In yet another sign the office of Secretary of State is being politicized by Secretary of State Shemia Fagan (D-Portland), the Audits Division has released an advisory report breathlessly entitled Oregon Can Do More to Mitigate the Alarming Risk of Domestic Terrorism and Violent Extremist Attacks

Though the announcement of the report says that "over the past decade, Oregon witnessed the sixth-highest number of domestic violent extremism incidents in the nation," the report contains a timeline of events that have nothing to do with Oregon, including the standoff at Ruby Ridge, the Oklahoma City Federal Building bombing, and a shooting in a Black church in Charleston, South Carolina in which nine people are killed.

“Oregon must be an inclusive place where everyone is and feels safe.” said Secretary of State Shemia Fagan. “The rise in domestic terrorism is an immediate threat to Oregonians and we cannot simply wait for the next incident to occur. We can and must take immediate steps to prevent individuals at risk from being radicalized and becoming violent.”

In a comical cover-up, the report describes the BLM and Antifa violence that raged in Portland as "Portland saw a high number of protests during the summer months of 2020. During one clash between ideologically opposed groups, a far-left extremist shot and killed a member of the opposing group," as if the violence was driven by both left and right wing extremists.

The report accounted the entry into the Oregon Capitol during the 2021 session. It said, "Far-right protesters breach the Oregon State Capitol. Multiple people are arrested, and a state legislator later found to have let them in is expelled from office." That legislator, Mike Nearman responded, saying "People entering a public building during a legislative session is hardly on par with trapping police officers in a building and attempting to set the building on fire, as Antifa did in Portland in 2020." He continued, "We have so many problems in Oregon. Right wing domestic Terrorism doesn't seem to be at the top of the list."

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

The report claims that Oregon is one of only 16 states that does not have any legislation defining or criminalizing domestic terrorism or domestic violent extremism at the state level.

The report calls out what it claims is the impact of the "escalation in violence," saying "Ultimately, Oregonians continue to be at risk from the trauma caused by these incidents, which can have lingering effects and may have a greater impact on communities already suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic or racial injustice. This continued trauma can impede the ability of individuals and communities to succeed, thrive, and enjoy their economic, social, and cultural rights."

The report even admits that it falls short of what is expected from the Audits Division, saying "While today’s report is not technically an audit under government auditing standards, it has undergone the same quality assurance process as an audit from the Oregon Audits Division. Issuing an advisory report allowed for a timelier project to recognize the impact on state agencies and other involved entities as other emergency events were being addressed." For some, such a report is nothing more than a taxpayer funded political operation.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-03-30 18:49:01

Last Update: 2022-03-30 20:39:26