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.

Blue state mayor arrested for fraud sparks uproar for not speaking English in viral clip: ‘How is this real’

Socialists accused of ‘motor mouth’ rhetoric as longtime Dem strategist unloads on far-left candidate

Sammy ‘The Bull’ Gravano recounts turning on John Gotti

Tragedy Deepens as Hayden Panettiere Dad’s Friends Reveal He Was Only Just Beginning to Recover from Losing Son

Cop Fired After Allegedly Using Flock Cameras to Stalk Former Boyfriend – She Abused System 166 Times

Andy Burnham insists ‘zero consequence’ from falling for Susie Wiles impersonator as ministers’ phone numbers appear online

Appeals court upholds limits on warrantless ICE arrests at churches

Antisemitism fight explodes in Florida as voters head to the polls: ‘Political pogrom’

Lindsay Clancy’s family was ‘very concerned’ about her mental health in the months before she killed her kids

White House tears into Ossoff with brutal takedown after jab at key Trump aide: ‘Lightweight loser’

WNBA Forced to Issue Another Humiliating Response After Mom, Daughter Made to Cover Pro-Girl Shirts Opposing Trans Players in Women’s Sports

ICE Nabs Twice-Deported, Previously Convicted Drug Trafficker with 126 Kilos of Meth in Georgia

Iran fails to strike deal with US as deadline passes and Trump calls for ‘white flag of surrender’

Democrat Party’s civil war heads to Florida, Alaska and Wyoming and more top headlines

[4] Massachusetts Mayor Charged in Alleged $1.5 Million Pandemic-Era Loan Fraud And Money Laundering Scheme

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.”