Governor Brown doesn't think whistle blower should face charges

SALEM, ORE. — Oregon Governor Kate Brown is breaking her silence,after a state worker came out last week identifying himself as the man who leaked thousands of emails from former Governor John Kitzhaber.

Governor Brown says she doesn’t think Michael Rodgers, a state worker now on paid administrative leave, should face any criminal charges.

Rodgers spoke with the Willamette Week, detailing the reasons he released private e-mails, stored by the state as public records, from former Governor John Kitzhaber.

Rodgers said he was trying to stop public records from being destroyed by the governors office.

He could potentially face charges of official misconduct.

Governor Kate Brown released the following statement:

State government has an obligation to safeguard data and information in its custody. It doesnt matter if its 6,000 of the former Governors emails, or Oregonians health records, or taxpayer bank account numbers a data breach is a data breach, and we have an obligation to take action to find out what happened.

Since Michael Rodgers has now come forward to explain his actions and has taken responsibility for leaking former Governor Kitzhabers emails to the media, it doesnt seem to me to be in the publics interest to pursue a case against him. The matter is currently in the hands of the Marion County District Attorney who has the results of the Oregon State Police investigation, which I do not have. At this point it is legally the District Attorneys decision, not mine. But I do hope, if the investigation findings align with what Rodgers reported to the media, that no criminal charges are brought against him for his actions.

Leaking internal emails to the public was an extraordinary act made in an extraordinary situation; an act based on a lack of trust in the system around him. Instead of wasting public time and resources pursuing charges in this case, I would rather focus on rebuilding trust and accountability. In March 2015, I sent an email to executive branch employees articulating my expectations about their obligations, resources, and options so that, in the future, no one will be put in the situation Mr. Rodgers found himself in.

Rodgers has since started a GoFundMe page to help with attorney fees. He has raised over $10,000 as of Tuesday afternoon.