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.

Police search for pink costumed suspect in Virginia

Media Pushes New Pandemic – CBS News Rolls Out Fear Campaign Over Ebola Outbreak with ‘No Vaccine, No Treatment’

Jeanine Pirro Threatens Parents After Wild Teens Create Disturbing Scene in D.C. Restaurant

Pelosi intervenes in Democratic race to succeed her

Michigan Senate hopeful courting progressives entertains Iron Dome for Palestinians

Civil liberty advocates sue blue state over ‘show your papers’ gun law

Retired Austin cop tears into leftist city council for stripping police of key tools before shooting rampage

Trump Says He Canceled 11th-Hour Iran Bombing at Request of Saudi Leaders Amid New Peace Talks

Supreme Court Bluntly Swats Down Virginia Dems’ Power Grab

DHS, War Dept join probe into Singham network allegedly sowing discord in US

New York’s ‘wrong-headed’ defendant-friendly laws helped toss Mangione evidence: retired cop

‘Unelected mayor of DC’: Trump continues Washington makeover despite backlash

Los Angeles School District Pivots Away from Denying Equal Treatment to Student Bible Club

Blue-state tax burden fuels Americans fleeing to Republican-led southern states

Poland seeks answers after Pentagon scraps planned US armored brigade rotation

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.”