Story of how the Oregon Senate Democrats wouldn’t let John Lott to testify as an expert at a hearing on gun licensing rules

The above video is about what Dr. John Lott went through to testify before the Oregon State Senate Judiciary Committee. A copy of his testimony is shown below.

When John Lott, founder and CEO of the Crime Prevention Research Center, was called to be an expert witness—as he has been many times before—for a Oregon state committee hearing, he was happy to oblige.

With a 10-hour trek standing between his home in Montana and the state capitol in Salem, Oregon, Lott set out to testify. He had a lot to say, as Oregon state recently passed one of the most-restrictive gun-control packages ever with Measure 114.

What happened next was a shocking act of political maneuvering to suppress an expert witness. Lott got a call saying he wouldn’t be able to testify. He kept making inquiries as he drove and finally was told he could speak for a total of two minutes but that no one would be allowed to ask him any questions—the thing is, Q&A sessions are typically much longer than a person’s prepared testimony, so even with two minutes (less time than any popular song) to speak, legislators would not be allowed to get his analysis of proposed laws.

What Lott said, and what happened after, is worth hearing.

Frank Miniter, “John Lott Said What?” America’s 1st Freedom, May 25, 2023.

Here is a copy of the testimony that Dr. Lott provided in Oregon.