Some special activities went on in the recent special session in the Oregon legislature. State Senator Dallas Heard, R-Roseburg, was escorted out of the chamber at the end of Monday’s special legislative session after Senate President Peter Courtney deemed his colleague was out of order and in violation of rules for refusing to wear a mask. Heard comments, “the Democratic party has essentially, in my opinion, executed a hostile government takeover of our government.”
Oregon’s indoor mask mandate and Senate rules require anyone in the Senate chamber to wear a mask. Every other senator, staff member and journalist in attendance wore a mask in the chamber throughout the day. Heard attended earlier floor sessions Monday while seated in the upper gallery area.
“I must tell you this is something that makes me sad, very sad Dallas,” Courtney said when Heard refused to put on a mask or leave the chamber. “Assuming the mask mandate still exists during (the next legislative session), we will have to move against individuals who don’t wear a mask and have them expelled to the extent we can.”
Heard removed his mask during a December 2020 special session, as well. He commented, “They may be the elected majority party, but the radical left is who is in control of our entire state at this point. They’ve liquified everyone’s rights. Even those that support what they do, don’t seem to realize their rights as human beings have just completely been thrown in the trash can if you continue to go along with Governor Kate Brown, House Speaker Tina Kotek, Senate President Peter Courtney, state senator and secretary of state-elect Shemia Fagan, all those types of folks. It’s just a very radical bunch.”
He continued, “The people of Senate District 1 elected me to represent them on this floor at this desk, so, no, I will not leave.”
Courtney continued with the sine die vote, which passed unanimously; and after the vote, Courtney formally expelled Heard from the floor, finding him in violation of Senate rules and Oregon statute. Courtney asked the Sergeant at Arms to escort Heard out of the chamber. She and the Secretary of the Senate approached Heard at his desk, and after a short conversation, led him out of the chamber. The session ended moments later.
