Minnesota Report
Throughout the legislative session, members of the Minnesota House of Representatives entering through the front entrance of the legislative chamber will pass the empty first desk on the left adorned with a photo of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman (DFL-34B, Brooklyn Park) and a spray of roses, a touch added by House Chief Clerk Patrick Murphy. As nearly all have come to know, she was assassinated on the morning of June 14, 2025 in her home in Brooklyn Park.
This commemoration of a colleague is a powerful statement and reflective of the healing underway in the Minnesota legislature. Each legislator of the 134, but one Rep Greg Davids (R-26B, Prescott), has served without Hortman in the body, and with a historical tied body the odd-year Bonding Session will prove to be rife with challenges.
Simultaneously, the Minnesota Senate will welcome the return of Sen John Hoffman (DFL-34, Champlin) back to the chamber after having survived eight gun shots and his wife Yvette nine. He is still in recovery and physical therapy maintaining his normal jovial nature hoping for full use of his left hand in order to return to drumming.
The impact of that June night will haunt the halls of the State Capitol and be evidenced when each person who now enters will not pass through open doors, but be subjected to a security screening and all of their belongings x-rayed even though those with a Conceal & Carry permit will be allowed to enter with their side arm.
Times have changed and not for the better. After the opening ceremony and speeches end, we expect, the respective bodies will return to their partisan sides and the accusations will commence. In the House, we expect it will be far more shrill since, there only will be a floral arrangement sitting in the back row of the chamber Verses, in the Senate, there is a person who is a survivor, a true embodiment of the pure evil of political violence sitting among the members.
And because the Senate has more rules of decorum than does the House it may seem to be more ordered, but only on the outside.
The Republicans will all sing from the same hymnal of Fraud, DFL incompetence, while the DFL which point out the overreaches of the Federal Government in regards to the Occupation and Insurrection of ICE and the CPB still remaining throughout our state.
This is a tumultuous time, and one where if people are true Minnesotan’s their character will be evident ever single day of those remaining in this legislative session and those forthcoming. Any members whose tone is over the top should be called out not just by the other side but by their own side.
Its time to show the world what it means to be a Minnesotan. Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretty did, and neither was a Domestic Terrorist.