SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota DFL Speaker-Designate Melissa Hortman believes she and GOP Speaker-Designate Lisa Demuth are close to making a deal on a power sharing agreement to end Democrats’ boycotts.
This comes as the Minnesota Supreme Court sided with DFLers on Friday ruling 68 lawmakers out of 134 are needed to do business. That’s also known as a quorum. Republican lawyers argued 67 members are a quorum since one seat in the House is vacant because of a judge ruling DFLer Curtis Johnson didn’t meet eligibility requirements.
Hortman says there have been more than 10 proposals on power sharing that have been gone over since January 13, but meetings with Demuth have been positive. She hopes to have an agreement by the end of the week. Hortman says the main issue she wants Demuth to agree to is to seat DFL State Representative Brad Tabke who won his Shakopee district by 14 votes over Republican Aaron Paul. That’s despite 21 missing votes that will likely never be found according to Scott County officials. Tabke won an election contest in court where the judge said he was the lawful winner of the election. Paul said he wouldn’t appeal the decision. Demuth says House Republicans haven’t decided if they will seat Tabke.
“It is up to the body of the House to judge the eligibility of its members. It is up to the House to determine were voters disenfranchised there because of their horrible error. If so, should we take action?” Demuth said on Minnesota Public Radio.
Hortman believes House DFLers should take their full paychecks despite boycotting floor sessions and committee meetings. She says they are still meeting with constituents, local leaders and staff, taking tours and drafting bills.
“We are doing all of our jobs. All of our job is to represent our constituents and one of the things our constituents do is vote in elections and we think their vote should count and we think results of lawfully elected elections should count. The work that we are doing in denial of a quorum is a work to preserve voters’ power and the rule of power in Minnesota related to elections. We’re also doing other work in our districts and we’re working just like everybody else does when they have a job,” Hortman said.
