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.

Iran vows ‘decisive’ self-defense at UN after Trump kills supreme leader in Operation Epic Fury

Concerns rise over DHS shutdown in shadow of Iran strikes: ‘Now would be a good time’ to end it

Man confesses to killing 7-year-old while on the lam after DNA links him to 30-year cold case: authorities

Obama official who backed Iran deal sparks online outrage with reaction to Trump’s strike: ‘Sit this one out’

Bill Clinton’s credibility threatened by decades of scandals amid grilling over Epstein ties

Trump says Khamenei is dead: ‘The single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country’

Monitoring the situation: White House releases photos of Trump, Rubio and team being briefed on Iran operation

Iran Supreme Leader Targeted, Believed Killed, in Sweeping US-Israeli Strikes

The US and Israel attacked Iran: What we know

Trump finds unlikely Democratic allies on decision to strike Iran

Democrats buck party leaders to defend Trump’s ‘decisive action’ on Iran

Nancy Guthrie missing: Forensic scientist encourages new investigative approach since case ‘isn’t cold yet’

FBI raises counterterror teams to high alert amid Iran tensions

Bipartisan revolt targets Trump’s war powers after massive Iran strikes

Iran strikes erase ‘space’ between Trump and Netanyahu, insiders say

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.”