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.

Alarming missile report draws forceful response from Trump as Iran war tests America’s arsenal

Former soldier indicted on charges of ‘calculated’ arson attack on federal Manhattan building

Iranian experts estimate economic losses from Operation Epic Fury at $280 billion

Pirro throws drops charges in three more Reflecting Pool vandalism cases amid Trump outrage

Trump admin trucking crackdown lands 51 immigration detentions, 36 English language proficiency violations

Rosie O’Donnell Announces She’s Returning to ‘The View’ Despite ‘Tense Time with Whoopi’

A Behind the Scenes ‘War’ Is Underway Between Bernie Sanders Insiders: Report

Sheriff in Nancy Guthrie Investigation Hit With Eye-Watering 9-Figure Lawsuit Over Another Dept. Disaster

Todd Blanche’s Nomination Takes Major Step Forward After Clearing Senate Judiciary Committee Vote

Is this Trump’s last ‘last chance’? Ceaseless string of broken ceasefires fuels doubt over Iran deal

Reporter’s Notebook: Inside the Senate showdown over Trump’s push to scrap August recess

Arizona man allegedly paralyzed by Nancy Guthrie sheriff’s deputies after alleged swatting call demands $176M

Illegal immigrant suspect charged in crash that killed police officer and his girlfriend

Left’s latest socialist darling dragged over ‘whiteness’ comments pulling in her own family: ‘Weirdo racism’

Top media outlets fail to disclose who is bankrolling their AI reporters

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.”