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.

Trump-backed Republican keeps crucial congressional seat in GOP hands with special election victory

NYC alleged dine-and-dash influencer Pei Chung evicted from luxury apartment as she sits in jail

Illegal immigrant gang member killed police K-9 ‘Spike’ before officers returned fire in California: source

Young progressive beats out establishment candidate in Jersey City mayoral race, echoing Mamdani

Breaking: Trump Officially Invalidates All Documents Signed by Biden Autopen, Including Pardons – Fauci, Hunter Biden Now Vulnerable

Watch: The Fieriest Trump Comments in History Just Came Out During Cabinet Meeting – POTUS Utterly Scorched Omar and Somalis, Calling Them ‘Garbage’ from ‘Stinking Country’

Trump doubles down on voiding Biden autopen actions, including pardons and commutations

Top expert exposes how elites are encouraging immigrants to not assimilate into American culture

Witkoff and Kushner leave Kremlin after nearly five hours of negotiation with Putin

Trump hails $6 billion generosity of Dell family, teases more investors for ‘trust fund’ for American children

Portland drops ‘Christmas’ from tree lighting ceremony featuring ‘Free Palestine’ chant

BREAKING: Afghan Shooter Pleads Not Guilty to All Charges in National Guard Murder Case

Chip Roy Floats Congressional Action on College Football After Lane Kiffin Fiasco: ‘Isn’t Supposed to Be an NFL Lite’

Trump-backed Republican touts ‘great turnout for us’ in must-win special election for GOP

Senators vow push to prohibit US military action in Venezuela if Trump pursues strikes against the country

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.”