Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber had planned to resign, sources say

SALEM – Embattled Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber had reached a decision to resign because of an ethics scandal surrounding him and his fiancee, but he changed his mind for reasons that are unclear, three people with direct knowledge of the situation said Wednesday.

They said the Democratic governor informed some of his aides on Sunday that he was going to resign, and on Tuesday he asked his would-be successor, Secretary of State Kate Brown, to rush back from a conference in Washington, D.C. They spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Brown’s abrupt return to Oregon sparked speculation that Kitzhaber planned to quit. Hours later, Kitzhaber issued a statement saying he would stay put.

“Let me be as clear as I was last week, that I have no intention of resigning,” Kitzhaber said in a statement. “