One of Gov. Tina Kotek鈥檚 top attorneys will depart her position in coming weeks, marking a fourth staffer leaving the governor鈥檚 office in less than a month.
Lindsey Burrows, Kotek鈥檚 deputy general counsel, informed superiors on Monday she plans to depart the office on April 26 to return to , according to a letter shared with OPB.
鈥淎lthough the decision to leave has been difficult, I am returning to the work to which I have dedicated my legal career: protecting the rights of individual Oregonians in criminal cases, when they are particularly vulnerable,鈥� Burrows wrote in a resignation letter. 鈥淒efense attorneys make our systems more just and more humane. As you know, this essential work is as important now as ever, while the state faces a critical shortage of qualified counsel.鈥�
The departure makes Burrows the latest gubernatorial staffer heading to the exits. In late March, three of Kotek鈥檚 top aides , in a move that sources with knowledge of the governor鈥檚 office have said is First Lady Aimee Kotek Wilson has sought on policy matters.
Kotek has the reasons behind those moves, but has not contradicted widespread reports that Kotek Wilson鈥檚 ambitions have played a part in the shakeup. In a meeting with reporters last week, she at one point cast reporting on the matter as 鈥渁ssumptions鈥� while pledging to seek guidance from state ethics officials about developing a formal Office of the First Spouse.
Kotek Wilson鈥檚 role in the office is the subject of ethics complaints filed with the Oregon Government Ethics Commission, though the actual substance of those complaints is currently confidential.
There is no suggestion in Burrows鈥� resignation letter that her decision to leave is tied to Kotek Wilson. Even the presence of a resignation letter 鈥� readily supplied by the governor鈥檚 office 鈥� is different. The office has said it doesn鈥檛 have such letters for the three aides that have already departed or gone on leave: former Chief of Staff Andrea Cooper, former special adviser Abby Tibbs and Deputy Chief of Staff Lindsey O鈥橞rien.
Burrows did not immediately respond to an inquiry on Tuesday. Members of the general counsel office help the governor navigate legal matters and vet nominees for open judicial seats, among other things.
Turnover is expected in any governor鈥檚 office, though observers say the lockstep departure of three-fourths of Kotek鈥檚 executive team in recent weeks bucks the normal trend. Kotek last week seemed to paint the staff departures as routine.
鈥淲e are continuing to work hard every day on the priorities that I鈥檝e set and we have a transition in our office where we need to have some new leaders step up or bring in some new people,鈥� she told reporters last week. 鈥淭hat is not unusual.鈥�
Burrows has worked for been with Kotek鈥檚 office since March of 2023, according to her LinkedIn profile, meaning she will have spent a little over a year as deputy general counsel.
That tenure is shorter than some others who have held similar roles. Dustin Buehler, a deputy general counsel under former Gov. Kate Brown, served in the role for three years, before being promoted to Brown鈥檚 general counsel.
His predecessor, Misha Isaak, also spent years in the governor鈥檚 office.
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