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I'm certain this is also tied into her recently announced plans to increase gun control (but only for law abiding citizens). Now she gets to use "victim" status as part of her rationale for bans and limitations.
They are NOT planning for anything gradual. This is going to be a full court press.
Threats spark heightened security for Gov. Kate Brown
Threats spark heightened security for Gov. Kate Brown (http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/07/post_181.html#incart_river_home_pop)
Security has been stepped up for Oregon Gov. Kate Brown in light of recent threats directed at here. Her, Brown attends a memorial service to honor Seaside police Sgt. Jason Goodding, the officer gunned down by a suspect in February. (Beth Nakamura/Staff). (Beth Nakamura)
on July 29, 2016 at 5:00 AM
When Gov. Kate Brown flew out of state late last week to be with her mother for her cancer surgery, Brown's office said only that she was in the "Midwest." Asked which city Brown was in, her office declined to say.
That vagueness, it turns out, stems from a new policy.
After a series of hostile threats this year — beginning with the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge occupation and continuing after Brown called for tighter gun rules in Oregon — the governor's security detail has quietly taken steps to increase protection levels.
Some measures remain unidentified. But others are visible.
Her detail, formally known as the Dignitary Protection Unit and staffed by theOregon State Police, has added a sixth member. Her office has also redoubled its unwillingness to release her advance public calendars, citing the threats in an interview with The Oregonian/OregonLive.
In June, the Bend Bulletin said Brown's office refused a request for the documents based on "an internal policy they say is backed up by an exemption in the records law and protects the governor."
And while threats against Oregon governors aren't new, Brown's staff said it's taking the increasingly aggressive tone of recent threats seriously enough to keep in regular contact with the FBI.
"Instead of voicing passionate opinions or dissent as part of exercising free speech, they express intent to cause her harm, ugly threats of physical violence and death," said Kristen Grainger, Brown's communications director. "Potentially dangerous individuals have attempted to breach security perimeters on more than one occasion."
Grainger and others say Brown's role in calling for an end to this winter's armed occupation near Burns, along with her recent backing of three gun-control bills, appear to have ramped up threats.
One recent Twitter post showed a photograph of Brown, the nation's first openly bisexual governor, with a caption calling her "the unelected sexually confused progressive Governor of Oregon who authorized FBI and [state police] use of deadly force against LaVoy Finicum."
Finicum was a spokesman for the 40-day occupation of the wildlife refuge. He was shot dead by authorities during a traffic stop Jan. 26 as he and other occupiers traveled to a community meeting in Grant County.
The sender of another expletive-filled text message appeared angry over the state's recent finding against a Gresham couple who refused to bake a cake for a lesbian couple's wedding. That decision was handed down not by Brown but by the state's labor commissioner, Brad Avakian. Avakian, a Democrat, is running for secretary of state this year.
"You violated the rights of a couple for their beliefs," the message read. "A group of us are coming to your state and, we are going to every bakery and see which one won't bake us a certain cake... We will except [sic] the same attack on them that you did on the other bakery...I hope the next attack happens to your house."
Grainger said these and other messages have prompted Brown's security detail to keep in daily contact with the FBI, which is investigating the threats.
Part of the challenge in providing security for Brown is her tendency to travel to areas such as the recent trail derailment in the Columbia River Gorge when problems occur, said Travis Hampton, state police superintendent.
"Governor Brown has proven to be a very 'hands on' governor, personally, responding to areas of the state where past governors would rely on state agency representatives or staff advisors," Hampton said.
#grayscale"); position: relative; -webkit-filter: grayscale(100%);" data-position="">"Potentially dangerous individuals have attempted to breach security perimeters..." a Brown spokeswoman said.
Former Gov. Barbara Roberts, the first woman elected to the state's top office, said threats go way back.
"I governed during the spotted owl crisis of the early 1990s," she said, referring to the tumultuous period when enforcement of the federal Endangered Species Act led to reduced logging in Oregon and, consequently, bitter resentment in timber-dependent communities. "I was not everybody's favorite governor during that crisis."
Roberts said she also received death threats for her pro-choice views on abortion.
One man threatened to kill her, she said, Roberts while not ever making clear what his particular gripe was, she said.
"He gave my security unit five different dates on which he was supposedly going to kill me," Roberts said. "Of course, nothing ever happened, but it's not unusual for a governor to be threatened simply because their views on almost everything are so public."
When then-Gov. Ted Kulongoski was attending an event some years ago, someone phoned in a bomb threat. Within seconds, Kulongosi's security team was whisking him out the door.
"While not often, when the (security detail) got the governor's coat and said, 'time to go,' you knew it was serious and you didn't ask questions," said Anna Richter Taylor, Kulongoski's former communications director.
Threats to governors, along with subsequent efforts to protect them, aren't unique to Oregon.
While California Gov. Jerry Brown's staff declines to discuss specific security measures, they help keep his whereabouts under wraps by releasing his monthly scheduling calendar only if someone files a public-records request — and even then, it's released only after the fact.
"We do send out advance advisories for all of his public events," said Deborah Hoffman, an office spokeswoman. "But anything else regarding his calendar is released only retroactively."
The office of Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey follows a similar policy, an office spokesman said.
They are NOT planning for anything gradual. This is going to be a full court press.
Threats spark heightened security for Gov. Kate Brown
Threats spark heightened security for Gov. Kate Brown (http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/07/post_181.html#incart_river_home_pop)
Security has been stepped up for Oregon Gov. Kate Brown in light of recent threats directed at here. Her, Brown attends a memorial service to honor Seaside police Sgt. Jason Goodding, the officer gunned down by a suspect in February. (Beth Nakamura/Staff). (Beth Nakamura)
on July 29, 2016 at 5:00 AM
When Gov. Kate Brown flew out of state late last week to be with her mother for her cancer surgery, Brown's office said only that she was in the "Midwest." Asked which city Brown was in, her office declined to say.
That vagueness, it turns out, stems from a new policy.
After a series of hostile threats this year — beginning with the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge occupation and continuing after Brown called for tighter gun rules in Oregon — the governor's security detail has quietly taken steps to increase protection levels.
Some measures remain unidentified. But others are visible.
Her detail, formally known as the Dignitary Protection Unit and staffed by theOregon State Police, has added a sixth member. Her office has also redoubled its unwillingness to release her advance public calendars, citing the threats in an interview with The Oregonian/OregonLive.
In June, the Bend Bulletin said Brown's office refused a request for the documents based on "an internal policy they say is backed up by an exemption in the records law and protects the governor."
And while threats against Oregon governors aren't new, Brown's staff said it's taking the increasingly aggressive tone of recent threats seriously enough to keep in regular contact with the FBI.
"Instead of voicing passionate opinions or dissent as part of exercising free speech, they express intent to cause her harm, ugly threats of physical violence and death," said Kristen Grainger, Brown's communications director. "Potentially dangerous individuals have attempted to breach security perimeters on more than one occasion."
Grainger and others say Brown's role in calling for an end to this winter's armed occupation near Burns, along with her recent backing of three gun-control bills, appear to have ramped up threats.
One recent Twitter post showed a photograph of Brown, the nation's first openly bisexual governor, with a caption calling her "the unelected sexually confused progressive Governor of Oregon who authorized FBI and [state police] use of deadly force against LaVoy Finicum."
Finicum was a spokesman for the 40-day occupation of the wildlife refuge. He was shot dead by authorities during a traffic stop Jan. 26 as he and other occupiers traveled to a community meeting in Grant County.
The sender of another expletive-filled text message appeared angry over the state's recent finding against a Gresham couple who refused to bake a cake for a lesbian couple's wedding. That decision was handed down not by Brown but by the state's labor commissioner, Brad Avakian. Avakian, a Democrat, is running for secretary of state this year.
"You violated the rights of a couple for their beliefs," the message read. "A group of us are coming to your state and, we are going to every bakery and see which one won't bake us a certain cake... We will except [sic] the same attack on them that you did on the other bakery...I hope the next attack happens to your house."
Grainger said these and other messages have prompted Brown's security detail to keep in daily contact with the FBI, which is investigating the threats.
Part of the challenge in providing security for Brown is her tendency to travel to areas such as the recent trail derailment in the Columbia River Gorge when problems occur, said Travis Hampton, state police superintendent.
"Governor Brown has proven to be a very 'hands on' governor, personally, responding to areas of the state where past governors would rely on state agency representatives or staff advisors," Hampton said.
#grayscale"); position: relative; -webkit-filter: grayscale(100%);" data-position="">"Potentially dangerous individuals have attempted to breach security perimeters..." a Brown spokeswoman said.
Former Gov. Barbara Roberts, the first woman elected to the state's top office, said threats go way back.
"I governed during the spotted owl crisis of the early 1990s," she said, referring to the tumultuous period when enforcement of the federal Endangered Species Act led to reduced logging in Oregon and, consequently, bitter resentment in timber-dependent communities. "I was not everybody's favorite governor during that crisis."
Roberts said she also received death threats for her pro-choice views on abortion.
One man threatened to kill her, she said, Roberts while not ever making clear what his particular gripe was, she said.
"He gave my security unit five different dates on which he was supposedly going to kill me," Roberts said. "Of course, nothing ever happened, but it's not unusual for a governor to be threatened simply because their views on almost everything are so public."
When then-Gov. Ted Kulongoski was attending an event some years ago, someone phoned in a bomb threat. Within seconds, Kulongosi's security team was whisking him out the door.
"While not often, when the (security detail) got the governor's coat and said, 'time to go,' you knew it was serious and you didn't ask questions," said Anna Richter Taylor, Kulongoski's former communications director.
Threats to governors, along with subsequent efforts to protect them, aren't unique to Oregon.
While California Gov. Jerry Brown's staff declines to discuss specific security measures, they help keep his whereabouts under wraps by releasing his monthly scheduling calendar only if someone files a public-records request — and even then, it's released only after the fact.
"We do send out advance advisories for all of his public events," said Deborah Hoffman, an office spokeswoman. "But anything else regarding his calendar is released only retroactively."
The office of Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey follows a similar policy, an office spokesman said.
