“A Republican state lawmaker who authorities say let violent protesters into the Oregon Capitol in December says he is ill with COVID-19. ‘I have a really bad case of COVID and I’m kind of on the mend a little bit,’ Rep. Mike Nearman said on a conservative radio talk show. Nearman faces a hearing in Marion County Circuit Court on Tuesday on charges of official misconduct in the first degree and criminal trespass in the second degree for the Dec. 21 breach of the state Capitol by people protesting coronavirus restrictions. Both are misdemeanors, but carry possible jail time.”

“Rep. Mike Nearman, a Republican from outside Independence, was criminally charged by the Marion County District Attorney’s office on Friday with first-degree official misconduct and second-degree criminal trespass. Nearman said this week on the Lars Larson Show that he will seek a jury trial. ‘The Oregon State Police spent over four months investigating me. … Do you think these guys have anything better to do?’ Nearman said. Some of the insurgents whom Nearman let into the Capitol were armed with guns and a substance reported to be pepper spray, which they used on state troopers and Salem police trying to keep people out of the Capitol. At least two men alleged to be part of that breach were arrested on related charges. The Republican, who is from the town of Independence near Salem, did not further discuss having COVID-19. On April 20, the Oregon House of Representatives canceled all floor sessions for that week after someone at the Capitol was diagnosed with COVID-19 and may have exposed people in the chamber. It was the third such cancellation in the House this session” – The Oregonian.