Texas House Democrats Statement on Assassination of Minnesota Legislator, Threats to Texas Lawmakers

Texas House Democrats ask Gov. Abbott for immediate action to protect elected officials from extremist violence

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Texas House Democrats are profoundly devastated by the politically-motivated assassination of Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, and the attempted murder of Senator John Hoffman and his wife. Political violence has no place in our democracy, and the targeted killing of an elected official is an overt attack on the foundation of our republic itself.

Today, in light of the assassination of Speaker Emerita Hortman and the announcement that a credible threat was made against Texas legislators, 44 Texas House Democratic lawmakers signed a letter to state leaders demanding immediate action to protect all Texas elected officials following the politically motivated assassination of Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband .

“Texas House Democrats join the Hortman family, Minnesotans, and all patriotic Americans in grief over the politically-motivated killing of our colleague, Minnesota Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman. This horrific, targeted violence has no place in our democracy, and directly stems from years of inflammatory rhetoric that have transformed political disagreements into deadly violence,” said House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Gene Wu. “With credible threats now targeting Texas lawmakers, Texas House Democrats are asking Governor Abbott and state leadership to take immediate action to protect those serving our state before we face a similar tragedy here.”

The letter, sent to Governor Abbott and DPS Director Freeman F. Martin, specifically requests that Governor Abbott and DPS provide immediate answers about what steps will be taken to protect legislators and elected officials across Texas, what resources have been dedicated to monitoring political extremism and online threats targeting lawmakers, and how DPS plans to protect local and state officials who may be targeted by copycats inspired by this assassination.