The end of the legislative session is still a little ways away, but that doesn't mean the staffers at the Capitol can't have some fun.
Following a Sine Die party on Tuesday, staffers released five videos shown at the biennial event, making fun of lawmakers and the stressful session. One features nine lawmakers reading emails they've received from Oregon voters critiquing their work in Salem. Topics range from specific bills to plain old name calling.
Brian Worley, the research and outreach director in the Senate majority office, said the low production films are an evolving tradition of hardworking staff making fun of their bosses and the more tense moments while working in Oregon's Capitol.
"They take their work very seriously, but they have to put up with quite a bit of stress from the amount of things that are said about them," said Worley.
Akin to Jimmy Kimmel Live's "Mean Tweets" segments, state senators and legislators read a message sent to their office.
Viewer warning: The emails contain strong opinions and equally strong language.
"Just a disclaimer, I don't normally say these words and don't endorse them," says Sen. Sara Gelser, D-Corvallis.
Worley said while each office has its own way of handling mean emails, lawmakers do their best to reply to every constituent who writes.
Copyright 2015 Oregon Public Broadcasting
