In the days before he was sworn in, Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario, has put out two highly public group letters he signed. The first called for an investigation of the election won by Joe Biden over President Donald Trump. The second call for no curbs on the rights of members of Congress to carry concealed weapons in the Capitol.  

Coup is kaput: Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Portland,had sought to replace House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, has reportedly withdrawn her attempt to lead the chamber. Bynum, who is Black, had run in part on a demand that non-white members be given more important roles in the House. Kotek’s announcement of committee “assignments represents meaningful reform but it is merely a beginning in the change our state demands,” Bynum said in a statement Monday.

Open Senate Seat: The new Legislature hasn’t even been sworn in yet and there’s already a chance. Sen. Alan Olsen, R-Canby, announced Jan. 4 that he would resign effective Jan. 10 to move with his family to Indiana for personal reasons. Olsen last won re-election in 2018. Two House Districts make up one Senate District and the case of Olson’s SD 20, that would be HD 39 of Rep. Mark Meek (D-Gladstone) and House Minority Leader Christine Drazan (R-Canby). Any vacancy would be filed by local leaders of the party of the departing lawmaker, so Republicans in this case. If Drazan wants the job, she would seem to have the inside track. But others mentioned in GOP circles include longtime state Republican official John Lee and former Sen. Bill Kennemer. The seat will next be up in 2022 – but reapportionment could change the boundaries.

https://www.wweek.com/news/2021/01/04/kotek-survives-house-leadership-challenge-from-bynum-pledges-equity-reforms-to-address-bipoc-concerns/

Committees:

Union Label: Oregon Capitol staffers are trying to unionize. The Legislature now says that would be unconstitutional, a similar argument to one that upended a union push in Delaware this year.

Walden and Bentz. Key votes: stimulus (how did walden vote?), walden voted to override veto. Bentz pledge with GOP newcomers, will cast vote on Electoral College.

Redistricting

– U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader defends no vote on $2,000 stimulus checks

Key dates:

How long for Clarno?

Secretary of State Bev Clarno’s last day in office will be Sunday. On Monday, Shemia Fagan will be sworn-in to the office she won in the November election.

Clarno issued a goodbye statement on Wednesday, looking at her time in office since she was appointed by Brown to take the place of Dennis Richardson, who died of brain cancer in early 2019