Former Rep. Mike Nearman, R-Independence, at his desk on March 30, 2021 (Ron Cooper/Salem Reporter)
Former Oregon State Representative Mike Nearman pleaded guilty on July 27 for his part in allowing protestors into the Oregon Capitol building on Dec. 21.
Nearman will complete 80 hours of community service and pay $2,700 as part of the plea deal, according to court documents. Prosecutors dismissed the charge of criminal trespass in the second degree, a Class C misdemeanor. Nearman was sentenced on a charge of official misconduct in the first degree, a class A misdemeanor.
He will serve 18 months of bench probation and is barred from the state Capitol during that time.
“This plea and sentencing concludes an embarrassing and disgraceful event in our state’s history,” said Marion County District Attorney Paige Clarkson in a statement on Tuesday. “I am thankful that no members of law enforcement, or anyone else were seriously injured as a result of Mr. Nearman’s irresponsible actions. Additionally, I am grateful to the Oregon State Police for their complete and thorough investigation that led to this conviction.”
Nearman was caught on security footage allowing protestors, some of who were armed, into the Capitol building when the facility was closed. The former representative and his attorney, Jason Short, did not return calls from Salem Reporter seeking comment on Tuesday.
But Nearman appeared on the Lars Larson Show shortly after his guilty plea on Tuesday and said he would have preferred the matter go to trial.
“The legal bills were stacking up and part of that is because the state police just kept piling on the evidence, every possible thing they could paperclip and throw at me,” he said, attributing his decision to plead guilty to “dollars and cents.”
He went on to say he did not believe he committed a crime and did not do anything wrong.
Nearman was expelled from his seat in the Oregon House on June 10, making him the first Oregon legislator expelled from the body. Nearman cast the sole vote opposing his expulsion.
Last month, a panel of county commissioners from House District 23, appointed Nearman staffer Anna Scharf to his seat.
-Caitlyn May
