Kitzhaber told media Friday, Jan. 30 he would not consider resigning. 

“Of course not,” he said. “I was elected by the people of this state to do a job, and I intend to do it.”

The Governor said he did not see any problem in hiring Ball Janik, a firm that lobbies for Oregon in Washington, D.C., to defend him and Cylvia Hayes against allegations that include lobbying. 

Kitzhaber said he has not been contacted by the FBI.

The Governor said he did not instruct his attorney Leanni Reaves to loosen ethics guidelines for Cylvia Hayes. 

“Our intention has always been to try to navigate this undefined area of First Lady,” Kitzhaber said during the press conference. 

The Governor does not believe that an independent investigation is necessary, when asked if a body other than the ethics commission appointed by him should investigate. 

When asked why the Governor did not keep Cylvia Hayes physically out of her office, he answered, “We tried to draw that line.” 

“I am in love,” the Governor said. "I do not believe I have been blinded by love, I am 'eyes wide open.'”

“I have no idea whether she [Cylvia] is legally a member of my household.”

Cylvia Hayes is in Sweden visiting friends, the Governor said. 

The Governor at one point compared himself to controversial Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch. 

The Governor said he is not trying to reach a deal with the ethics commission. 

The Governor does not believe that an independent investigation is necessary, when asked if a body other than the ethics commission appointed by him should investigate. 

“The government ethics commission has a process and a sanction process. We will embrace that,” Kitzhaber said. “Well the Government ethics commission has a process and has a series of sanctions that it can take and we will obviously and have been complying and cooperating fully with the commission and we will embrace whatever decisions and sanctions they feel is appropriate."

“Cylvia and I have a number of areas of common interest, climate change being one, low carbon fuels being one,” Kitzhaber said. "The fact that we have a convergence of intents does not seem to me to apply that if those issues apply in my administration that influence has been exerted."

Cylvia Hayes will play no role in the Governor’s office for the next four years, according to Kitzhaber.