Freedom Foundation Issues Statement on OR Governor Kate Brown’s Call for Vaccine Passports

Ashley Varner
May 19, 2021

“Kate Brown is a tyrant, through and through,” said Aaron Withe, CEO of the Freedom Foundation. “She’s spent the last year killing businesses, destroying lives and holding Oregon hostage to her new-found power trip.” “Many states have been fully opened for months,” continued Withe. “Most states are loosening restrictions and getting back to normal, but Queen Kate wants to keep her draconian control with this first-in-the-nation vaccine passport requirement.” “One’s medical history is no one else’s business, and government actors certainly shouldn’t be forcing people to publicly disclose their medical decisions to strangers.” “We sued Kate Brown as soon as she mandated mask wearing, but we had no idea she would take her dictatorial powers this far,” concluded Withe. “We’re going to fight this vaccine passport, also.

These tyrannical emergency powers need to end, now.” “We are over a year into this pandemic and while states across the country are opening up and returning to normal life, Governor Brown is having a hard time relinquishing her dictatorial authority,” added Jason Dudash, Freedom Foundation Oregon state director. “The state has not provided a single piece of data to justify this and has not bothered to explain what the order aims to accomplish, or how long it will last. Common sense and experiences of the last year tell us that vaccination passports will only place additional burdens on already struggling businesses, violate individuals’ right to privacy, and unnecessarily pit neighbor against neighbor”. “

Gov. Brown is continuing to weaponize state agencies to break the backs of Oregonians who want to return to their normal lives and reclaim their most basic constitutional rights,” continued Dudash. “Rights that none of us realized were so at risk just a year ago.” “We are one of the only states in the entire country still playing this game where the governor and her bureaucratic henchmen handpick winners and losers,” concluded Dudash. “The governor needs to immediately rescind this order and fully reopen the state. The Freedom Foundation was the first to sue Gov. Brown over her mask mandates last year and we’re prepared to fight her in court over this ludicrous vaccine passport, as well.”

- COVID-19, Oregon

Ashley Varner

Vice President of Communication and Federal Affairs

Ashley Varner brings a variety of public affairs experience and a tough skin to the Freedom Foundation team. Prior to joining the Freedom Foundation, Ashley spent many exciting, turbulent and wonderful years as a media spokesperson and state government liaison at the National Rifle Association. Following her tenure at the NRA, Ashley joined the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), where she worked with state and local lawmakers across the country on a diverse set of policy and communications issues. A grassroots activist from a young age, Ashley joined her first of many political campaigns before graduating high school and organized protests across the street from her own professors at the University of Missouri. When not rabble-rousing against Big Government, Ashley enjoys cooking, mafia movies, and has seen most of the 1970s and 80s classic rock bands still on tour. She loves the Chiefs, hopes someday she can love her Mizzou Tigers again, and she was a Kansas City Royals fan and Patriot Act opponent before either was cool.