Oregon GOP official twitter account has been mocking Democrats as Republican senators have been escaping a legislative session in order to sabotage a climate bill. Police were ordered to bring in rebel lawmakers amid protests.
The bizarre political drama in the Beaver state centers around House Bill 2020 that will reduce fossil fuel emissions by 2050. Democrats hold a 18-12 majority in the state Senate, but they need 20 people for a quorum to pass the legislation. And eleven republicans went into hiding on Thursday thus disrupting every session since then.
While the state police are searching for senators at the request of the governor, the official GOP twitter has been provoking a heated online row.
“Heavily armed militia lays siege to Oregon's Capitol as Senate Democrats cower in fear,” read the viral message.
The tweet came out after Oregon State Senate closed Saturday citing a “possible militia threat.” Several local militia groups including the Oregon Three Percenters who were involved in an armed takeover of a wildlife refuge in 2016 pledged their support to local lawmakers.
It’s unclear if it was intentionally or not, but the photo accompanying the tweet was from Wednesday’s protest after the House passed the bill. Truckers, loggers and other opponents of the legislation insist it would devastate communities and cost jobs for the sake of ‘reckless’ environmental policies.
Please everyone be careful how you report that @Oregon-GOP tweet.
It's totally messed up.
I did an image search.
The picture isn't of a militia storming the capital over the weekend.
It's a of a normal protest from a few days ago largely composed of truckers/loggers. pic.twitter.com/PWQxK3ILCC
— Tim Dickinson (@7im) June 23, 2019
The messaged has been bashed for inciting hatred and misrepresenting the protesters.
Sad this comes from the official Oregon GOP account. But I guess we are past a time when ppl hide who they actually are. At some point some journalist will say “ both sides are to blame.” But one side shows up with guns. https://t.co/K4VnwLFsfN
— Al Letson (@Al_Letson) June 23, 2019
You are cheering violent threats against lawmakers and using phony photos of a timber industry protest. Way to go guys. Bringing glory to the GOP. pic.twitter.com/9qAkljakwD
— Helen Kennedy (@HelenKennedy) June 23, 2019
The ubiquitous congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ((D-NY)joked that this is the way Republicans deal with “Sunday Scaries” and pledged to find them a “therapist.”
#1: These are people protesting peacefully - hence their POSTERS & not FIREARMS
#2: Why do you call some who threaten violent attack a “militia” vs others “domestic terrorists?”