OREGON CITY, Ore — Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum threatened civil or even criminal action in a letter to the mayor of Oregon City after learning he was considering reopening all city businesses.
The letter was dated Friday, April 24. It was posted by the city on its website. In it Rosenblum writes:
"Dear Mayor Holladay,
I understand that you plan to issue a declaration that allows all businesses in Oregon City to re-open, even though this would contravene Governor Kate Brown’s “Stay at Home, Save Lives” Executive Order (20-12). I further understand that your declaration would be based on a mistaken belief that the governor lacked the legal authority to issue this executive order. I send this letter in the hope that you will reconsider your approach without the need for more formal action. I remind you that there are significant legal repercussions for violating the governor’s order.”
The letter then outlines the authority for the Governor’s orders before ending with a warning.
“My hope is that this letter will persuade you to abandon this approach. Please be advised I will take legal action, civil or criminal, as appropriate, in order to protect the public.”
The letter prompted an emergency meeting Sunday of the Oregon City Commission.
They gathered online as the mayor, Dan Holladay, sat in commission chambers and tried to explain the actions that set off the attorney general.
“Starting about a week and a half ago, I started having, receiving calls and then making calls to different mayors around the state, having discussions about the economic impact this was having on our communities. And I was leaning toward making some sort of an announcement,” he said.
But Holladay said he changed his mind, did nothing and was surprised by the threatening letter.
City Commissioner Rocky Smith blasted the mayor.
“I would like to say that I am extremely disappointed in the mayor's actions from the last couple weeks and the last few days. And that I think there's other people that feel the same way. I've served as a city commissioner for close to a decade. I’ve never seen a mayor take any action that reached the level that this letter from the attorney general points out,” said Commissioner Smith.
After the Sunday session, the Oregon City Commission issued a statement saying they unanimously agree that the Governor's orders will remain in effect, that the city commission never considered issuing a directive to open businesses and that the mayor did not speak for the commission.