January 13, 2021

We Call on the Leaders of the Oregon Legislature to Hold Rep. Mike Nearman Accountable for His Actions Aiding Far-Right Extremists in Their Attack on the Oregon Capitol Building on December 21, 2020 by Expelling Him from Office Per the Oregon Constitution

Rep. Nearman has been exposed for secretly holding a door open for the rioters that invaded and ransacked Oregon’s Capitol Building on December 21, 2020. Inside, legislators, planning further mitigations to control the COVID-19 pandemic in the state, were threatened by the invasion.

The rioters, brandishing long guns, pitchforks and Trump flags, repeatedly assaulted the law enforcement officers attempting to protect legislators. It was a day of violence and extremism, a foreshadowing of the now infamous violent mob assault against our nation’s Capitol on January 6th.

As Oregonians, we trust our elected officials to act with integrity on behalf of the people they represent. When they aid in the disruption of the democratic process, it is a violation of that trust. By letting violent demonstrators into the Capitol Building, Representative Nearman jeopardized the safety of his colleagues, Oregon State Police, and others while emboldening those who support white nationalism and other anti-democratic movements.

With his alleged actions, Rep. Nearman joins the ranks of other seditious elected officials who sought to undermine our democracy on January 6th.

We are living through an era of emboldened extremism and increasing paramilitarism and, if left unchecked, it will lead to political violence for years to come. Safeguarding our democracy will take a concerted effort by elected leaders to reject organized bigotry and anti-democratic movements.

Defending democracy includes standing up to bad actors like Rep. Nearman. Article IV, Section 15 of the Oregon Constitution says, “Either house may punish its members for disorderly behavior, and may with the concurrence of two thirds, expel a member.” We encourage you to use this power and expel Rep. Nearman.

Rep. Nearman’s actions to support the rioters represents a continuation of his support of extremist causes. Nearman works as a senior fellow with the “Freedom" Foundation, an organization with ties to white supremacists and anti-LGBTQ organizations. Recently, the "Freedom" Foundation has become a COVID denialist organization, frivolously suing the State of Oregon over public health measures while spreading misinformation about the virus. Nearman has also been on the board of directors of a hate group classified by the Southern Poverty Law Center as “the most prominent anti-immigrant group in [Oregon].”

This is a time of reckoning for our nation, and for our great state. Elected leaders: we are relying on you to protect our democracy through these difficult times.

Eric K. Ward, Executive Director, Western States Center

Peter Starzynski, Executive Director, Northwest Accountability Project

Marchel Hirschfield, Political Director, APANO

Taryn Bazurto, Chair, Benton County Democrats

Isa Peña, Executive Director, Causa Oregon

Marcus C. Mundy, Coalition of Communities of Color

Mary Chaffin, Act for Democracy, Consolidated Oregon Indivisible Network

Nancy Haque, Executive Director, Basic Rights Oregon

KC Hanson, Chair, Democratic Party of Oregon

Eric C. Richardson, Executive Director, Eugene/Springfield NAACP

Heather Stuart, Fair Shot For All Coalition

Family Forward Oregon

Forward Together Action

Carina Perez Europa, Chair, Marion County Democrats

Christel Allen, Executive Director, NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon

Samantha Gladu, Executive Director, Next Up & Next Up Action Fund

Graham Trainor, President, Oregon AFL-CIO

Trent Lutz, Oregon Education Association

Susannah Morgan, CEO, Oregon Food Bank

Ana del Rocío, Oregon Futures Lab

Judy Margles, Director, Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education

Joel Iboa, Oregon Just Transition Alliance

Doug Moore, Executive Director, Oregon League of Conservation Voters

Kell Campbell, Executive Director, Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility

Deborah Riddick, GR Director, Oregon Nurses Association

Andrew Rogers, Executive Director, Oregon Student Association

Sean Stevens, Executive Director, Oregon Wild

Danita Harris, OWFP State Director, Oregon Working Families Party

Becca Uherbelau, Executive Director, Our Oregon

Reyna Lopez, Executive Director, PCUN

An Do, Interim Executive Director, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon

Portland Jobs With Justice

Brad Reed, Campaign Manager, Renew Oregon

Jess Campbell, Executive Director, Rural Organizing Project

Salem City Councilor - Ward 2 Tom Andersen

Salem City Councilor - Ward 6 Chris Hoy

Salem City Councilor - Ward 7 Vanessa Nordyke

Salem City Councilor - Ward 3 Trevor Phillips

Meg Niemi, President, SEIU Local 49

Melissa Unger, Executive Director, SEIU Local 503

Springfield-Eugene Chapter, Showing Up for Racial Justice

Dan Clay, UFCW Local 555

Ricardo Moreno, Interim Executive Director, Verde

Roger Worthington, Worthy Brewing Co.

Yamhill County Commissioner Casey Kulla

Omar Sandoval, Chair, Yamhill County Democrats

This letter is sponsored by Western States Center, a 501 c3 organization, and is intended for c3 permissible use.