DFL Rep. Erin Maye Quade ends House floor sit-in, vows to continue pursuing gun control

The lawmaker from Apple Valley said she wanted to draw attention to the Legislature's inaction on gun-control measures.

April 26, 2018 at 2:16AM

A DFL state lawmaker concluded a 24-hour sit-in on the floor of the state House on Wednesday morning, urging gun-control advocates to keep pushing lawmakers to tighten gun laws in Minnesota.

Rep. Erin Maye Quade of Apple Valley spent the night in the chamber, sometimes joined by other DFL lawmakers. Early in her protest, she was also joined by one Republican member of the House: Rep. Dario Anselmo of Edina. Maye Quade said she was frustrated by the Legislature's inaction on proposals on background checks and the reporting of lost or stolen guns, among other gun-­control measures — particularly because a recent statewide poll showed wide support for such ideas.

As she stood up and walked off the House floor around 11:45 a.m., Maye Quade was met with applause from gun-­control advocates who had gathered outside the chamber and upstairs in its public gallery. Speaking through tears, she told her supporters that she was proud of them for showing up at the Capitol and urged them to keep up the pressure on their elected officials.

"You have to keep doing what you're doing," she said. "Keep calling your legislators, keep marching, keep writing letters."

Earlier, Maye Quade said she wanted to show student activists and other Minnesotans that she's been listening to the concerns they have raised in recent weeks following the school shooting in Parkland, Fla., and other incidents of gun violence. She said she was also inspired by the recent results of a Star Tribune Minnesota Poll that found that 90 percent of poll respondents believed that Minnesota should require criminal background checks on all gun sales, and 86 percent believed it should be mandatory to report lost or stolen guns to the police.

Gun-control measures introduced during this year's legislative session have stalled in committee hearings. Senate DFLers said on Wednesday that they plan to make another push for several new gun-control measures during a scheduled Senate floor session on Thursday.

Erin Golden • 612-673-4790

State Rep. Erin Maye Quade, of Apple Valley, second from right, holds a 24-hour sit-in on the Minnesota House floor for stronger gun laws, Tuesday, April 24, 2018, in St. Paul, Minn., joined by fellow Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Reps. Raymond Dehn, Minneapolis, seated on floor; Peter Fischer, Maplewood, and JoAnn Ward, Woodbury. (Glen Stubbe/Star Tribune via AP)
State Rep. Erin Maye Quade, of Apple Valley, second from right, holds a 24-hour sit-in on the Minnesota House floor for stronger gun laws, Tuesday, April 24, 2018, in St. Paul, Minn., joined by fellow Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Reps. Raymond Dehn, Minneapolis, seated on floor; Peter Fischer, Maplewood, and JoAnn Ward, Woodbury. (Glen Stubbe/Star Tribune via AP) (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Rep. Erin Maye Quade of Apple Valley a DFL state lawmaker frustrated with the Minnesota Legislature’s inaction on gun control proposals began a 24-hour sit-in on the floor of the state House on Tuesday on Tuesday. ] CARLOS GONZALEZ • cgonzalez@startribune.com – April 25, 2018, St. Paul, MN, Minnesota State Capitol, Rep. Erin Maye Quade of Apple Valley, 24-hour sit-in on the floor of the state House
Rep. Erin Maye Quade, DFL-Apple Valley, began a 24-hour sit-in on the floor of the state House on Tuesday to protest the Minnesota Legislature’s inaction on gun-control proposals. At left, she was greeted by supporters after leaving the House floor just before noon on Wednesday. – April 25, 2018, St. Paul, MN, Minnesota State Capitol, Rep. Erin Maye Quade of Apple Valley, 24-hour sit-in on the floor of the state House (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Rep. Erin Maye Quade of Apple Valley a DFL state lawmaker frustrated with the Minnesota Legislatureís inaction on gun control proposals was greeted by supporters after ending a 24-hour sit-in on the floor of the state House on Tuesday. ] CARLOS GONZALEZ ï cgonzalez@startribune.com ñ April 25, 2018, St. Paul, MN, Minnesota State Capitol, Rep. Erin Maye Quade of Apple Valley, 24-hour sit-in on the floor of the state House
Rep. Erin Maye Quade of Apple Valley a DFL state lawmaker frustrated with the Minnesota Legislatureís inaction on gun control proposals was greeted by supporters after ending a 24-hour sit-in on the floor of the state House on Tuesday. ] CARLOS GONZALEZ ï cgonzalez@startribune.com ñ April 25, 2018, St. Paul, MN, Minnesota State Capitol, Rep. Erin Maye Quade of Apple Valley, 24-hour sit-in on the floor of the state House (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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about the writer

Erin Golden

Cities team leader

Erin Golden is a cities team leader at the Star Tribune, working with reporters who cover Minneapolis, Hennepin County and metro suburbs. She was previously a reporter at the Star Tribune and other newspapers covering topics ranging from state politics to education to business. 

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