John,

The premeditated murder of former Minnesota Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark and the attempted murder of Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette are shocking and heinous acts of political violence. My heart is broken for the families, friends, communities, and constituents of these beloved Minnesotans.

People of all political backgrounds must unite to condemn this violence and all politically motivated acts of violence. In our democracy, we do not respond to acts of public policy with extremist acts of violence.

I also want to express my profound gratitude for the local, state, and federal law enforcement officials who worked around the clock to keep elected officials safe and to track down the suspect and bring him to justice. Our communities are safer thanks to their efforts.

I first met Melissa in 1998 when I was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives and went to knock doors with her as she ran for the House for the first time. Her work ethic and determination then were clear to me and it made her a fitting choice to lead DFLers in the Minnesota House. She cared about others, treated everyone with dignity and respect, and she knew how to listen and lead. As a public servant and as Speaker of the House, she left Minnesota better than she found it. I will miss her dearly.

I’m relieved to learn John and Yvette are recovering from their injuries. But as I mourn the loss of Melissa and Mark, I’m inspired by the words of their adult children Sophia and Colin: “Hope and resilience are the enemy of fear.” To honor Melissa and Mark’s legacy, we must carry on—standing united against extremism, defending our democracy, and fighting for the people and values they cared about so deeply.

Thank you,

Betty McCollum


Paid for by McCollum for Congress

Betty McCollum for Congress
P.O. Box 14131
St. Paul, MN 55114
United States

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