Sponsors of an initiative petition called the Oregon Secession Act have withdrawn their support following threats.The initiative petition would have appeared on the 2018 ballot for voters to consider whether Oregon should secede from the United States.
Organizers say threats and vulgar messages have prompted them to withdraw their support.
There’s no clear legal path for a state to secede from the union, but the initiative would have required the governor and state lawmakers to actively pursue the option. It also floated the possibility that Oregon could create a new nation with other like-minded states such as California and Washington.
Secession has long been discussed in California, and backers there renewed their push this week for an eventual ballot measure.
Copyright 2016 Oregon Public Broadcasting
