Tag: oregon

Oregon federal judge orders release of trans suspect charged with firebombing, shooting up Tesla dealership

On Thursday, Oregon US District Court Judge Adrienne Nelson ordered the pre-trial release of an individual accused of firebombing and shooting up a Tesla dealership in January.

Adam Matthew Lansky, 41, of Salem, a trans-identified militant extremist sex worker, is set to be released from the Yamhill County Jail on Thursday and will be moved to the Northwest Regional Re-Entry Center, a federal halfway house, pending trial.

Lansky had pleaded not guilty to federal charges that include two counts of attempted arson of a property used in interstate commerce and unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device. Nelson is the second federal judge who ordered Lansky to be released from jail, the Oregonian reported.

Judge Nelson ruled to release Lansky on appeal after Assistant US Attorney Parakram Singh filed to overrule US Magistrate Judge Stacie F. Beckerman’s release order issued on Wednesday. Singh argued that Lansky remained a danger to the public, stating that he allegedly threw Molotov cocktails and fired an AR-15-style rifle into a Tesla showroom. Judge Beckerman described Lansky’s actions a “very reckless,” but claimed they were an “outlier event” and ordered his release from jail, citing his lack of criminal history. Additionally, Beckerman said that Lansky’s actions were likely a result of mental health issues.

Keep reading

Oregon Police Improperly Used Aerial Camera To Bust Marijuana Grow, State Appeals Court Says

Oregon’s Court of Appeals chided the state’s police force on Wednesday for using warrantless “technologically-enhanced surveillance” to bust an illegal marijuana operation, sending the court’s clearest message yet about how law enforcement may use the increasingly popular, but controversial technology.

The case, captured in an eight-page ruling from a three-judge panel, centers on a June 2021 multi-county investigation involving the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Oregon State Police. The defendant, 54-year-old Sengdara Nakhiengchahn, was not the target of the investigation, but Oregon State Police Sergeant Tyler Bechtel, a leading officer on the case, noticed “what looked to be a massive agricultural operation” that “was likely a marijuana grow,” while flying in a surveillance plane nearly 5,000 feet in the air, according to the ruling.

The defendant was charged in August 2021 with two felonies for possession and manufacturing of marijuana. She pled guilty in a conditional deal that allowed her to get the possession charge dropped by serving two years of probation, court records show. But she maintained her right to appeal the charges, arguing the evidence gathered from aerial surveillance constitutes a warrantless and unlawful search and should not have been admissible.

The appeals court agreed with Nakhiengchahn, returning the case back to the trial court where she can withdraw her guilty plea. Bechtel did not respond to an email seeking comment.

“While the trial court didn’t agree with us, we’re grateful the appellate court did,” said Luke Miller, Nakhiengchahn’s trial attorney, in a statement. “It’s important for Oregonians to maintain the right to privacy, and be free from government intrusion absent legal justification for such intrusion.”

Jenny Hansson, a spokeswoman for the Oregon Department of Justice, said officials were still reviewing the decision and could decide to appeal the court’s ruling in the coming weeks.

Jolene Kelly, a spokeswoman for the Oregon State Police, declined to comment on the ruling or its findings, but said in an email the agency “remains committed to following applicable laws and court directives.”

The ruling was lauded by civil rights advocates and privacy watchdogs who were fresh off of a fight in the Oregon Legislature over Senate Bill 238, which would have extended unprecedented power to police to use unmanned aerial surveillance devices like drones when responding to 911 calls, executing a warrant or responding to “exigent circumstances.” The bill ultimately died in the House Rules Committee without a vote.

The ACLU of Oregon opposed the bill, warning in a news release that it was unnecessary and “undermines basic rights including privacy and free speech.”

Kelly Simon, legal director of the ACLU of Oregon, said Wednesday’s ruling marks an “important decision to ensure that as police technology advances, we are maintaining the integrity of our warrant requirements under the Oregon Constitution.”

“We’re beginning to see in the surveillance tech industry all sorts of high-powered enhancements,” she told the Capital Chronicle. “It is important that our courts maintain the integrity of our warrant requirements by making sure that if law enforcement wants to use those enhancements, they go to court first, they present the evidence they have against a person and they get permission to do that.”

In the ruling, Justice Scott A. Shorr wrote that state police saw “materially different information” through a camera attached to their aircraft than what could’ve been seen with a naked eye, striking down a decision by Polk County Circuit Judge Rafael A. Caso to allow evidence tied to the camera footage to be admitted at trial.

“We have never upheld as constitutionally permissible an officer’s technologically enhanced surveillance to see what was otherwise indiscernible. We decline to do so here,” Shorr said. “In this case, the officer used technology to obtain information from inside defendant’s private structures that was undetectable from his vantage point in public airspace.”

Keep reading

Oregon hospital gives sex toys to criminal psych patients at taxpayer expense

It has been revealed that Oregon State Hospital, the state’s highest security psychiatric facility, distributes taxpayer-funded sex toys to its patients, according to a local news investigation.

The report from KGW found that the state-run hospital dispersed 65 sex toys to patients in 2024 at the cost of $2,900, while 42 sex toys were provided to patients the year prior.

Oregon State Hospital predominantly houses criminal mentally ill patients who were deemed unfit to stand trial or found guilty except for insanity on charges ranging from misdemeanors to serious violent crimes such as murder and sex offenses.

Patients are able to access a wide variety of sex toys with brand names such as Throttle Stroker, Her Pocket Bullet, The Vortex, Vibrating Helping Hand Pro, Vibrating Shower Stroker, Double Dancer, and Waterproof Prostate Massager, according to a 10-page catalog obtained through a public records request. A hospital spokesperson, Amber Shoebridge, told the network that these sex toys are paid for with public tax dollars, which range in price from $14.78 to $84.99.

“The need for sexual expression doesn’t disappear in institutional settings,” Shoebridge told KGW in a statement. “Oregon State Hospital provides access to sexual aids as a way to offer patients an ethical, therapeutic, and private form alternative for a lack of sexual expression.”

According to the report, Oregon State Hospital’s sex toy policy appears to be rare, as psychiatric hospital officials in other parts of the country said they were unaware of similar programs when reached for comment.

“I’m at a loss for words,” said Tiffany Edens, a crime victims advocate and rape survivor. “It’s like you are going into the sex toy store. They’re not appropriate for people who are in a state hospital,” she said, commenting on the catalog.

“You are feeding into people’s fantasies – people that have no business to have these types of toys,” Edens added.

Keep reading

Antifa Rioters Charged With Arson And Assault In Portland

The Trump-led DOJ has charged four individuals in connection with the violent anti-ICE riots that broke out in June in Oregon. 

The defendants, some allegedly caught on video, spent several weeks targeting an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility and assaulting federal officers, prosecutors said in a press statement on Tuesday. 

One of the individuals, 31‑year‑old August Dean Gordon, pulled a proximity card reader from its stanchion on the facility’s driveway. He kicked, grabbed and injured five officers during his arrest, the DOJ said.  

That same evening, 33‑year‑old Nadya Malinowska refused orders to leave the site. Meanwhile, 35‑year‑old David Pearl attempted to interfere with officers’ arrest of another rioter. 

On June 11, prosecutors said 34-year-old Trenten Edward Barker retrieved a lit flare from his backpack and tossed it into a barricade of debris near the ICE facility. 

Malinowska and Pearl each face misdemeanor charges for failing to obey a lawful order; Pearl also face a count of creating a disturbance. 

Gordon and Barker are charged with willful depredation of government property and assaulting a federal officer. Barker additionally faces an arson charge. 

According to journalist Andy Ngo, the rioters are affiliated with Antifa.

Keep reading

Black Conservative Ordered to Leave Store Over MAGA Hat

A black guy wearing a red MAGA hat was told to leave a popular gift shop in downtown Portland, Oregon because of his politics. The investigative journalist Andy Ngo was the first to report on the controversy.

The gift shop is called Stumptown Otaku – and its owned by a woke activist. The other day a staffer got triggered by the patriotic guy’s hat.

“One of my staff messaged me to say a man wearing a MAGA hat had come in and that both some customers and staff felt visibly uncomfortable,” the store’s owner wrote on Instagram.

“They could politely ask him to remove the hat, and if he declined, they could let him know we reserve the right to refuse service. The man chose not to remove the hat and ultimately left peacefully after a brief exchange,” the owner wrote.

The gift shop posted a photo of the incident on its social media pages and proudly announced that the man customer was not only told to leave – but was also permanently banished. And there’s a sign posted saying anyone who supports President Trump is not welcome to shop at the store.

Stumptown later posted a message announcing that they will unapologetically kick out any MAGA “racist” that threatens their safe space.

“We will unapologetically kick out any MAGA racist that threatened our safe space,” the owner wrote on social media.

But critics pointed out that it’s racist to ban a customers from shopping just because of their skin color. And that narrative really triggered the far-left owner.

Keep reading

Portland IED bomber suspect revealed to be far-left ‘No Kings Day’ recruiter

A Portland Antifa activist and “No Kings Day” recruiter has been arrested on felony charges in Portland after allegedly carrying out an attempted bombing attack on the freeway.

Alexander Robert Wick, 38, of Portland, was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on felony charges including first-degree attempted arson, unlawful manufacture of a destructive device, possession of a destructive device, and first-degree criminal mischief. He also faces two additional misdemeanor charges of menacing and second-degree disorderly conduct, according to jail records.

On June 14, Wick allegedly began throwing traffic cones and boards with protruding nails into the lanes of traffic on Interstate 5 at the Northeast Failing Street pedestrian bridge around 7 p.m. The attack happened after the “No Kings” event, a nationwide anti-Trump protest organized by Democrats, largely concluded. When drivers came to a stop, Wick allegedly slashed the tires of their vehicles and threatened them with a screwdriver, claiming that he had a bomb, according to a police press release.

Keep reading

Federal Judge Orders UO to Pay $191K to PSU Professor Blocked for “All Men Are Created Equal” Comment

The University of Oregon is facing the financial consequences of an unconstitutional attempt to suppress speech after a federal judge ordered it to pay $191,000 in legal fees to Portland State University professor Bruce Gilley.

The order, issued by US District Judge John V. Acosta, follows a settlement reached in March 2025 in which the university acknowledged Gilley’s comments should not have been censored and agreed to implement major policy reforms.

The legal fees, which will be covered by UO’s insurer United Educators, include $147,070 awarded to the Institute for Free Speech (IFS) and $43,930 to the Angus Lee Law Firm.

These payments, combined with more than $533,000 that the university had already spent on its own legal representation by late 2024, push the cost of defending its actions to at least $724,000.

That figure excludes further expenses accrued since November.

These high costs are directly tied to UO’s decision to support its DEI officials after they blocked Gilley for replying “all men are created equal” to a university post on X.

This fee award reflects the substantial resources required to vindicate fundamental constitutional rights in the digital age, as well as the vigor with which the University of Oregon chose to defend unconstitutional policies,” said Del Kolde, IFS Senior Attorney.

“The university made a costly decision to prioritize DEI principles over constitutional principles, aggressively litigating this case for nearly three years rather than acknowledging the obvious, that blocking someone for quoting the Declaration of Independence violates the First Amendment.”

Keep reading

Oregon lawmakers advance bill to limit federal use of National Guard

Oregon lawmakers are moving to restrict the federal government’s authority over the state’s National Guard despite a surge of violent anti-ICE protests, particularly in Portland.

Three Democratic state representatives introduced legislation that would block any deployment of the Oregon National Guard that would hinder its ability to respond to state emergencies such as wildfires. The bill also outlines the specific duties the Guard can and cannot be assigned. The proposal comes in response to President Donald Trump’s move to federalize the National Guard in California to help protect law enforcement amid anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles.

“Deploying the military against our country’s citizens is an affront to our democratic principles,” said Representative Dacia Grayber, one of the sponsors of the bill, in a statement. “Ensuring that the Guard can only be mobilized in keeping with their congressionally-authorized functions is a common-sense safeguard to ensure separation of responsibility between our military and our local law enforcement.”

The bill passed the House Rules Committee on Tuesday, though Republican House Leader Christine Drazan voted against it, saying she wanted to consult with the caucus, according to KATU. The bill now heads to the full House to be voted on.

Keep reading

Portland residents beg Antifa not to destroy property during anti-ICE riots

Ongoing protests led by anti-ICE activists in Portland have escalated in recent weeks, leaving many local residents dealing with the consequences of repeated confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement.


The latest wave of unrest began on June 8, when activists blocked the driveway of a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility. Since then, clashes have continued across the city, and 22 people have been arrested this month in connection with anti-ICE demonstrations on various criminal allegations.

Gray’s Landing, a low-income apartment complex housing elderly residents, veterans, and families, is located near the ICE building and has taken steps to shield itself from being caught in the conflict. Signs reading “Please do not vandalize,” “We are a nonprofit. We are not associated with the ICE building,” and “We believe everyone deserves a place to call home” have been posted on ground-floor windows, according to Oregon Live. Residents have endured noise from bullhorns, honking cars, and flash-bang grenades, along with graffiti, vandalism, transit delays, and chemical irritants used by federal agents to disperse crowds.

The ICE building at the center of the protests sits between South Macadam Avenue and a K-8 charter school, Cottonwood School of Civics and Science. Nearby is also the Oregon Ballet Theater headquarters and its rehearsal space.

Last Saturday, protests intensified during the “No Kings” Day event, which authorities declared a riot. The escalation raised concerns among residents that additional National Guard or federal forces could be deployed to the area. Many residents expressed sympathy for the demonstrators’ cause but admitted to feeling uneasy about the ongoing turmoil in their neighborhood.

Jackie Keogh, who works for the nonprofit that runs Gray’s Landing, said the residents are growing increasingly anxious.

“The impending dread is based on the history of protest impacting their homes and their overall feeling of safety,” Keogh said. “Our goal is to make sure both staff and residents feel safe in our building.”

The nonprofit has had to stockpile plywood in case windows are broken, install smoke protection systems, and update security codes. One 62-year-old resident said she is “afraid to come out of the building,” adding, “I can’t even turn on my air conditioning because of the tear gas.”

Keep reading

Economic suicide by design

This week, Oregonians heard the announcement that Tektronix, an iconic Oregon-based company, is moving its headquarters from Oregon to North Carolina.

Tektronix has decided that it has had enough of the Oregon Democrat high taxes, poor schools, and constant degradation of the quality of life for its employees. Textronix was once one of the largest employers in the state of Oregon. Anybody working in the electronics branch of technology relied on Tektronix test equipment to troubleshoot electronic problems. Driving by the Tektronix campus was very sad for me when we moved to Oregon. The parking lots around the Tektronix buildings were mainly empty, and slowly got even emptier. As an Electronic Technician who relied on the Tektronix test equipment my entire career, this was like watching an old friend slowly die from neglect.

Elections have consequences, and so does how people vote. Voting for more taxes, higher fees, and the crazy bills the Democrat supermajority pushes through is costing Oregon thousands of highly-paid citizens who have had enough, and they then leave Oregon for different states. Yet Oregon continues down the same old path to economic disaster. Oregonians cannot figure out that Democrats are all the same; their solution to problems is to raise taxes and fees on everything. For decades, Oregonians have been voting for Democrats to lead Oregon, and nobody noticed that conservatives and Republicans were leaving over economic or freedom issues. The Democrats, Liberals, and progressives just kept on making Oregon less affordable and less desirable to raise a family or retire here.

Keep reading