Oregon Republicans Leave the State to Avoid Climate Vote, and Governor Sends Police After Them
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (AP/Don Ryan)By Chris Lehman
Oregon's Democratic governor, Kate Brown, has dispatched state troopers to find missing Republican senators and bring them back to Salem to legislate.
All 11 Republican senators are in hiding, at least some of them out of state, in order to prevent the Senate from having the quorum it needs to operate. They can't abide the Democrat-backed carbon cap and spend bill that is up for a Senate vote today.
After negotiating with Gov. Kate Brown's staff for 10 hours Wednesday, Senate Republicans were unable to achieve the changes they sought in a major carbon cap-and-trade bill. The caucus is now out-of-state or on its way outside Oregon's borders.
When Republicans failed to show up on the Senate floor for today's 11 a.m. session, Senate President Peter Courtney of Salem, a Democrat, asked the sergeant at arms to search the Capitol for the missing lawmakers. That search proved fruitless.
In response to the walkout, Courtney formally requested that Brown dispatch Oregon State Police troopers to round up the missing Republicans.
Brown quickly granted that request.
