Gagging judges endangers Oregonians

Article author: 
Senator Kim thatcher and spokesperson Jonathon Lockwood
Article date: 
Wednesday, June 12, 2019
Article category: 
Oregon Issues
Medium
Article Body: 
 
from the office of
 
SENATOR
KIM THATCHER
 
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wed., June 12, 2019
 
Jonathan Lockwood
971-645-2099
 
Gagging judges endangers Oregonians
 
SALEM, Ore.—Oregon Democrats are gagging judges through a speech control measure that will prohibit courts from knowing or inquiring about an alleged criminals’ immigration status. 
 
House Bill 2932 was passed in the Senate on a party-line vote. In Oregon, there are 913 illegal immigrants in the penal system currently; of which 132 are convicted of homicide and 458 on sex-offenses. This bill protects these offenders from the sum of all of their crimes by preventing the court from taking their immigration status into consideration, which could lead to the offender’s lawful removal from the country. 
 
HB 2932 disrupts the balance of the criminal justice system by allowing the legislature to assert their power over the courts and prevents justice from being had.
 
State Sen. Kim Thatcher, R-Keizer, released the following statement:
 
“Gagging judges endangers Oregonians’ lives and puts criminal aliens above the rule of law. We need to sound the alarm for our constituents on this issue because it threatens all Oregonians—including the immigrant community. House Bill 2932 shields illegal immigrants whom were charged and/or convicted of felony offenses from the full consequences of their actions by completely restricting the court's power to inquire about the citizenship status of the defendant. We are watching a litany of bills fly through the Legislature with little to no debate. We should be putting people ahead of politics. We need people to call on Gov. Kate Brown to NOT sign this bill into law--it will endanger Oregonians.”
 
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For follow-up commentary contact Thatcher spokesperson Jonathan Lockwood at 971-645-2099.