I am compelled to write to stand up for Sen. Bill Hansell, R-Athena, one of my fellow Republican senators, because he was recently targeted for political points. I want to set the record straight about the comments Rep. Greg Smith, R-Heppner, made in this newspaper.

Sen. Hansell has been working tirelessly for his constituents, all while experiencing a health crisis of his own, and he has been your advocate, even from afar.

Sen. Hansell worked in-district and remotely this last special session. This was a joint decision between the two of us, as I am the Senate Republican Leader. Together, we have been keeping tabs on key votes and monitoring if his vote was needed. As Oregonians learned last year during the successful cap-and-trade walkouts, only two Republicans are needed in the Senate to make quorum and vote on legislation.

Sen. Hansell has participated in all Joint Emergency Board meetings, as well as caucus meetings, remotely to discuss bills, financial matters of the state, and key projects and issues facing Eastern Oregon. His office has also been a leader in working to secure help from the Oregon Employment Department as Oregonians have been suffering without unemployment assistance for months on end.

Further, I am a sitting member of the Joint Emergency Board, the Special Session Committee, and am the chair of the Capitol Construction Committee, which deals with lottery funds, and Rep. Smith was out of line in his depiction of how lottery funds were allocated and for what projects.

Only party leaders, along with the Ways and Means tri-chairs, were involved in the conversations that decided what Oregon projects were allocated lottery funds as the state’s economy has taken a hit during the COVID-19 event.

Sen. Hansell is a diligent advocate for his constituents in the seven counties of District 29. It appears as though Rep. Smith’s intent was to stand out as the “go-to” Republican in Eastern Oregon by throwing other legislators under the bus. It’s disappointing to see because we are stronger when we work together.

Sen. Hansell and Rep. Greg Barreto, R-Cove, tirelessly advocate for their constituents and all rural Oregonians — inside and outside their district lines.