Contributed by Candice Kaiser
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During the ORP meeting on July 13th, 2024, a number of bylaws and standing rules were deliberated, and measures were discussed. The following is what the ORP decided. The Josephine County Republican Party has taken a Vote NO stand. Please read Noah Robinson’s reasons at the bottom .
115 – The Impeachment Measure – This amendment grants the
Oregon State Legislature the power to impeach and oust elected state
executives, such as the governor, secretary of state, attorney general,
treasurer, and commissioner of labor and industries. Voters are susceptible to
being deceived, just like they were manipulated into backing the 10-day limit
on Quorum Denials. Back then, the buzzword was accountability. The question of
accountability remains the same: to whom and for what?
From ORP: After much debate, it was determined that the ORP would support a NO vote on all ballot measures except one, Measure 115, the measure to create a mechanism for impeachment.
The contention surrounding Measure 115 was substantial, and the debate was informative. Did you know that Oregon is the only state that does not have a process for impeachment? While we have a recall process, the elected legislature has no checks and balances on the executive branch, something found in our US Constitution since the formation of our union.
Alexander Hamilton wrote that impeachment is “a method of national inquest into the conduct of public men” accused of violating the “public trust.” Hamilton and his colleagues at the Constitutional Convention knew that the history of impeachment as a constitutional process dated from 14th-century England. Benjamin Franklin, the oldest delegate, at eighty-one, ventured his wisdom. He favored impeachment, too, but cited fairness. No man ought to be convicted by hearsay or denied a fair trial. Why not “provide in the Constitution for the regular punishment of the executive, where his misconduct should deserve it, and for his honorable acquittal, where he should be unjustly accused?”
Some Delegates at the ORP meeting cited the clear and present dangers of our current Democrat majority abusing such powers, and others dismissed such claims, pointing out that Oregon has not had a 2/3 majority in the House & Senate while also holding the Governor’s office, that would be the necessity to deliver such a political weapon.
In the end, the body decided not to support or vote in opposition to Measure 115, leaving that decision to the voters of Oregon without bias.
Noah Robinson
Measure 115
Argument in Opposition
Please consider this measure carefully before voting on it.
Many well-meaning individuals are supporting measure 115 because they think it will increase accountability for our elected officials. This is always a good thing if it actually works.
In 2023 Oregon’s Secretary of State resigned, and many legislators felt that the ability to remove her from office with a 2/3 vote in each house would be beneficial. It would not have mattered because she resigned, but they argue that she might not have.
There are, however, very sound arguments against allowing the legislature to remove state-wide elected officials. Our state-wide officials are elected directly by the voters. The current system of requiring the voters to decide on a recall is better. Voters elect them, and voters should remove them if necessary.
Furthermore, the executive branch is supposed to be independent of the legislature. Political scandals are easily generated, and excuses for recalling officials are plentiful. Will the governor fear that a veto of a popular bill could result in a recall? It is quite plausible.
Right now, a single party controls all statewide offices and both houses of the legislature, but this may not always be the case. Do we want one party using this provision to target the other party without a vote of the people? It has already been demonstrated that they will do this if they can.
Oregon has been a state for 165 years, and there simply aren’t examples where this provision was necessary. It would be wiser to leave the recall procedures alone.
I recommend a NO on measure 115.
Noah Robinson, PhD
State Senate Candidate, District 2
(This information furnished by Noah Robinson, Noah Robinson for Oregon Senate.)