SALEM, Ore. -- A legislation-stalling walkout by the 11 Republicans in the Oregon Senate continued Monday, with no end in sight.
The political standoff over a massive bill to regulate carbon emissions has drawn attention from national political figures and media outlets.
Rumors of reported sightings of the absent lawmakers abounded over the weekend, but no credible accounts surfaced by the time the Oregon Capitol opened for business Monday morning.
Democrats control the Oregon Senate as well as the House of Representatives.
Shortly after noon Monday, Senate Republican Leader Herman Baertschiger Jr. issued a statement in response to rumors that his caucus might have reached a deal to return.
"No deal with the Democrats has been made," Mr. Baertschiger said. "I have been in communications without any results and nothing has been determined. My caucus and I intend to remain out of the state."
Oregon Democratic leaders canceled plans to hold a session Saturday after several groups supporting the Republican Senators' walkout this week to avoid a vote on a massive climate bill.
A planned floor session for Saturday was canceled amid what Oregon State Police dubbed a "credible militia threat." On Sunday, Senate President Peter Courtney gaveled the chamber open with all 18 Democrats present, but without the Republicans, the brief floor session ended minutes later.
Some protesters showed up at the Capitol both Saturday and Sunday. More demonstrations by supporters of both sides of the dispute are expected throughout the week.
On Monday morning, Mr. Courtney gaveled the session open for the day, but to no avail.
"We have 18 [senators here], and we need two more," he said. "I know for a fact that we're not going to have two more at this time."
The Senate needs a quorum of 20 members to conduct business. There are 18 Democrats, meaning at least two Republican senators need to show up in order for the chamber to vote on bills.
Democratic Gov. Kate Brown dispatched state troopers last Thursday to look for the missing Senate Republicans.
A Facebook report that Republican Sen. Dennis Linthicum had been seen openly eating breakfast in Redmond was later explained by its author, 3 Percenter BJ Soper, to have been satire.
Oregon lawmakers face a midnight June 30 deadline to wrap up work, under the state Constitution. There are more than a hundred budget and policy bills and resolutions still pending in the Legislature that still need approval by the Senate. If senators are unable to achieve a quorum by June 30, those bills would be wiped out and lawmakers would have to start from zero if they return for a special session.
The New York Times contributed.
First Published: June 25, 2019, 3:12 a.m.