Oregon Republican senators have left the Capitol and scattered in various directions outside the state in order to avoid being rounded up by troopers for a high-profile climate bill vote scheduled today.

“Protesting cap-and-trade by walking out today represents our constituency and exactly how we should be doing our job,” Senate Republican Leader Herman Baertschiger Jr., of Grants Pass, said in a written statement Thursday morning. “We have endured threats of arrest, fines, and pulling community project funds from the governor, Senate president and majority leader. We will not stand by and be bullied by the majority party any longer."

Reached just after 7 a.m. Thursday, Sen. Cliff Bentz of Ontario said he was on his way out of the state. "In a few moments, I will not be in Oregon,” said Bentz, who spent most of Wednesday meeting with Gov. Kate Brown’s staff in an effort to negotiate changes to the carbon cap-and-trade plan, House Bill 2020.

Bentz said Republicans’ top concerns included that the bill would not do enough to protect dozens of “energy intensive, trade-exposed” businesses in Oregon, such as a cement plant in his district, from higher costs not imposed on the competition in other places such as China. Bentz said the negotiations ended around 8 p.m. Wednesday, when it became clear Democratic legislative leaders would not agree to changes sought by Senate Republicans.

Passing the Senate is the final hurdle for the bill, which has already passed the Oregon House and has the governor’s support.

When Republicans failed to show up on the Senate floor for an 11 a.m. session, Senate President Peter Courtney of Salem asked the sergeant at arms to search the Capitol for the missing lawmakers. That search proved fruitless.

In response to the walkout, Senate President Peter Courtney formally requested Democratic Gov. Kate Brown to dispatch Oregon State Police troopers to round up the missing Republican Senators.

Brown quickly granted that request. “It is absolutely unacceptable that the Senate Republicans would turn their back on their constituents who they are honor-bound to represent here in this building,” she said in a statement. "They need to return and do the jobs they were elected to do.”

Democrats also announced they would fine the missing lawmakers $500 per day if they don’t show up at the Capitol by 11 a.m. Friday. The money would be deducted from their salary and per diem.

“The Senate Republicans’ walkout is a slap in the face to all hard-working Oregonians, particularly to those in their districts,” said Sen. Ginny Burdick, D-Portland. “The taxpayers are paying them to do a job for their constituents and they are not doing that job.”

Democrats hold a supermajority in both chambers of the Oregon Legislature but they still need Republicans to achieve the quorum necessary to conduct business, which is 20 members in the Senate.

For Courtney, a veteran lawmaker who has served as President of the Senate since 2003, the political standoff was visibly stressful.

“This is the saddest day of my legislative life," he said. "Pure and simple, my heart is broken.”

Addressing the missing Republicans, who may have been watching on the live feed on the legislature’s website, he said: "I beg and beseech my fellow legislators to come to the floor. If you’re mad, take it out on me. Come at me. Don’t do this to the people of Oregon.”

After speaking, Courtney sat down behind the dais, with his head in his hands.

— Hillary Borrud | hborrud@oregonian.com | 503-294-4034 | @hborrud

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