Oregon Senate Session Canceled After Militia Threat

Senate floor sessions were planned for this weekend, but Saturday’s session was canceled after militia groups threatened to show up at the Capitol in Salem, state Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward tweeted Friday evening.

Oregon State Police confirmed to KATU that Saturday’s session was called off. The Associated Press reported a spokeswoman for Senate President Peter Courtney said state police recommended the Capitol be closed Saturday.

For the last two days, Senate Republicans have staged a walkout in protest over a controversial cap and trade bill Democrats say is needed to curb human-caused climate change. The walkout has denied the Senate a quorum.

In her tweet, Steiner Hayward, a Democrat, attached a text message informing members to stay clear of the Capitol.

After media began reporting on her tweet, Steiner Hayward deleted it. But before she did, KATU News had grabbed a screen capture of it.

Before this week’s walkout, rhetoric became heated and Republican state Sen. Brian Boquist made threatening remarks toward other lawmakers and OSP troopers as Gov. Kate Brown and Senate Democrats considered calling in state police to bring missing senators back into the Senate chamber.

Newsom targets major affordability squeeze in ‘striking’ convergence with Trump

Kamala Harris dives into midterm fight only to get roasted for never having ‘an original thought in her life’

Biden-era FBI took ‘minimal corrective action’ and defended staff after targeting Catholics

White House report card: Lake America won’t save Trump from drowning

ICE officer charged in Minneapolis shooting released in Texas after judge declines to intervene

Glenn Beck interview prompts Trump to allow farmers and ranchers to process their own food

U.S. Military Uses Lasers to Shoot Down Mexican Cartel Drones at Southern Border

The Psychology Behind Republicans Who Support Amnesty for Illegals

Soros-backed DA accused of going easy on illegal immigrants gets squeezed by House GOP

House Dem Debbie Dingell places Trump’s Lake Ontario name change in the crosshairs

Free climber stranded on Georgia rock face calls 911, prompting dramatic rescue by firefighter

Maine and Georgia could test whether ticket-splitting is making a comeback

Dems derided Trump’s midterm gamble — until he ended up winning big

Mail-voting crackdown moves ahead as Trump court win opens door to federal action

Brutal Cheap Shot: Video Captures Amazon Driver Sucker Punching Elderly Man Over Parking Dispute

Courtney and House Speaker Tina Kotek, both Democrats, issued a joint statement Friday afternoon condemning Boquist’s remarks.

“We strongly condemn the comments made this week in the Oregon State Capitol by Senator Brian Boquist threatening lawmakers and Oregon State Police troopers. Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting Oregonians and should never be subject to these kinds of threats, let alone from a public official. His comments have created fear among employees in our workplace. We will always defend free speech and welcome frank policy discussions, but threats like these are unacceptable.”

When Republicans began their walk out Thursday, Brown called in state troopers to find the senators and bring them back to the Senate, but most have reportedly left the state.

Shortly after it was announced the Senate had canceled its Saturday session, the Oregon Republican Party tweeted the Democrats had canceled the session because of a “fear that Republican voters may show up.”