St. Paul, MN – Today the 94th legislative session convened in the Minnesota House of Representatives. Secretary of State Steve Simon adjourned session after finding there was not a 68-member quorum required to conduct House business. Republicans nevertheless moved forward with their attempt at an illegitimate power grab, including a sham election of House Speaker.
Representative Cedrick Frazier (DFL-New Hope), Co-Chair of the House Inclusive Democracy Caucus and House POCI Caucus, released the following statement:
“What Minnesotans witnessed today was a deliberate and appalling illegitimate power grab. House GOP members would rather seize power in any way possible even if it means to defy State Constitution that govern our institution. Rather than entrusting and upholding the statues that govern this body it is clear; they would rather commit treasonous acts than uphold our democratic process. Even when GOP members were being sworn-in, under oath to uphold the State Constitution, they still violated.
"The courts have ruled that ‘There is no basis in fact or law for holding a special election in Representative Brad Tabke case’, yet Republicans want to overturn the will of the voters. This would be an unprecedented abuse of power, disenfranchising the 21,980 Minnesotans who voted in the November election and undermining the core principles of democracy, where every eligible resident should have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives.
“This is a constitutional crisis that Minnesota Republicans have caused by their lawless and unprecedented behavior of Minnesota’s wing of the MAGA Trump party - a party with a history of using unprecedented lawless maneuvers to try and overturn elections they don’t win.
“It is vital to uphold the integrity of election processes and respect the outcomes they produce. As legislators, we must trust our election officials, judges, the courts and residents when they cast their vote, resorting to political force and breaking laws undermines the very foundation of our democracy.”