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.

Liberal circuit judge blasts SCOTUS conservatives, says Hawaii will defy high court

Rubio Goes Viral as Millions Watch, Share His Rousing Speech on the Evils of the Modern Left

Caitlin Clark Sets Scoring Record with Monster 45-Point Game in Comeback Win

Stephen Miller says Trump administration is pursuing policy to debank illegal immigrants

Dave Portnoy Shocked by People Who Fled ‘Countries That Are Disasters’ Spreading Socialism Across US

Two US service members killed in Iranian strikes on Jordan, CENTCOM says

Maine Dem Opens Fundraising Pitch By Saying ICE Shooting Caused Her to Freeze Up During Debate

Kentucky governor says he received 2 calls from agencies indicating McConnell had ‘passed’

Far-left activist conference at teachers union HQ raises classroom concerns

California man admits targeting 3 Subway restaurants for robberies in less than a week, FBI says

Pratt takes Walz to task in scathing X post over pardoned child rapist: ‘Have your hard drives checked’

US forest service workers kidnapped, ziptied for hours by father-son duo: California AG

New Poll Suggests Jewish Americans Feel Isolated As Antisemitism Grows

Federal employees can download TikTok on government devices after ByteDance’s divestiture, DOJ says

$225,000,000 In ‘Hideous’ Fraud Schemes Found Across US Schools, Report Alleges

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.”