Oregon Recall Efforts Suspended After Dem House Leader Steps Down

Val Hoyle, right, is stepping down.  (Photo: Oregonlive) 

The recall petition against Democratic House Majority Leader Val Hoyle was suspended after she stepped down from her position.

Gun shop owner Jason Thiesfeld filed the petition against Hoyle after SB 941 was passed into law last May. The bill mandates background checks on nearly all gun sales, including private party transfers.

Thiesfeld claimed the House Leader was more interested in appeasing her campaign donors than constituents, but decided to recall the petition in light of her recent decision.

“With the announcement today of Val Hoyle’s resignation as House Majority Leader, I have decided to suspend the recall effort regarding her House District 14 seat,” said Thiesfeld.

Thiesfeld reasoned that if Hoyle was stepping down, she almost certainly wouldn’t be running next year, and if that were the case, then his petition would no longer be necessary.

“I feel confident that Representative Hoyle would not relinquish her power within the House leadership if she had any intention of campaigning to represent us again next year,” said Thiesfeld. “Therefore, knowing that she will not be in the House leadership for this winter’s short session gives me the confidence to withdraw my petition and not put the citizens of our state, district, and county through the expense or turmoil of a recall election.”

Hoyle assumed that the petition was withdrawn not because she stepped down, but because Thiesfeld wasn’t able to garner the required 3,600 signatures to trigger the election. However, she did add she hadn’t exactly been keeping track.

“I honestly haven’t been paying much attention,” said Hoyle.

Now that Hoyle has stepped down from House Leader, she says her new focus is “on getting out of the building.”