Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman remembered as a trailblazing public servant after fatal shooting
Before Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman became a nationally recognized figure following her fatal shooting death alongside her husband Saturday morning — an act public officials have called an act of "political violence" — she was revered by colleagues as a dedicated public servant.
The state House Democratic Farmer-Labor Party caucus on Saturday remembered Hortman, a fellow member, as "an incredible leader who dedicated her life to public service" and who had a "determination to improve people's lives."
Hortman, who was 55, was first elected to the Minnesota State House in 2004 and served as speaker of the chamber from 2019 to 2025, according to her state House biography.
Earlier this year, she led her caucus in a protest to boycott House sessions and deny Republicans, who had a one-seat majority, quorum to do business. Eventually, Hortman became minority leader under a power-sharing agreement and was elevated to the role of "DFL Leader" when the results of a special election created a tie in the chamber.
She also drew headlines in 2017 when she criticized several male colleagues for playing cards in a room off the House floor while their female colleagues were speaking about a bill on the floor.
Following criticism from several colleagues about her remarks, Hoffman was unapologetic, according to Minnesota Public Radio,telling reporters, "For too long, when women are ignored, when people of color are ignored, when women of color are ignored, people don't say anything. We need to say something. We need to call it out when we see it.'
Hortman worked closely with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who on Saturday called her a "great leader" and a friend.
"A formidable public servant and a fixture of the state Capitol, Melissa Hortman woke up every day determined to make our state a better place. She served the people of Minnesota with grace, compassion, and tirelessness," Walz said in a statement.
Walz also sent prayers in his statement to state Sen. John Hoffman, also a DFL member, who was shot alongside his wife at their home on Saturday. Walz confirmed that Hoffman and his wife were wounded and receiving treatment for their injuries.
Hoffman, 60, was first elected in 2012 and served as chair of the state Senate Human Services Committee.
For over a decade, according to his record, he focused his legislative agenda on disability services and the needs of children and their families.
During his 2012 campaign, Hoffman wrote that he ran for state Senate because he was "frustrated" and "let down" by his representation in the state House and promised to be "a fair and balanced voice at the Legislature." Hoffman also vowed "to stay until the work is done."
Hoffman and his wife share one daughter, while Hortman had two children, according to their official statehouse biographies.
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Wales Online
an hour ago
- Wales Online
Everything known so far as US politician and husband shot dead
Everything known so far as US politician and husband shot dead Another politician and his wife were wounded in the attacks on Saturday Armed FBI agents search for an active shooter, sweeping a neighbourhood adjacent to the home of Minnesota DFL State Representative Melissa Hortman in Brooklyn Park (Image: Alex Kormann/Star Tribune via AP ) A man posing as a police officer shot and killed a US state politician and her husband in a brazen attack at their home, said a state governor. A second state politician and his wife were wounded in the attacks in the Brooklyn Park and Champlin areas of Minnesota on Saturday. Minnesota governor Tim Walz described the attack as 'targeted political violence'. Police were searching for the gunman responsible for the attacks on the Democratic legislators. Writings found inside a fake police car recovered at one of the shooting scenes mentioned the names of multiple legislators and other officials, Brooklyn Park Police chief Mark Bruley said. Two people familiar with the matter identified the suspect being sought as 57-year-old Vance Boelter. They could not publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Melissa Hortman, a former Minnesota House Speaker, and her spouse were shot and killed early on Saturday in their Brooklyn Park home. A second state politician, senator John Hoffman and his wife, were shot multiple times in Champlin. Officials say both Ms Hortman and Mr Hoffman were mentioned in the suspect's writings. 'When we did a search of the vehicle, there was a manifesto that identified many lawmakers and other officials,' said Mr Bruley. 'We immediately made alerts to the state. We took action on alerting them and providing security where necessary.' Article continues below State patrol colonel Christina Bogojevic asked people 'out of an abundance of caution' not to attend any of the 'No Kings' protests that were scheduled across the state on Saturday. Ms Bogojevic said authorities did not have any direct evidence that the protests would be targeted, but said the suspect had some 'No Kings' flyers in their car. Organisers announced that all of the protests across the state were cancelled. Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman (Image: Minnesota State Legislature/AFP via Getty Images ) Hours after the shootings, hundreds of police and sheriff deputies from departments in the region, some in tactical gear with assault style weapons were scattered through the town. They were also occasional police roadblocks where cars are stopped and checked. Mr Walz said Ms Hortman and Mr Hoffman were deliberately targeted. 'We must all, in Minnesota and across the country, stand against all forms of political violence,' Mr Walz said at a press conference Saturday. 'Those responsible for this will be held accountable.' At the time of her death, Ms Hortman was the top Democratic leader in the state legislature. She was also a former House speaker and was first elected in 2004. She and her husband had two children. Mr Hoffman, a Democrat, was first elected in 2012. He previously served as vice-chairman of the Anoka Hennepin School Board, which manages the largest school district in Minnesota. Mr Hoffman and his wife have one daughter and he represents a district north of Minneapolis. Drew Evans, superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said that authorities were actively searching for a suspect. Post-mortem examinations will be carried out to determine extent of injuries, but Ms Hortman and her spouse died from gunshot wounds, Mr Evans said. A 'shelter in place' order was in effect early on Saturday. Public safety commissioner Bob Jacobson said the suspect was posing as a law enforcement officer. Mr Bruley said the suspect fled out of the back of Ms Hortman's house after an exchange of gunfire with police. Photo provided by the FBI shows Vance L. Boelter in June 2022 (Image: FBI via AP ) The suspect was dressed like a uniformed officer and operating a vehicle that 'looked exactly like an SUV squad car. It was equipped with lights, emergency lights and looked exactly like a police vehicle,' Mr Bruley said. US President Donald Trump said in a White House statement that the FBI would join in the investigation: 'Our Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and the FBI, are investigating the situation, and they will be prosecuting anyone involved to the fullest extent of the law. 'Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!' Minnesota House speaker Lisa Demuth, a Republican from Cold Spring, called the attack 'evil' and said she was 'heartbroken beyond words' by the killings of Ms Hortman and her husband, Mark. Article continues below 'With the law enforcement response ongoing and details still emerging, I will simply ask all Minnesotans to please lift up in prayer the victims of this horrific attack, as well as the law enforcement personnel still working to apprehend the perpetrator,' Ms Demuth said in a statement. The shootings happened at a time when political leaders nationwide have been attacked, harassed and intimidated during a time of deep political divisions.
Metro
2 hours ago
- Metro
'I'm a conservative dad who voted for Trump - I'd do anything for my trans child
Rick Colby, 64, does everything with his son. Hockey games, Ohio State football matches, mountain hikes. All 'typical American guy' stuff. The Republican also stood by his son's side when he was bed-bound after undergoing a mastectomy, or top surgery, to have his breasts removed when he was 19. 'Ashton is 32, so he's transitioned successfully,' Rick told Metro of his son, who is trans. 'Was it a challenge being his dad as he transitioned at age 19? Yes, but only because I didn't know what I was doing.' Ashton, however, did. Rick helped his son get whatever healthcare he needed to transition, seeing Ashton as his 'guide'. 'My son was meant to be a man,' Rick added. 'He has a masculine soul, I really believe that.' But a growing number of politicians and pundits say otherwise. With thousands of members from all over the world, our vibrant LGBTQ+ WhatsApp channel is a hub for all the latest news and important issues that face the LGBTQ+ community. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications! Over the past five years, Republican state lawmakers have pushed a barrage of bills to restrict the lives of trans people, including prohibiting their choice of public toilets and withdrawing the medical care they receive. Since Donald Trump came to power, the White House has joined them by limiting the sports teams they can play for and pledging to remove them from serving in the army. 'The current political environment is awful right now,' Rick said. 'Transgender people are being villainised, mocked, insulted and blocked from receiving healthcare. 'One trans woman Ashton and I know left the country to start over somewhere else.' Outlining his reasons for voting for Trump, he said: 'I believed the United States was staring into the abyss – and if Kamala Harris got elected, the nation would be destroyed. She would continue the failed and destructive policies of Biden, who I believe was the worst president in American history. 'That was the choice I had to make. Destroy the country or support transgender people. And the battle at the state level would continue, no matter how I voted.' He added he was surprised by his party's actions following Trump's second election to office, stating that he wasn't expecting the party to be as rigid as they have been over trans rights. 'Republicans are terrible on transgender issues, yes, but I didn't think they would go as extreme as they have,' he said. 'Many of the policies enacted by President Trump and at the state level by Republicans are malevolent and outright harassment, serving no public policy benefit. 'Does that distress me? Of course it does. But we still have free speech in America and Ashton and I will continue to advocate and do all we can. 'Do I believe we will eventually win? Yes. When my son Ashton's generation takes the reins of leadership in our society, being transgender won't be a big deal at all. But it's going to be rough going until that time.' Many are leaving Tennessee, too, after a law was passed in 2023 prohibiting medical providers from prescribing puberty-delaying medication, providing hormone therapy or performing surgery to treat what the law calls 'purported discomfort or distress from a discordance between the minor's sex and asserted identity'. Colby, who voted for Trump last year, is one of countless families closely watching a lawsuit that hopes to overturn the Tennessee ban. LW v Skrmetti, referring to Tennessee attorney general Jonathan Skrmetti, was filed in 2023 and has made its way to the Supreme Court. A ruling is expected this month. The plaintiffs, three families and a doctor, say the law violates the Constitution by denying equal protection to trans people. J Matthew Rice, Tennessee's solicitor general, has argued the law was passed for medical reasons and is not sex discrimination. A verdict in favour of the ban could further jeopardise trans children, Rick said, leaving them two options: pull their kids out of school and move out of state, or stay and cut back expenses to afford out-of-state healthcare. 'I have no idea how the court will rule,' Rick said. 'It would be a great thing if they ruled on behalf of the family with a transgender child.' Sean Madden, the 59-year-old independent-conservative father of a trans daughter in North Carolina, said he hopes the same. Born and raised in New York City, his daughter, Allie, came out as trans when she was 16. 'My wife and I had a very superficial understanding of what it meant to be trans, so we did what almost all parents would do under the circumstances – try and understand,' he told Metro. 'It was clear she had been suffering and alone with this secret for some time.' Together with his wife, Anne Madden, 60, the couple researched healthcare options for Allie, including a therapist. 'The number one objective for your child is to keep them happy and healthy,' he said. Allie, now 25, recently graduated from New York University and is an aspiring electronic dance music producer. Sean knew he had to do something when he first heard of the Tennessee trans youth healthcare ban, thinking of what would have happened to Allie if she didn't have access to the healthcare she needed. So he spoke with 28 families of trans young people for an amicus, a brief offering expertise, in the Skrmetti case. 'My view is that it's a gross abuse of power to take away the decision away from parents and impose a one-size-fits-all remedy when there are no medically-approved alternatives,' Sean said. The Tennessee law bans medical providers from giving puberty blockers, which act like a pause button for puberty, to trans youth. But doctors can write up prescriptions to cisgender youngsters with precocious puberty, which can spur puberty as early as infancy. 'I spoke to a family who had twins, one twin is trans and the other is cisgender with precocious puberty,' said Sean. 'The cisgender twin can be prescribed Lupron… the trans twin in Tennessee and other states like it can't get the same safe and effective drug.' Sean, who works with the Gender Research Advisory Council & Education, pointed to how 40% of trans teens (about 118,300 people) live in a state that restricts their healthcare. More could follow. According to the monitoring service TransLash, of the 701 proposed anti-trans bills sitting in state Houses and Senates today, 189 aim to restrict trans healthcare. How many trans people live in Tennessee is unclear, but a 2022 survey found it is one of the top 10 states people are leaving because of its anti-trans laws, which include bans on updating gender markers on birth certificates and driving licences. One of the families Sean spoke to, a single mum in Utah, drove over state lines to get puberty blockers for her child, only to be unable to afford them. 'So she procured them in Mexico instead,' Sean said. 'These families rise above incredible obstacles and do what they can to get care. It shouldn't be that hard. 'It is not an overstatement to say that if this medically necessary care is taken away or unavailable, kids will die,' Sean added. 'It will fall on the most vulnerable families who can't travel out of state. You're going to have a two-tier health system.' Sean said that one way legislators try to justify their bans is 'dehumanising' trans people by coughing up so much disinformation that the community no longer seems like 'actual humans'. More Trending He worries the Supreme Court may do the same, with the conservative majority justices appearing poised to uphold the ban. To them, Sean has a simple question. 'Ask yourself, if you were in this position, you have an adolescent child with gender dysphoria, what do you do?' he said. 'I think most parents, regardless of their feelings, understand they have to care for their child. That's the job as a parent.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Putin calls Trump to say 'happy birthday' but there was 'no time to talk about Ukraine' MORE: Iran issues stark threat to UK and US if they help Israel deflect revenge strikes MORE: Florida sheriff warns rioters 'we will kill you' as protests spread across US
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Who is the man wanted in the Minnesota lawmaker assaults? What we know
Minnesota authorites say they believe it was Boelter who impersonated law enforcement to gain access to the victims' homes, exchanged gunfire with police and fled on foot outside Minneapolis. David Carlson, 59, told Reuters that he has been sharing a house in Minneapolis with Boelter for a little more than a year and last saw him on Friday night. Then about 6 a.m. on Saturday, he received a text from Boelter. "He said that he might be dead soon," said Carlson, who called police. Carlson, who has known Boelter since fourth grade, said Boelter worked for an eye donation center and stayed at the house because it was close to his job. Carlson said he feels betrayed by Boelter and heartbroken for the victims, adding: "His family has got to suffer through this." The cryptic message sent to his roommate is just one of many unanswered questions surrounding Boelter. Officials have described the attacks as a politically motivated assassination. Boelter, who is considered armed and dangerous, is being sought by authorities following the "targeted shootings" at lawmakers' homes in Brooklyn Park and Champlin, two neighboring suburban cities. The shootings killed state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, while wounding State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. Both lawmakers are members of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said the suspect exchanged gunfire with police and fled on foot outside of Minneapolis. Bruley added that the suspect also had an SUV that is identical to real police vehicles, as well as an official-looking vest, outfit and equipment. Boelter lived just outside of Green Isle, a Minnesota city of around 600 people that's about an hour southwest of the Twin Cities, Mayor Shane Sheets told USA TODAY. Green Isle is a small community, Sheets said. Boelter had no known political involvement or affiliation in the city, he said. Online, Boelter presented himself as a security expert who had also worked for global companies. A LinkedIn page believed to belong to him showed he attended St. Cloud State University. University spokesperson Zach Dwyer confirmed Boelter graduated in 1996. He also appeared as a speaker for a Minnesota nonprofit serving African immigrant communities. Minnesota Africans United, a Brooklyn Park nonprofit, said in a statement that Boelter participated in an August 2022 virtual webinar about trade and investment in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Boelter's participation as a speaker was facilitated by a third-party, the statement said. He was never hired, paid or contracted by the nonprofit, which had no contact with him since the one-time appearance. A biography for the session described Boelter as having worked in Congo and for a security guard company. In 2019, Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz named Boelter to his Governor's Workforce Development Board. The governor's website said the board assists in "developing, implementing, and modifying the State plan, review of statewide policies and programs, providing recommendations on actions to align and improve the workforce development system and programs," among other matters. The governor's website listed Boelter as a "business and industry representative." His appointment was effective from December 2019 to January 2023, according to a notice. A spokesperson for Walz said the governor's office appoints thousands of people of all parties to boards and commissions. The workforce development board has over 60 people on it. They are unpaid, external boards created by the legislature, and Walz doesn't interview applicants, the spokesperson said. They aren't appointments to a position in the governor's cabinet, the spokesperson said. Praetorian Guard Security Services, a residential armed home security company in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, listed Boelter as director of security patrols for the company, according to its website. The company offered licensed armed security patrols, uniformed security and event security, with the latter service coming soon. "We drive the same make and model of vehicles that many police departments use in the U.S.," the website said. "Currently we drive Ford Explorer Utility Vehicles." An email and phone call to Praetorian was not immediately returned Saturday. Officials said the suspect's SUV appeared to look like a police vehicle when officers responded. In the SUV, police found writings listing the names of other officials and papers saying "No Kings," an apparent reference to ongoing protests across the United States. The state Department of Public Safety had requested people in Minnesota to stay home from all planned demonstrations on Saturday, Gov. Tim Walz said. In a post last month, the LinkedIn account believed to belong to Boelter said he was looking for work in the food industry. Corey Schmidt of The St. Cloud Times, part of the USA TODAY Network, contributed to this report.
