Oregon capitol building Senate GOP Boycott
The nation's ugliest capitol building in Salem, Oregon. (AP Photo/Andrew Selsky, File)

Oregon’s Republican Senate minority leader declined to join his fellow party members in a walkout over gun control legislation last month. His presence in the Senate (along with five of his closest GOP friends) allowed the body to reach a quorum of at least 20 members and bring legislation banning firearms in the capitol up for a vote…which, in the Democrat dominated Senate, passed easily.

Girod’s capitulation has riled up some of the deplorables who don’t happen to live in Portland or Salem. One of them has announced a recall campaign to yank Girod from his Senate seat. The effort needs to collect just under 9,000 signatures by July 6.

Here’s a report from the Associated Press . . .

Oregon state Senate Minority Leader Fred Girod faces a recall effort because he was among GOP lawmakers who allowed the chamber to reach a quorum last month while it debated whether to ban firearms in state buildings.

Oregon Public Broadcating reports that Girod and five fellow Republicans were on hand March 25, ensuring the chamber had the minimum 20 members present required to take up business. Republicans in the state Senate have previously skipped floor sessions en masse to thwart legislation favored by majority Democrats.

The gun bill passed over GOP objections.

On Monday, a Molalla resident named LaVaedra Newton filed a prospective petition to bounce Girod from the Senate seat he’s held since 2008. Newton and others say Girod abdicated his duty by not blocking the gun bill.

To successfully force a recall election, Newton will need to collect at least 8,922 valid signatures from voters in Girod’s district by July 6.

In recent years, recall petitions against two state legislators — former Democratic state Rep. Tiffiny Mitchell of Astoria and Republican state Sen. Chuck Thomsen of Hood River — have come up short. So have five petitions to recall Gov. Kate Brown.

Girod on Tuesday said he was not worried about bucking the trend.

“I just stood for election — in a three way race I got 67 percent,” he said. “If they want to spend a bunch of money trying to take me out, they’re welcome to do it. I don’t think they’ll be successful.”

Rather than focus on the recall, Girod said he would work on getting relief to his fire-ravaged district, passing a new two-year budget and steering billions of dollars in new federal aid.

21 COMMENTS

  1. Better he showed his colors sooner than later…He needs to resign for catering to Gun Control just as he would need to resign for catering to slavery, segregation, lynching, Jim Crow, the KKK, Eugenics and other race based atrocities attributed to the democRat Party. Either he is a self server or another history illiterate in a position he has no business being in.

  2. Fred Girod is a squishy, slimy little limpwristed butthole kisser.

    He likes having his tongue in there.
    He is typical of a large group of wimpy rinos.

    The French people, during their revolution in the 1790s, knew how to properly handle their backstabbing politicians…

  3. OREGONE republicans are almost always R I N O S. The only reason that they claim to be G O P is because the Democrats in office now have been intrenched for 30yrs or more. That’s the only reason they ran under The G oP banner, just to get into office.
    Notice how they ALWAYS cave to the Democrats wishes. But Oregonians think there trendsetters, NOT… everybody I know of that retires in this shithole leaves immediately after retirement.

  4. He’s also following the Dem playbook: Pork over principles.

    “Girod said he would work on getting relief to his fire-ravaged district, passing a new two-year budget and steering billions of dollars in new federal aid.”

    He feels that he doesn’t need to worry about what his constituents care about, he can just buy their votes with all that free federal money

  5. Republicans always surrender…then they collaborate…
    Dracula’s assistant, Renfield, was unavailable for comment

  6. I live in Douglas County, Oregon, and my Senator was one of six that did not go to the floor for that vote. Fred Gerod sent emails out for a month asking for money and touting how they were going to stand up for gun owners rights. I foolishly believed him. Fool me once shame on him, fool me twice shame on me. We did pass a measure to be a 2A Sanctuary County and the Sheriff is totally supportive of the 2A.

  7. If he won’t support his party on something so critical as this, then he isn’t worth a damn to anyone! Yank his ass out and send him packing!

  8. I look forward to a Tim Knopp recall petition, let all the RINOs go the way of Bob Tiernan

  9. The people up that canyon that lost their homes to the fire, are the same people that treasure their gun rights…..so…..nice try Fred, you self-interested coward.

  10. No pun intended, but let’s add some fuel to the fire. The same idiot progressives that condemned Fred Girod for advocating against ridiculous climate change policies, are the exact ones that laughed when his property burned in the fire. Vote or no vote, Fred’s house would’ve burned. But to mock him…..is far beyond disgusting. But then……as I said before…..he abandons his constituents on concealed carry legislation…..super foolish. I grew up in the Canyon, and I can tell you first hand, that his move to justify his move to roll with progressive gun control, is not only counter to what his constituency believes, but is also self serving in the fact that he lost his stuff in the fire. The excuse that fire relief is his priority is so disingenuous it makes me sick. Lots and lots of good people lost their homes up there. And they deserve the federal govt help because the fed govt has mismanaged forests……but for Fred to get queasy because HE lost something….and was willing to fold on the proud, humble rights of the people of Mehama, Lyons, and Detroit……….he deserves to go. These people have lost enough, Fred.

  11. The article states there were 6 Republicrats who allowed the quorum, so why not attempt to recall all of them? Once again, and especially in states like OR, the people get the government they deserve. Too bad it spills over onto the rest of us.

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