The incoming chairwoman of a suburban Portland county’s Board of Commissioners will publicly resist Oregon Gov. Kate Brown’s restrictions on holiday-season gatherings.
Tootie Smith, who begins leading Clackamas County’s board in January, said she will host a big Thanksgiving dinner despite Ms. Brown’s orders that indoor gatherings consist of no more than six people from no more than two households.
“My family will celebrate Thanksgiving dinner with as many family and friends as I can find. Gov Brown is WRONG to order otherwise,” Ms. Smith wrote in a Facebook post Saturday.
According to the Oregonian, the governor has said that, unlike previous pandemic restrictions, she wants police to force compliance with her restrictions, including by issuing fines of up to $1,250 and jail time.
Ms. Smith, a Republican, has said further coronavirus restrictions do more harm than good and accused Ms. Brown in a follow-up Facebook post Sunday of patronizing residents of her county, Oregon’s third-most populous.
“As for my family, it is always their choice to celebrate Thanksgiving or any other holiday. The people I represent are informed, intelligent and educated citizens of the US and Clackamas County. They understand the guidelines set forth for Covid prevention listed by the CDC. … I believe my citizens can make their own informed decisions and maintain their personal rights,” she wrote.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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