The threats come as figures across the political spectrum fear political violence following the Charlie Kirk assassination.
Sens. James Manning Jr., center, and Kayse Jama, right, were among top Senate Democrats that received emailed threats on Thursday.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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Three senior Democrats in the Oregon state Senate received emailed threats Thursday morning – false claims that bombs were lodged in their home mailboxes.
Among those to receive the phony threats were Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, and Senate Majority Leader Kayse Jama, D-Portland. According to the Oregonian/OregonLive, which first reported on the threats, Senate President Pro Tem James Manning Jr., D-Eugene, was the third member to receive a message.
State Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, was among top Senate Democrats that received emailed threats on Thursday.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
“Explosives Technicians responded to all three locations and conducted thorough checks,” Oregon State Police Lt. Casi Hegney wrote in an email to lawmakers explaining the incidents Thursday afternoon. “All threats were determined to be false, and no explosive devices were located.”
The threats come at an extremely tense time in national politics – a day after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated on a Utah university campus. While a motive has not been conclusively established and the killer remains at large, the murder has drawn concerns from across the political spectrum that it could incite further violence. Some members of Congress have canceled public appearances as a precaution.
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“While these incidents fortunately turned out to be unfounded, we recognize that these types of messages can create stress and fear,” Hegney, the state law enforcement official, wrote Thursday. “We are aware of the heightened tensions that exist both locally and nationally right now, and we understand that news of these threats can be unsettling for those who work in and around the [Oregon State] Capitol.”
Wagner’s office declined to provide details of the threats beyond the state police email Thursday evening.
“Let me express my deepest gratitude to the Lake Oswego Police for its swift response to the threat on myself and my family, as well as the other law enforcement agencies which responded to threats today,” Wagner said in a statement. “Acts and threats of political violence have no place in our democracy. In this dark moment, we must seek the common humanity in one another and work toward healing our nation.”
Jama similarly thanked law enforcement for a “swift and professional” response.
“We can oppose each other’s ideas without resorting to violence and intimidation,” he said in a statement.
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The threats Thursday targeted the three top Democrats in the state Senate, and two of the state’s only Black lawmakers. The email from state police did not indicate any threatening emails sent to House members. It was not immediately clear whether any Republicans received threats Thursday.
State police are working with the FBI to investigate the matter.
While rare, threats are not unheard of in Oregon politics.
Last year, the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office briefly shut down phone lines, after a rush of threats.
The callers in that case were swayed by social media posts suggesting then-Presidential Candidate Donald Trump had been excluded from Oregon’s voter’s pamphlet. In reality, Trump’s campaign declined to appear in the document.
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Just 11 games into his stint as the team’s offensive coordinator, the Las Vegas Raiders have decided to part ways with Chip Kelly.
The Raiders offense is averaging just 15.0 points per game this season, tied for last in the NFL. They hold a 2-9 record after losing to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
The former Oregon Ducks head coach was hired by Las Vegas in February after helping lead the Ohio State Buckeyes to the 2025 national title. His rushing scheme during the Buckeye’s College Football Playoff was lauded, with the Raiders expecting big things from Kelly and 2025 No. 4 overall pick, running back Ashton Jeanty.
The production simply hasn’t been there, as Jeanty has just a single 100-yard game this season and is averaging 3.7 yards per carry. He’s scored nearly as many touchdowns in the receiving game (three) as on the ground (four).
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The Raiders also traded for former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith, pairing him with newly-hired head coach Pete Carroll and Kelly. Thus far, he leads the league in interceptions with 13, having thrown just 12 touchdown passes despite having one of the best tight ends in the NFL in Brock Bowers as his go-to target.
At the end of the day, the blame falls on Kelly, who simply couldn’t coax enough points out of this group as they embarked on an extremely disappointing season.
Kelly rose to prominence in the football world during his tenure as the Ducks’ head coach from 2009 to 2012. He led them to the 2011 national championship, where they narrowly lost to the Auburn Tigers, 22-19.
He parlayed his success at Oregon into landing his first head coaching gig in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles, leading them to a 10-win season and a playoff berth in his debut campaign in 2013. But his quick, no-huddle offense quickly fell out of style in the league, and he was fired in 2015. He was soon hired by the San Francisco 49ers before being fired after just one season and a dismal 2-14 record.
Now, after less than 12 months on the job with the Raiders, Kelly is once again on the offensive coordinator or head coach job market.
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The Oregon Ducks took care of business at Autzen Stadium on Saturday against the USC Trojans in a 42-27 win, boosting their College Football Playoff hopes in a major way in the process.
With one loss so far this season, the Ducks don’t control their destiny back to the Big Ten Championship but there is still a clear path for them to get there.
So, what is it going to take for Oregon to book another trip back to Indianapolis?
Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Southern California Trojans during the second half at Autzen Stadium. / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
Oregon will need to win its regular-season finale against the Washington Huskies — and get some help from one of their other Big Ten foes — in order to book another trip to Indianapolis.
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The Ducks will need to:
– win vs. Washington Huskies
– Michigan Wolverines win over Ohio State Buckeyes
If this happens, Oregon would face the Indiana Hoosiers in the Big Ten Championship and would have a chance to avenge its only loss of the regular season. The Hoosiers beat the Ducks, 30-20, in Eugene on Oct. 11.
MORE: The Betting Line Keeps Moving For Oregon vs. USC
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This seems simple enough, but it will require another big upset to happen for the second year in a row in “The Game.”
Despite Ohio State’s struggles against Michigan over the past few seasons, the No. 1-ranked Buckeyes have been on a roll all season long and appear to be the favorites to repeat as national champions. The Wolverines upset Ohio State in Columbus last season, and it’s hard to imagine that hasn’t been on the minds of the Buckeyes over the past year.
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Expect Ohio State coach Ryan Day’s squad to be highly motivated headed into the matchup in Ann Arbor. But as we’ve seen in this rivalry, crazier things have happened, and the Ducks will certainly be hoping for something wild.
Washington Huskies wide receiver Giles Jackson catches a pass for a first down during the first half as Oregon Ducks defensive back Kobe Savage is called for face masking on the play at Autzen Stadium. / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
For Oregon, a win over Washington might be the simplest step in this equation despite the Huskies’ 8-3 record. Washington took down the UCLA Bruins with an easy 48-14 win in Los Angeles on Saturday night, but the Huskies had a questionable 13-10 loss to a lowly Wisconsin squad on Nov. 8 and certainly appear vulnerable.
The Huskies are out of CFP contention and can’t make the Big Ten Championship. On the surface, it doesn’t appear as if there’s much to play for against a heated rival in Oregon.
However, Oregon will be in town for Senior Day at Husky Stadium against an old Pac-12 rival, and the Washington fans are certain to be chaotic in hopes of spoiling the Ducks’ Big Ten title hopes.
The Ducks have battled through some tough road environments this season, but the Washington crowd is arguably among the toughest they will face when the two teams kick off on Saturday.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — Four U.S. citizens were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Oregon this week, according to Oregon for All, a coalition of over 100 organizations.
Among those detained were two Oregonians from McMinnville, including a 17-year-old high school senior, during ICE sweeps in Yamhill County. At least seven others were arrested in the operation.
CONTINUING COVERAGE | ICE agents take McMinnville high school student into custody
McMinnville School District Superintendent Kourtney Ferrua confirmed that ICE officers took a high school student into custody off school grounds during lunch on Friday.
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“We are working to verify information through appropriate channels and remain in communication with local partners,” Ferrua said.
She emphasized that ICE agents have not entered schools in her district and expressed concern for the students’ safety and emotional well-being.
The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to KATU’s request for comment on Friday.
On Thursday, two women were detained in Canby after filming ICE agents in a parking lot, according to Oregon for All. They were later released.
The coalition said the four individuals have chosen to remain anonymous due to fears of further retaliation.
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Jess Montoya, director of the Oregon for All Network, criticized the detentions. “Four U.S. citizens were held for hours without access to an attorney, leaving their family members terrified and desperate to find out what happened to them.”
Montoya added, “The First Amendment protects the right of Oregonians to document ICE in public as long as they don’t interfere with or obstruct law enforcement activities. ICE’s intimidation of Oregonians is unacceptable.”
Oregon for All advocates for justice for immigrant and refugee communities, with support from groups such as APANO, ACLU of Oregon, and the Oregon Food Bank.
KATU News reached out to ICE and other agencies for comment, awaiting response.
