(MINEOLA, NY) June 14, 2025 - What occurred in Minnesota is a chilling act of targeted violence, not just against two elected officials and their spouses, but against the democratic fabric we all cherish. Our nation was founded on the right to disagree, even passionately, without fear of violence. We settle differences with ballots and debate, not bullets.
It’s especially disturbing that the attacker impersonated a police officer, complete with badge, uniform, and a vehicle outfitted with emergency lights, to gain access to their homes. That’s not only a betrayal of public trust, it’s an exploitation of the very symbols meant to protect us.
I offer my deepest sympathies to the family of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and I continue to hold State Senator John Hoffman and his wife in my thoughts as they recover.
This must be a turning point. Political violence cannot be tolerated, and we need real action to prevent it, from better security for public servants, to stronger safeguards against impersonation, to renewed civic respect across partisan lines. No one, Democrat, Republican, or Independent, should ever fear for their life, or their loved ones, because of public service.