Oct. 16: Rooftop gun cache discovered before Aug. 4 rally, officials say
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Portland Police Bureau clarified details on the presence of weapons at an Aug. 4 rally held by alt-right group Patriot Prayer, confirming police had discovered four people on top of a parking garage on SW First Ave. and SW Jefferson St. with three rifles in cases prior to the rally. All parties had concealed carry permits and no arrests were made.
Oct. 17: Russian woman charged with interference in U.S. midterm election
Russian national Elena Alekseevna Khusyaynova has been charged with conspiring to interfere with the United States 2018 midterm elections. According to The Oregonian, prosecutors said Khusyaynova had managed the finances of a Russian social media propaganda operation. In a joint statement released on the same day, United States intelligence agencies expressed concern about foreign interference in elections, mentioning Russia, China and Iran as potential influencers.
Oct. 17: Bend City Council censures state House candidate
The Bend, Ore. City Council has publicly reprimanded Oregon State House of Representatives candidate Nathan Boddie for blocking constituents from commenting on his Facebook page and for attacking the credibility of Moey Newbold, a woman who accused him of sexual misconduct in July 2018. The Bulletin reported Boddie claimed Newbold had substance abuse problems. The House Democrats’ campaign committee FuturePAC pulled support for Boddie on June 25, accusing him of sexist and homophobic behavior.
Oct. 18: Government asks Supreme Court to halt youth climate change lawsuit
Attorneys for the federal government have submitted a mandamus petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to order the dismissal of a youth-led climate change lawsuit filed in 2015 and scheduled to go to trial Oct. 29 in the U.S. District Court in Eugene, Ore. The plaintiffs in the case allege that the federal government has long been aware of the risks of burning fossil fuels but has willfully ignored the danger, and seek a court order requiring the government to take action on climate change.