Jessica Kampfe, who has led the state’s troubled public defense system, was fired Thursday by Gov. Tina Kotek.
Kampfe had served as executive director of the Oregon Public Defense Commission since 2022. A former public defender, Kampfe previously managed Multnomah Defenders Inc., a nonprofit law firm that provides defense attorneys in Portland.
“It is unacceptable that more than 4,000 defendants in Oregon do not have attorneys assigned,” Kotek said in announcing the shakeup. “The public defense crisis poses an urgent threat to public safety and delays justice for victims.”
She said Ken Sanchagrin, who leads the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, will serve as interim director.
Kampfe did not respond to a request for comment.
Commission Chair Jennifer Nash said it’s not her role to second-guess the governor’s decision and pledged to work collaboratively with Sanchagrin.
“From the commission’s perspective and I know the governor’s perspective, even one day longer is too long for people not to have attorneys so we’re committed to solving the problem as quickly as possible and we’ll do everything we can to adhere by the timelines that she has requested,” Nash said.
Kotek outlined her expectations for the agency, including setting a “clear timeline” by June 1 “for when the unrepresented crisis in Oregon will end.”
She also directed the agency to prioritize the six counties where the problem is especially problematic and said she expected it to “increase transparency” around how the agency spends tax dollars.
In February, a lawmaker who serves as a non-voting member of the public defense commission, said he had lost confidence in Kampfe’s ability to address the number of criminal defendants who lack public defenders.
Rep. Paul Evans, a moderate Democrat from Monmouth, told The Oregonian/OregonLive previously that leadership “is at the core of why we are not succeeding” in reducing unrepresented defendants.
On Thursday, Evans said Kotek “made the right call” in firing Kampfe.
“She provided sufficient time for Ms. Kampfe to demonstrate her abilities and acted when it became clear more is/was required for meeting our Constitutional duties,” Evans said in an email to The Oregonian/OregonLive.
Citing the stubbornly high number of unrepresented defendants, Evans said the state “must have a renewed sense of urgency.”
The public defense agency has a tumultuous history with its leadership. Its previous director, Stephen Singer, battled Oregon’s former chief justice and was ultimately fired. Kampfe succeeded him.
The director answers to a governor-appointed commission, which pays attorneys to represent indigent defendants. Those services are provided by nonprofit law firms, such as Metropolitan Public Defender in Portland and Hillsboro and independent lawyers who take on public defense cases.
The Legislature has pumped millions into Oregon’s public defense system yet those investments have not dented the number of unrepresented defendants. State data shows an estimated 4,000 people accused of crimes lack representation.
Sanchagrin has led the Criminal Justice Commission since 2020 and previously served as its director of research. He has led research into sentencing, recidivism and other criminal justice issues in Oregon. He holds a law degree from Michigan State University.
House Republican Leader Christine Drazan called Sanchagrin’s appointment “a welcome pivot toward competency from an administration marred in scandal and chaos.”
“Mr. Sanchagrin must now lead the Public Defense Commission with integrity and prioritize the backlog of more than 4,000 Oregonians whose constitutional right to a fair and speedy trial has been compromised,” she said in a statement.
John Wentworth, president of the Oregon District Attorneys Association, also supported the leadership change, saying Sanchagrin is “right person to save this sinking ship.”
“He will provide immediate accountability and results for one of the most important services this state is constitutionally charged to provide – attorneys for indigent defendants who need counsel,” he said in a statement. “This is a significant move by Governor Kotek and the right one.”
Kotek’s office said Ryan Keck, deputy director at at the Criminal Justice Commission, will lead that agency on an interim basis.
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