I'd like to report to you on this first day of 2026 that Oregon has recovered some of its sanity, but, sadly, as you'll soon find out, that is not the case.
The mostly woke state has poured onerous new taxes on its middle class citizens to backfill its overspending on trains and illegal aliens in Portland. There's a shortage of cops in Portland because those overworked and over-blamed cops from the 2020 riots said, "Screw it, I'm outtahere."
Addicts whom the West Coast, Messed Coast™ states call "homeless people" populate the streets, back alleys, and rural parklands. I recently wrote about it. And the more that taxpayers pay to "help" them, the more people they have to "help."
In short, taxpayers have a lot on their minds right now. It's all they can do to fight the state's confiscators to roll back the huge increase in taxes that their unfortunately-named governor, Tina Kotek, and her Democrat coven just passed and signed into law.
When Gad Saad coined the term for trying to make yourself feel better by making stupid decisions to make bad people feel better about themselves, he called it "suicidal empathy," and his book about it will be published in May 2026. I think, however, that even he might agree with the, yes, prosaic, headline of this story — that what the state capital of Oregon has done recently is a what the hell? moment, even for woke Salem.
Comes now, the Salem City Council has appointed a convicted murderer to its police review board. Not a typo.
— KBeRedClass (@red_value) December 29, 2025
It is the height of arrogance to name a murderer to a panel overseeing the behavior of cops on the job. Citizens demand that police conduct themselves with impunity. One of the men on the panel passing judgment on their behavior has done the worst thing imaginable. Did no one see this as a problem?
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That's like putting a convicted arsonist on the fire bug prevention team of Anytown, USA, or hiring predateachers to watch small children in school. Can't we just stop the stupid?
Could Salem have found someone not convicted of murder to put on its police review board? Apparently not. It makes one wonder about the qualifications for the gig.
I can see the imaginary employment form now:
Requirements: Must have served time in the state penitentiary for defiling a teenage girl, murdering her, and leaving her in a ditch.
This murderer was 19 when he given a life sentence for executing Roseburg, Oregon, teen Nikki Thrasher in 1995 and leaving her lifeless body in a ditch. This was done to cover yet other crimes he'd committed. Then came former Governor Kate Brown, who pulled a Joe Biden and let out scores of convicted sex offenders and murderers from the state prisons because she was a ghoul. Even in her retirement she still is.
The convicted murderer says he's already been on the board for two years and gets along great with the cops. He wonders why there's a big controversy over his reappointment. I don't know, maybe people woke up?
“I’ve already been on the board for two years. I’ve already been on two ride-alongs. Nobody batted an eyelash,” Hedquist told KATU.
Hedquist said the board serves only in an advisory capacity and does not have disciplinary power over officers.
"All it is, is just recommendations,” he said. “You review somebody’s complaint, and you know, it’s all confidential.”
He questioned why his criminal history has become a focal point now, saying police unions had not raised concerns during his prior service on the board.
“Why now?” said Hedquist. “Why is this such an important, almost like critical issue at this point?”
Outrage over the appointment of the convicted murderer to the police review board may force the dopes in Salem to review their 5-4 decision naming the murderer to the police review board.
Related: West Coast, Messed Coast™ Year in Review!
We'll see if his reappointment lasts. But know this: Woke Salem won't give up their pet murderer without a fight.
