Isham Resigns as Marion County Sheriff (UPDATE)

"Effective 8/24/09, at 5:00 pm I will resign my position as Marion County Sheriff" - Sheriff Russ Isham

(SALEM, Ore.) - Marion County Sheriff Russ Isham is resigning his office amid controversy. The Sheriff is a former Salem Police officer, who was elected after the resignation of Marion County Sheriff Raul Ramirez.

Isham said, "I have made some decisions in my personal life that I am sorry for, and unfortunately they have affected the position that I hold. For as much as I want to fight what is being said, I feel it is in the best interest of my family, the sheriff's office and our community that I resign at this time."

Those surprising words were delivered with an air of mystery at first; nobody was initially aware of the specific reasoning behind the resignation.

Isham stated, "I would like to thank everyone who supported me and the sheriff's office during the past two years and ask for that support to continue for the men and women of the the sheriff's office."

He says that effective immediately, all executive authority of his office is vested in Undersheriff Jason Myers.

"Due to the difficulty on my family I ask for your understanding that I will not be making any further comments regarding this issue."

"In order to stop the speculation as to why I have made the decision to resign my position, I would like to include more details about this decision."

"My decision to resign comes out of a personal relationship that I had with an adult female other than my wife. This involved person was not an employee or anyone that has anything to do with the sheriff's office. This relationship, while personal, was discovered by an employee. While this was strictly personal, it has impacted my ability to do the job I was elected to do."

He added, "It is with many regrets that I have found myself in this position, and I apologize to my family, to everyone who has supported me and to the citizens of Marion County."

Isham says citizens can be proud of the men and women who serve the sheriff's office.

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Jason August 25, 2009 3:46 pm (Pacific time)

Henry thanks for your response regarding the resulting desired conclusion for one who morally violates their oath of office. I can think of countless examples where this has happened and there has been no big public outcry for some, maybe it's an ideological thing? Possibly as more time passes we can see additional examples of this behavior that has existed in the past. Strange how some of these egregious people are held up as heroes now-a-days, some even brokering foreign policy deals, etc. .

Henry Ruark August 24, 2009 4:45 pm (Pacific time)

Jason: So state the rest of your query, sir, rather than seek entrapment, albeit that itself demonstrates your continued morality re good faith here. As in all other morality questions, human frailty will enter in, giving true Christians opportunity for dialog without denial of that undeniable circumstance of all life. OR is your worldview that far off from most of society ? Re examples: They abound in both directions. Name yours as hidden here, and we can dialog further via ID with working phone to Editor, saving space, time, attention and further ignorant display for others serious enough to act in good faith on this open, honest, democratic channel, provided at great expense by Editor Tim, and certainly deserving our action to keep it that way. For those bound by sacred oath for public service, the standards remain high despite any such possible exception, and surely do also require that they tell the truth on each such situation, rather than hide behind a lie to escape moral consequence. NOW name your "example", sir, but directly and without awkward obvious actions surely unworthy of use here. You may wish also to provide simple answer as to what you would take as action for the behavior in question here. Would you wink, allow it to pass, with no impact on any trust thus imposed on other similar --and perhaps even deadly--questions later ??

Sad August 24, 2009 4:30 pm (Pacific time)

Sheriff Isham broke the law and he was sworn in to uphold the law. I am just surprised he was so obvious where he did it in broad daylight. We held him at high standards which is the norm for an elected offical. I feel sorry for his wife and kids. The person who he was with will probably just keep working and nothing happen to her.

Jason August 24, 2009 2:01 pm (Pacific time)

Henry Ruark I am in full agreement with your below stated opinion on moral conduct, and thank you for providing it. So when someone lies under oath and admits to other immoral acts, and their elected position required an oath, then they should be compelled resign or be removed, right? We don't provide exemptions based on favoritism or ideology, right?

Henry Ruark August 24, 2009 11:31 am (Pacific time)

Surely this is a question of morality: "morality (as in "quality") n.: concern with the distinction between good and evil or right and wrong; right or good conduct." Those choosing a career in public service are rightly required to take an oath, binding them to certain standards of behavior. Those standards shape their actions while in office, as determined by characteristics society deems demanded for its full protection. For those who fall beneath the standards to which they chose to bind themselves by oath, it seems only reasonable, rational and logical to then seek their removal --voluntary or otherwise. What's difficult about that for anyone must surely be then attributed either to mistaken understanding or to differing view on what is moral; and by both implication and explication then "right" at least in the recognized view of society. Society has established the concept of law to aid us in reaching decision: "law (as in "collection") n.: the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law". IF we are to abandon that recognized view, where do we go from there ??? Is everyone then free to determine personally what IS or IS NOT moral and thus "right" ? Should we demand that those who choose to become enforcers of that law then conform to the announced and wellknown standards involved ?

Daniel Johnson August 24, 2009 4:48 am (Pacific time)

Jim: You make a good point except that you don't address the key factor: money. Who pays for the investigative journalism? Back in the 1980s, I made my own attempts to investigate things, but I was up against the need to feed my family and other attendant needs. Even if I would have had financial backing, it would have had to include freedom from a 40 hour/week job. In this particular case, is there anything hidden that the public needs to know? If he had been doing something illegal, it would be good to uncover it. But what if he had only been doing something immoral like, having multiple extra-marital affairs? Not illegal and really, not reportable. So investigative money would be spent with no reportable result.

Jim August 24, 2009 12:07 am (Pacific time)

This little bit of journalism is just the tip of the ice burg. We're all looking forward to some actual investigative reporting on this issue. We know you won't let us down. Thanks and stick with it.

Mike H. August 20, 2009 9:43 pm (Pacific time)

Annonomys August 20, 2009 7:15 pm (Pacific time) It is so not a loss for marion county or anybody. He brought it on himeself. And, as for it "not being any of our business", it sure is our business! When you are a county's SHERIFF, you are someone that your county should count on, feel comfortable around, and look up to. Get a job in pulic relations like that, your actions sure are our business. No, doubt about it. He AND that woman should be HIGHLY hummiliated. Disgusting.You should be humiliated.

Annonomys August 20, 2009 7:15 pm (Pacific time)

It is so not a loss for marion county or anybody. He brought it on himeself. And, as for it "not being any of our business", it sure is our business! When you are a county's SHERIFF, you are someone that your county should count on, feel comfortable around, and look up to. Get a job in pulic relations like that, your actions sure are our business. No, doubt about it. He AND that woman should be HIGHLY hummiliated. Disgusting.

Barton August 20, 2009 12:47 pm (Pacific time)

He didn't lose his job because of an affair, but allegedly for using his position to stop someone from talking about it when caught. Just like Clinton, he was not impeached, fined and lost his law license to practice in front of the Supreme Court because of his thing with Lewinski, it was using his position to obfuscate his behavior plus lying under oath in his past behavior with another woman. The Marion County Sheriff was made an offer, so to resign was a no-brainer. Affairs are always going to happen, it's what you do when confronted with that behavior. I don't know what the crime rate was before he became sheriff and what it is now, but he was in office for a very brief time. When you swear an oath as a law enforcement officer, you swear to uphold all laws, not just the ones you agree with.

Jane August 20, 2009 7:37 am (Pacific time)

People's personal lives are not our business.

Editor: Jane, this is a top elected public official and while we all like Russ a great deal, he is paid by our taxes. I think some people would say that changes things up a little. I agree with Vic that it shouldn't have led to this, and I agree that is is very personal. Anyway, thanks for your comment.

Daniel Johnson August 20, 2009 1:38 am (Pacific time)

The American obsession with elections comes back and bites them in the ass. To be an elected official requires one to be popular, that is, to appeal to the lowest common denominator which usually means the least educated and most ignorant. The incidence of extra-marital affairs is probably no different here in Canada, but it's rare to ever hear of an employee losing his job over it. At the level of politicians here in Canada, the equivalent hypocricy prevails.

Vic August 19, 2009 4:20 pm (Pacific time)

Well...the holier-than-thou employee got Isham to resign..He/She/It won, and we all lose. And Norm, it is not against the law to have an affair. If everyone who has had affairs (even the ones that havent been tattled on by a vengeful employee) resigned, the unemployment rate would double or triple overnight. This reminds me of the situation here in Silverton with the religious right trying to make life uncomfrtable to the point of resignation for our mayor, Stu, who has maybe done more for Silveton than any person ever has, but is a crossdresser, so none of that matters... I do not know Russ Isham, never met him...but respected and appreciated the thoughtful decisions he made that I felt made Marion County a safer and more harmonious place. I hope his replaement follows suit. When you compare Marion County with Washington, Multnomah and especially our neighbor, Clackamas County re the number of fatal police shootings and violent encounters with law enforcement, it appears that Sheriff Isham did his job exceptionally well. We all lost big time today, I believe.

steve August 19, 2009 12:59 pm (Pacific time)

I guess am lost for words here, but on the other note...The police will turn a report over to the DA(sometimes) if its true or not! and their is nothing you or I can do about it!!!! it stays with you for life.....I think if a person did it then ok, but if not then it should not be their!

Norm August 19, 2009 12:51 pm (Pacific time)

Glad to see him going for not properly enforcing all the laws. He was elected and swore an oath to do that. Conservative Oregonians are angry about this! Thanks Salem-News.com for the information, I wish it wasn't true. I always appreciate reading the wisdom of Tim and Bonnie King, Hank Ruark and Dr. Phil Leveque; some of the best writers in America!

Vic August 19, 2009 10:44 am (Pacific time)

Well this is a real loss for Marion County. Isham has been an awesome Sheriff, in my opinion. His refusal to allow federalization of the Marion County Sheriffs Dept through the ICE racial purity squads is probably what led to this. A sheriff who believes that all people under his jurisdiction should be treated equally and with respect????? Cant have that here !!!Not in the racial hate-fest known as Oregon!! Sorry to see you go, Sheriff Isham...thank you for your service and may God help us.

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Isham Resigns as Marion County Sheriff (UPDATE)

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