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.

DHS says illegal immigrant injured head after hitting concrete wall while fleeing ICE, denies beating claims

Fact Check: Did Bad Bunny Feature Viral 5-Year-Old Liam Ramos in Super Bowl Halftime Show?

DHS urges Newsom to honor ICE detainers after federal agent assaulted while arresting illegal alien at jail

Supreme Court Justice Alito says ‘things are so different’ since Scalia’s death

Clinton Judge Responds to California’s Attempts to Unmask ICE Agents

China panics after Takaichi declares intention to remilitarize Japan

Only one local detective on Nancy Guthrie case has over two years of experience on homicide squad: sources

Trump thanked Florida police for Epstein probe in 2000s, flagged ‘evil’ Ghislaine Maxwell: FBI doc

Progressive backed by Sanders, AOC pulls off upset ballot box shocker in Democratic congressional primary

US Skier Lindsey Vonn Reveals Extent of Her Injuries After Brutal Crash Ends Her Olympics — And Possibly Career

Who Would Have Guessed? Transit Agency in Cold-Weather State Buys EV Buses, Can’t Use Them in Freezing Cold

Embattled labor secretary has history of questionable spending that eluded Congress

Two snowmobilers in Wyoming killed in separate accidents

What to know about Tuesday’s House hearing on foreign influence in American nonprofits: ‘Follow the money’

Hawley targets Minnesota fraud, CCP-linked money at Senate hearing: ‘Taxpayers robbed blind’

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.”