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.

Multiple people wounded in mass shooting at Seattle Center, police say

Newborn vanished after secret birth, parents allegedly claimed baby ‘was a prank’: cops

Inside Fauci’s private diary: What he wrote about Trump, TV personalities and celebrities

ICE prepares major operation targeting Haitians losing TPS after Supreme Court ruling

One dead, 6 injured after gunfire erupts at unsanctioned California party that drew hundreds: sheriff

Jeffries pivots to Trump and GOP when asked about noncitizens on New Jersey voter rolls

Melania Makes Next Move After Judge Tosses Out Anti-Trump Author’s Lawsuit Against Her

This red state is strengthening its grip as America’s next economic heavyweight

Mickey Mouse Massacre: Disney Has Third Round of Layoffs, Hitting ESPN, Pixar, More

Everyday Revolutionary War heroes take center stage in Trump’s ‘Spirit of ’76’ exhibit

Watch: Red Skelton’s Legendary Pledge of Allegiance Performance for Kids Resurfaces After Another Dem Lawmaker Disrespects the Pledge

Drinking Coffee Is Actually Good For Your Heart, But There’s A Catch

Fauci’s newly released COVID diaries reveal bizarre fixation on fame as pandemic deaths mounted

Watch: Weakest Police Chief in America Lets Marxists Take Over Briefing, Call for Murder of His Officer, and Then He Thanks Them for Coming

Video: Missouri High-Speed Chase Suspect Survives After Stopping Car, Swan Diving Off Bridge to Escape Cops

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.”