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Oregon lawmakers fired a colleague from office for the first time in state history late Thursday night, voting 59 to 1 to oust Representative Mike Nirman for his role in helping a far-right mob breach the Capitol in December.
Nirman, who was the only no-vote holder, faced mounting pressure from fellow Republicans to resign his office this week, days after a new video surfaced appearing to show him instructing people on how to enter the shuttered Capitol. Previous security footage showed how Nirman left the building where the protesters had gathered, allowing them to enter and start a confrontation with law enforcement officers.
Nierman, who is facing misdemeanor charges for his actions, said Thursday that legislative leaders should never have excluded the public from the Capitol — a decision that amounted to a coronavirus precaution. But Democrats said Nirman showed a complete disregard for the rule of law and principles of democracy.
“His actions were blatant and premeditated, and he showed no remorse for endangering the safety of everyone on the Capitol that day,” Democrat Tina Kotik, a Democrat, said in a statement after the vote.
The case had striking similarities to the US Capitol siege that unfolded two weeks later. Although the crowd in Salem was smaller, it was filled with flag-waving Trump supporters, far-right cheerleaders in body armor, and people chanting for Punishment: “Stop Kate Brown,” they shouted, referring to the Oregon Democratic governor.
But while congressional Republicans have resisted major measures in the Capitol blockade — recently rejecting a plan to create an independent commission — Republican lawmakers in Oregon have converged in recent days over the idea that Mr. Nirman needs to go. Both of his colleagues joined in this week’s letter to resign.
Kristen Drazan, the Republican leader in the House of Representatives, said Mr. Nirman indiscriminately allowed violent protesters to enter the building. Rep. Bill Post, a Republican who said he was one of Nirman’s closest colleagues, wrote a letter explaining that Nirman lied to him personally and to other Republican colleagues about whether there was evidence that the door opening had been planned.
“This plan puts lawmakers, staff and police officers at risk inside the building,” Mr Post wrote.
In the video that emerged last week, apparently broadcast online in the days leading up to the December 21 hack, Nirman shyly repeated his mobile phone number, suggesting that anyone trying to enter the Capitol could text him.
“These are just random numbers I called. Nirman said in the footage.” And if you say, ‘I’m at the west entrance’ during the session and text that number there, someone might come out that door while you’re standing there. But I don’t know anything about that.”
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