Rapid Response: Readers dissect Cylvia's emails

On Friday afternoon, the governor's office released 94,000 emails and attachments from three personal accounts used by Cylvia Hayes, the companion of former Gov. John Kitzhaber.

The emails, which run for 330,000 pages, were in response to a federal subpoena. The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating allegations that the then-governor and then-first lady illegally used their public roles for personal financial gain.

Gov. Kate Brown's office posted the emails for public view after turning them over to the Department of Justice. That prompted us to pose these questions to our corps of Rapid Responders:

"Does posting the emails strengthen or weaken (or neither) your faith that state government is being transparent, especially about the Kitzhaber-Hayes investigations?

"If you have read some of the emails, what have you gleaned from them?"

What they said

Neither. No matter what, it's still related directly to politics and I don't trust politicians.

— Tina Blacksmith, Salem

It does neither for me. I haven't read any of the emails and don't plan to. I am trusting my elected officials to work their way through them and make an informed decision as to what to do. If I can't trust them to do that, then we need new officials. Hopefully, they won't waste too much time doing it.

— Emily Duerfeldt, McMinnville

No, the release of the emails by Gov. Brown does not strengthen my faith that state government is being more transparent. First, these emails were already turned over to the FBI by subpoena and were already a public record. For the governor to refuse to make them available to the public would put her in the position of a coverup. So she was just protecting herself from scandal.

— Larry R. George, Salem

It is positive for the government in this case. All can see what was said. The law will still prevail as the case will be tried. Transparency is really important for our leadership right now to exhibit.

— Ann Watters, Salem

My faith in government is not impacted, but I agree with Gov. Brown's decision to err on the side of openness. From what I could see, many of the emails are still under review and not available. It will take someone with more time and patience than I have to find information that was worth the trouble. I have enough trouble keeping up with my own email.

— Richard Pine, Salem

While this information release does imply greater transparency, the Friday afternoon timing of the dump and the ongoing nature of the investigation do raise questions about the wisdom and motive of doing so at this time. Might this action affect the outcome improperly?

— Erin Cramer, Stayton

The new governor's swift kick of emails to the public does nothing to strengthen my faith in transparency in government. Those in power and those wannabees hovering close to them, too often, come to believe the rules for ethical conduct don't apply to them. My sad takeaway from scanning emails is how many staff were aware something was amiss, yet it took the Feds to let sunshine in.

— G. Mick McLean, Lincoln City

It certainly will make the investigation more clear for everyone. It may make the governmental officials and ones in the background hesitant to use emails and start doing it only verbally, where we will again lose transparency. We see that way too much was done in secret for too long.

— William K. Dettwyler, Salem

Transparency always strengths my faith in any organization. I would rather know the good, the bad, the trite, the eyebrow-raising than what an imagination can conjure. We human beings are so easily seduced by power or nearness to power.

— Anita Blanchard , Salem

The release of the emails honestly doesn't give me much more faith in government transparency. Anyone who's seen "In The Loop" knows that if one form of communication is suddenly monitored, people will just start using another one. I imagine there are a lot of conversations now happening only in hallways or men's bathrooms in the Capitol.

— Brit McGinnis, Portland

The posting of these emails is not a good test of the transparency of government when the governor who authorized their release owes her promotion to that office to the resignation of her predecessor, which was caused in part by his anticipation of embarrassment over the content of these emails.

— Wally Gutzler, Woodburn

Gov. Brown is elevating trust in state government by actually holding news conferences, welcoming reporters' questions, living in Salem's Mahonia Hall and showing the colors such as when she visited South Albany High School. Keep it up, Governor.

— Jim Sellers, Salem

You'd have to be OCD or a special class of pervert to want to sift through 94K emails. And to be fair, you'd have to look at all of them or none. I'd rather the reporters and the legal types review them. That's where the transparency ought to be. There's too much stuff for the average citizen to deal with. I think the governor's showboating a little, but her action will be helpful in the long run.

— Woody Tiernan , Dallas

I am no fan of Kate Brown, and I think she knew she'd better fork them over or there might be suspicion cast on her and the AG and who knows who else. This is what happens inevitably when you have one-party rule in a state. The Dems are corrupt through and through. The emails are a clear picture into the character of the good doctor and his paramour and need to be read by all.

— Cheryl Eby, Salem

Government transparency is much more than posting emails. Transparency comes from: 1. Legislators, legislative hearings, and work sessions that are as open to the public and media as to paid lobbyists; 2. communications and testimony on executive and administrative agencies rule-making that are open to scrutiny; 3. policymakers' calendars, contacts and appointments fully public records that are available to all.

— Ken Simila, Salem

I'll skip reading Hayes' 94,000 emails for now. Considering the time it took to write that many, it's amazing she was so productive while mesmerizing former Gov. Kitzhaber at the same time. The motive for posting these 330,000 pages online seems questionable, a rather suspicious example of governmental transparency.

— Patt Wilson, Keizer

It's not that courageous to be transparent about someone else's transgressions.

— David Haber, Salem

Seems the state is trying to impress us with fluff. Let them do their investigating first; then, if they think the public should know, publish them. Personally, I'm not interested.

— Tony Weaver, Woodburn

Kitzhaber is now a former governor. As well he should be. Let those who must act do what they are charged to do.

— Jim Jaqua, Keizer

I'm all for the releasing of these emails. I think that they will reveal just how much Cylvia Hayes misused the governor's office and government resources for her own personal gain. I also think that the emails might shed some light on just how much benefit, if any, the governor got from Cylvia's shenanigans.

— Dorian Atkins, Salem

I have believed for several months that Cylvia Hayes was attracted to power. The emails confirm it. It will be interesting to see what develops.

— Teresa Larocque, Dallas