Oregon Public Broadcasting: “State Rep. Mike Nearman became the first person ever expelled from the Oregon Legislature on Thursday, following revelations he helped plan an armed incursion in the state Capitol late last year. In a widely anticipated vote, the Oregon House approved a resolution that formally found Nearman’s act of opening a Capitol door for a far-right crowd on Dec. 21 amounted to ‘disorderly behavior’, the constitutional standard for ejecting a legislator. The resolution passed by a vote of 59-1, with only Nearman voting against.”

“‘This is potentially the most serious and historic vote any of us will ever take in our career as legislators,’ said state Rep. Julie Fahey, D-Eugene, toward the end of a somber, relatively brief debate in which Nearman was the only Republican to speak. Nearman, granted unlimited time to speak, instead kept his remarks short. As he has consistently, he argued that the ongoing closure of the state Capitol is unconstitutional, and by allowing protesters into the building he had done the right thing. ‘You’re considering expelling a member, for the first time in history, because he thinks that people should have access to their Capitol, especially during session,’ Nearman said. ‘After this session, we’re all going to go out to dinner or stop at the grocery store, or maybe tomorrow we’ll shop and buy clothes or get our oil change, because all these places are open, but not this building.’ Outside the building, several dozen of Nearman’s supporters gathered in protest of the vote, with at least one person briefly kicking the Capitol’s facade.”