Minnesota Senate debates resolution condemning presidential pardons for Jan. 6 defendants; amendment to broaden transmission adopted

The Minnesota Senate spent hours debating Senate Resolution 15, a measure that would formally condemn pardons issued by former President Donald Trump to people convicted or charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Senator Ron Latz, the author of the resolution, said the pardons “undermined the very systems of government we are here to uphold” and framed the measure as the chamber’s available tool to condemn pardons for what he described as violent attacks on law enforcement and on democratic institutions. He told colleagues the pardons occurred “65 days ago” and said the resolution should stand as an official rebuke to those actions.

The debate turned sharply partisan as multiple senators argued both for and against a floor vote. Supporters emphasized the violence of Jan. 6 and the impact on officers; opponents said the measure was “political theater” that distracted from state-level priorities such as the budget, schools, and long-term care. “This is political theater,” Senator Crone said during floor remarks, criticizing the timing of the debate. Senator Julia Coleman, proposing and speaking for an amendment that condemned violence against law enforcement generally, said “violence against our brave men and women in uniform … should be condemned at every turn.”

Why it matters: While a state resolution carries no criminal or federal legal effect,…