Brian James Boquist (born October 20, 1958) is an Independent,[1][2] formerly Republican, politician from Oregon. He currently serves in the Oregon Senate representing District 12. He was in the Oregon House of Representatives, representing District 23 in the mid-Willamette Valley, from 2005 to 2009.
Early life and career
Boquist was born and raised on a dairy farm in Tillamook, Oregon. He attained the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America,[citation needed] graduated from Tillamook High School, and enlisted in the United States Army in 1975. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Western Oregon State College (now Western Oregon University) and an MBA from Oregon State University.[3]
Boquist is a former career special forces lieutenant colonel who served in branches of the United States Army. He is a director with International Charter Incorporated, an international services company that specializes in a variety of support operations for private organizations and the United States government. ICI has worked in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and South America. Additionally, ICI was involved in pre-deployment training of armed services members during OEF and OIF from 2006 to 2012. Boquist is involved with several other business entities primarily in the agriculture and forestry industry. He served as Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the Joint Combined Special Operations Task Force in Iraq in 2003–2004, receiving the Bronze Star Medal and recommendation for promotion for his service.[3][4]
Political career
Boquist ran for the U.S. Senate in 1996, taking less than 1% in the Republican primary. In 2000, he was the Republican nominee for the United States House of Representatives in Oregon's 5th congressional district, but lost with 43% of the vote to incumbent Darlene Hooley.[5][6] Boquist challenged Darlene Hooley in the 2002 General Election, losing a second time with 45% of the vote.
In 2004, Boquist decided against a run for Hooley's seat, but when state Representative Lane Shetterly resigned to run the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development commission, Boquist chose instead to run for Shetterly's seat in Oregon House District 23.[4][7] Though Jim Thompson was named by Oregon Republicans to complete Shetterly's term, Boquist defeated him in the Republican primary and went on to win the general election with 61% (17,390) of the vote.[8][9] Boquist was re-elected to the Oregon House of Representatives in 2006 with 58% (13,422) of the vote.
In the 2008 Republican primary, Boquist announced that he was leaving the Oregon House to seek election to the state Senate. He was unopposed for his party's nomination to represent Oregon Senate District 12 and faced Democrat Kevin Nortness in the general election. He won the general election 61% to 39% garnering 33,264 votes. (Jim Thompson, whom Boquist defeated for the state House in 2004, won the election with 15,878 votes to succeed Boquist in the House.) Boquist was re-elected the Oregon State Senate in 2012 with 60% of the vote, garnering 34,038 votes.
2019 Republican walkout
In June 2019, as part of a quorum-busting effort, Boquist and 11 other Republican Senators walked out of a vote on a cap and trade resolution to reduce carbon emissions that cause climate change. Because the Oregon Constitution, requires a quorum of two-thirds of senators (i.e., 20 senators) to be present to transact business, the remaining 18 senators could not meet.[10] Some of the dozen Republican senators who left the Oregon State Capitol claimed to have left the state.
The previous day, Oregon governor Kate Brown, on learning of the upcoming walkout, said she was going to send the State Police to round up state legislators who failed to attend (the Oregon Constitution allows police to detain recusant Senators).[11][12]
On June 19, 2019, in a floor speech immediately before Republicans left the state, Boquist told Peter Courtney, the Senate's Democratic president, "If you send the State Police to get me, hell is coming to visit you personally."[13][14] The next day, Boquist a local television news crew that he had told the state police superintendent, "Send bachelors and come heavily armed. I'm not going to be a political prisoner in the state of Oregon."[15] Although several Republican state senators returned to the Senate chamber on June 29, 2019, leading to the cap and trade bill being sent back to committee, while other bills were passed, Boquist was absent, as he was asked not to return due to other state senators feeling unsafe from his previous comments.[16][17] He returned to the Capitol after a nine-day walkout.[18]
The threat of violence prompted the state Senate's Special Committee on Conduct to hold a hearing on Boquist's comment.[13] Boquist subsequently apologized to Courtney for his remark, but did not retract his statements.[14] The legislature's outside attorney responsible for handling workplace issues within the legislature determined that Boquist's statements violated the legislature's rule banning workplace harassment, and constituted "credible threats of violence directed at the senate president and Oregon state police."[14] In July 2019, the four-member committee (which is equally split between Democrats and Republicans), chaired by Floyd Prozanski, opted against temporarily barring Boquist from the Capitol, but unanimously voted to require him to give 12 hours' advance notice to the secretary of the senate before coming to the Capitol, giving officials more time to arrange for additional state troopers to provide security.[14][19]
Boquist sued Courtney, Prozanski, and others over the "12-hour rule" imposed on him, alleging that the discipline violated his First Amendment rights and retaliated against him for constitutionally protected speech.[19][20] A federal district court dismissed the case, but in April 2022 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit allowed his suit to proceed.[20] Boquist missed every day of the 2022 legislative session, citing health reasons.[19] In November 2022, the Special Committee on Conduct, in a 3–1 vote, lifted the safety restrictions against Boquist.[19]
2023 unexcused absences
In May 2023, Boquist and two Senate Republicans (Dennis Linthicum and Daniel Bonham) orchestrated rolling walkouts to deprive the Senate of a two-thirds quorum, blocking the body from passing legislation. Boquist and other frequent absentees were disqualified from reelection for accumulating 10 unexcused absences during the legislative session. The disqualification was automatic under Ballot Measure 113, which passed the year before.[21] After a challenge from five Republican Senators the measure was unanimously upheld by the Oregon Supreme Court on February 1, 2024, confirming Boquist's disqualification after his current term ends in January 2025.[22]
Personal life
Boquist and his wife Peggy have six adult children and live near Dallas, Oregon. Their son Sethan Charles Sprague committed suicide in 2016 at age 31.[23]
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Brian Boquist | 17,390 | 61.0 | |
| Democratic | Dick Reynolds | 9,946 | 34.9 | |
| Libertarian | Paul Delaney | 1,087 | 3.8 | |
| Write-in | 73 | 0.3 | ||
| Total votes | 28,496 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Brian Boquist | 13,422 | 58.0 | |
| Democratic | Jason Brown | 8,760 | 37.8 | |
| Libertarian | Paul Delaney | 942 | 4.1 | |
| Write-in | 27 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 23,151 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Brian J Boquist | 33,264 | 60.6 | |
| Democratic | Kevin C Nortness | 21,480 | 39.1 | |
| Write-in | 130 | 0.2 | ||
| Total votes | 54,874 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Brian J Boquist | 34,038 | 60.0 | |
| Democratic | Annette Frank | 22,535 | 39.8 | |
| Write-in | 117 | 0.2 | ||
| Total votes | 56,690 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Brian J Boquist | 39,908 | 62.9 | |
| Democratic | Ross Swartzendruber | 23,441 | 36.9 | |
| Write-in | 137 | 0.2 | ||
| Total votes | 63,486 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Brian J Boquist | 45,391 | 58.3 | |
| Democratic | Bernadette Hansen | 32,389 | 41.6 | |
| Write-in | 115 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 77,895 | 100% | ||
See also
- 74th Oregon Legislative Assembly
- 75th Oregon Legislative Assembly
- 76th Oregon Legislative Assembly
- 77th Oregon Legislative Assembly
- 78th Oregon Legislative Assembly
References
- ^ "Senate senatorsIndependents". www.oregonlegislature.gov. Archived from the original on January 15, 2021. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
- ^ "Senator Brian Boquist has left GOP, is now a member of the Independent Party of Oregon". The Oregon Catalyst. January 15, 2021. Archived from the original on May 19, 2023. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
- ^ a b "Representative Brian Boquist". Oregon State Legislature. Archived from the original on June 11, 2011. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
- ^ a b Hortsch, Dan (February 28, 2008). "5th district primary a fight to stand out". The Oregonian.
- ^ "November 7, 2000 General Election: U.S. Representative". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on April 6, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2008.
- ^ "November 5, 2002 General Election: U.S. Representative". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on August 22, 2019. Retrieved September 29, 2008.
- ^ Henderson, Tom (October 17, 2016). "Swartzendruber seeking to oust Boquist". Yamhill Valley News-Register. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
- ^ "Official Results May 18, 2004 Primary Election: State Representative". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on August 21, 2019. Retrieved September 29, 2008.
- ^ "Official Results November 2, 2004 General Election: State Representative". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on August 21, 2019. Retrieved September 29, 2008.
- ^ Bulletin, Gary A. Warner. "GOP senators appear to end carbon-cap walkout". The Bulletin. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
- ^ Cagle, Susie (June 20, 2019). "Oregon's Republican senators flee capitol to delay vote on emissions reduction plan". The Guardian. Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
- ^ Zimmerman, Sarah (June 20, 2019). "Oregon gov. sends police after GOP senators who fled Capitol". The Register-Guard. The Associated Press. Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
- ^ a b Dobuzinskis, Alex (July 5, 2019). "Oregon state senator faces hearing on 'heavily armed' comment". Reuters. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Borrud, Hillary (July 8, 2023). "Oregon senator who threatened state police must give notice before returning to the Capitol". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
- ^ Hillary Borrud (June 20, 2019). "Oregon Republican senator threatens state troopers, warns them to 'come heavily armed'". Oregonian/OregonLive. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
- ^ Selsky, Andrew; Zimmerman, Sarah. "Oregon Republican senators end walkout over carbon bill". Associated Press. Archived from the original on June 30, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
- ^ Radnovich, Connor (June 30, 2019). "Oregon Republican senators end walkout, but legislature remains dogged by controversy". Salem Statesman Journal. Archived from the original on July 1, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
- ^ "Senate sees highs, lows and a lot of bills as it comes down the homestretch". Malheur Enterprise. Salem, Oregon. June 30, 2019. Archived from the original on May 5, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Shumway, Julia (November 28, 2022). "Oregon Senate lifts safety restrictions on senator who threatened state police in 2019". Oregon Capital Chronicle. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
- ^ a b "Boquist v. Courtney, 32 F. 4th 764 - Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit 2022". scholar.google.com. United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. April 21, 2022. Archived from the original on October 31, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
- ^ Selsky, Andrew (May 15, 2023). "Extended boycott disqualifies 2 GOP senators, 1 independent in Oregon Senate from being reelected". Associated Press. Archived from the original on May 22, 2023. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
- ^ Shumway, Julia (February 1, 2024). "Oregon Supreme Court bars Republican senators who participated in walkout from reelection". Oregon Capital Chronicle. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
- ^ Theriault, Denis C. (February 16, 2016). "Oregon Senate meets in silence to mourn death of lawmaker's son". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on April 29, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
- ^ "Official Results | November 2, 2004". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on September 10, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ "Official Results | November 7, 2006". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on September 10, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ "Official Results | November 4, 2008". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on September 10, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ "Official Results | November 6, 2012". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ "November 8, 2016, General Election Abstract of Votes". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ "November 3, 2020, General Election Abstract of Votes" (PDF). Oregon Secretary of State. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 12, 2022. Retrieved October 30, 2023.