P R E S S   R E L E A S E

Secretary of State SHEMIA FAGAN The State of Oregon

Contact: Ben Morris, 971-209-5521, ben.morris@sos.oregon.gov

Oregon Audits Division Wins Award from National Conference of State Legislators for Domestic Terrorism Report

Denver, CO — The National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) presented the Oregon Audits Division with its Notable Document Award for the 2022 Advisory Report: Oregon Can Do More to Mitigate the Alarming Risk of Domestic Terrorism and Violent Extremist Attacks.

NCSL presented the award for Notable Document in the category of Public Safety to principal auditor Casey Kopcho and Deputy Secretary of State Cheryl Myers on Tuesday, August 2, at the NCSL Legislative Summit in Denver, Colorado.

“I believe Oregon can be an inclusive democracy where all people live free from fear,” said Secretary of State Shemia Fagan. “Domestic terrorism is an immediate threat to that vision and we cannot simply wait for the next incident to occur. We must do more to prevent individuals from escalating down the pathway to violence.”

The advisory report — the first state report looking directly at this subject — found that Oregon has one of the highest rates of domestic terrorism and violent extremist attacks in the country, but the state lacks a clear definition of these acts. The Oregon Homeland Security Council can do more to protect Oregonians by establishing a data-driven, statewide strategy to combat domestic violent extremist attacks.

“I’m proud of the work that Casey and the rest of the team did on this important report,” said Kip Memmott, director of the Audits Division. “Recent events have highlighted domestic terrorism and violent extremism as a growing risk, both nationwide and in Oregon. The Audits Division is uniquely positioned to analyze these risks and suggest real changes that Oregon’s leaders can take to mitigate this threat and better protect all Oregonians.”

Read the full report on the Secretary of State website.

Principal Auditor Casey Kopcho and Deputy Secretary of State Cheryl Myers receiving the NCSL Notable Document Award

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About Secretary Shemia Fagan

Pronunciation: shuh-MEE-uh (rhymes with “Maria”) FAY-gen (rhymes with “Megan”)

Shemia Fagan is Oregon’s 28th Secretary of State. She grew up in small Oregon towns, Dufur and The Dalles, and was raised by her single dad and two older brothers. Her public service began on her local school board. She was later elected to the Oregon House of Representatives, then to the Oregon State Senate. Secretary Fagan was a civil rights attorney before being elected to Secretary of State in 2020. She stays busy keeping up with her young children, teaching her dog not to jump on people and being a fanatic for women’s basketball.

About Oregon SOS

The Oregon Secretary of State is one of three constitutional offices created at statehood. Oregon’s Secretary of State is Oregon’s chief elections officer, chief auditor, chief archivist, and oversees business and nonprofit filings. The Secretary of State also serves as one of three members of the State Land Board and as the chair of the Oregon Sustainability Board. Under Article V, Section 8a of the Oregon Constitution, if there is a vacancy in the office of Governor, the Secretary of State becomes governor. As an independently elected constitutional officer, the Secretary of State answers directly and solely to the people of Oregon.

Our Mission

Build trust between the people of Oregon and their state government so Oregonians trust the public services that can make a positive difference in their everyday lives.