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.

36-Year-Old Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Attempts to Control Time by Freezing Her Eggs

Potential Contamination from Mexico Triggers Salsa Recall from Walmart, Target, Kroger

Fauci discussed COVID mRNA vaccine concerns for pregnant women in text chain released by Senate committee

Board of Peace undeterred by Israel’s rejection of peace plan at this stage

Trump announces aide will soon step into White House counsel post

FBI investigated then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions one day after Comey’s firing, declassified documents show

Op-Ed: Make Families Self-Sufficient Again

WJ Straw Poll: Rubio Remains the Man to Beat as Thomas Massie Gains Ground

Socialist leader squirms during TV interview when forced to address push to abolish prisons, police

Spencer Pratt praises fierce GOP foe in rare bipartisan turn: ‘Major props’

Missing American woman in Grenada may have drowned after swimming far offshore, husband says

A Southern state just took the top spot in one of the world’s fastest-growing industries

Dem rep, in first video since hit-and-run crash, opens up about wreck

Great-grandson of slaves has warning about Smithsonian’s anti-American ‘indoctrination’ and more top headlines

Kentucky middle school teacher accused of crossing the line with student, arrested under new anti-grooming law

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.”