Idaho's Tax Commission chair, Royce Chigbrow, resigned this afternoon after a period of intense controversy.
The controversy was mostly pretty personal. It concerned allegations from employees at the tax commission that Chigbrow had, as the Associated Press reported, "intervened in tax cases involving clients of his son's accounting firm as well as for a friend and political supporter." A series of official investigations were launched into the subject.
In resigning, neither Chigbrow nor Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter - who had appointed him and today accepted his resignation - addressed the subject directly. Chigbrow's letter spoke of how he had tried to serve the state, how "I feel vindicated by previous reviews" and of a series of improvements at the commission under his watch.
Then: "Despite all of this I know there needs to be a change. While I would like to continue to serve, it is in the best interest of the Tax Commission and the state for me to step aside. Unfortunately, and perhaps unfairly, I have become the issue, which detracts from the accomplishments of the Tax Commission and the hard work that lies ahead.â€
Are we meant to take from this that he did nothing wrong, but he's become a center of controversy and because of the controversy - not because of any wrongdoing - he has to step aside? Although he's basically doing a wonderful job, and did nothing wrong? Is that what we're meant to extract from the message?
If so, or if not, neither Chigbrow nor Otter seem to be saying.
