Ten Republican state senators have been prohibited from running for re-election by the Supreme Court of Oregon. According to Fox News, the court’s members accused these GOP lawmakers of violating state regulations, which led to their disqualification.
It is worth noting that the court is predominantly composed of judges with leftist leanings. The judges’ decision, as will be illustrated, aligns with a ruling made by Oregon’s secretary of state, LaVonne Griffin-Valade, who is affiliated with the Democratic party. This case pertains to the six-week boycott that occurred in early 2023.
“GOP lawmakers still purposefully missed scheduled floor votes in an attempt to halt legislation,” the Oregon Statesman Journal reported.
“Work stalled for six weeks, the longest walkout in state history.”
The outlet noted:
“Republican leadership first told reporters absent lawmakers were protesting the violation of an obscure 1979 law requiring bill summaries be written clearly and at an eighth or ninth-grade reading level.
“Still, as the walkout continued, the motivation became clearer as Republicans protested various bills related to, among other things, abortion, gender-affirming care, and firearm regulation.”
In 2022, the Oregon legislature passed Measure 113, which prohibits walkouts like the one currently being discussed. This measure states that any lawmaker with 10 or more unexcused absences cannot hold legislative office for the term following the election after their current term is completed.
During the 2023 legislative session, it was found that 10 Oregon state senators, all of whom were Republicans, had more than 10 unexcused absences. As a result, these 10 lawmakers were disqualified from holding office under Measure 113. In response, the Republicans took the matter to the courts, seeking a different outcome.
However, the Oregon Supreme Court has recently upheld Griffin-Valade’s ruling, which means that these 10 Republican state senators are now prevented from seeking re-election. This ruling poses a significant challenge for the state Republicans, as these 10 individuals make up the majority of the state’s Republican state senators, according to the New York Times. In fact, they represent one-third of Oregon’s entire senate. The Oregon Senate Republican Caucus has expressed their dissatisfaction with the Oregon Supreme Court’s decision, releasing a statement criticizing the ruling.
