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Oregon governor ‘hurt’ by fiancee’s sham marriage

By WTOP Staff

JONATHAN J. COOPER
Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber said Friday he was hurt when his fiancee revealed she entered into a fraudulent marriage with an immigrant in 1997, and he rejected his election challenger’s demand for a special prosecutor to look into her consulting business.

Kitzhaber addressed the stunning confession by his fiancee, Cylvia Hayes, for the first time in a debate with his Republican rival. The confession came just days before voters begin casting ballots in Oregon’s all-mail election, complicating the Democratic governor’s march toward his likely election to a fourth term next month.

“I learned this three days ago,” Kitzhaber said at the City Club of Portland. “I was obviously very taken aback by it and hurt. I have some processing to do on that.”

On Thursday, Hayes held a news conference to admit she broke the law and apologize.

Hayes was a 29-year-old college student when she married an 18-year-old man from Ethiopia. She said she was in need of cash at the time, and kept the marriage secret from Kitzhaber because she was ashamed and embarrassed.

Kitzhaber said it took courage for Hayes to hold the news conference, and he’s proud of her. He indicated the wedding will still happen, “hopefully soon.”

“This is now a very personal issue,” Kitzhaber said. “And we just need some time to work through this together.”

Kitzhaber’s Republican opponent, state Rep. Dennis Richardson, treaded carefully on the marriage issue, trying to steer the conversation toward a story in the Willamette Week newspaper saying Hayes used her position as first lady to advance her consulting business.

Richardson called for Kitzhaber to appoint a special prosecutor to look into the allegations, a suggestion Kitzhaber rejected.

“You can’t be the governor’s adviser while you take money from those that want access,” Richardson said.

Hayes has helped Kitzhaber develop his energy and environmental policy, and she also has earned money from organizations that seek to influence state policy.

“We did not violate the law,” Kitzhaber said. “We have simply given a modern professional woman an opportunity to continue her career.”

In the unusually spirited debate, Richardson offered his sharpest critique yet of Kitzhaber in a final push to become Oregon’s first Republican governor in nearly three decades. He said Kitzhaber has presided over the “single-most inept and unethical administration in the history of the state of Oregon.”

“What else are we going to find out? What is still hidden?” Richardson said. “Oregon voters, enough is enough.”

Hayes’ revelation about the sham marriage was prompted by questions from the Willamette Week.

The marriage issue is unlikely to affect Kitzhaber’s re-election prospects, said Len Bergstein, a lobbyist and political consultant who works on ballot measure campaigns in Oregon.

However, the contracting questions could be perilous for the governor, particularly if Richardson can get enough money to highlight it, Bergstein said.

Campaign finance records show Richardson has only $100,000 in the bank. Oregon has no contribution limits, so a small number of wealthy donors could shake up the race at any time.

“They need a lot of money to be able to put behind it to make it an issue that’s really front and center,” Bergstein said.

___

Follow AP reporter Jonathan J. Cooper at http://twitter.com/jjcooper .

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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