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First take

Two inquiries into state officials, and two responses from the state attorneys general. In Washington, state Auditor Troy Kelley – who is on unpaid leave though he still holds the job, turning aside many requests that he quit – has been for weeks at least under federal investigation on various finance-related issues. Yesterday, state Attorney General Bob Ferguson said he will launch a state investigation as well. South of the Columbia, former Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber has been for several months under federal investigation (how much longer should that take, anyway?), but there state Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum shut down an initially-launched state inquiry in deference to the federal. What’s the difference? Maybe in Washington’s case, the material under state investigation may be difference from what the feds are checking out, while in Oregon they more directly overlap.

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