Kitzhaber Names General Counsel

 

Gov. John Kitzhaber continued filling out his staff roster today, naming Liani Reeves as his general counsel.

The position is important for at least two reasons: the general counsel trouble-shoots legal issues for the governor. And of greater interest to ambitious Oregon lawyers, the general counsel helps the governor appoint judges.

Two other points worth noting: as a young woman who has been active in the Oregon Minority Lawyers Association, Reeves is a prime example of Kitzhaber bringing in new talent to his administration, rather than recycling Salem lifers or associates still around after Kitzhaber's prior two gubernatorial terms from 1995 to 2003.

Second, Reeves' career shows significant overlap with Attorney General John Kroger's career. Both worked at Lewis & Clark Law School before coming to the Oregon Department of Justice. That overlap suggests Kroger, a strong Kitzhaber supporter, should enjoy a strong relationship with the governor's office, which was not always the case over the past two years when fellow Democrat Ted Kulongoski was governor.


Here's the statement Kitzhaber's staff released about Reeves:


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