her because she can’t look at him without crying.

When she told Kitzhaber about the marriage, “he was stunned and he was hurt,” Hayes said, pausing to fight tears. “And I will be eternally grateful for the beautiful, loving way he has supported me in this.”

Hayes apologized to Kitzhaber, her friends and family, and to Oregonians, saying she deeply regrets not being upfront about “a serious mistake.” The couple confirmed in August that they’re engaged.

Hayes said they never lived together, met only a handful of times and have not had any contact since the divorce was finalized in 2002.

Hayes, 47, has openly discussed her hardscrabble childhood in Washington state and her struggle to support herself financially since high school.

Kitzhaber met Hayes when she ran unsuccessfully for the state Legislature in 2002. Kitzhaber, who was governor from 1995 until 2003, divorced his second wife, Sharon, shortly after leaving office. Kitzhaber made a political comeback in 2010.

Though they have yet to marry, Kitzhaber refers to Hayes as the “first lady,” and she has embraced the role of political spouse while continuing her work as an energy consultant. She has been active in developing Kitzhaber’s energy and environmental policy. A story in Willamette Week on Wednesday said that Hayes has used her title as first lady and her role in advising the governor to advance her private consulting business.

Hayes said she’ll step back from her work advising Kitzhaber for now.

Richardson, trying to gain traction before voters begin casting ballots next week in Oregon’s all-mail election, has tried to shift attention to another story about Hayes. A Willamette Week story on Wednesday said she used her positon as first lady to advance her consulting business.

“It’s clear from her past history that the first lady has had no qualms with breaking the law in order to make financial gains,” said Meredith Glacken, a spokeswoman for Richardson.

Hayes said she’s been cautious in trying to avoid conflicts of interest between her business and first lady work.

“The kind of issues that I work on, we’ve been working on these things together the entire 10 years we’ve been together,” Hayes said.

___

Associated Press writers Gosia Wozniacka and Steven DuBois contributed.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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