The Minnesota Legislature was to get underway Jan. 14 but in the House DFL representatives so far have boycotted the chamber and Republicans are one seat short of a majority, according to the state Supreme Court.
The result is that no work is being done. How did this come about?
Voters elected a tied House — 67 to 67 — in November. But Curtis Johnson, a Roseville House DFL candidate, was later found by a judge to have not lived in his district and disqualified. Also, the election of Rep. Brad Tabke, a Shakopee DFLer, went to court where a judge ruled that despite 20 missing ballots, he was the winner.
While Tabke gives the DFL 66 members, Republicans have not committed to seating him. A special election is to be held to fill the Roseville seat in March. Johnson won the Roseville district over his GOP opponent by 30% of the vote in November.
Supreme Court decision
DFLers challenged the actions of their House GOP colleagues — electing a speaker and making committee assignments as a majority — in the state Supreme Court and won last week, nullifying Republican moves.
The court said the House can’t move forward with business without at least 68 members — a majority of the 134 total seats.
Republicans have abided by the court’s ruling, and ever since there has been a repeat on the House floor. On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, Secretary of State Steve Simon and Republicans arrived at the House Chamber, took roll call and adjourned after Simon, DFLer, ruled there was no quorum.
They’re scheduled to meet again Monday afternoon.
Compelling members to attend
Minnesota’s Constitution allows state representatives to “compel” absent members to attend, and Republicans now hope they can exercise that right by fining DFL representatives who haven’t shown and depriving them of daily expense coverage for the rest of the session.
They are asking the Supreme Court to force Simon to recognize their motions, including one to compel DFLers to attend.
Negotiations
Meanwhile, after signaling earlier this week that she was optimistic a deal could be reached soon to end the standoff, House DFL leader Melissa Hortman, in a statements, said GOP leader Lisa Demuth did not meet her Thursday or Friday morning.
Senate
Over in the Senate, a power sharing agreement will soon come to an end as DFLer Doron Clark won a Minneapolis special election Tuesday to fill the seat of Kari Dziedzic, former majority leader, who died of cancer in December. Clark will give the DFL a 34 to 33 majority in that chamber.
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