Dear Neighbors, In my last email, I alerted our community about a breakdown in power-sharing negotiations in the Minnesota House of Representatives. Republicans had walked away from the negotiating table and appeared poised to kick out a duly elected DFL state representative regardless of the outcome of their lawsuit challenging the election result. I want to remind you that, since the start of the legislative session, House GOP members have blatantly disregarded the Minnesota and US Constitution, and they continue to operate in a nature of ‘interpreting’ Minnesota laws to favor their partisan prerogative. Needless to say, this does not serve Minnesotans, nor does it do anything to support a bipartisan working relationship when we return to 67-67 tie. On the morning of January 14, a district court judge ruled that my colleague Rep. Brad Tabke of Shakopee won by a slim margin, but Republicans have still not committed to seating him. Reporters have asked House Republican Leader Lisa Demuth three times if Republicans will seat Rep. Brad Tabke of Shakopee, whose victory was upheld on election night, in a recount, and by a judge. Demuth refused to answer yes or no. It’s clear that Republicans have already made a decision to kick out Rep. Tabke and overturn the will of the voters, and now they are trying to deflect and cover up their anti-democratic conduct. Demuth said the quiet part out loud when she told a conservative podcast host on January 8 that Rep. Tabke should not be seated regardless of a judge’s ruling. When an election result is upheld on election night, in a public recount, and in a court ruling, it’s time for the losing side to concede and move on. That is how democracy works. Minnesotans deserve to decide who represents them, not 67 Republican politicians in St. Paul. That is why I am taking the unprecedented step of staying away from the state capitol until we can negotiate a power sharing agreement that includes not removing Rep. Tabke from office. House DFL leadership is petitioning the Minnesota Supreme Court to find that Republicans’ unlawful sessions, unlawful election for Speaker, and other unlawful actions have no legal effect. Over the past two months, Democrats and Republicans negotiated a fair power-sharing agreement. With Minnesotans electing equal numbers of DFL and Republican state representatives, governing together under shared power with co-Speakers, committee co-chairs, and equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans on committees is just plain common sense. Neither party has a majority, neither party has enough votes to pass a bill, and neither party has enough members to lawfully conduct House business, including the election of a Speaker. This should be a time when we begin the important work that Minnesotans elected us to do, like reducing costs and making life more affordable. In this tumultuous time, I will continue the work in whatever way I need to protect representative democracy and ensure that everyone has access to protecting bodily autonomy and reproductive rights, dignified social services, a welcoming state for all, and the ability to build wealth for their families. I will continue to join my DFL colleagues in a pledge to deny quorum by not attending floor sessions to prevent them from throwing out an election and moving forward with a MAGA agenda that will harm our community. Until House Republicans return to the negotiating table to commit to a power sharing agreement and to honor the will of the Shakopee voters, I will be continuing the same work that I do in our community -- meeting with constituents, community leaders, and people from around the state in the work of moving forward my legislative agenda that shifts power, agency and economic opportunity to Minnesota families. To state the obvious, this is a unique and unprecedented situation. Please reach out to me with any questions you have – I would be happy to connect about this or anything else that is important to you. It is an honor to represent our community in the Minnesota House and I am deeply grateful and committed to be doing this work with you to build a future together where all Minnesotans can thrive. While House Republicans continue with their sham committee hearings and unconstitutional Floor sessions, silencing thousands of Minnesotans, my DFL colleagues are out in communities across the state, amplifying the valuable voices of our districts, listening to how we can support local leaders and advocates at the state level, and ensuring our residents know we are front and center ready to work for them. Here are a few community events that I’ve attended in the past week: St. Paul Delegation Meeting with Mayor Carter: It was an honor for our St. Paul Delegation to meet with Mayor Melvin Carter and his team for a briefing of city priorities. We discussed public safety, bonding, housing, and downtown revitalization. A strong state requires a strong Capital city. We look forward to continued dialogue and partnership to move priorities forward.  Meeting with constituents: One of my favorite parts of this job is multitasking to make a difference. I enjoyed hearing directly from my constituents on important matters, while also supporting Abogados Café, a local business in my district. I'm grateful to my constituent from AARP MN for advocating for the needs of elder Minnesotans. We had great conversations about protecting elders from fraud and the devastating impact of rural hospital closures on communities across Greater Minnesota. When the House is constitutionally organized, I look forward to continuing to work on these issues for our aging population!  While House Republicans hold fake floor sessions at the Capitol, House Democrats are out in the community and listening to Minnesotans. Our work is preparing us for a return to the Capitol just as soon as Republicans are willing to work together and respect the fact that voters elected a tied House. I'll be sharing daily updates on my work for our district and across the state on my official Facebook page. From the big wins to the daily challenges, I'm excited to keep you in the loop. Like and follow along for the journey! |