Last week, five counties in eastern Oregon voted to consider seceding from the state to join neighboring Idaho, which voters said aligns more closely with their conservative values than the dominant liberal views of the Beaver State, which has voted blue in every presidential election since 1988.
The development is the latest crescendo of the efforts of Move Oregon's Border for a Greater Idaho, which has spearheaded the initiatives to join eastern Oregon and parts of northern California to expand Idaho.
Head petitioner for the initiative, Mike McCarter, said of the news:
"This election proves that rural Oregon wants out of Oregon. If Oregon really believes in liberal values such as self-determination, the Legislature won't hold our counties captive against our will. If we're allowed to vote for which government officials we want, we should be allowed to vote for which government we want as well."
Even with voters favoring the effort, joining these counties with Idaho would require the approval of both the Oregon and Idaho state legislatures along with the United States Congress, which is currently majority-Democrat.
Republican Congresswoman and prominent conspiracy theorist Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia took to Twitter to praise the efforts to secede from the state.
God bless them!\n\nSecession.\n\nThe disconnected swamp would blow a gasket if they knew how many people are actually talking about this bc of how fast Biden is blowing it.\n\nThe Dems have totally lost control of everything and everyone knows it.\n\n#AmericaFirst is the only way.https://twitter.com/seanhannity/status/1396545223233261570\u00a0\u2026— Marjorie Taylor Greene \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Marjorie Taylor Greene \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1621799913
She questionably claimed that far more people are "talking about" secession because of "how fast Biden is blowing it." After giving the secession efforts her blessing, Greene said "#AmericaFirst is the only way."
Her praise wasn't well received by social media users, including some of her colleagues in Congress.
Dear @mtgreenee: Did Q tell you to say this? No American Member of Congress should ever endorse secession.https://twitter.com/mtgreenee/status/1396556173822803972\u00a0\u2026— Ted Lieu (@Ted Lieu) 1621878441
You are an elected member of congress for THE United States of America, you claim to be a "proud American". Yet you openly condone secession... What the actual f*** is wrong with you!?! @mtgreenee #GOPTraitors #TimetoexpelMajoriehttps://twitter.com/mtgreenee/status/1396556173822803972\u00a0\u2026— The Rikksta! (@The Rikksta!) 1621881427
She\u2019s actually advocating secession.https://twitter.com/mtgreenee/status/1396556173822803972\u00a0\u2026— Danielle Janaye (@Danielle Janaye) 1621881022
Again, you\u2019re wrong. Red states CAN NOT afford to secede. They rely on money from BLUE STATES to support them. Go ahead and secede. No more government handouts for them who do.https://twitter.com/mtgreenee/status/1396556173822803972\u00a0\u2026— Dr. Ginny McDonald (@Dr. Ginny McDonald) 1621880674
This statement goes against everything a member of Congress is supposed to stand for. First she supports insurrection and now secession. McCarthy is useless. @HouseGOP @HouseDemocratshttps://twitter.com/mtgreenee/status/1396556173822803972\u00a0\u2026— Margarita (@Margarita) 1621878912
More and more people are calling for Greene to be disciplined by Republican leadership, with some advocating for her expulsion from Congress.
I'm no Constitutional scholar (though, I majored in Government and graduated with honors from Harvard) but openly promoting secession is pretty much textbook (and lawbook) sedition. \n\nIt's time to #ExpelMarjorieTaylorGreenehttps://twitter.com/mtgreenee/status/1396556173822803972\u00a0\u2026— Edward (Ned) Unity requires Justice Staebler (@Edward (Ned) Unity requires Justice Staebler) 1621880427
Traitorous tweets by a sitting member of @USCongress \nYet @GOPLeader and @SpeakerPelosi let her stay?https://twitter.com/mtgreenee/status/1396556173822803972\u00a0\u2026— Harry Clifton Greene (@Harry Clifton Greene) 1621879072
A sitting congresswoman is calling for the break up of the union. @GOPLeader @SpeakerPelosi something needs to be done.https://twitter.com/mtgreenee/status/1396556173822803972\u00a0\u2026— Michael (@Michael) 1621879266
You support Secession...\n is this tweet your RESIGNATION from Congress?\n\n Marj is delusional and unfit to serve.https://twitter.com/mtgreenee/status/1396556173822803972\u00a0\u2026— A (@A) 1621879145
Greene was already stripped of her committee assignments earlier this year for expressing support of the execution of her now-colleagues before her run for office.