Oregon Senator Doubles Down Against Out-of-Control Lib Governor: 'Come Heavily Armed'
Turmoil between the Oregon governor and the state’s legislature has officially reached shocking new heights.
In order to prevent the passage of a far-left climate change bill, Republicans have said that they are “prepared to take actions” if Democratic Gov. Kate Brown gets law enforcement involved, who will supposedly force, — via arresting — conservative members to the state legislature to vote.
Republican Sen. Brian Boquist implied in a shocking video captured by Pat Dooris from KGW8 news that he’s willing to take drastic action should state troopers come to arrest him.
“This is what I told the superintendent,” Boquist said, referring to OSP Superintendent Travis Hampton. “Send bachelors and come heavily armed. I’m not going to be a political prisoner in the state of Oregon. It’s just that simple.”
Oregon state senator @BrianBoquistGOP said if R’s walk out to stop a vote on Cap and Trade and @OregonGovBrown sends state police to bring him back, they should be single and well armed. Your take? pic.twitter.com/Fcu8NXXl8h
— Pat Dooris (@PatDooris) June 19, 2019
Some reporters apparently didn’t believe Boquist’s implied threat, as they claimed in their news coverage that the threat was “thinly veiled.” However, the fiery senator stuck by his guns in an emailed statement to The Oregonian.
“Nothing thinly veiled,” Boquist, a U.S. Army veteran, wrote. “I have been in political coup attempts. I have been held hostage overseas. I have been jailed politically overseas … Not going to be arrested as a political prisoner in Oregon period.”
Boquist said that state troopers can only enforce criminal violations and arrest warrants, not force absent lawmakers to vote on an issue.
Boquist’s interview garnered many responses from both the right and left across the nation. One individual tweeted, “It’s pretty bad that Brown wants to use police, who have much more important things to attend to (like solving crimes and arresting criminals) than to drag people back to Senate.”
I mean… I think it’s pretty bad that Brown wants to use police, who have much more important things to attend to (like solving crimes and arresting criminals) than to drag people back to Senate. You cant use police to force them to vote the way you want them to.
— Breanne (@brever12) June 20, 2019
However, the left is enjoying seeing Republicans on the run — quite literally. “Lock ‘n load. Also note to the State Police: make sure excitable Brian’s face doesn’t hit any door jambs or anything on the way to the car. ? Wouldn’t want him to have an accident,” one person tweeted sarcastically.
Lock ‘n load.
Also note to the State Police: make sure excitable Brian’s face doesn’t hit any door jambs or anything on the way to the car.? Wouldn’t want him to have an accident
— Raoul Duke (@EricCu11en) June 20, 2019
The legislation in question is a greenhouse gas emissions cap-and-invest bill. Republicans have insisted that they do not want the legislature to vote on such a bill, but rather have the people of Oregon decide in the voting booth whether they want the climate change law or not.
If the bill were to be approved, it’d be the second of its kind in the nation.
And Gov. Brown will do anything in her power to ensure this legislation’s passage, threatening to use “all resources and tools” to bring the 11 rogue Republicans back to vote.
“We ask for, and take on responsibility, as elected representatives of the people of Oregon to show up and speak up on their behalf,” Brown said in a statement. “I am prepared to use all resources and tools available to me as governor to ensure that Oregonians are being served by their leaders.”
State Senate Republican Minority Leader Herman Baertschiger Jr. refuted the governor and backed the walkout.
“My caucus and I have been threatened by the governor, Senate president and majority leader with fines and arrests because they do not agree with our stance to protect rural Oregonians from cap and trade,” Baertschiger Jr. said. “Walking out is part of the conversation because the Governor is not willing to move on her position on the bill, and she is only representing Portland and the environmental community, not rural Oregonians.”
At this point, the Oregon government seems to be in a Mexican-type standoff.
Unfortunately, there’s no telling who will fire first (not literally) or what the next play will be. Here’s hoping cooler heads prevail on both sides.
It sounds like the Oregon’s governor and legislature could stand to read a few chapters of President Donald Trump’s “Art of the Deal.“
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