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Dallas Heard

Dallas Heard
Chair of the Oregon Republican Party
In office
February 20, 2021 – March 11, 2022
Preceded byBill Currier
Succeeded byHerman Baertschiger Jr. (Acting)
Member of the Oregon State Senate
from the 1st district
In office
April 17, 2018 – January 1, 2023
Preceded byJeff Kruse
Succeeded byDavid Brock Smith
Member of the Oregon House of Representatives
from the 2nd district
In office
January 12, 2015 – April 17, 2018
Preceded byTim Freeman
Succeeded byGary Leif
Personal details
Born1985 (age 38–39)
Roseburg, Oregon, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseHannah

Dallas Heard (born 1985) is an American politician. He served as a Republican member of the Oregon Senate from 2018 to 2023.[1] Heard had previously served as a member of the Oregon House of Representatives from District 2 from 2015 until 2018.[2][3]

Heard served as Chairman of the Oregon Republican Party from 2021 until his resignation in 2022, citing “evil” within the party.[4] In December 2022, he announced he would resign from his Senate seat at the beginning of the new year, citing the need to focus on his family.[5][6]

Career

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Oregon House of Representatives

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Heard was elected to succeed Tim Freeman in 2014.[7] On December 1, 2019, an investigation commissioned by the Washington House of Representatives reported that a Washington state house member, alleged white supremacist Matt Shea, had planned and participated in domestic terrorism on at least three occasions.[8][9] On December 19, he was accused of domestic terrorism in a bipartisan report released by the Washington State House of Representatives.[10] This included Shea's participation, organizing, planning and promotion of the 2014 Bundy standoff in Nevada, a 2015 armed conflict in Priest River, Idaho, and the 2016 armed Occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Harney County, Oregon.[8] Shea led a delegation of right-wing legislators from Oregon, Washington and Idaho who, without disclosing their true intent, met with law enforcement officers on January 9, 2016, in Burns, Oregon. There they were appraised of intended law enforcement strategies for dealing with the refuge's occupiers.[9] The state House district's Republican Representative, later Congressman, Cliff Bentz, attended the meeting, despite being urged by Harney County Judge Steven Grasty to decline the invitation. Bentz did, however, warn then-state Representative Heard that it would be "inappropriate" that he attend, though Heard ignored the advice.[11] Shea then disclosed those confidential law enforcement intention details to the Bundys' occupying group, according to the report.[12][13]

Oregon Senate

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After Republican state senator Jeff Kruse resigned effective March 15, 2018, subsequent to being accused of sexual harassment of legislative staffers,[14][15] then-Representative Heard was appointed to fill the vacated senate seat on April 9, 2018.[16] On June 20, 2019, all 11 Oregon Republican state senators, including Heard, walked out of the Oregon State Capitol to prevent a vote on a cap-and-trade bill meant to help address global warming. The walkouts prevented a vote on the bill, due to the inability of the Senate to reach a quorum necessary for voting.[17][18]

On December 21, 2020, a special session of the state legislature was convened to deal with issues relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was interrupted by armed protesters who gassed police. after being given access to the session through a locked outside door by Mike Nearman, a Republican state representative, who was later convicted and expelled from the legislature.[19] During the turmoil, Heard accused the legislature of being involved in a "campaign against the people and the children of God," ripped off his mask, and left the senate floor.[20] Heard encouraged that demonstration where protesters pepper-sprayed police, broke windows and physically assaulted reporters. Endorsing the siege, Heard said, "I'm in full support of your right to enter your Capitol building."[21]

On January 6, 2021, Heard participated in an "unlawful assembly" at the Oregon Capitol. Heard addressed the right-wing crowds at the event. During the speech, he declared that the Capitol was "occupied" by "elitists" and that "I work with these fools. None of them are half as good as any of you and you need to bring the power to them!" Within an hour of Heard speaking, protestors stormed the Capitol building, breaching the doors and attacking police officers.[22]

Heard was a co-founder of the Douglas County "Citizens Against Tyranny" organization and described the group in speeches he and state Senator Herman Baertschiger Jr. made at Garden Valley Church in Roseburg. The group doxed local whistleblowers, two elderly women, calling them "filthy traitors," for reporting businesses that were out-of-compliance with state COVID-19-control regulations that had been imposed by Oregon Governor Kate Brown, who delegated authority to assure compliance to the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division. The group asked local businesses to ban the individuals they doxed. Heard said the group's online posting of a list of names of whistleblowers who had complained about the failure of local businesses to abide by restrictions imposed to help control the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. The names of those reporters should not have been publicized.[23] Heard said Citizens Against Tyranny demanded all county officials sign an endorsement with the group and those who refuse should be "purged" from office.[24][25]

On September 15, 2021, Heard arrived at Douglas High School at 6:30 a.m. intending to make a speech he said some students invited him to deliver. After he was ordered off the property, he said the school's administration forced him to depart. Heard had been setting up outdoors saying it had been his intention to make his speech outside in order to allow for social distancing. He said his speech would have concerned fundamental individual rights: "It is important to help the youth understand that government must always have certain restraints in order to ensure...freedoms for all individuals." He said he intended to tell them that bullying is unacceptable.[26]

Oregon Republican Party Chair

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On February 20, 2021, Heard was elected Chair of the Oregon Republican Party.[27][28] His adding that role to his senate duties attracted dissent from his fellow Republican legislators. Two, Senators Lynn Findley and Bill Hansell, introduced bill 865 to prevent such possible conflicts.[29]

Personal

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In May 2021, Heard admitted that he had contracted COVID-19 in April, that his father had also become ill and his brother had been hospitalized.[30]

Electoral history

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2014 Oregon State Representative, 2nd district [31]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dallas Heard 13,337 62.7
Democratic Kerry Atherton 6,676 31.4
Libertarian Jeff Adams 1,203 5.7
Write-in 68 0.3
Total votes 21,284 100%
2016 Oregon State Representative, 2nd district [32]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dallas Heard 20,024 97.5
Write-in 512 2.5
Total votes 20,536 100%
2020 Oregon State Senator, 1st district [33]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dallas Heard 51,417 68.6
Democratic Kat Stone 23,369 31.2
Write-in 124 0.2
Total votes 74,910 100%

References

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  1. ^ "Oregon State Senate District 1". ballotpedia.org. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  2. ^ "Oregon House of Representatives District 2". ballotpedia.org. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  3. ^ "Roseburg business owner announces house candidacy". KPIC. March 19, 2013. Archived from the original on February 3, 2015. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  4. ^ Oregonian/OregonLive, Chris Lehman | The (2022-03-09). "Oregon Republican chair resigns, citing 'greater evil than the Democrats'". oregonlive. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  5. ^ Hasenstab, Alex (December 15, 2022). "Oregon Republican State Senator Dallas Heard resigns". OPB. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  6. ^ Shumway, Julia (December 15, 2022). "Oregon state Sen. Dallas Heard will resign Jan. 1". Oregon Capital Chronicle. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  7. ^ Carrillo, Angelica (November 5, 2014). "Douglas County has nearly 70% voter turnout for General Election". KPIC. Archived from the original on February 3, 2015. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  8. ^ a b Loedler, Kathy; Loedler, Paul (December 1, 2019). "Report of Investigation Regarding Representative Matt Shea". Washington State House of Representatives. Archived from the original on December 20, 2019. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
  9. ^ a b From Ruby Ridge to Matt Shea, eastern Washington struggles to shake far-right extremism, Los Angeles Times, December 20, 2019. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
  10. ^ Romo, Vanessa (December 20, 2019). "Washington Legislator Matt Shea Accused of 'Domestic Terrorism,' Report Finds". NPR. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
  11. ^ "Oregon state legislator meets with armed group at wildlife refuge". KGW. January 11, 2016.
  12. ^ "GOP Politicians Planned And Participated In Key Aspects Of Refuge Occupation". opb. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  13. ^ Seputvado, John (March 20, 2016). "Oregon Lawmaker Says Roseburg Shooting Prompted 'Fact-Finding' Visit To Armed Occupation". Oregon Public Broadcasting.
  14. ^ Friedman, Gordon R. (October 20, 2017). "State senator stripped of powers due to allegations of inappropriate touching in Capitol". The Oregonian. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  15. ^ Friedman, Gordon R. (February 8, 2018). "Kruse to resign after finding of groping, unwanted touching at Oregon Capitol]". Oregon Live.
  16. ^ Borrud, Hillary (April 10, 2018). "Roseburg Republican Dallas Heard selected to replace disgraced ex-lawmaker Jeff Kruse". The Oregonian. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  17. ^ "Oregon Republicans walk out on state Senate over climate change bill as governor threatens police roundup". CBS News. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
  18. ^ Osborne, Mark; Youn, Soo (June 23, 2019). "Oregon's Republican state senators go into hiding over climate change vote amid militia threat". ABC News. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  19. ^ VanderHart, Dirk (July 27, 2021). "Former Rep. Mike Nearman pleads guilty to official misconduct in Oregon Capitol incursion". Oregon Public Broadcasting.
  20. ^ "Far-right protestors disrupt Oregon Legislature special session". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  21. ^ Sen. Dallas Heard of Roseburg elected chair of Oregon Republican Party, KPLC (AP), Andrew Selsky. February 22, 2021. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  22. ^ Thomas, Jake; Alexander, Rachel (6 January 2021). "LIVE UPDATES: Salem protests devolve into chaos, one arrested". Salem Reporter. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  23. ^ "Roseburg Senator Shares Support for Citizens Against tyranny, Denounces 'Filthy Traitor' List". KEZI. January 20, 2021. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  24. ^ Carisa Cegavske (9 January 2021). "Citizens Against Tyranny movement, backed by Sen. Heard, seeks to expose people who make OSHA complaints". News Review. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  25. ^ Andrew Theen (9 January 2021). "2 Republican lawmakers back new group, Citizens Against Tyranny, which seeks to defy COVID-19 regulations". oregonlive. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  26. ^ Cegavske, Carisa (September 16, 2021). "Sen. Dallas Heard forced to leave Douglas High School]". News-Review.
  27. ^ "Sen. Heard Elected State GOP Chair". Northwest Observer. February 20, 2021. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  28. ^ Selsky, Andrew (February 22, 2021). "Far-right lawmaker takes over Oregon GOP in larger US shift". Associated Press. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  29. ^ "Editorial: Government shouldn't dictate how political parties are run, the parties should". News-Review. May 16, 2021.
  30. ^ Cegavske, Carisa (May 12, 2021). "Sen. Dallas Heard talks about having COVID-19". News-Review.
  31. ^ "November 4, 2014, General Election, Official Abstract of Votes". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  32. ^ "November 8, 2016, General Election Abstract of Votes". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  33. ^ "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.
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Party political offices
Preceded by Chair of the Oregon Republican Party
2021–2022 		Succeeded by