Less than three days after interrupting and reprimanding a Republican member of the legislative transportation committee, Democratic Senator Chris Gorsek of Gresham said today that he had resigned as co-chair of the committee. This action sparked outrage and a boycott by a number of House Republicans on Monday.
As lawmakers continue to negotiate a multibillion-dollar transportation package that includes a number of tax and fee hikes, mostly to repair the state’s deteriorating roads and bridges, he resigned from his position as chair of the committee.
I have volunteered my resignation from the Joint Committee on Transportation Reinvestment, effective immediately, so that the committee can continue to focus on finishing the Oregon Transportation Reinvestment Package this session, Gorsek texted The Oregonian/OregonLive.
An already unstable scenario is made much more unpredictable by Gorsek’s withdrawal from the committee. In the event that Republicans band together to oppose significant tax increases, Democrats would need the support of every member in the House and Senate because they have the precise number of members in each chamber needed to enact tax increases along party lines.
But in recent days, Democrats have seemed divided. Sen. Mark Meek of Gladstone, a Democrat on the transportation committee, was ousted by Democratic leaders on Friday after he declared his opposition to the proposal. Following Meek’s replacement, at least one House Democrat, Rep. Annessa Hartman, who serves in half of Meek’s district, declared she would not back the bill.
Members of both parties expressed alarm when Democrats delayed several votes on the plan last week and delayed the revelation of final revenue estimates for the package’s tax increases until Friday. Since the legislative session is legally required to conclude by Sunday, lawmakers are pressed for time.
The transportation proposal, House Bill 2025, was forwarded by MPs along party lines to the entire House during Friday’s committee meeting. Members of the House returned it to committee on Monday, where it will be subject to some final revisions.
Gorsek declared that he would back any modifications that the House made.
He stated, “I look forward to voting in favor of the compromise that is being offered from the House on the Senate floor.”
Gorsek cut off Republican Representative Shelly Boshart Davis of Albany during Friday’s hearing as she was criticizing Democrats for putting out a transportation proposal that will increase or impose a number of taxes and levies on Oregon’s transportation system.
Boshart Davis described the transportation package and the hasty process to get the bill out of committee as egregiously reckless during the 90-minute discussion, claiming that Oregonians could not afford such large tax hikes.
Gorsek stopped Boshart Davis after she criticized Democrats for holding public hearings on House Bill 2025 before complete cost estimates were released and stated the process had been really poor.
“Pardon me,” Gorsek began, interrupting his fellow committee co-chair Rep. Susan McLain and Boshart Davis. Stop it, because you are bringing discredit on all of us who worked on that measure. Put an end to it. Representative, you’ve got your point.
Boshart Davis filed a legislative complaint against Gorsek after the meeting, claiming that he had broken a guideline mandating a workplace that is inclusive, safe, and respectful.
Boshart Davis filed a complaint with the Legislative Equity Office on Friday, claiming that his speech and body language were hostile and intimidating. I remained silent during the rest of the committee because I was unsure of how Co-chair Gorsek would handle me or whether or not I would be shut down.
Boshart Davis told The Oregonian/OregonLive on Monday that Gorsek’s actions on Friday were excessive and unworthy of someone in a position of authority. He became agitated since I was only labeling the bill and the procedure careless.
Shortly after, Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, was urged by House Republican Leader Christine Drazan to remove Gorsek from his committee assignments, start a vote to censure the lawmaker, mandate that the entire building be notified before Gorsek enters the Capitol, and mandate that he receive training on anger management and workplace harassment.
A request for comment on Monday was not answered by Wagner.
Due to Gorsek’s activities and the hurried, complicated process to advance the transportation package, eleven House Republicans abstained from Monday morning’s floor session. This boycott did not include enough members of the Republican caucus to stop the House from voting on measures, in contrast to previous Republican walkouts in the Senate or the House.
Gorsek will be succeeded as co-chair of the committee by Sen. Khanh Pham, a Democrat from Portland who is also a member.
State politics and government are covered by Carlos Fuentes. You may contact him at orcfuentes@oregonian.com or 503-221-5386.
Sami Edge, a state politics reporter, helped with this story. You can reach her at (503) 260-3430 or atsedge@oregonian.com.
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Key Oregon Democrat resigns from transportation committee after complaints about his conduct
Key Oregon Democrat resigns from transportation committee after complaints about his conduct
Key Oregon Democrat resigns from transportation committee after complaints about his conduct