Brian Boquist

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In June 2019, as part of a quorum-busting effort, Boquist and 11 other Republican Senators walked out of a vote on a cap and trade resolution to reduce carbon emissions that cause climate change. Because the Oregon Constitution, requires a quorum of two-thirds of senators (i.e., 20 senators) to be present to transact business, the remaining 18 senators could not meet. [11] Some of the dozen Republican senators who left the Oregon State Capitol claimed to have left the state.

The previous day, Oregon governor Kate Brown, on learning of the upcoming walkout, said she was going to send the State Police to round up state legislators who failed to attend (the Oregon Constitution allows police to detain recusant Senators). [12] [13]

On June 19, 2019, in a floor speech immediately before Republicans left the state, Boquist told Peter Courtney, the Senate's Democratic president, "If you send the State Police to get me, hell is coming to visit you personally." [14] [15] The next day, Boquist a local television news crew that he had told the state police superintendent, "Send bachelors and come heavily armed. I'm not going to be a political prisoner in the state of Oregon." [16] Although several Republican state senators returned to the Senate chamber on June 29, 2019, leading to the cap and trade bill being sent back to committee, while other bills were passed, Boquist was absent, as he was asked not to return due to other state senators feeling unsafe from his previous comments. [17] [18] He returned to the Capitol after a nine-day walkout. [19]

The threat of violence prompted the state Senate's Special Committee on Conduct to hold a hearing on Boquist's comment. [14] Boquist subsequently apologized to Courtney for his remark, but did not retract his statements. [15] The legislature's outside attorney responsible for handling workplace issues within the legislature determined that Boquist's statements violated the legislature's rule banning workplace harassment, and constituted "credible threats of violence directed at the senate president and Oregon state police." [15] In July 2019, the four-member committee (which is equally split between Democrats and Republicans), chaired by Floyd Prozanski, opted against temporarily barring Boquist from the Capitol, but unanimously voted to require him to give 12 hours' advance notice to the secretary of the senate before coming to the Capitol, giving officials more time to arrange for additional state troopers to provide security. [15] [20]

Boquist sued Courtney, Prozanski, and others over the "12-hour rule" imposed on him, alleging that the discipline violated his First Amendment rights and retaliated against him for constitutionally protected speech. [20] [21] A federal district court dismissed the case, but in April 2022 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit allowed his suit to proceed. [21] Boquist missed every day of the 2022 legislative session, citing health reasons. [20] In November 2022, the Special Committee on Conduct, in a 3–1 vote, lifted the safety restrictions against Boquist. [20]

2023 unexcused absences

In May 2023, Boquist and two Senate Republicans (Dennis Linthicum and Daniel Bonham) orchestrated rolling walkouts to deprive the Senate of a two-thirds quorum, blocking the body from passing legislation. Boquist and other frequent absentees were disqualified from reelection for accumulating 10 unexcused absences during the legislative session. The disqualification was automatic under Ballot Measure 113, which passed the year before. [22] After a challenge from five Republican Senators the measure was unanimously upheld by the Oregon Supreme Court on February 1, 2024, confirming Boquist's disqualification after his current term ends in January 2025. [23]

2024 run for State Treasurer

On March 12, 2024, Boquist announced his candidacy for state treasurer in the 2024 election, running as a Republican. [3] He was unopposed in the Republican primary and will face Democratic state Senator Elizabeth Steiner in the general election. [24]

Personal life

Boquist and his wife Peggy have six adult children and live near Dallas, Oregon. Their son Sethan Charles Sprague committed suicide in 2016 at age 31. [25]

Electoral history

Brian Boquist
Brian Boquist.jpg
Member of the Oregon Senate
from the 12th district
Assumed office
January 2009
2004 Oregon State Representative, 23rd district [26]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Brian Boquist 17,390 61.0
Democratic Dick Reynolds9,94634.9
Libertarian Paul Delaney1,0873.8
Write-in 730.3
Total votes28,496 100%
2006 Oregon State Representative, 23rd district [27]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Brian Boquist 13,422 58.0
Democratic Jason Brown8,76037.8
Libertarian Paul Delaney9424.1
Write-in 270.1
Total votes23,151 100%
2008 Oregon State Senator, 12th district [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Brian J Boquist 33,264 60.6
Democratic Kevin C Nortness21,48039.1
Write-in 1300.2
Total votes54,874 100%
2012 Oregon State Senator, 12th district [29]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Brian J Boquist 34,038 60.0
Democratic Annette Frank22,53539.8
Write-in 1170.2
Total votes56,690 100%
2016 Oregon State Senator, 12th district [30]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Brian J Boquist 39,908 62.9
Democratic Ross Swartzendruber23,44136.9
Write-in 1370.2
Total votes63,486 100%
2020 Oregon State Senator, 12th district [31]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Brian J Boquist 45,391 58.3
Democratic Bernadette Hansen32,38941.6
Write-in 1150.1
Total votes77,895 100%

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Senate senatorsIndependents". www.oregonlegislature.gov. Archived from the original on January 15, 2021. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Senator Brian Boquist has left GOP, is now a member of the Independent Party of Oregon". The Oregon Catalyst. January 15, 2021. Archived from the original on May 19, 2023. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  3. 1 2 Baumhardt, Alex (March 12, 2024). "Republican Sen. Brian Boquist, barred from running for Senate, seeks state treasurer job". Oregon Capital Chronicle. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Representative Brian Boquist". Oregon State Legislature. Archived from the original on June 11, 2011. Retrieved September 25, 2008.
  5. 1 2 Hortsch, Dan (February 28, 2008). "5th district primary a fight to stand out". The Oregonian .
  6. ↑ "November 7, 2000 General Election: U.S. Representative". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on April 6, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2008.
  7. ↑ "November 5, 2002 General Election: U.S. Representative". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on August 22, 2019. Retrieved September 29, 2008.
  8. ↑ Henderson, Tom (October 17, 2016). "Swartzendruber seeking to oust Boquist". Yamhill Valley News-Register . Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Official Results May 18, 2004 Primary Election: State Representative". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on August 21, 2019. Retrieved September 29, 2008.
  10. ↑ "Official Results November 2, 2004 General Election: State Representative". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on August 21, 2019. Retrieved September 29, 2008.
  11. ↑ Bulletin, Gary A. Warner. "GOP senators appear to end carbon-cap walkout". The Bulletin. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  12. ↑ Cagle, Susie (June 20, 2019). "Oregon's Republican senators flee capitol to delay vote on emissions reduction plan". The Guardian . Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  13. ↑ Zimmerman, Sarah (June 20, 2019). "Oregon gov. sends police after GOP senators who fled Capitol". The Register-Guard . The Associated Press. Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  14. 1 2 Dobuzinskis, Alex (July 5, 2019). "Oregon state senator faces hearing on 'heavily armed' comment". Reuters . Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Borrud, Hillary (July 8, 2023). "Oregon senator who threatened state police must give notice before returning to the Capitol". The Oregonian . Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  16. ↑ Hillary Borrud (June 20, 2019). "Oregon Republican senator threatens state troopers, warns them to 'come heavily armed'". Oregonian/OregonLive. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  17. ↑ Selsky, Andrew; Zimmerman, Sarah. "Oregon Republican senators end walkout over carbon bill". Associated Press . Archived from the original on June 30, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  18. ↑ Radnovich, Connor (June 30, 2019). "Oregon Republican senators end walkout, but legislature remains dogged by controversy". Salem Statesman Journal . Archived from the original on July 1, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  19. ↑ "Senate sees highs, lows and a lot of bills as it comes down the homestretch". Malheur Enterprise . Salem, Oregon. June 30, 2019. Archived from the original on May 5, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  20. 1 2 3 4 Shumway, Julia (November 28, 2022). "Oregon Senate lifts safety restrictions on senator who threatened state police in 2019". Oregon Capital Chronicle. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  21. 1 2 "Boquist v. Courtney, 32 F. 4th 764 - Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit 2022". scholar.google.com. United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. April 21, 2022. Archived from the original on October 31, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  22. ↑ Selsky, Andrew (May 15, 2023). "Extended boycott disqualifies 2 GOP senators, 1 independent in Oregon Senate from being reelected". Associated Press. Archived from the original on May 22, 2023. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
  23. ↑ Shumway, Julia (February 1, 2024). "Oregon Supreme Court bars Republican senators who participated in walkout from reelection". Oregon Capital Chronicle. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  24. ↑ Plante, Aimee (May 21, 2024). "Democrat Steiner wins primary, Republican Boquist runs uncontested for Treasurer". KOIN. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  25. ↑ Theriault, Denis C. (February 16, 2016). "Oregon Senate meets in silence to mourn death of lawmaker's son". The Oregonian . Archived from the original on April 29, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
  26. ↑ "Official Results | November 2, 2004". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on September 10, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Official Results | November 7, 2006". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on September 10, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  28. ↑ "Official Results | November 4, 2008". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on September 10, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Official Results | November 6, 2012". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  30. ↑ "November 8, 2016, General Election Abstract of Votes". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  31. ↑ "November 3, 2020, General Election Abstract of Votes" (PDF). Oregon Secretary of State. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 12, 2022. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
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