Multnomah County is launching outside investigations into whether chairman Jeff Cogen misused funds and violated personnel rules connected to an admitted affair with Sonia Manhas, the director of policy and planning in the Multnomah County Health Department

Cogen is the county’s top official. He confessed to the affair after an anonymous email was sent alleging that Sonia Manhas’ promotion was due in part to her involvement with Cogen.

Cogen denies that claim.

Tuesday afternoon, Multnomah County commissioners Deborah Kafoury, Loretta Smith, Judy Shiprack and Diane McKeel said in a release they will ask for an outside investigation to determine if “Cogen misused county funds or other county resources … to determine whether any county personnel rules were violated.”