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.

Iran-backed terror suspects plotted attack on US troops using vans packed with fuel, DOJ says

Breaking: House Republicans Elect New Leader to Replace Mike Johnson

Jim Jordan picked as next House GOP leader: Sound off!

Top Dem cries ‘weaponization’ as comments warning young people not to join Trump admin land her in hot water

Watch: Van Jones Revealed Low-Key Org Weapon Dems Used to Win Nov 3 – Hit up to 300 Million People Daily, GOP Never Uncovered

Habeas corpus cases near 100,000 as ICE detainees seize on new way to fight detention

Ex-Massachusetts police officer convicted of murdering pregnant woman in staged suicide

Sotomayor lets loose on conservative Supreme Court with revealing wish: ‘Crazy things’

Mamdani makes behind-the-scenes moves to shape 2028 Democratic presidential race

Prominent Christian Apologist Wes Huff Asks for Prayer After His 3-Year-Old Daughter Is Rushed to the Hospital

Rapist Russell Brand Declared to be ‘Dead Man Walking’ in Hellish UK Prison, Ex-Inmate Says He’ll Be ‘a Marked Man’

UN postpones US human rights review after boycott

Explosive House report exposes failures it says allowed Epstein’s abuse to continue for years

GOP lawmaker ousts fellow Republican in gerrymandered California district

When the Pharmacies Are Empty and the Clinic Is Closed, Here’s the Kit Americans Keep Ready

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.”