A screenshot of the mostly empty Oregon Senate on June 12.

Republican Senate absence

The Oregon Constitution does anticipate a remedy to compel the attendance of absent members averting a quorum. I would suggest that a civil suit be constructed against members absent without excuse on behalf of the state of Oregon alleging violation of oath of office, dereliction of duty, and disruption of Oregon legislative session, among other charges, and requesting both a judicial order for return to work, as well as damages equivalent to costs associated with conducting legislative sessions, office costs, costs associated with delayed legislation, etc., when the quorum requirement was not fulfilled. As the unfortunate quorum requirement exists, likely not anticipating walkouts for political purposes, and is difficult to negate, there must be a precedent of serious action and consequences to avoid this behavior.

— Donald Fisher, Powell Butte

Chavez-DeRemer should not be commencement speaker

You have to wonder why someone thought U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer deserves the honor of being Central Oregon Community College’s commencement speaker. This is just some of her record:

Chavez-DeRemer voted for an anti-transgender bill that would require that “sex … be recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth” for the purposes of Title IX of the Civil Rights Act. The bill passed the House.

As mayor of Happy Valley, Chavez-DeRemer opposed naming the new high school in Happy Valley after Adrienne Nelson, a Happy Valley resident and the first Black woman to serve on the Oregon Supreme Court or on Oregon’s federal bench. She claimed that naming the school after Nelson “divides our community.” The school was ultimately named after Judge Nelson.

Chavez-DeRemer said, “The Radical Left has been forcing its woke agenda into our children’s education for too long.” “Our children are being taught to hate each other based on the color of their skin, under the guise of ‘equity.” “In Congress, I will fight for a Parental Bill of Rights….” And she did. The bill passed the House.

Chavez-DeRemer opposes the Biden Administration’s loan forgiveness plan even though she received more than $1.3 million in pandemic loans that were forgiven. After she signed an amicus brief opposing Biden’s Executive Order providing student debt relief, she followed with a vote for the bill to overturn the Executive Order. The bill passed the House.

What do COCC students think? Maybe COCC should rethink its choice?

— Mary Chaffin, Sisters

System of justice is based on evidence

Some Republicans say the indictment of Donald Trump is politically motivated and therefore wrong. So, do they think prosecutors should indict only persons who share the prosecutor’s political beliefs, regardless of any evidence of criminality that may exist? This is nonsense. If there is evidence that a person committed a crime — and in Trump’s case, there appears to be substantial evidence — it would be wrong not to charge that person.

Our system of justice is based on consideration of the actual evidence, and a prosecutor’s personal beliefs are irrelevant. Trump’s allies think he should be treated differently than others who have been convicted for committing less serious acts than Trump has done. That runs counter to basic tenets of our justice system, namely that we are all to be treated equally under the law and no one is above the law. If Republicans think an exception should be made for Donald Trump, then it appears they are the ones who are politically motivated.

— Kay Stein, Bend

Get COCC commencement speaker right

If COCC President Laurie Chesley didn’t know that Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer was anti-LGBTQ when she hired her to be commencement speaker, then she was the only one in Deschutes County without this information. If she knew that Chavez-DeRemer was anti-gay and still hired her, then Chesley conveniently forgot that the state of Oregon (and her employment contract) does not allow for discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation in educational programs or activities. The purpose of a commencement speech is to inspire students to use their education for the betterment of society, not to “engage with those whom we disagree” as Chesley stated.

Laurie, it is not too late to get it right and lift the shadow from this special event.

— Charlotte Oakes, Bend

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