A4 The BulleTin • Thursday, March 4, 2021
U.S. CAPITOL
Strike
Police uncover ‘possible plot’ by militia
Continued from A1
BY MICHAEL BALSAMO
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Capitol
Police say they have uncovered
intelligence of a “possible plot”
by a militia group to breach
the U.S. Capitol on Thursday,
nearly two months after a mob
of supporters of then-Presi-
dent Donald Trump stormed
the iconic building to try to
stop Congress from certifying
now-President Joe Biden’s vic-
tory.
The threat appears to be
connected to a far-right con-
spiracy theory, mainly pro-
moted by supporters of QA-
non, that Trump will rise again
to power on March 4. That was
the original presidential inau-
guration day until 1933, when
it was moved to Jan. 20.
Online chatter identified by
authorities included discus-
sions among members of the
Three Percenters, an anti-gov-
ernment militia group, con-
cerning possible plots against
the Capitol on Thursday, ac-
cording to two law enforce-
ment officials who were not
authorized to speak publicly
and spoke on condition of ano-
nymity. Members of the Three
Percenters were among the ex-
tremists who stormed the Cap-
itol on Jan. 6.
The announcement comes
as the Capitol police and other
law enforcement agencies are
taking heat from Congress in
contentious hearings this week
on their handling of the Jan. 6
riot. Police were ill-prepared
for the mass of Trump sup-
porters in tactical gear, some
armed, and it took hours for
National Guard reinforce-
ments to come. By then, riot-
ers had broken and smashed
their way into the building and
roamed the halls for hours,
stalling Congress’ certification
effort temporarily and sending
lawmakers into hiding.
“The United States Capitol
Police Department is aware of
and prepared for any potential
threats towards members of
Congress or towards the Capi-
tol complex,” the agency said in
a statement. “We have obtained
intelligence that shows a pos-
sible plot to breach the Capitol
by an identified militia group
on Thursday, March 4.” Po-
lice did not identify the militia
group in the statement.
The U.S. House was abruptly
wrapping its work for the week
Wednesday night given the
threat of violence.
An advisory sent earlier this
week to members of Congress
by Timothy Blodgett, the act-
ing House sergeant-at-arms,
said that the Capitol Police had
“no indication that groups will
travel to Washington D.C. to
protest or commit acts of vio-
lence.”
Park
Continued from A1
“We try to build (a park)
within a half-mile of every
home,” Endicott told The Bul-
letin Wednesday. “In this case,
with all those new projects …
you’re looking at 300 to 400
homes who could access it.”
However, at Tuesday eve-
ning’s Redmond City Council
meeting, some city councilors
expressed concern that add-
ing funding for an expanded
Quartz Park could take fund-
ing away from other, future
park projects.
“Rather than just saying,
‘just go ahead,’ I’d like to see
what it would affect if we do it,”
Councilor Jay Patrick said at
the meeting.
The council decided to have
McVay look into this and re-
port back later.
On Wednesday, McVay told
The Bulletin that the parks de-
partment has enough funds to
pay for an expanded Quartz
Park, and paying more for it
wouldn’t hurt any future proj-
ects.
At the meeting, some coun-
cilors also expressed concern
about traffic safety nearby.
The master plan shows a
second, smaller portion of the
park south of Quartz Avenue,
dedicated for more adult-ori-
ented games like horseshoes,
bocce and cornhole.
But Quartz Avenue is a busy
street, and the city’s transpor-
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Michigan National Guard troops stand watch Wednesday with U.S. Capitol Police as heightened security per-
sists around the U.S. Capitol since the Jan. 6 attacks by a mob of supporters of then-President Donald Trump,
in Washington, D.C. The U.S. Capitol Police say they have intelligence showing there is a “possible plot” by a
militia group to breach the U.S. Capitol on Thursday.
But that advisory was up-
tails of the security planning
dated in a note to lawmakers
and spoke on condition of an-
Wednesday morning. Blodgett onymity.
wrote that the Capitol Police
The FBI and Department of
had received “new and con-
Homeland Security also sent
cerning information and intel- a joint intelligence bulletin to
ligence indicating additional
local law enforcement officials
interest in the Capitol for the
Tuesday warning that a group
dates of March 4th – 6th by a
of militia extremists had dis-
militia group.”
cussed trying to take control
In her testimony to the
of the Capitol on March 4 and
House panel, acting Capitol
encouraging thousands of peo-
Police Chief Yogananda Pitt-
ple to come to D.C. to try to re-
man said her investigators had move Democrats from power.
collected “some concerning
There has been a noticeable
intelligence,” but
decline in online
declined to provide
activity on some
“We have
any details publicly,
social media plat-
saying that it was
forms surrounding
obtained
“law enforcement
efforts on March 4,
sensitive” and that
intelligence that and there was al-
she would provide a
considerably
shows a possible ready
private briefing for
less online chatter
the subcommittee
plot to breach than during the
members.
lead-up to Jan. 6,
the Capitol by a day that Trump
Lawmakers, con-
gressional staffers
repeatedly had pro-
an identified
and law enforce-
moted for a his rally
ment officials are
militia group and encouraged
still on edge af-
to come
on Thursday, thousands
ter the attack last
to the nation’s cap-
month, even as the
ital.
March 4.”
security posture
Several QAnon
— United States
around the Capitol
groups still oper-
Capitol Police
remains at an un-
ating on the social
Department
precedented level.
media messaging
statement
On Wednesday,
platform Telegram
federal agents were
warned followers to
seeking to deter-
stay away from any
mine whether there was an in- events on March 4, claiming
crease in the number of hotel
it was a setup for Trump sup-
rooms being rented in Wash-
porters.
ington, as well as monitoring
“If there are groups out
flights to the area, car rental
there planning and advertising
reservations and any buses be- events on or around March 4
ing chartered to bring groups
anywhere in the country (DC
into the capital, a person fa-
included) we strongly urge ev-
miliar with the matter told The eryone to avoid them entirely,”
Associated Press. The person
one Telegram user wrote late
could not publicly discuss de-
last month in a QAnon group
that has more than 65,000 fol-
lowers.
There’s also a very large
fence in place around the U.S.
Capitol that blocks off all ave-
nues of entry including on the
streets around the building,
which was put in place after
Jan. 6.
Also, thousands of accounts
that promoted the Jan. 6 event
that led to a violent storming
of the U.S. Capitol have since
been suspended by major tech
companies like Facebook and
Twitter, making it far more dif-
ficult for QAnon and far-right
groups to organize a repeat of
the mass gathering on Thurs-
day.
Twitter banned more than
70,000 accounts after the riots,
while Facebook and Instagram
removed posts mentioning
“stop the steal,” a pro-Trump
rallying cry used to mobilize
his supporters in January. And
the conservative social media
platform Parler, which many
of Trump’s supporters joined
to promote false election fraud
conspiracy theories and en-
courage friends to “storm” the
Capitol on Jan. 6, was booted
off the internet following the
siege.
Capitol Police say that
they have stepped up secu-
rity around the Capitol com-
plex since January’s insurrec-
tion, adding physical security
measures such as the fencing
topped with razor wire around
the Capitol and members of
the National Guard who re-
main at the complex. The state-
ment said the agency was “tak-
ing the intelligence seriously”
but provided no other specific
details on the threat.
tation system plan will eventu-
ally extend Quartz all the way
across U.S. Highway 97 to the
airport, Endicott and Coun-
cilor Ed Fitch pointed out
at the meeting. Crossing the
street and interrupting traffic
flow could be a concern, they
said.
McVay said the park will
have a crosswalk across
Quartz Avenue, likely with
flashing beacon lights. And
at the meeting, City Engineer
Mike Caccavano said the ex-
tension of Quartz Avenue
likely won’t make the street
much busier at the future
park’s location.
“It’s all surrounded by neigh-
borhood, so putting a park
here wouldn’t impact its func-
tion as a collector,” Caccavano
said Tuesday night.
City Councilor Clifford
Evelyn told The Bulletin that
he needs more information
about Quartz Park before he
fully supports it. However, he
likes the proposed new ame-
nities.
“I think a parking lot for the
park is important, and a re-
stroom that actually flushes,”
Evelyn said Wednesday. “We’re
in modern times; we shouldn’t
have port-a-potties lying
around.”
If the park is built as
planned, construction will start
this summer and hopefully fin-
ish by late fall, McVay said.
If the City Council tells the
parks department to scale
construction likely wouldn’t
start until 2022.
down Quartz Park to save
funding, there would be a delay
due to restarting the planning
process, she said. That means
e e
Reporter: 541-617-7854,
jhogan@bendbulletin.com
OBITUARY
“I think they are definitely
prepared for any threats that
may come our way in the
next couple days,” said Rep.
Jennifer Wexton, D-Va.,
who was one of several law-
makers briefed privately by
the police. Wexton added
that she still questioned the
long-term security plan for
the Capitol and said Pitt-
man, the acting chief, “has
not come up with proactive
ways to fix the issues that
they had.”
So far, about 300 people
have been charged with fed-
eral crimes for their roles in
the riot. Five people, includ-
ing a Capitol Police officer,
died.
Since his defeat, Trump
has been promoting lies that
the election was stolen from
him through mass voter
fraud, even though such
claims have been rejected
by judges, Republican state
officials and Trump’s own
administration. He was im-
peached by the House after
the Jan. 6 riot on a charge of
incitement of insurrection
but was acquitted by the
Senate.
“We simply don’t have the
resources to focus on bargain-
ing a new contract while we are
actively preparing for a strike
of our technical workforce,”
Aaron Adams, St. Charles
Bend president, said in a pre-
pared statement. “Our top pri-
ority must be ensuring we have
replacement workers here to
care for our community.”
What’s left to negotiate are
wage issues, Potter said.
The hospital had tried to
stop the strike on Tuesday by
filing injunctions in both De-
schutes County and in federal
court in Eugene. The county
filing was tossed out because of
jurisdictional issues, and a fed-
eral judge ruled Tuesday that
the National Labor Relations
Board had jurisdiction over
any labor disputes, including
halting a strike.
“We think it’s a real possi-
bility that we can bargain to-
day,” Potter said. “We have no
trust in this administration. It’s
eroded.
“We have told them that we’d
come to the table if they don’t
ask us to give up our strike,”
he said. “It’s a laughable offer.
I truly wish it was a better one.
Our folks are ready to nego-
tiate.”
e e
Reporter: 541-633-2117,
sroig@bendbulletin.com
OBITUARY
Richard “Dick” Dale Johnson
1939 - 2021
On Wednesday February 17th, 2021, Richard Dale
Johnson - loving husband and father of two children
and one grandchild - passed away peacefully in sleep
with his family at his side. The cause of death was a
stroke and the complicati ons of Parkinson’s Disease.
Dick was born on March 29th, 1939 in Rockford,
Illinois to Harriet Johnson and Erik “Swede” Johnson.
Following graduati on from East Rockford High School
he entered the University of Illinois where he majored
in geography. It was there he met and married his wife
of 59 years Judith Anne (Pott s) Johnson. Subsequently
he earned a Masters of Science in community
development at Southern Illinois University and
concurrently worked as a Field Representati ve for
the SIU Offi ce of Community Development. Following
his tenure at SIU Dick and family moved to Eugene,
Oregon where he joined the staff of LCOG (Lane Council
of Governments). Dick conti nued his career focused on
community development and city planning. He served
as planning director for the citi es of Cott age Grove,
Springfi eld and Hood River. Dick fi nished his planning
career at Deschutes County Public Works Department
in Bend.
Dick had a passion for American, world and military
history - in additi on to geography, environmental
causes, politi cs and sports. He was a lifelong White Sox
and Green Bay fan as well as a 51 year season ti cket
holder for University of Oregon football games.
He, along with his wife and family enjoyed travel,
att ending most of Oregon bowl games, and many away
basketball games and tournaments. They traveled to
almost all of the 50 US States, as well as Scandinavia
- where Dick traced his Swedish roots. His hobbies
included golf, fi shing and bowling. He parti cipated in
several bowling leagues in Bend and was an acti ve
member of the Men’s Golf Club at Quail Run.
Mona Lee Judson
September 16, 1937 - February 26, 2021
Mona Lee Judson, age 83, passed away peacefully
with her three children by her side on February 26,
2021. She was born, Mona Lee Kirchmeier, in House,
New Mexico on September 16, 1937 and later moved
to the Pacifi c Northwest. She lived in Redmond,
Oregon for the past 23 years and was much loved
by colleagues and patrons of the Fred Meyer Floral
and Garden Center, where she worked for 14 years.
Mona loved gardening, photography, craft ing, and
spending ti me with her children and her beloved
grandchildren. She is survived by two brothers,
three children, seven grandchildren, and three great-
grandchildren. Her children would like to express
their deep appreciati on for the wonderful care she
received from her hospice team through Partners
In Care of Bend. If desired, memorial contributi ons
can be made in her name to The Shepherd’s House,
PO Box 5484 Bend OR 97701, or to Partners In Care,
Hospice Bend, at partnersbend.org
Dick was outgoing and easily engaged others in
conversati on. He never knew a stranger. He was
intelligent and knowledgeable across a wide range of
topics. He had a soft and loving heart for others and
a true love for wildlife and nature. His beloved canine
companions Princess and White Socks were dear to
his heart and the birth of his fi rst grandchild in 2020
was a most joyous occasion.
Dick was preceded in death by his father Erik Johnson,
his mother Harriet Johnson and his sister Judith
Cunningham. He is survived by his wife Judy, his two
children Matt hew Johnson and Catherine Conkey,
grandson Noah Carter Johnson, brother David
Johnson, sisters-in-law Judith Edwards Johnson and
Sue Pott s Thomas, and numerous cousins and nieces.
A Celebrati on of Life will be held later this year when
family and friends can safely gather. Please visit www.
bairdfh .com to share condolences and sign Dick’s
online guest book. Contributi ons can be made in his
name to Bend Partners in Care (partnersbend.org),
Bend Humane Society (hsco.org) or Deschutes Land
Trust (deschuteslandtrust.org)