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Oregon State Rep. Charged for Letting Far-Right Rioters Into State Capitol

Mike Nearman faces charges of official misconduct and criminal trespassing for laying out the welcome mat.

An Oregon state representative is facing criminal charges after security cameras captured him opening the door for far-right rioters to enter the state Capitol in December. Rep. Mike Nearman, a Republican, is charged with first-degree official misconduct and second-degree criminal trespassing for laying out the welcome mat to protesters in Salem during a Dec. 21 special session. He is slated to appear in court May 11. Nearman walked out of a Capitol door and made no attempt to stop the demonstrators standing on the other side, including ones carrying rifles. They went on to pepper spray police before being removed from the building. Nearman’s colleagues in the state legislature have called for him to resign.