Minnesota GOP to file recall petitions against absent House Democrats

The Republican Party of Minnesota sought to ramp up pressure on absent House Democrats on Tuesday, announcing that it would file recall petitions against DFLers who’ve boycotted legislative proceedings for three weeks.

State Republican leaders said they’ve started collecting signatures for recall petitions against the 66 Democrats in the Minnesota House and hope to submit them to the Secretary of State’s Office by next week. The secretary of state would then turn the petitions over to the Minnesota Supreme Court, which determines if there are valid grounds for recall.

“Minnesota Republicans are ready to lead and tackle the serious challenges facing our state, something Democrats have proven they are unwilling to do,” Minnesota GOP Chair Alex Plechash said at a State Capitol news conference.

However, the recall process is lengthy and arduous.

If the Supreme Court allows the petitions to proceed, they would be turned over to a special master for a review of up to 50 days. After that, Republicans would have 90 days to collect additional signatures; petitioners must obtain the signatures of 25% of the voters in the most recent election.

That would amount to about 5,000-6,000 voters in each district, said Jennifer DeJournett, the state GOP’s executive director. The process could take 10 months from start to finish, she said.

The Republican leaders wouldn’t say whether they’d drop the recall effort if House Democrats return to the Capitol.

The state Legislative Reference Library has no record of a Minnesota legislator ever being subject to a recall election. The Minnesota Supreme Court has dismissed previous recall petitions.

Even so, DeJournett said she believes these petitions will “meet that judicial standard.”

House Democrats haven’t been at the Capitol during this year’s legislative session, which began Jan. 14, depriving Republicans of the quorum needed to conduct business. DFL lawmakers are holding out because they want Republicans, who for now have a 67-66 advantage, to agree to share power; an impending special election for a vacant Roseville-area seat will presumably return the House to an even split.

Republicans want to use their momentary advantage to elect a speaker and take control of House committees for the next two years.

Democrats also want Republican House members to agree to seat Rep. Brad Tabke, DFL-Shakopee. Republicans challenged Tabke’s 14-vote election victory in court after Scott County elections officials lost 20 absentee ballots in one precinct. A judge upheld Tabke’s victory last month, but Republicans have suggested they still could refuse to seat him.

Asked about the recall effort Tuesday, DFL Gov. Tim Walz said Republicans “just want to have the talking point.”

“You’re not going to take power in a shorter-term window,” Walz said. “That’s not what the voters voted for.”

A Minnesota DFL spokesman labeled the recall campaign against Democrats a “stunt,” and said House Republicans “need to answer whether they plan to overturn an election for partisan gain,” referring to Tabke.

Republicans are attempting to recall House Democrats on the grounds of “nonfeasance,” which the state describes as “intentionally and repeatedly not performing required duties of the office.”

Democrats have said they’re still doing their jobs, meeting with constituents and drafting bills while away from the Capitol. They’re still getting paid during their boycott. Meanwhile, Republicans have been showing up to the Capitol but haven’t been able to convene the House without a quorum of 68 members.

Rep. Walter Hudson, R-Albertville, said Democrats put themselves in this position and are “refusing to face the political consequences.”

The House was set to be tied 67-67 until a judge ruled in December that Democrat Curtis Johnson didn’t live in the Roseville-area district he was elected to represent and was ineligible to take office.

“That lost them the tie. We are in the majority, they refuse to serve in the minority,” Hudson said. “... We have very little sympathy for the situation that the Democrats have manufactured for themselves.”

House leaders met Monday and Tuesday to negotiate a possible deal that could get the chamber back to work. GOP Leader Lisa Demuth and DFL Leader Melissa Hortman invited some of their colleagues to join negotiations in hopes of a breakthrough.

“We’re hoping that this will result in some movement in the right direction. We’ve really done a disservice to the citizens of Minnesota by not convening the House and getting to work,” Rep. Paul Torkelson, R-Hanska, said Monday.

The two House caucuses had not reached a deal as of Tuesday afternoon. Demuth said they would meet again Tuesday night, and that she was encouraged by recent discussions.

“Maybe the public pressure that we have been hearing from all over is actually letting them know that Minnesotans are quite frustrated with the lack of showing up for work,” said Demuth, R-Cold Spring.

Staff writer Briana Bierschbach contributed to this report.