An Oregon state legislator is facing allegations of helping supporters of President Donald Trump storm the state Capitol building during a violent December protest.
Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, said on Thursday that state Rep. Mike Nearman, R-Independence, is under criminal investigation by the Oregon State Police for allegedly allowing protesters to break into the building while it was closed to the general public amid the pandemic.
Nearman, elected to the legislature in 2014, is known for sponsoring a number of bills restricting abortion, suing Gov. Kate Brown for her pandemic restrictions, and participating in two Republican walkout protests in the legislature.
The Freedom Foundation of Oregon, a free-market think tank, named Nearman as its director in 2019.
He serves as the Polk County Republican Central Committee Chair and was a member of Oregonians for Immigration Reform (OFIR), a group the Southern Poverty Law Center lists as a “hate group” for its hostility towards undocumented immigrants.
Nearman could not be reached on Thursday for comment on the allegations.
Kotek said state lawmakers intend to address Nearman’s alleged actions in some fashion before the state police’s investigation is concluded.
The December 21 protest saw hundreds of pro-Trump protesters attempt to break into the building while state lawmakers were gathered in the building for a special session to pass housing and pandemic relief.
“This was a serious, serious breach of public trust,” Kotek said. “His actions put staff and legislators and law enforcement in danger.”
Joey Gibson, the leader of the far-right Patriot Prayer group, said on Thursday in a video on his Parler account that he and other Trump supporters on December 21 were let into the building by an unnamed “Oregon state rep.”
Several officers defending the building were maced by members of the crowd gathered at a Capitol entryway and two journalists were assaulted at the scene.
Two Trump supporters were able to breach the building’s northwest antechamber and were arrested after refusing to leave.
Six men alleged to have participated in the protest have since been taken into custody on charges ranging from harassment to assaulting a peace officer.
Oregon State Police are looking for a seventh suspect accused of using smoke devices outside the Capitol building that day.
Kotek said on Thursday that the legislature plans on adopting a number of new safety measures such as alert systems, additional onsite security, and evacuation routes for lawmakers.
Going into 2021, the legislature is still on track to meet in person for critical floor business, Kotek said. However, committee work and other day to day legislative business will be conducted online as much as possible.
Another violent pro-Trump protest at the state Capitol in Salem on Wednesday highlighted what Kotek described as “the need to be very clear about how we keep people safe and still do the people’s business.”
Newly elected lawmakers will be sworn in at the state Capitol building on Monday prior to the legislature’s reconvening for its next regularly session on January 19.
Social distancing and face mask usage will be required in the Capitol building as was the case in 2020.
Marion County is one of 23 Oregon counties to be regarded as being at “Extreme Risk” for COVID-19 transmission according to the Oregon Health Authority.
The legislature plans on holding daily floor sessions in April at the earliest as the pandemic permits.
Kotek and Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, took time on Thursday to address the violent occupation of Congress in Washington, D.C. by supporters of President Trump.
The speaker described Wednesday as a “disgraceful, tragic day” that saw an “attempted coup” of the U.S. government.
Courtney’s remarks assumed a similarly dire tone, saying that continued political violence threatens the country’s very democratic process and institutions.
“If you’re going to tear those down, what follows is anarchy followed by a brutal dictator,” Courtney said. “I don’t have a nice, cute answer for you.”
Oregon House Minority Leader Christine Drazan, R-Canby, shared her colleagues’ grim sentiments about the violent events in D.C.
“Violence and destruction of public property is not peaceful protest,” Drazan tweeted. “We are a country of laws and they must be upheld.”
Drazan’s remarks stand in contrast to her comments that Black Lives Matter and left-wing protesters be “prosecuted to the furthest extent of the law.”
Salem has seen mounting political unrest over the past few weeks as the nation approaches President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on January 20.
A protest against health restrictions at Oregon Gov. Kate Brown’s residence on New Year’s Day saw Trump supporters and members of the far-right Proud Boys group harass a Black business owner and local police.
Trump lost Salem’s home of Marion County by 1,870 votes to Biden in November after winning it by 5,589 votes in 2016 against Hillary Clinton.
Oregon State Police said on Wednesday they are seeking tips from the public on growing rumors of “armed groups” seeking to occupy state capitals around the country.
Another protest is anticipated at a South Salem WinCo on Saturday in response to the state’s face mask rules.
