Oregon high court says 10 GOP state senators who staged long walkout can’t run for reelection

Keloland ^ | 2/1/24 | Claire Rush

[CFW]

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Supreme Court said Thursday that 10 Republican state senators who staged a record-long walkout last year to stall bills on abortion, transgender health care and gun rights cannot run for reelection.

The decision upholds the secretary of state’s decision to disqualify the senators from the ballot under a voter-approved measure aimed at stopping such boycotts. Measure 113, passed by voters in 2022, amended the state constitution to bar lawmakers from reelection if they have more than 10 unexcused absences.

Last year’s boycott lasted six weeks — the longest in state history — and paralyzed the legislative session, stalling hundreds of bills.

Five lawmakers sued over the secretary of state’s decision — Sens. Tim Knopp, Daniel Bonham, Suzanne Weber, Dennis Linthicum and Lynn Findley. They were among the 10 GOP senators who racked up more than 10 absences.

[CFW]

This will be interesting. Democrats use this tactic often but if GOP members do it, then it is grounds to be removed from the ballot.

[Dennis M.]

I just moved out of the state. It is run by a bunch of nuts.

[G Larry]

LOL! So Kick out the Dems who set the walk-out president!!

[napscoordinator]

It depends on the state laws. This wasn’t some obscure law from 1800. The voters voted for this the very year before. I doubt many stares have this law. But unfortunately for the 10 who didn’t work for six months, it went beyond the 10 day max.

[Tipllub]

It seems like changing the rules on what constitutes a quorum would be less heavy handed than this.

[hanamizu]

And who gets to decide if the absences are ‘unexcused’, why the party that controls the house or state senate. So if democrats refuse to attend, their absences will be excused. See how it works?

[Tipllub]

LOL! So Kick out the Dems who set the walk-out president!!The law pertains to "unexcused" absences. So if/when Dems do this again, they will simply have the absences declared as fully justified and excused by some partisan hack.

[Responsibility2nd]

Gee I wonder how many woke liberal dems are on the Oregon Supreme Court?

[HombreSecreto]

Is this an equal protection violation and be challenged in Federal court?

[G Larry]

Oregon is getting what they voted for.

They won't come to their senses until its too late.

[mewzilla]

If Oregon would vote for this, why is Deep State stealing their elections...? 🤔

[Tell It Right]

You’d think the Russo-American Treaty of 1824 let the Russian be in charge of elections in Oregon.

[Carl Vehse]

"I just moved out of the state. It is run by a bunch of nuts."

A bunch of nuts are far more intelligent, upstanding, and likable than the governor and legislative majority who run the State Sewer of Oregon.

[Pearfect]

Democrats are evil.

VOTE DEMOCRATS OUT.

[Pearfect]

Democrats are evil.

VOTE DEMOCRATS OUT.

[Bob434]

weird, i don’t remember any punishments liek this when democrat senators took off- left the country- when bush tried to get something accomplished-

[Chode]

create a new law ex-post facto???

[Seaplaner]

The party that crows constantly about protecting our "democracy" doesn't seem to actually care for free and fair elections (IOW, "democracy".)

[rottweiller_inc]

they are trying to establish the precedent that a judge can determine who is allowed on the ballot

[j.havenfarm]

I agree with your analysis. Regrettably, but we either stand behind the law or we don’t. It was just passed, for Pete’s sake