A “possible militia threat” has prompted the Oregon state Senate to closed on Saturday as a walkout by Republican lawmakers over landmark climate change legislation continued.
RIght-wing groups posted their support for the 12 rebel Republicans on Friday, including one group — the Oregon Three Percenters — who joined in an armed takeover of a wildlife refuge in 2016.
On Friday, a spokeswoman for Senate President Peter Courtney told The Associated Press that the Oregon state police “recommended that the Capitol be closed tomorrow due to a possible militia threat.”
Oregon State Police, in a statement, said it has been “monitoring information throughout the day that indicates the safety of legislators, staff and citizen visitors could be compromised if certain threatened behaviors were realized.”
The dramatic scenes came after the Republicans had not only skipped the legislature, but some had even left the state as part of an effort to deny Democrats the votes to take up the bill to reduce fossil fuel emissions by 2050. Democrats hold a 18-12 majority, but they need 20 present for a quorum.
Republicans and anti-government groups were planning on protesting on Saturday before the closing of the Senate was announced. The Democrats had upped the ante this week when Gov. Kate Brown authorized the Oregon State Police to track down the rogue members and bring them back to the chamber.
Source: Fox News
Image: Oath Keepers at a Portland protest in 2017. (William Gagan)
