Sen. Boquist: La Mota woes continue, Nike’s big rollback, more

By Oregon State Senator Brian Boquist,
Highlights, excerpts from Sen. Boquist newsletter

— The WWeek continues to report on its incredible saga about La Mota, the shady cannabis business that gave stacks of cash to Democrats and hired then Secretary of State Shemia Fagan to propel its interests, and the business is crumbling, “the Feds are circling, and CEO Rosa Cazares appears to be out”.

— Nike will lay off employees as part of $2 billion cost-cutting plan over the next three years, with reportedly the largest reason due to less online sales in Greater China, which includes Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau.

— Along the same lines of pulling politicians from the ballot and away from voters, the case to yank Trump from Oregon ballot goes to top court.

— VIDEO: CBS covers Oregon drug decriminalization backlash.

— While this Oregon Catalyst article clearly outlines what has happened in legal proceedings with The brave Republicans who denied quorum during the 2023 session and could lose their legislative seats due to the horribly written Ballot Measure 113, continue their fight in the courts. The latest development hasn’t been in their favor with Judge Ann Aiken, wife of the former Oregon Democrat Party chair, ruled that lawmakers have no First Amendment right to protest by denying a quorum, reasoning that walkouts are an exercise of legislators’ official power, which does not receive individual constitutional protection.Despite this unfavorable and biased ruling, Republicans will continue to advocate for their rights.

— Oregon saw population fall again in 2023. This ties into the current conversation out in Redmond that would potentially see the main high school combine with Ridgeview. Ridgeview is currently seeing about half of the amount of students it can hold. The school district sites asbestos at Redmond High and the cost of teaching kids in portable units to fix the school, thinking combining the two would make the most sense. But does a government thought process ever make sense? Nope. It would make more sense for the district to ask voters to pass a bond to fix issues with the current school and prepare for more people to continue to move out East rather than shutting down an operational school. Aren’t Redmond and Bend growing like crazy?

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