Idaho Militia Offers To Help Hide Oregon Republicans Who Fled Their State To Avoid Voting On Climate Change
Some runaway Republicans from Oregon may be getting help from an unlikely source — right-wing militias one state away.
All 11 of Oregon’s Republican state senators took off this week rather than voting on a climate change bill in the state, prompting Oregon Governor Kate Brown to call on a provision in the state’s constitution that allows the state to arrest lawmakers and force them into doing their job. As The Daily Beast noted, state troopers were dispatched to bring the Republicans back, but apparently, some had already bolted for neighboring Idaho.
One of those Republicans, Brian Boquist, hinted in an interview that he would resort to violence rather than returning to vote on the climate change legislation. That has led a number of far-right militia groups to organize and offer protection for the runaway Republicans.
Militia leaders publicly said that they are harboring the Republicans and plan to keep them out of the reach of state troopers who are trying to bring them back to Oregon.
“We’re doing what we can to make sure that they’re safe and comfortable,” Eric Parker, president of militia group Real Three Percenters Idaho, told The Daily Beast.
The climate change legislation would introduce a cap and trade program in the state, but rather than vote and possibly make it into state law, Republicans have blocked the proceedings by walking out of the session.
As CNN reported, the state Senate canceled its session on Saturday after police said that the safety at lawmakers was at risk. There had been fear of the militia groups gathering at the state Capitol and said that they could pose a threat.
“We have 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,” Oregon State Police Captain Tim Fox said in a statement, via CNN.
The walkout by Republicans has garnered national attention and prompted criticism, with Governor Brown calling it “unacceptable” that they would turn their back on constituents and their duties to represent the people of the state. Others have called out their decision to leave rather than allow Democrats to pass legislation.
“They need to return and do the jobs they were elected to do,” Brown said.
“The State Police Superintendent just informed the Senate President of a credible threat from militia groups coming to the Capitol tomorrow.”https://t.co/yYJPAkHJpa
— Maddow Blog (@MaddowBlog) June 22, 2019
It’s not clear if a resolution is in sight, as Oregon’s Republicans continue to stay away from the state legislature, and the threat of militia groups continue to loom.
