Democratic state representatives in Minnesota staged a walkout on Tuesday, refusing to appear for the start of the legislative session in order to prevent the state House from having a quorum. The dispute arose over how to handle a chamber that is evenly split between Democrats and Republicans. After Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon adjourned the state House due to the lack of a quorum, House Republicans attempted to hold a session with only a portion of the members present and elected a new speaker, state Rep. Lisa Demuth, in a move that may face legal challenges.
Democratic State Rep. Melissa Hortman, the speaker-designate for the Democrats, criticized the proceedings in advance, anticipating what she called a “kangaroo court” and a “sham” process. She vowed that Democrats would seek legal intervention to prevent the Republicans from conducting business. The House, which saw an equal number of Democratic and Republican lawmakers elected in November, was in the process of negotiating a power-sharing agreement when a residency challenge and ballot issues cast doubt on the outcome, leading to the current deadlock.
By boycotting the session, Democrats aim to block the Republicans from electing a House speaker and appointing committee heads in their absence. The Democratic caucus plans to remain absent until after a special election at the end of January, which is expected to give them an advantage in the House. A disagreement persists over the definition of a quorum, with Republican Rep. Demuth arguing that the total number of eligible members is 133, while Secretary of State Simon insists on a minimum of 68 members for a quorum.
Efforts to reach a resolution through negotiations have so far been unsuccessful. Democrats assert that the open seat slated for a special election is traditionally Democratic, maintaining the legislative balance, whereas Republicans argue otherwise. National Democrats have expressed support for the Democratic caucus in Minnesota, investing $100,000 to bolster their efforts, including backing the Democratic candidate in the upcoming special election.
Chaska Mayor Brad Tabke’s victory in the November election came under scrutiny when election officials revealed that they had mistakenly discarded 21 absentee ballots without tabulating them. Tabke had initially emerged triumphant by a mere 14 votes. Following an examination of the discarded ballots, a state court affirmed Tabke’s win on Tuesday. The court pointed to the testimony of several voters whose ballots were discarded, who swore under oath that they had voted for Tabke. Despite this ruling, Minnesota law stipulates that the state House of Representatives holds the authority to determine Tabke’s eligibility, potentially paving the way for a Republican-led majority to push for a new election to fill the seat.
In a statement released on Tuesday, House Speaker Melissa Hortman expressed the Democrats’ stance on the matter, emphasizing their intention to prevent any attempts to oust Representative Brad Tabke from the Minnesota House. Hortman underscored the Democrats’ commitment to maintaining balance in the House and highlighted their readiness to utilize all available resources to thwart what they deemed as an unprecedented power grab by the Republicans.
“Dems are united in our will to fight Republican efforts to kick Representative Brad Tabke out of the Minnesota House. We cannot allow Republicans to engage in this unprecedented abuse of power, and will use every tool at our disposal to block it,” stated Hortman.
The dispute surrounding Tabke’s victory has stirred up significant political tension in Minnesota, with both parties digging in their heels as they prepare for a potential showdown over the contested election results. The outcome of this contentious battle remains uncertain, as the political landscape braces for a possible reevaluation of Tabke’s win and the broader implications it may have on the balance of power within the state House of Representatives.
