Cylvia Hayes to pay $50,000 fine for ethics violations

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Former Oregon first lady Cylvia Hayes of Bend has agreed to pay a fine of $50,000 after she was accused of committing 22 violations of state ethics laws.

The agreement, contained in a report released Wednesday by the Oregon Ethics Commission, is subject to approval by the commission at its meeting on Friday.

In March, the nine-member commission unanimously rejected a $44,000 fine, with one commissioner saying Hayes’ failure to appear before the commission at that time was offensive.

Ethics investigators concluded last year that Hayes, an energy consultant, abused her access to her fiance Gov. John Kitzhaber. Kitzhaber resigned amid the influence-peddling scandal in 2015 and agreed to a $20,000 fine.

In the agreement, signed on April 9 by Hayes, she disputed some of the accusations but said she wanted to close the matter.