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.

Age of first-time mothers hits record high in blue states as birth rates keep falling

WATCH: Dem’s Plan to Tar Patel as Alcoholic Backfires When Patel Reminds Crowd of Dem’s Own Alcohol Disgrace … and Brings Receipts

Report: After Sex Scandal Was Exposed, Swalwell Attempted to ‘Intimidate’ Women He Shared Messages with

Billionaire Dem donor who turned on party after allegations against Swalwell is arrested

Twin Cities’ wage hikes roasted after report exposes job-crushing fallout in Tim Walz’s backyard

Fox News True Crime Newsletter: Alex Murdaugh double murder conviction overturned

Alex Murdaugh’s double murder conviction unanimously overturned by South Carolina Supreme Court

Trump Accuser E. Jean Carroll Gets Horrible News About $83 Million Verdict Against Trump

Rand Paul brings CIA whistleblower to Senate hearing alleging ‘deep state’ COVID-19 conspiracy

Developing: Saudi Arabia Has Joined US, Israel, and UAE – Now Revealed to Have Been Attacking Iran as Well

China rolls out the red carpet, American flags, and military honor guard for Trump’s arrival in Beijing

Four takeaways from Nebraska and West Virginia’s primary elections

Man Sucked Into Jet Engine at Denver Airport Had Lengthy Rap Sheet, Once Arrested for Attempted Murder

James Talarico enlists Barack Obama to help win over black voters after contentious Texas primary

Keystone XL Pipeline 2.0: Trump Signs Permit for Massive New US-Canada Oil Pipeline – Some of 42,000 Jobs Biden Killed Could Return

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.”