Latest news with #Hortman
Politico
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Politico
Biden pays respects as former Minnesota House Speaker Hortman, killed in shooting, lies in state
ST. PAUL, Minnesota — Former President Joe Biden joined thousands of mourners Friday as former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman lay in state in the Minnesota Capitol rotunda while the man charged with killing her and her husband, and wounding a state senator and his wife, made a brief court appearance in a suicide prevention suit. Hortman, a Democrat, is the first woman and one of fewer than 20 Minnesotans accorded the honor. She lay in state with her husband, Mark, and their golden retriever, Gilbert. Her husband was also killed in the June 14 attack, and Gilbert was seriously wounded and had to be euthanized. It was the first time a couple has lain in state at the Capitol, and the first time for a dog. The Hortmans' caskets and the dog's urn were arranged in the center of the rotunda, under the Capitol dome, with law enforcement officers keeping watch on either side as thousands of people who lined up filed by. Many fought back tears as they left. Among the first to pay their respects were Gov. Tim Walz, who has called Hortman his closest political ally, and his wife, Gwen. Biden, a Catholic, visited later in the afternoon, walking up to the velvet rope in front of the caskets, making the sign of the cross, and spending a few moments by himself in silence. He then took a knee briefly, got up, made the sign of the cross again, and walked off to greet people waiting in the wings of the rotunda. The Capitol was open for the public from noon to 5 p.m. Friday, but officials said anyone waiting in line at 5 would be let in. House TV livestreamed the viewing. A private funeral is set for 10:30 a.m. Saturday and will be livestreamed on the Department of Public Safety's YouTube channel. Biden will attend the funeral, a spokesperson said. So will former Vice President Kamala Harris, though neither is expected to speak. Harris expressed her condolences earlier this week to Hortman's adult children, and spoke with Walz, her running mate on the 2024 Democratic presidential ticket, who extended an invitation on behalf of the Hortman family, her office said. Lisa Greene, who lives in Brooklyn Park like Hortman did, but in a different House district, said she came to the Capitol because she had so much respect for the former speaker. 'She was just amazing. Amazing woman. 'And I was just so proud that she represented the city that I lived in,' Greene said in a voice choked with emotion. 'She was such a leader. She could bring people together. She was so accessible. I mean, she was friendly, you could talk to her.' But, she went on to say admiringly, Hortman was also 'a boss. She just knew what she was doing and she could just make things happen.' A hearing takes a twist: The man accused of killing the Hortmans and wounding another Democratic lawmaker and his wife made a short court appearance Friday to face charges for what the chief federal prosecutor for Minnesota has called 'a political assassination.' Vance Boelter, 57, of Green Isle, surrendered near his home the night of June 15 after what authorities have called the largest search in Minnesota history. An unshaven Boelter was brought in wearing just a green padded suicide prevention suit and orange slippers. Federal defender Manny Atwal asked Magistrate Judge Douglas Micko to continue the hearing until Thursday. She said Boelter has been sleep deprived while on suicide watch in the Sherburne County Jail, and that it has been difficult to communicate with him as a result. 'Your honor, I haven't really slept in about 12 to 14 days,' Boelter told the judge. And he denied being suicidal. 'I've never been suicidal and I am not suicidal now.' Atwal told the court that Boelter had been in what's known as a 'Gumby suit,' without undergarments, ever since his transfer to the jail after his first court appearance on June 16. She said the lights are on in his area 24 hours a day, doors slam frequently, the inmate in the next cell spreads feces on the walls, and the smell drifts to Boelter's cell. The attorney said transferring him to segregation instead, and giving him a normal jail uniform, would let him get some sleep, restore some dignity, and let him communicate better. The judge agreed. Prosecutors did not object to the delay and said they also had concerns about the jail conditions. The acting U.S. attorney for Minnesota, Joseph Thompson, told reporters afterward that he did not think Boelter had attempted to kill himself. The case continues: Boelter did not enter a plea. Prosecutors need to secure a grand jury indictment first, before his arraignment, which is when a plea is normally entered. According to the federal complaint, police video shows Boelter outside the Hortmans' home and captures the sound of gunfire. And it says security video shows Boelter approaching the front doors of two other lawmakers' homes dressed as a police officer. His lawyers have declined to comment on the charges, which could carry the federal death penalty. Thompson said last week that no decision has been made. Minnesota abolished its death penalty in 1911. The Death Penalty Information Center says a federal death penalty case hasn't been prosecuted in Minnesota in the modern era, as best as it can tell. Boelter also faces separate murder and attempted murder charges in state court that could carry life without parole, assuming that county prosecutors get their own indictment for first-degree murder. But federal authorities intend to use their power to try Boelter first. Other victims and alleged targets: Authorities say Boelter shot and wounded Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman, and his wife, Yvette, at their home in Champlin before shooting and killing the Hortmans in their home in the northern Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Park, a few miles away. Federal prosecutors allege Boelter also stopped at the homes of two other Democratic lawmakers. Prosecutors also say he listed dozens of other Democrats as potential targets, including officials in other states. Friends described Boelter as an evangelical Christian with politically conservative views. But prosecutors have declined so far to speculate on a motive.
The Guardian
4 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Killed ex-Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman lies in state alongside husband and dog
Melissa and Mark Hortman, and their dog Gilbert, lay in state in the Minnesota state capitol rotunda on Friday. Their wooden caskets, and Gilbert's golden urn with pawprints on it, were surrounded by trees and ferns, a nod to the greenery Melissa, an avid gardener and advocate for the environment, held dear in her personal life and in her governance. The Hortmans were killed by a politically motivated assassin who posed as a police officer and came to their home, and the homes of other lawmakers, injuring another and his wife. The killings and subsequent manhunt unsettled the state. On Friday, Minnesotans lined up by the hundreds outside and inside the state capitol to pay their respects. One by one, they moved toward the rotunda. Many wiped away tears. Others did the sign of the cross. Some put their hands on their hearts. The mourners included former president Joe Biden. Some brought their children, waiting in line patiently to say goodbye. Many carried flowers – daffodils, daisies, zinnias, roses. Golden retrievers sat outside the doors of the capitol, waiting people to pet them and to comfort those who came to grieve. A second line waited to drop off flowers and other items of remembrance at a memorial upstairs near the House chambers. There, thousands of flowers decorated a hallway of tables. Interspersed were dog treats, stuffed animals and hundreds of notes from people who told the Hortmans what they meant to Minnesota. One photo left at the memorial shows Hortman behind a lectern with the presidential seal, noting that she was one of a group of state lawmakers invited to Washington by then-president Barack Obama. 'I can't comprehend her being gone, but I'm realizing how much I loved her,' wrote the person who left the photo. 'Remembering your strong leadership for low-income Minnesotans and your dedication to policies so that all people have a home,' one sign said. 'Melissa is our hero,' wrote another. Melissa is the first woman in Minnesota history to lie in state at the Capitol. She joins a long list of Minnesota governing greats – a list her colleagues say she deserves to be on for her accomplishments. Tim Walz, the governor, has called her the 'most consequential House speaker in state history'. One man got to the capitol at 6.30am to wait for the doors to open at noon, he told Minnesota Public Radio. Mike Starr said he once was hosted by the Hortmans at their home and wanted to pay his respects and show thanks for everything Melissa had done for the state. 'She stood up for the people and that she didn't spin the story, she didn't mislead people,' Starr said. 'She let you know who she was. And you know, when she said something, she meant it.' Some came from out of state to say goodbye. Debra Lehrmann, Texas supreme court justice and a friend of the Hortmans, came to the capitol, according to the Star Tribune. 'Melissa is the kind of person you're drawn to,' she told the paper. In the days since her death, her friends and colleagues – and those who didn't personally know her, but felt her impact – have shared what she meant to them. They cited an ability to bring people together and find common ground alongside a whip-smart intellect and a witty sense of humor. Above all, she cared about Minnesota – and Minnesota cared back.
The Guardian
5 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Killed ex-Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman lies in state alongside husband and dog
Melissa and Mark Hortman, and their dog Gilbert, lay in state in the Minnesota state capitol rotunda on Friday. Their wooden caskets, and Gilbert's golden urn with pawprints on it, were surrounded by trees and ferns, a nod to the greenery Melissa, an avid gardener and advocate for the environment, held dear in her personal life and in her governance. The Hortmans were killed by a politically motivated assassin who posed as a police officer and came to their home, and the homes of other lawmakers, injuring another and his wife. The killings and subsequent manhunt unsettled the state. On Friday, Minnesotans lined up by the hundreds outside and inside the state capitol to pay their respects. One by one, they moved toward the rotunda. Many wiped away tears. Others did the sign of the cross. Some put their hands on their hearts. The mourners included former president Joe Biden. Some brought their children, waiting in line patiently to say goodbye. Many carried flowers – daffodils, daisies, zinnias, roses. Golden retrievers sat outside the doors of the capitol, waiting people to pet them and to comfort those who came to grieve. A second line waited to drop off flowers and other items of remembrance at a memorial upstairs near the House chambers. There, thousands of flowers decorated a hallway of tables. Interspersed were dog treats, stuffed animals and hundreds of notes from people who told the Hortmans what they meant to Minnesota. One photo left at the memorial shows Hortman behind a lectern with the presidential seal, noting that she was one of a group of state lawmakers invited to Washington by then-president Barack Obama. 'I can't comprehend her being gone, but I'm realizing how much I loved her,' wrote the person who left the photo. 'Remembering your strong leadership for low-income Minnesotans and your dedication to policies so that all people have a home,' one sign said. 'Melissa is our hero,' wrote another. Melissa is the first woman in Minnesota history to lie in state at the Capitol. She joins a long list of Minnesota governing greats – a list her colleagues say she deserves to be on for her accomplishments. Tim Walz, the governor, has called her the 'most consequential House speaker in state history'. One man got to the capitol at 6.30am to wait for the doors to open at noon, he told Minnesota Public Radio. Mike Starr said he once was hosted by the Hortmans at their home and wanted to pay his respects and show thanks for everything Melissa had done for the state. 'She stood up for the people and that she didn't spin the story, she didn't mislead people,' Starr said. 'She let you know who she was. And you know, when she said something, she meant it.' Some came from out of state to say goodbye. Debra Lehrmann, Texas supreme court justice and a friend of the Hortmans, came to the capitol, according to the Star Tribune. 'Melissa is the kind of person you're drawn to,' she told the paper. In the days since her death, her friends and colleagues – and those who didn't personally know her, but felt her impact – have shared what she meant to them. They cited an ability to bring people together and find common ground alongside a whip-smart intellect and a witty sense of humor. Above all, she cared about Minnesota – and Minnesota cared back.
Los Angeles Times
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman lies in state as shooting suspect appears in court
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman laid in state in the Minnesota Capitol rotunda on Friday while the man charged with killing her and her husband, and wounding a state senator and his wife, made a brief court appearance in a suicide prevention suit. Hortman, a Democrat, is the first woman and one of fewer than 20 Minnesotans accorded the honor. She laid in state with her husband, Mark, and their golden retriever, Gilbert. Her husband was also killed in the June 14 attack, and Gilbert was seriously wounded and had to be euthanized. It was the first time a couple has laid in state at the Capitol, and the first time for a dog. The Hortmans' caskets and the dog's urn were arranged in the center of the rotunda, under the Capitol dome, with law enforcement officers keeping watch on either side. The Capitol was open for the public to pay their respects from noon to 5 p.m. Friday. House TV was livestreaming the viewing. A private funeral is set for 10:30 a.m. Saturday. The service will be livestreamed on the Department of Public Safety's YouTube channel. Former Vice President Kamala Harris will fly to Minnesota for the funeral but won't have a speaking role, according to her personal office. Harris expressed her condolences this past week to Hortman's adult children, and spoke with Gov. Tim Walz, her 2024 running mate, who extended an invitation on behalf of the Hortman family, her office said. The man accused of killing the Hortmans and wounding another Democratic lawmaker and his wife made a short court appearance Friday to face charges for what the chief federal prosecutor for Minnesota has called 'a political assassination.' Vance Boelter, 57, of Green Isle, surrendered near his home the night of June 15 after what authorities have called the largest search in Minnesota history. An unshaven Boelter was brought in wearing just a green padded suicide prevention suit and orange slippers. Federal defender Manny Atwal asked Magistrate Judge Douglas Micko to continue the hearing until next Thursday. She said Boelter has been sleep deprived while on suicide watch in the Sherburne County Jail, and that it has been difficult to communicate with him as a result. 'Your honor, I haven't really slept in about 12 to 14 days,' Boelter told the judge. And he denied being suicidal. 'I've never been suicidal and I am not suicidal now.' Atwal told the court that Boelter had been in what's known as a 'Gumby suit,' without undergarments, ever since his transfer to the jail after his first court appearance on June 16. She said the lights are on in his area 24 hours a day, doors slam frequently, the inmate in the next cell spreads feces on the walls, and the smell drifts to Boelter's cell. The attorney said transferring him to segregation instead, and giving him a normal jail uniform, would let him get some sleep, restore some dignity, and let him communicate better. The judge agreed. Prosecutors did not object to the delay and said they also had concerns about the jail conditions. The acting U.S. attorney for Minnesota, Joseph Thompson, told reporters afterward that he did not think Boelter had attempted to kill himself. Boelter did not enter a plea. Prosecutors need to secure a grand jury indictment first, before his arraignment, which is when a plea is normally entered. According to the federal complaint, police video shows Boelter outside the Hortmans' home and captures the sound of gunfire. And it says security video shows Boelter approaching the front doors of two other lawmakers' homes dressed as a police officer. His lawyers have declined to comment on the charges, which could carry the federal death penalty. Thompson said last week that no decision has been made. Minnesota abolished its death penalty in 1911. The Death Penalty Information Center says a federal death penalty case hasn't been prosecuted in Minnesota in the modern era, as best as it can tell. Boelter also faces separate murder and attempted murder charges in state court that could carry life without parole, assuming that county prosecutors get their own indictment for first-degree murder. But federal authorities intend to use their power to try Boelter first. Authorities say Boelter shot and wounded Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman, and his wife, Yvette, at their home in Champlin before shooting and killing the Hortmans in their home in the northern Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Park, a few miles away. Federal prosecutors allege Boelter also stopped at the homes of two other Democratic lawmakers. Prosecutors also say he listed dozens of other Democrats as potential targets, including officials in other states. Friends described Boelter as an evangelical Christian with politically conservative views. But prosecutors have declined so far to speculate on a motive. Boelter's wife, Jenny, issued a statement through her own lawyers Thursday saying she and her children are 'absolutely shocked, heartbroken and completely blindsided,' and expressing sympathy for the Hortman and Hoffman families. She is not in custody and has not been charged. 'This violence does not align at all with our beliefs as a family,' her statement said. 'It is a betrayal of everything we hold true as tenets of our Christian faith. We are appalled and horrified by what occurred and our hearts are incredibly heavy for the victims of this unfathomable tragedy.' An FBI agent's affidavit described the Boelters as 'preppers,' people who prepare for major or catastrophic incidents. Investigators seized 48 guns from his home, according to search warrant documents. While the FBI agent's affidavit said law enforcement stopped Boelter's wife as she traveled with her four children north of the Twin Cities in Onamia on the day of the shootings, she said in her statement that she was not pulled over. She said that after she got a call from authorities, she immediately drove to meet them at a nearby gas station and has fully cooperated with investigators. 'We thank law enforcement for apprehending Vance and protecting others from further harm,' she said. Karnowski writes for the Associated Press.
San Francisco Chronicle
9 hours ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
A slain Minnesota lawmaker's beloved dog, Gilbert, stays with her as she and her spouse lie in state
Gilbert was with his family when a gunman murdered two of his family members, a prominent Minnesota legislator and her husband, and the golden retriever was beside them as they lay in state Friday at the state Capitol. He is all but certainly the first dog to receive the honor, having been put down after being badly injured in the attack. There is no record of any other non-human ever lying in state, and the late state Rep. Melissa Hortman, the state House's top Democrat and a former speaker, is the first woman. The state previously granted the honor to 19 men, including a vice president, a U.S. secretary of state, U.S. senators, governors and a Civil War veteran, according to the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Gilbert has received a flood tributes like Hortman and her husband, Mark, ever since news spread online that he had been shot, too, in the attack early on the morning of June 14 by a man posing as a police officer. The accused assassin, Vance Boelter, is also charged with shooting a prominent Democratic state senator and his wife, and authorities say Boelter visited two other Democratic lawmakers' homes without encountering them. The dog's injuries were severe enough that surviving family members had him put to sleep at a veterinary clinic in the Hortmans' hometown of Brooklyn Park, a Minneapolis suburb. The clinic, Allied Emergency Veterinary Service, called Gilbert 'sweet and gentle' and 'deeply loved' on a GoFundMe site raising money for the care of local police dogs. Hours after the shootings, a nonprofit that trains service dogs, Helping Paws Inc., posted a picture on Facebook of Gilibert with the murdered Minnesota lawmaker, both smiling. The Hortmans provided a foster home to dogs to help train them to be service animals, and one of them, Minnie, had graduated on to assisting a veteran. But Helping Paws said in its post that Gilbert 'eventually career changed." One of Hortman's fellow lawmakers, Democratic Rep. Erin Koegel, told AP that the golden retriever had 'flunked out of school" and that 'Melissa wanted him to fail so she could keep him.' Gilbert had been deemed 'too friendly" to be a service dog,
