The Oregon House of Representatives is poised to expel one of it's members. House Speaker Tina Kotek (D-Portland), failing to get Representative Mike Nearman to resign his seat, has introduced HR 3 which would expel Representative Nearman from the Legislature.

Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Oregon:

That we, the members of the House of Representatives of the Eighty-first Legislative Assembly, find that Representative Mike Nearman has engaged in disorderly behavior within the meaning of Article IV, section 15, of the Oregon Constitution, and be it further

Resolved, That, with the concurrence of two-thirds of the members of the House of Representatives, Representative Nearman be expelled from the House of Representatives and that Representative Nearman’s seat be considered vacant.

Speaker Kotek introduced the resolution to expel Nearman in a surprise move just two days before he was scheduled to appear before the House Committee on Conduct. That meeting has since been cancelled. Insiders are speculating that for some reason, Speaker Kotek and her fellow Democrats were afraid to let that process go forward, and chose instead just to bring an expulsion measure to the floor. The expulsion vote requires a 2/3 majority, so at least three Republicans were needed to vote to expel.

A special committee has been created to have a hearing on HR 3, The House Special Committee On December 21, 2020. The resolution will be heard Thursday afternoon at 3:00pm. For those wishing to submit testimony, a link has been provided on the Legislative website. The committee will also be taking live, virtual testimony from the public.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2021-06-08 07:36:39

Last Update: 2021-06-08 20:02:49