Oregon secretary of state to resign over cannabis consulting side job

May 2 (UPI) -- Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan announced Tuesday she will step down from office next week amid an ethics investigation into her $10,000-a-month side job for an embattled cannabis company.

"While I am confident that the ethics investigation will show that I followed the state's legal and ethical guidelines in trying to make ends meet for my family, it is clear that my actions have become a distraction from the important and critical work of the secretary of state's office," Fagan said in a statement.

Fagan's resignation comes after it was discovered that she had taken a paid consulting position with marijuana company Veriede Holdings during a cannabis-wide industry audit by the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission.

Fagan will wrap up her duties on May 8, when Deputy Secretary of State Cheryl Myers will take over. Gov. Tina Kotek will appoint a new Secretary of State to serve out the remainder of Fagan's term, which runs through January 2025.

"This morning, Secretary Fagan informed me of her decision to resign. I support this decision. It is essential that Oregonians have trust in their government," Kotek said Tuesday.

"I believe this is a first step in restoring that trust. During the upcoming appointment process, my office will do everything possible to support the hard-working staff in the secretary of state's office and ensure this will not disrupt the May 16 election," Kotek added.

Fagan was elected Oregon's secretary of state in 2020 and makes $77,000 annually. She said her low pay and the need to support her two children prompted her to take a second job. Fagan is the second highest-ranking public official in Oregon, because the state has no lieutenant governor.

"Protecting our state's democracy and ensuring faith in our elected leaders -- these are the reasons I ran for this office," Fagan said. "They are also the reasons I will be submitting my resignation today."