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.

James Carville, Dem With Deteriorating Mental State, Says CNN Should Have Aired Presidential Speech to Show Trump’s Deteriorating Mental State

‘Keep a low profile’: State Department warns Americans overseas they could be targeted

Authorities Identify Source of Nationwide Cyclospora Outbreak: Salad Distributer Used By Taco Bell

Johnson warns America is in ‘battle’ against Marxism, calls for renewed focus on nation’s founding principles

Extreme Climate Model Scenario Was Widely Used Despite Being Impossible

Controversial program paying drug users for used syringes becomes permanent in NYC

Education Department Moves To Crack Down On Schools, Teachers Unions Protecting Sexual Predators

Alabama man charged with killing military veteran, wife had posted about them online for a decade

Lindsay Clancy’s husband could testify for her at trial over deaths of their three children

ICE melting under Trump’s expectations, officers say

Olivia Rodrigo’s new album defies expectations, including her audience’s

Who is Nikki Floris? Ex-FBI official behind Trump’s ‘shadow government’ rhetoric during election address

WATCH: Josh Hawley issues blistering rebuke of McConnell over ‘obligation’ to country

Tulsi Gabbard’s brother charged after allegedly trying to lure children to Waikīkī hotel room: police

Andrew, Tristan Tate arrested in Miami as UK seeks extradition on expanded rape, trafficking charges

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.”