In Oregon, state lawmakers are entering day six of a standoff after 11 Republican senators fled the state Capitol last week to avoid voting on a landmark climate change bill. Some are believed to be hiding out in Idaho. In an unbelievable turn of events, threats of violence from right-wing militias supporting the rogue GOP legislators then led the remaining lawmakers to shut down the state Capitol in Salem over the weekend. Oregon Democratic Governor Kate Brown sent out the state police to track down the senators last week. She said Monday she won’t negotiate with the lawmakers until they return to the Capitol.
The climate bill aims to decrease emissions by implementing a statewide cap-and-trade model. Without at least two of the rogue Republican senators present, Oregon Democrats—who control the state Senate and House of Representatives—don’t have the necessary quorum to vote on the legislation. We’ll have more on this later in the broadcast with Oregon Democratic state representative and co-sponsor of the bill, Karin Power.