I doubt there are hardly any of Governor John Kitzhaber’s fellow Democrats who will be bothered by this.

Via Willamette Week:

Oregon First Lady Cylvia Hayes today confessed to breaking federal law in 1997 by entering into an illegal marriage with an 18-year-old Ethiopian immigrant.

Hayes, who is now engaged to Gov. John Kitzhaber, says she was paid approximately $5,000 to marry the man, Abraham B. Abraham. Hayes had kept the marriage secret because she was “embarrassed.” She claims Kitzhaber did not know until this week, when WW first raised questions about it.

“He learned about this in the most painful and public way,” she said. “This is my greatest sorrow in this difficult situation.”

Hayes spoke at 4 pm at the World Trade Center in Portland. Kitzhaber was absent from the press conference. Hayes said she asked him not to attend.

Hayes called the sham marriage “a serious mistake.” She added that she did not report the income she received from the marriage on her taxes. Filing a false tax return is against the law.