Latest news with #Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Vance Boelter, accused of assassination of DFL House leader Melissa Hortman, apprehended
GREEN ISLE, MINNESOTA - JUNE 15: Law enforcement stage in a neighborhood on June 15, 2025 in Green Isle, Minnesota. Law enforcement agencies are searching for a suspect in the killing of DFL State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, who were shot at their home yesterday. DFL State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were also shot and hospitalized in a separate incident. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said during a press conference that the shooting "appears to be a politically motivated assassination." (Photo by) Law enforcement officers on Sunday night arrested Vance Boelter, who is accused of assassinating Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband at their home in Brooklyn Park as part of a larger plot to kill Democratic elected officials and other advocates of abortion rights. Boelter is also accused of shooting Democratic-Farmer-Labor state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their home in Champlin. Both Hoffmans survived the shooting, but received surgeries for their injuries and remain hospitalized. The arrest comes after a 43-hour manhunt — the largest in state history, according to Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley. Law enforcement officers had been searching all day after locating Boelter's abandoned vehicle near Green Isle, where Boelter has a home. At the time of his arrest, Boelter was armed, but ultimately surrendered. Officers did not use any force, said Lt. Col. Jeremy Geiger of the Minnesota State Patrol. In the state's new Emergency Operations Center in Blaine — which was paid for by legislation passed by Hortman's DFL-controlled House in 2020 — Gov. Tim Walz thanked law enforcement and decried political violence and hateful rhetoric. 'This cannot be the norm. It cannot be the way that we deal with our political differences,' Walz said. 'Now is the time for us to recommit to the core values of this country, and each and every one of us can do it. Talk to a neighbor rather than argue, debate an issue, shake hands, find common ground.' Boelter is a Christian who voted for President Donald Trump and opposes abortion and LGBTQ rights, according to interviews with his childhood friend and videos of his sermons posted online. A list of potential targets — including Hoffman and Hortman — included abortion providers and other Democratic elected officials from Minnesota and Wisconsin. The attack, which has shocked Minnesotans and the nation, comes amid rising political violence since the emergence of President Donald Trump, who has made repeated threats of violence against his political enemies and praised his supporters who, for instance, attacked officers while storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He later pardoned all of them. He survived two assassination attempts in 2024. Authorities say Boelter attacked the Hoffmans at their home in Champlin at approximately 2 a.m. on Saturday morning. An unsealed criminal complaint indicates that the Hoffmans' daughter called the police to report the shooting of her parents, the Associated Press reports. At around 3:30 a.m., Brooklyn Park police headed to the Hortmans' home to proactively check on them following the attack on the Hoffmans, said Drew Evans, superintendent at the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension at a press conference Saturday morning. When they arrived, the officers saw the attacker in a fake law enforcement uniform shoot Mark Hortman through the open front door, according to the complaint. Out front, emergency vehicle lights flashed from a Ford Explorer outfitted to look like a cop car. When the officers confronted the shooter, a gunfight ensued, and the killer escaped, abandoning the vehicle. Inside, Hortman and her husband, Mark, were dead from gunshot wounds. In the SUV, police found a document with a list of lawmakers and other officials on it. Hortman and Hoffman were on the list. Evans said Sunday that the document is not a 'traditional manifesto that's a treatise on all kinds of ideology and writings.' Instead, it contains a list of names and 'other thoughts' throughout. On Saturday afternoon, police raided a home in north Minneapolis where Boelter lived part time. In an interview with the Star Tribune and other media outlets, Boelter's roommate and childhood friend David Carlson shared a text message Boelter sent him at 6:03 a.m. saying that he would be 'gone for a while' and 'may be dead shortly.' Federal and state warrants were out for Boelter's arrest, and the FBI was offering a $50,000 award for information that led to Boelter's capture. On Sunday morning, law enforcement officers detained and questioned Boelter's wife as she was driving through Mille Lacs County with other family members. Evans said Sunday none of Boelter's family members are in custody. Sunday afternoon, law enforcement officers located a car linked to Boelter in Sibley County within a few miles of his home address in Green Isle. From there, teams from dozens of law enforcement agencies fanned out in search of Boelter. Boelter was spotted in the area, and officers converged around him, Evans said. He declined to provide some details of the tactics used by law enforcement to capture Boelter. Law enforcement officials continue to investigate Boelter's motives, Evans said, and urged the public not to jump to conclusions. 'We often want easy answers for complex problems, and this is a complex situation…those answers will come as we complete the full picture of our investigation,' he said. Fragments of Boelter's life available online, and interviews with those who know him, shed light on his religious and political beliefs. Boelter's LinkedIn page indicates that he spent many years working in food production before becoming the general manager of a 7-Eleven. More recently, he worked at funeral homes, the New York Times reported. Boelter was facing financial stress after quitting his job to embark on business ventures in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to Carlson, the Star Tribune reported. The website for a private security firm lists Boelter as the 'director of security patrols,' and his wife as the CEO. He purchased some cars and uniforms but 'it was never a real company,' Carlson told the Strib. Carlson said Boelter is a Christian who strongly opposes abortion, the New York Times reported. In recordings of sermons Boelter delivered in Matadi, a city in the Democratic Republic of Congo, he railed against abortion and LGBTQ people. The reporting on Boelter's religious life suggests that his beliefs were rooted in fundamentalism, though he doesn't appear to have been ordained in any particular denomination, said Rev. Angela Denker, a Minnesota-based Lutheran minister, journalist and author of books on Christianity, right-wing politics and masculinity. 'What this kind of theology says is that if you commit violence in the name of whatever movement you're a part of, then you're going to be rewarded,' Denker said. The gunman shot John Hoffman nine times, and Yvette Hoffman eight times, according to a statement from Yvette. The Hoffmans' nephew, Mat Ollig, wrote on Facebook that Yvette used her body to shield her daughter. John Hoffman is 'enduring many surgeries right now and is closer every hour to being out of the woods,' Yvette Hoffman said in a statement. On Sunday night as leaders spoke to the press, Boelter was being questioned by law enforcement, but officials declined to say where he was detained and which agency was questioning him. On the steps of the State Capitol Sunday, mourners created an extemporaneous memorial for Hortman, who will be known as one of the most consequential progressive leaders in recent state history.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Vance Boelter, accused of assassination of DFL House leader Melissa Hortman, apprehended
Law enforcement stage in a neighborhood on June 15, 2025 in Green Isle, Minnesota. Shooting suspect Vance Boelter later surrendered. (Photo by) Law enforcement officers on Sunday night arrested Vance Boelter, who is accused of assassinating Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband at their home in Brooklyn Park as part of a larger plot to kill Democratic elected officials and other advocates of abortion rights. Boelter is also accused of shooting Democratic-Farmer-Labor state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their home in Champlin. Both Hoffmans survived the shooting, but received surgeries for their injuries and remain hospitalized. The arrest comes after a 43-hour manhunt — the largest in state history, according to Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley. Law enforcement officers had been searching all day after locating Boelter's abandoned vehicle near Green Isle, where Boelter has a home. At the time of his arrest, Boelter was armed, but ultimately surrendered. Officers did not use any force, said Lt. Col. Jeremy Geiger of the Minnesota State Patrol. In the state's new Emergency Operations Center in Blaine — which was paid for by legislation passed by Hortman's DFL-controlled House in 2020 — Gov. Tim Walz thanked law enforcement and decried political violence and hateful rhetoric. 'This cannot be the norm. It cannot be the way that we deal with our political differences,' Walz said. 'Now is the time for us to recommit to the core values of this country, and each and every one of us can do it. Talk to a neighbor rather than argue, debate an issue, shake hands, find common ground.' Boelter is a Christian who voted for President Donald Trump and opposes abortion and LGBTQ rights, according to interviews with his childhood friend and videos of his sermons posted online. A list of potential targets — including Hoffman and Hortman — included abortion providers and other Democratic elected officials from Minnesota and Wisconsin. The attack, which has shocked Minnesotans and the nation, comes amid rising political violence since the emergence of President Donald Trump, who has made repeated threats of violence against his political enemies and praised his supporters who, for instance, attacked officers while storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He later pardoned all of them. He survived two assassination attempts in 2024. Authorities say Boelter attacked the Hoffmans at their home in Champlin at approximately 2 a.m. on Saturday morning. An unsealed criminal complaint indicates that the Hoffmans' daughter called the police to report the shooting of her parents, the Associated Press reports. At around 3:30 a.m., Brooklyn Park police headed to the Hortmans' home to proactively check on them following the attack on the Hoffmans, said Drew Evans, superintendent at the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension at a press conference Saturday morning. When they arrived, the officers saw the attacker in a fake law enforcement uniform shoot Mark Hortman through the open front door, according to the complaint. Out front, emergency vehicle lights flashed from a Ford Explorer outfitted to look like a cop car. When the officers confronted the shooter, a gunfight ensued, and the killer escaped, abandoning the vehicle. Inside, Hortman and her husband, Mark, were dead from gunshot wounds. In the SUV, police found a document with a list of lawmakers and other officials on it. Hortman and Hoffman were on the list. Evans said Sunday that the document is not a 'traditional manifesto that's a treatise on all kinds of ideology and writings.' Instead, it contains a list of names and 'other thoughts' throughout. On Saturday afternoon, police raided a home in north Minneapolis where Boelter lived part time. In an interview with the Star Tribune and other media outlets, Boelter's roommate and childhood friend David Carlson shared a text message Boelter sent him at 6:03 a.m. saying that he would be 'gone for a while' and 'may be dead shortly.' Federal and state warrants were out for Boelter's arrest, and the FBI was offering a $50,000 award for information that led to Boelter's capture. On Sunday morning, law enforcement officers detained and questioned Boelter's wife as she was driving through Mille Lacs County with other family members. Evans said Sunday none of Boelter's family members are in custody. Sunday afternoon, law enforcement officers located a car linked to Boelter in Sibley County within a few miles of his home address in Green Isle. From there, teams from dozens of law enforcement agencies fanned out in search of Boelter. Boelter was spotted in the area, and officers converged around him, Evans said. He declined to provide some details of the tactics used by law enforcement to capture Boelter. Law enforcement officials continue to investigate Boelter's motives, Evans said, and urged the public not to jump to conclusions. 'We often want easy answers for complex problems, and this is a complex situation…those answers will come as we complete the full picture of our investigation,' he said. Minnesota House Democratic leader dead after targeted shooting; Democratic senator also shot Fragments of Boelter's life available online, and interviews with those who know him, shed light on his religious and political beliefs. Boelter's LinkedIn page indicates that he spent many years working in food production before becoming the general manager of a 7-Eleven. More recently, he worked at funeral homes, the New York Times reported. Boelter was facing financial stress after quitting his job to embark on business ventures in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to Carlson, the Star Tribune reported. The website for a private security firm lists Boelter as the 'director of security patrols,' and his wife as the CEO. He purchased some cars and uniforms but 'it was never a real company,' Carlson told the Strib. Carlson said Boelter is a Christian who strongly opposes abortion, the New York Times reported. In recordings of sermons Boelter delivered in Matadi, a city in the Democratic Republic of Congo, he railed against abortion and LGBTQ people. The reporting on Boelter's religious life suggests that his beliefs were rooted in fundamentalism, though he doesn't appear to have been ordained in any particular denomination, said Rev. Angela Denker, a Minnesota-based Lutheran minister, journalist and author of books on Christianity, right-wing politics and masculinity. 'What this kind of theology says is that if you commit violence in the name of whatever movement you're a part of, then you're going to be rewarded,' Denker said. The gunman shot John Hoffman nine times, and Yvette Hoffman eight times, according to a statement from Yvette. The Hoffmans' nephew, Mat Ollig, wrote on Facebook that Yvette used her body to shield her daughter. John Hoffman is 'enduring many surgeries right now and is closer every hour to being out of the woods,' Yvette Hoffman said in a statement. On Sunday night as leaders spoke to the press, Boelter was being questioned by law enforcement, but officials declined to say where he was detained and which agency was questioning him. On the steps of the State Capitol Sunday, mourners created an extemporaneous memorial for Hortman, who will be known as one of the most consequential progressive leaders in recent state history. Minnesota Reformer is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Minnesota Reformer maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor J. Patrick Coolican for questions: info@
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Minnesota House Democratic leader dead after targeted shooting; Democratic senator also shot
Speaker emeritus Rep. Melissa Hartman talks to colleagues during a special legislative session Monday, June 9, 2025 at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul. (Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer) House Democratic-Farmer-Labor caucus leader Melissa Hortman, who was among the most influential Minnesota elected officials of the past decade, died on Saturday morning after a man impersonating a police officer shot her in her Brooklyn Park home, Gov. Tim Walz said. Hortman's husband was also shot and killed, the governor said. Walz, appearing emotional at a press conference in the north metro, said they were killed in an apparent 'politically motivated assassination.' 'Our state lost a great leader, and I lost the dearest of friends,' Walz said. '(Hortman) was a formidable public servant, a fixture and a giant in Minnesota.' Democratic Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were also shot multiple times earlier in the evening in their Champlin home. Walz said they were out of surgery, and that he's 'cautiously optimistic they will survive this assassination attempt.' Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said Champlin law enforcement received a call at about 2 a.m. that a person shot Hoffman and his wife. Brooklyn Park Police Department Chief Mark Bruley said his officers assisted with the Champlin shooting; a sergeant suggested checking in on Hortman's home. They live about five to eight miles away from each other. When Brooklyn Park police officers arrived at Hortman's home, they encountered a person who was dressed like a police officer who 'immediately fired at them,' Evans said. Police exchanged gunfire with the person, but they were able to escape. The shooter is still at large, and Brooklyn Park is under a shelter-in-place order. Hundreds of police officers and SWAT teams are conducting a manhunt for the person, officials said. Bruley said that when they arrived at Hortman's home, they saw a police SUV with its lights on and saw the suspect was impersonating a police officer. In the SUV, police found a 'manifesto,' with a list of lawmakers and other officials on it. Hortman and Hoffman were on the list. Hortman, who has two adult children, was first elected to the Legislature 2004 and served as House Speaker from 2019-2024. She lost two elections before winning, which she said gave her an understanding of what it takes to win swing seats and hold them. Her speakership will be remembered as among the most consequential in recent Minnesota political history. With Walz and Senate GOP Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, she guided the state through the pandemic before helping Democrats achieve a trifecta in the 2022 election. During the 2023 legislative session, she helped bridge the wide gulf between moderates and progressives in her caucus to achieve a historic legislative agenda. Democrats codified abortion rights in law; invested in education, including universal schools meals, as well as transportation and housing; created paid family leave; legalized cannabis; and passed gun control laws. The encomiums poured in Saturday. 'There is no greater champion for Minnesota's working people than Melissa Hortman,' said Joel Smith, President and Business Manager of LIUNA Minnesota and North Dakota, the laborers union. Hoffman was elected in 2012 and is known for his work on human services. The Reformer sat down with Hortman at the Capitol on Thursday to discuss the 2025 session, which ended on Monday. During his remarks Saturday, Walz denounced political violence and said the people involved in the shooting would be caught and held responsible. 'This was an act of targeted political violence. Peaceful discourse is the foundation of our democracy. We don't settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint,' Walz said. House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, who worked closely with Hortman in the Legislature to negotiate a state budget this year, said she was horrified by Hortman's murder. 'I am horrified by the evil attack that took place overnight, and heartbroken beyond words by the loss of Speaker-Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark,' Demuth said in a statement.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Beltrami County DFL to hold annual fish fry, auction fundraiser
Jun. 12—BEMIDJI — The Beltrami County Democratic-Farmer-Labor party will host a spring fish fry and auction fundraiser at 5 p.m. on Monday, June 16, at the Bemidji Eagles Club, 1270 Neilson Ave. SE. A social hour will begin at 4 p.m., followed by a Red Lake walleye dinner served from 5 to 6:30 p.m. The guest speaker will be the new Minnesota DFL Chair, Richard Carlbom. The event will also include speeches from various announced candidates running for DFL endorsement in the 2026 general election, a release said. The dinner costs $20 per person. This event is open to the public and all are welcome to attend. The Beltrami County DFL is an organizing unit staffed by an all-volunteer team. To learn more, visit
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
MN House, Senate convene for special session to pass state budget
Minnesota lawmakers returned to the Capitol Monday morning to complete the state's next two-year budget as agencies prepared to warn thousands of government employees of a potential government shutdown next month. Most of the state government only has funding through the end of June after the Legislature failed to pass the majority of the bills that form the roughly $66 billion state budget by the end of the regular legislative session on May 19. Gov. Tim Walz called a special session so lawmakers can finish their work. State leaders finalized the details in a series of mostly closed meetings over the last few weeks. The Senate and House went into session at 10 a.m. and are expected to finish their work by Tuesday morning. However, there's no guarantee that will happen. Democratic-Farmer-Labor and Republican legislative leaders and the governor may have signed an agreement to finish up the special session by 7 a.m. Tuesday, but nothing can stop other state senators and representatives from introducing amendments and engaging in lengthy debate on controversial bills. Some bills that are part of the budget deal between Walz, the tied House and DFL majority Senate may pass on thin margins. A proposal to end state-funded health insurance for adults in the U.S. without legal immigration status is opposed by many DFLers and may only pass with the support of Republicans and the DFL leaders who signed the agreement. Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, and House DFL Leader Melissa Hortman, of Brooklyn Park, have said they agreed to remove coverage for adults to avert a government shutdown, which would interrupt services on a much larger scale. The immigrant care proposal was the first bill the House took up Monday morning, and representatives continued to debate the matter as noon approached. If the measure passes both chambers, Walz would have a tough time vetoing it. Republicans managed to get DFLers to agree to tie the activation of health care spending to ending MinnesotaCare for around 17,000 adults in the state who came to the U.S. illegally. Meanwhile, GOP lawmakers have expressed reservations about the tax and transportation bills. The tax bill includes an increase to the sales tax on cannabis, and Republican leadership had initially said it wouldn't support any new taxes, and some members may stick to that pledge. There were also questions on Friday about whether a proposal to shift $93 million in sales tax revenue from metro counties to the Metropolitan Council would survive floor votes, as members of both parties might turn on shifting money from local governments to a central planning agency. This is a developing story that will update throughout the day. Letters: It's unfortunate that we can't have certain conversations Gov. Tim Walz calls for special session for Legislature Monday Timeline for Minnesota special session blurry as budget talks continue MN government return to office order kicks in as shutdown layoffs loom Ramsey County: Economic Development Authority to allow flexibility on housing projects
