Oregon GOP legislator thrown out of office unanimously (except for his own vote).
From USA Today;In response to:
'Only reasonable course of action': Oregon GOP legislator ousted over state Capitol breach
SALEM, Ore. — The Oregon House of Representatives ousted Republican Rep. Mike Nearman Thursday night, the first time in state history a sitting Oregon lawmaker has been expelled.
The tally was 59-1, with the only vote against coming from Nearman himself. He showed no contrition during brief comments on the floor of the House.
Nearman was removed for the disorderly behavior of allowing rioters into the closed Capitol building during a special legislative session on Dec. 21, 2020.
His actions led to dozens of people — some armed and wearing body armor — gaining access to the Capitol, thousands of dollars in damage and six injured Salem and Oregon State police officers.
"Colleagues, it couldn't be any clearer. Rep. Mike Nearman intentionally allowed armed protestors, occupiers, to illegally enter the building during the peak of the pandemic," Rep. Paul Holvey, D-Eugene, said on the floor of the House. "He coordinated with his supporters and extremist groups and then opened a door to let them in."
Lawmakers commented on the day being "sad" and "somber" but said the Legislature had a responsibility to expel Nearman after he put his colleagues and staff at risk and has refused bipartisan calls for his resignation.
"Expulsion is the only reasonable course of action," said Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Lake Oswego.
Article IV Section 15 of the Oregon Constitution gives each chamber the right to punish its members for "disorderly behavior," and punishment can include expulsion.....
House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, had introduced House Resolution 3 on Monday and created the bipartisan special committee that unanimously voted Thursday afternoon to move the resolution to the full House.
The House suspended certain legislative process rules to allow lawmakers to vote on the resolution immediately.
"The facts are clear that Mr. Nearman unapologetically coordinated and planned a breach of the Oregon State Capitol," Kotek said in a statement after the vote. "His actions were blatant and deliberate, and he has shown no remorse for jeopardizing the safety of every person in the Capitol that day.
Republicans had stayed mostly silent on Nearman's actions until the past week, after a video surfaced that showed Nearman suggesting to a crowd days before the riot that if demonstrators texted him he might let them into the Capitol.
The other 22 members of the House Republican caucus called on Nearman to resign from the Legislature through a letter on Monday.
"It is our belief as friends and colleagues that it is in the best interest of your caucus, your family, yourself, and the state of Oregon for you to step down from office," the letter read, in part.
Democrats have been calling for Nearman's resignation or expulsion for months, with many redoubling those calls in the wake of the video becoming widely known.
Nearman also faces criminal charges stemming from the incident. He was arraigned May 11. They are misdemeanors but do carry possible jail time.
Before the second video was discovered a nonpartisan legislative investigation concluded that Nearman "more likely than not" let demonstrators into the building on purpose.
That investigation relied largely on video evidence from security cameras at the Capitol.
A still from a security camera showing Rep. Mike Nearman opening an exterior door, which allowed (~ 50) rioters access to the Oregon State Capitol building on Dec. 21, 2020.....
'Only reasonable course of action': Oregon GOP legislator ousted over state Capitol breach
SALEM, Ore. — The Oregon House of Representatives ousted Republican Rep. Mike Nearman Thursday night, the first time in state history a sitting Oregon lawmaker has been expelled.
The tally was 59-1, with the only vote against coming from Nearman himself. He showed no contrition during brief comments on the floor of the House.
Nearman was removed for the disorderly behavior of allowing rioters into the closed Capitol building during a special legislative session on Dec. 21, 2020.
His actions led to dozens of people — some armed and wearing body armor — gaining access to the Capitol, thousands of dollars in damage and six injured Salem and Oregon State police officers.
"Colleagues, it couldn't be any clearer. Rep. Mike Nearman intentionally allowed armed protestors, occupiers, to illegally enter the building during the peak of the pandemic," Rep. Paul Holvey, D-Eugene, said on the floor of the House. "He coordinated with his supporters and extremist groups and then opened a door to let them in."
Lawmakers commented on the day being "sad" and "somber" but said the Legislature had a responsibility to expel Nearman after he put his colleagues and staff at risk and has refused bipartisan calls for his resignation.
"Expulsion is the only reasonable course of action," said Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Lake Oswego.
Article IV Section 15 of the Oregon Constitution gives each chamber the right to punish its members for "disorderly behavior," and punishment can include expulsion.....
House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, had introduced House Resolution 3 on Monday and created the bipartisan special committee that unanimously voted Thursday afternoon to move the resolution to the full House.
The House suspended certain legislative process rules to allow lawmakers to vote on the resolution immediately.
"The facts are clear that Mr. Nearman unapologetically coordinated and planned a breach of the Oregon State Capitol," Kotek said in a statement after the vote. "His actions were blatant and deliberate, and he has shown no remorse for jeopardizing the safety of every person in the Capitol that day.
Republicans had stayed mostly silent on Nearman's actions until the past week, after a video surfaced that showed Nearman suggesting to a crowd days before the riot that if demonstrators texted him he might let them into the Capitol.
The other 22 members of the House Republican caucus called on Nearman to resign from the Legislature through a letter on Monday.
"It is our belief as friends and colleagues that it is in the best interest of your caucus, your family, yourself, and the state of Oregon for you to step down from office," the letter read, in part.
Democrats have been calling for Nearman's resignation or expulsion for months, with many redoubling those calls in the wake of the video becoming widely known.
Nearman also faces criminal charges stemming from the incident. He was arraigned May 11. They are misdemeanors but do carry possible jail time.
Before the second video was discovered a nonpartisan legislative investigation concluded that Nearman "more likely than not" let demonstrators into the building on purpose.
That investigation relied largely on video evidence from security cameras at the Capitol.
A still from a security camera showing Rep. Mike Nearman opening an exterior door, which allowed (~ 50) rioters access to the Oregon State Capitol building on Dec. 21, 2020.....
Oregon serves as a model for ultimately doing the right thing. Hopefully, it will motivate Congress to also take proper action to it's members who have supported the insurrection and inhibited investigation.