County Attorney Launches Inquiry into Jeff Cogen's Affair

County Chair Jeff Cogen tours a room where workers verify the signature on the ballot on Nov. 6, 2012.
By Nigel Jaquiss and Aaron Mesh

Multnomah County Attorney Jenny M. Madkour told WW this afternoon that she has begun an inquiry into County Chair Jeff Cogen's affair with Sonia Manhas, a policy and planning director in the Multnomah County Health Department.

"I am the attorney for the county, so I will review all facts that come before me in terms of violations of county policy or law," Madkour says. "We are right in the thick of it right now."

Madkour says her first priority is responding to a litany of public-records requests from local media.

But she is also conducting an inquiry on behalf of the county. She declined to list the scope of that inquiry. "I don't want to characterize it at this point," Madkour says. "I'm looking at many issues. I'm issue-spotting."

As first reported Tuesday night by WW, Cogen admitted an extra-marital affair with Manhas. Cogen is married; Manhas is separated from her husband.

As county chair, Cogen is the highest-ranking official in county government. But he tried to make the argument Tuesday night that his affair did not violate county personnel policies because Manhas does not report directly to him.

WW

WW
went directly to him
she too reports to Cogen.
Charlie Hales

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