[[{“value”:”Ten Democratic state senators who staged a six-week walkout over abortion, transgender treatment, and gun rights were barred from running for reelection, according to an Oregon Supreme Court ruling.
According to the Associated Press, the great court upheld the secretary of state’s decision to “disqualify the senators from the ballot under a voter-approved measure aimed at stopping for boycotts.”
A proposal to amend the state constitution prohibiting lawmakers from running for reelection if they miss more than 10 consecutive terms was approved by voters.
The great court rules that Oregon GOP state senators who staged walkouts over abortion cannot run for reelection. http://t.co/SoNW8mAT7n
— John Solomon on February 1, 2024 ( @jsolomonReports )
Reporting from The Associated Press:
The longest state boycott in history last year lasted six weeks, paralyzing the parliamentary session and delaying hundreds of bills.
Sens. Five lawmakers filed lawsuits in response to the secretary of state’s decision. Tim Knopp, Lynn Findley, Dennis Linthicum, Suzanne Weber, and Daniel Bonham. They were one of the ten Republican senators who had fewer than 10 absences.
The minority leader of the chamber, Knopp, stated,” We certainly disagree with the Supreme Court’s decision.” However, more importantly, we are seriously troubled by the chilling effect this decision will have on stifling dissent.
The grammar and syntax of the language that was added to the state constitution after Measure 113 was approved by voters were contested during oral arguments before the Oregon Supreme Court in December by senators and state attorneys.
A lawmaker is never permitted to run” for the term following the election after the member’s present term is completed,” according to the amendment.
Simply in: Ten Republican state senators were barred from reelection in 2024 and 2026 by the Oregon Supreme Court because they left office to prevent legislation from passing. pic. twitter.com/5sTUPrfFOR
— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1 ) on February 1, 2024
Ten Republican state senators were barred from running for reelection by the Oregon Supreme Court next year after refusing to attend Senate sessions for roughly six weeks in an effort to stall Democratic-backed legislation. https ://t.co/s5RU99Ojsy picture MuolbHBwHE/twitter.com
February 1, 2024, The Hill ( @thehill )
The Hill claims that 12 out of every 30 seats in Oregon’s state Senate are held by Republicans.
The parliamentary body was unable to convene a quorum and conduct votes after the GOP state senators left.
According to the outlet,” the excluded lawmakers demanded congressional concessions in exchange for their return.”
From The Hill, more:
A lawmaker is not permitted to run” for the term following the election after the member’s present term is completed,” according to the constitutional amendment. The secretary of state and finally the state Supreme Court disagreed with the lawmakers ‘ argument that doing so would allow them to run again because the election is held before the end of their terms.
Following related GOP walkouts in 2019, 2020, and 2021, the ballot referendum was passed by a sizable margin.”}]] [[{“value”:”
The Oregon Supreme Court has ruled that 10 Republican senators who staged an eight-week walkout in protest of abortion, transgender treatment, and gun rights, are not eligible to run for reelection.
According to the Associated Press, the high court upheld Secretary of State’s decision “to disqualify senators from voting under a measure approved by voters aimed at ending such boycotts.”
Voters approved a proposal to amend the state constitution, which would prevent legislators from being reelected if they had more than 10 unexcused absents.
Oregon GOP state senators who staged walkout over abortion can’t run for reelection, high court says https://t.co/SoNW8mAT7n
John Solomon (@jsolomonReports), February 1, 2024
The Associated Press reports
The boycott last year lasted six full weeks, the longest in the history of the state. It paralyzed the session and stalled hundreds of bills.
Five senators sued the secretary of State over her decision. Tim Knopp, Daniel Bonham Suzanne Weber Dennis Linthicum Lynn Findley. They were among 10 GOP senators that had more than 10 absences.
Knopp, minority leader of the chamber, said: “We clearly disagree with the Supreme Court ruling.” “But we are more concerned about the chilling effect this decision will have on dissent,” said Knopp, the minority leader of the chamber.
During the oral arguments before Oregon Supreme Court, in December, attorneys representing the senators and state argued over the grammar and syntactic of the language added to the state Constitution after Measure 113 had been approved by the voters.
The amendment states that a member of parliament is not allowed “to run for the term following an election after their current term has ended.”
Just in: The Oregon Supreme Court blocked 10 Republican State Senates from running for re-election in the years 2024 and 2026 because they walked out to stop bills from being passed. pic.twitter.com/5sTUPrfFOR
The Calvin Coolidge project (@TheCalvinCooli1), February 1, 2024
The Oregon Supreme Court has ruled that ten Republican state senators are not eligible to run for re-election. They refused to attend Senate meetings for six weeks last year out of protest in an effort to stall Democratic bills. https://t.co/s5RU99Ojsy pic.twitter.com/MuolbHBwHE
The Hill (@thehill), February 1, 2024
According to The Hill’s report, Republicans control 12 of the 30 seats in Oregon’s state Senate.
The legislative body was unable to reach a quorum when the GOP state senators left.
The outlet reported that “the absent lawmakers demanded legislative compromises in return for their return.”
More from The Hill
The constitutional amendment states that a member of the legislature is not allowed to run for the next term after their current term has ended. The lawmakers argued this would allow them to run again as the election was held before the end date of their term. The secretary of state, and ultimately the Supreme Court of the state disagreed.
The ballot referendum was passed with a large margin following similar GOP walkouts that took place in 2019, 2020, and 2021.
“}]]
