Representative Paul Evans is offended by gun safety bills but his implied threat to reproductive care is an outrageous echo of the Legislature’s shameful past

This post concerns claims and comments made by Oregon State Representative Paul Evans in his newsletter. On behalf of Ceasefire Oregon, I contacted Representative Paul Evans’ office twice to request a meeting, either in Salem or virtually, to discuss his statements. Both requests were denied. His staff explained that “Rep. Evans made his position clear” and that a meeting “would not be a productive use of anyone’s time.” We are disappointed at the lost opportunity for direct dialogue. What follows is Ceasefire Oregon’s formal response to the positions and rhetoric he expressed in his newsletter.

Representative Evans has, in the past, supported important gun violence prevention legislation. He voted for SB 941 in 2015, establishing universal background checks in Oregon, and for SB 719 in 2017, which created the Extreme Risk Protection Order. Both measures have saved lives by helping to prevent firearm-related tragedies. Evans himself proudly cites these votes and Ceasefire Oregon applauds his support for those bills.

However, Representative Evans, now in his fifth-term, has taken a disturbing turn that cannot go unanswered, especially in the light of the Oregon Legislature’s shameful history of sexual harassment and leadership’s tolerance of the misogyny displayed by some legislators. 

In a recent constituent newsletter, Rep. Evans outlined his opposition to several vital gun safety bills—SB 243, HB 3075, and HB 3076—and criticized the survivors and advocates who support them, claiming they exhibit too much “fervor.” Most troubling, he issued a rhetorical statement that is not only offensive, but veiled in threat.

Rep. Paul Evans’ complains about waiting periods and threatens reproductive care in retaliation

As Representative Evans complained about a portion of one bill that would require a 72 hour waiting period for gun sales, he explicitly invoked reproductive healthcare as a right that, in his view, women and gender minorities would not tolerate being delayed—drawing a direct comparison to his perception of the 72-hour waiting period as an infringement on gun rights. While he might attempt to frame the reference as a rhetorical device to illustrate his opposition to delays in exercising any right, the subtext is unmistakable: if the waiting period provision remains in SB 243, Rep. Evans is prepared to undermine reproductive rights in retaliation.

“Demanding a 3-day ‘waiting period’ after passing a background check is nothing more or less than theft of liberty. Who would support a 3-day waiting period for the purchase of an automobile, the delivery of alcohol or a gummy, or for an appointment providing reproductive care?”

Rep. Paul Evans (D-District 20) equating reproductive care to buying a case of beer

Tellingly, Rep. Evans did not compare the waiting period to delays in other fundamental rights—such as free speech, the right to vote, or the right to legal counsel. Instead, he deliberately singled out reproductive care—an issue disproportionately impacting the very women and gender minorities who make up a significant portion of the advocates supporting the legislation he opposes. The implication is clear: he is willing to weaponize reproductive rights in response to gun safety laws he finds objectionable. Reproductive freedom and freedom from gun violence are not mutually exclusive, nor are they negotiable. These rights are essential to our safety, dignity, and autonomy. 

Claims against Measure 114

Rep. Evans attempts to delegitimize Measure 114 by calling it “poorly written (and barely passed),” and he accuses HB 3075 of being “an attack on disadvantaged Oregonians” and a gesture of “outright hostility” toward military veterans. He calls the bill “a Trojan Horse”—without specifying what deception he believes is concealed within it.

The “poorly written” comment is a reflection of the organizations and people influencing Rep. Evans. It’s a phrase commonly used by the arms industry and pro-shooting groups in an attempt to demean anything they oppose.

Rep. Evans is correct that Measure 114 passed with 50.7% of the vote. But in a democracy–and we still live in a democracy–that is a win. Evans is playing a bit of a naif in this complaint. People who have passed an initiative petition (IP) or a bill, know that if the IP or bill passed by a wide margin, then effective, well supported parts that might have also passed were left out. Measure 114 was packed with strong, effective laws that will protect Oregonians while inconveniencing as few people as possible and remain within the scope of the U.S. and Oregon Constitutions.

An important note about the 50.7% win: According to the Oregon Secretary of State’s records for the November 2022 General Election, more than 58,000 Oregonians voted yes on Measure 114 than voted for then-candidate Tina Kotek as governor. Voters want action taken on gun violence–and they won’t tolerate threats from legislators for any reason.  

Yes Votes on Measure 114:  975,862
Votes for Tina Kotek for Governor:  917,074 
58,788 more Oregonians voted yes on Measure 114 
than voted for Tina Kotek as governor.

Oregon Secretary of State Records for November 2022 General Election

Disadvantaged Oregonians

In Rep. Evans’ charge that HB 3075 is “an attack on disadvantaged Oregonians,” he appears to object to the permit fee increase. But he is silent on the overwhelming financial cost of gun violence itself. Tragically, abuse of firearms has a huge human toll as well as a huge financial toll. In 2024, firearm-related homicide alone for that year cost Oregon taxpayers more than $94 million in law enforcement resources, first responders, Medicare, Medicaid, and criminal justice services. (Everytown Gun Violence Calculator) That’s only the cost for homicide in one year, not suicides. 

Representative Evans offers no path for Oregonians—especially those from disadvantaged communities—to recoup the millions of dollars we spend each year responding to firearm-related crimes. The financial burden of gun violence falls disproportionately on the very communities he claims to defend. Meanwhile, we see no arms dealers or shooting organizations stepping forward to provide free safety training or reduced-cost firearms to low-income individuals. Their advocacy stops at access—not accountability.

Requiring a fee to cover the taxpayer burden of firearms is reasonable and fiscally responsible. Pretending otherwise is intellectually dishonest.

Charges of “outright hostility” to military members

This attack by Rep. Evans is spurious because Measure 114 acknowledges and honors the firearm expertise of military members and veterans by recognizing their hands-on firearm training as an acceptable form of training for a permit to purchase a firearm.

Evans claims that HB 3075 is “…a statement of either indifference or outright hostility to all of us who served in the US Military.” His objection seems to be that veterans and active-duty military would not be exempt from permitting. Military personnel, just like everyone else, are also required to have a driver’s license for personal use, register to vote, and have a valid passport for personal travel. 

But suicide prevention is the strongest reason for military members to obtain a permit. Suicide is the primary cause of death among active duty U.S. soldiers (The Brink). Permit-to-purchase laws reduce suicide. They reduce homicide. They save lives—including military lives. When Connecticut passed a licensing law, its firearm homicide rate decreased by 28% and its firearm suicide rate decreased by 33%. (Mc Court, et al., Am Jrnl Public Health) Conversely, when Missouri repealed its licensing law, its firearm homicide rate increased by 47% and its firearm suicide rate increased by 24%.  (Mc Court, et al., Am Jrnl Public Health) 

HB 3076, state licensing for Oregon’s 1,970 gun dealers

Rep. Evans also opposes HB 3076, which would establish basic standards for Oregon’s nearly 2,000 federally licensed firearms dealers. He claims to support “scrutiny of purchases” but objects to the most basic measures to ensure that—secure storage, mandatory training, and state-level inspections. Oregon has three times as many gun dealers than pharmacies, yet pharmacies are held to far higher standards. Firearms—lethal products by design—deserve equal if not greater oversight. Refusing to regulate this industry is not neutrality—it is negligence.

Oregon is home to 1,970 federally licensed firearms dealers (FFLs), about half of which are operated within a private home. For comparison, Oregon is also home to 610 retail pharmacies, 400 Starbucks stores, and 160 McDonald’s restaurants all which have federal and state oversight. Arms dealers are selling lethal products and should be held to the same high standards as pharmacies.

Losing friends to politics

Like some of us, Rep. Evans has lost friends due to his political support for gun safety bills. Sadly, Rep. Evans seems to have forgotten why people are members of the Oregon legislature. It’s not to make friends. It’s not because it’s easy. It’s to make lives better for Oregonians. Being a representative of thousands of people is an honor and a privilege. We expect our representatives to behave accordingly.

Rep. Evans needs to look to the late President Harry S. Truman who quipped about getting a dog if a politician wants a friend.

Losing friends to gun violence

Losing friends over political differences is unfortunate. Losing a child, a partner, a parent to gun violence is unthinkable. It is our job as citizens and leaders to prevent those losses—not to avoid discomfort. His complaint over losing friends is a sad and alarming look into Rep. Evans’ priorities.

Since Rep. Evans took office in January 2015, 1022 Oregonians have been fatally shot in homicides. And estimated 4500 more people have died from firearm suicide. (Gun Violence Archive and Ceasefire Oregon Education Foundation). In 2016, after the passage of the Oregon Firearm Safety Act which required a background check for all firearm sales, firearm-related homicides in Oregon decreased. During the Covid 19 pandemic, homicide increased but began to drop again in 2024. Tragically, firearm-suicide rates remain stubbornly high which is why we need to take action to reduce suicide.

Offensive “fervor” of survivors and advocates

Evans seems most offended by the “fervor” displayed by people who support gun safety bills. The “fervor” is so offensive to him that he confesses: “The fervor advancing these measures has caused me to earnestly reconsider my party affiliation.” 

So, wait a minute. The earnestness, the emotion, the sadness – the “fervor” – of people who support these laws, of survivors who testify about their kids or parents who were killed with guns, of people who were threatened with a gun, or abused at gunpoint are causing a sitting Democratic legislator to publicly announce he will consider leaving the Democratic party rather than support strong, effective gun laws? Rep. Evans, why aren’t you as offended by gun violence and the abuse of firearms that controls and kills your fellow Oregonians? Shame on you for disparaging the very people who are in so much pain directly because of guns.

Offensive to the intent and spirit

Rep. Evans says nothing about what should offend all of us: over 1,000 Oregonians murdered with firearms since he took office, and an estimated 4,500 more dead by gun suicide. He says nothing about the trauma endured by survivors. Nothing about the taxpayer burden. Nothing about domestic violence. Nothing about children killed at school or the students dead at Umpqua.

Rep. Evans declares that these gun safety bills are “offensive to the intent and spirit of our federal and state constitutions.” But what truly offends the spirit of our constitutions is the avoidable loss of life and the profound injustice gun violence inflicts upon our communities.

Rep. Evans appears to be offended by many things:

• He is offended by requiring military members to obtain a permit for a gun.
• He is offended by the loss of friendships due to political differences.
• He is offended by the passion of activists.
• He is offended by the grief of those whose loved ones were killed with guns.
• He is offended by 72-hour waiting periods for gun sales.
• He is offended by “so-called social values issues.”
• He is offended by increased security for gun purchases.
• He is offended by Measure 114.

But what is he silent about?

• He is silent about the 1,022 Oregonians fatally shot since he took office.
• He is silent about the 4,500 gun suicides during his tenure.
• He is silent about the heavy financial burden of gun violence on Oregon taxpayers.
• He is silent about domestic violence.
• He is silent about the epidemic of suicide among active-duty service members.
• He is silent about the grief and trauma endured by Oregon families.

Rep. Evans acknowledges, “I know we have sufficient [sic] division between people already,” yet he deepens that division by belittling survivors, spreading gun lobby disinformation, and threatening reproductive rights in an attempt to strong-arm advocates into submission.

Instead of fact-checking, listening, and leading, Rep. Evans has chosen a path of scorn, derision, and manipulation. Some may prefer to ignore his rhetoric and threats—to move past him with minimal confrontation.

At Ceasefire Oregon, we will not. We will not tolerate threats against reproductive freedom. We will not accept the mockery of grief. We will not allow disdain to derail the vital work that is saving lives across this state.

Representative Evans has crossed a line. His conduct is not merely disappointing—it is unacceptable. His threat to reproductive rights, his disregard for the lived trauma of gun violence survivors, and his overt hostility to fact-based policy mark a profound failure of leadership. These actions are what truly offend the intent and spirit of the U.S. and Oregon constitutions.

We call on Democratic leadership in Oregon to demand the resignation of Representative Paul Evans. We call on Representative Evans to resign immediately. His behavior and the deliberate spread of falsehoods have no place in the Oregon Legislature.

Democratic leadership has informed Ceasefire Oregon that no action will be taken regarding Representative Evans, citing his right to free speech. While freedom of expression is indeed a protected right, it does not extend to threatening access to reproductive healthcare. Moreover, Democratic leadership has a responsibility to uphold the dignity of the Oregon Legislature and ensure that all Oregonians—especially those who testify before their government—are treated with respect. Misogyny, contempt, and derision have no place in our Capitol, and silence in the face of such behavior is not neutrality—it is complicity.

Penny Okamoto, Ceasefire Oregon

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