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Minnesota Senate delays vote on resolution condemning Jan. 20 pardons after hours of partisan debate
Summary
Senators debated a resolution condemning pardons issued Jan. 20 for people involved in the U.S. Capitol attack. Democrats said the pardons insult law enforcement; Republicans called the measure hyperpartisan and questioned using floor time. Debate was paused and will resume next week.
Senators on the Minnesota Senate floor spent hours debating a resolution condemning pardons issued on Jan. 20 for people convicted in connection with the U.S. Capitol attack, then agreed to resume the discussion next week without a final vote.
Senator Murphy, speaking for her caucus, said the pardons were “a real slap in the face to law enforcement” and that the group wanted to send a clear message to the president and Congress. “We have worked very hard in Minnesota over the last number of years to increase recruitment and and retention to law enforcement,” Murphy said. “The pardons by president Trump on January 20 were a real slap in the face to law enforcement.”
The resolution prompted sharp partisan disagreement on the floor. One senator said, “This should have been an easy yes,” and expressed surprise the matter took hours. Republican senators criticized the timing and focus of the debate, calling the measure “hyperpartisan” and saying it diverted time needed to finish budget work before the session deadline. One Republican described the resolution as “a hyper partisan resolution that really has no point.”
Senator Murphy said the Democratic caucus had expected bipartisan support and that the floor debate was shorter for their members: “Senator Lattz, the author of this, [and] Senator Seaburger spent a total of 10 minutes talking today on the floor about this issue.” She said the caucus will return to complete the debate next week and reiterated the caucus view that condemning the pardons is important.
The floor discussion included questions about priorities for the remaining 54 days of the legislative session and the pace of budget negotiations. Murphy said her caucus is “on pace” to complete budget work and is engaged in discussions with the governor and House leadership. Lawmakers also raised concerns about the pardoning process generally and urged a review that could be nonpartisan in approach.
No formal vote on the resolution was recorded during the session excerpted in the transcript. Senate leaders said debate will continue next week, leaving the resolution’s final outcome undetermined.
Background: The remarks on the floor referred to pardons issued on Jan. 20 for individuals convicted in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Speakers also referenced broader concerns about partisanship and the legislature’s ability to finish budget work on time under divided government. The transcript did not include specific language of the resolution, a recorded motion to adopt it, or a final vote tally.
