For eight days, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown’s office largely dodged questions about the resignation of Oregon Public Records Advocate Ginger McCall and allegations that Brown’s general counsel sought to undermine McCall’s independence.

For eight days, Brown’s office refused to acknowledge calls for Brown to rescind her controversial appointment of her general counsel, Misha Isaak, to a seat on Oregon’s Court of Appeals.

But for eight days, Oregonians across the state and political spectrum didn’t let up. On social media, in letters to the editor and through news outlets, they reaffirmed their view that protecting government transparency is non-negotiable. And on Tuesday, Brown finally spoke. She announced that Isaak has turned down the judge position, pledged to support fixes ensuring the public records advocate’s independence and most important, took ownership of the debacle. While late to the game, Brown laid out the right path to take if she wants to regain any credibility on her commitment to transparency.

In a phone call with The Oregonian/OregonLive, Brown acknowledged for the first time that Isaak acted at her direction in dealing with McCall, although she noted that Isaak and McCall have different recollections of their interactions. While Isaak has professed that he was unaware of any problems, McCall has said Isaak asserted he was her boss, pressured her to secretly support the governor’s agenda, and advised her to derail proposals that are politically uncomfortable for the governor even if that conflicts with her own committee’s goals.

Brown didn’t dwell much on the disagreement, however, instead noting that McCall “clearly felt that my team was attempting to politically influence her and it’s that perception of influence that’s critically important and has to inform our work going forward.” Brown said she will support legislation being developed by the public records advisory committee that clarify its confusing structure. Currently, the office is housed in the secretary of state’s office but its budget falls under the purview of the governor.

Brown also heard the furor over her decision to give Isaak a gift-wrapped seat on the Oregon Court of Appeals. It wasn’t just Isaak’s role in McCall’s resignation. It was also the unusual process through which Brown selected him to the position – the vacancy on the court was never advertised and Isaak, unsurprisingly, was the lone applicant. Amid calls to rescind the appointment from many across Oregon, including The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board, Brown spoke with Isaak and on Tuesday, he formally rejected the appointment. Recognizing her misstep, Brown committed to adopt a consistent protocol for advertising and filling vacant judge positions.

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It’s hard to know whether Brown would have taken these actions without the steady drumbeat from the public demanding answers. She claimed that her office’s delay in responding stemmed from her desire to allow McCall “a full and complete airing of her concerns” and that she wanted to first talk with Isaak ­– who works in her office – as well as McCall, with whom she met early last week. None of that explains such a lengthy delay.

And her administration has failed the transparency test many other times, from failing to report a child’s death in a licensed child-care facility during her re-election campaign to arguing that lawsuit records detailing alleged missteps by Oregon’s foster-care system should be kept under seal.

But Brown’s statement struck a more humble tone than typical in the past. She noted that in her years “in leadership positions, I’ve come to realize that in politics, a discussion of fault often knows no boundaries until someone takes responsibility for making sure the right thing happens. I am taking that responsibility. As Governor, I want to restore focus on what matters most, which is openness in government.”

Those are the words that a leader committed to transparency should say. Oregonians should continue their vigilance and hold her to them.

-The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board