Minnesota gov, different Dems name for embattled state lawmaker’s resignation after abuse allegations floor

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and other state Democrats called on State Representative John Thompson to resign on Saturday after earlier domestic violence allegations reportedly surfaced Friday.

State lawmakers have been embroiled in several controversies involving a revoked driver’s license, possibly residing outside of his district, and a suspicious racial profiling allegation made against police during a traffic stop.

Johnson, who was first elected last year, was accused of beating and strangling women – sometimes in the presence of young children – and allegedly exposing himself, FOX 9 reported in Minneapolis.

“The alleged acts of violence against several women described in these reports are grave and deeply worrying,” Walz said in a statement, according to the Star Tribune of Minneapolis. “Minnesotans deserve representatives of the highest moral character who uphold our common values. Rep. Thompson this leader can no longer be effective and he should resign immediately.”

The allegations were first reported by FOX 9 on Friday night when the broadcaster was investigating Thompson’s residence, which came into question during a July 4th traffic stop that falsely accused officers of racism.

Thompson has denied the allegations against FOX 9 through a lawyer. Legislature officials did not immediately respond to Fox News’ nightly request for comment.

Thompson was arrested in 2003 for allegedly beating his then-girlfriend in the parking lot of a grocery store in front of her 5-year-old daughter. According to FOX 9, he eventually pleaded guilty to bringing a reduced charge of misconduct and resistance to the arrest.

A year later, the same friend allegedly called the police and accused him of beating her, throwing her on a kitchen table, and choking her in front of her three children in her home.

THE LEGISLATIVE WHO made questionable claims of “Driving WHILE BLACK” spoke about the “burning” of a city after Floyd’s death

She claimed he told her, “I’m going to choke you until you can’t breathe,” FOX 9 reported. The friend reportedly told the police the day before that he told her and her daughter, “I hope you can both die. “

Police bodycam footage of Rep. John Thompson’s traffic control on July 4th
(City of St. Paul / Minnesota House of Representatives)

The girlfriend was taken to a shelter and it is unclear whether Thompson was charged.

In 2009, police responded to an incident in which Thompson allegedly exposed himself to a woman and two children during an argument. “I’m the man, you can all s– my d-,” he reportedly said after allegedly pulling out his penis. No charges were brought.

The next year, police were called when a woman who said she had been in a relationship with Thompson for years and had two children with him claimed he had pulled his penis out and told her to go out in front of children during an argument “kiss the top”. and relatives. She also told the police that he later choked her and said, “I’ll choke you until your voicemail stops.” No charges were brought.

“Mr. Thompson denies the allegations,” his attorney Jordan Kushner told FOX 9. “The end results speak for themselves. We are currently focusing on [Thompson’s current] Legal proceedings and have no time to analyze these police reports from 10-18 years ago. “

Kushner said he has no plans to step down as of Saturday. “It’s a shame that there are no due process concerns,” he told the Star Tribune.

Thompson was quoted in Minnesota earlier this month for allegedly driving with a Wisconsin driver’s license suspended in Ramsey County, Minnesota, in 2019 for non-payment of child support.

Court documents related to a trial earlier this week alleging disorderly conduct have also been sent to an address outside of his St. Paul district.

Thompson claims he and others were treated unfairly by police at North Memorial Medical Center in November 2019 after a group gathered in the hospital for a friend who was a patient.

His claims are very different from what the police and prosecutors make. However, police said the hospital was locked after around 50-75 people started fighting and pounding on windows.

Thompson alleges that police and security personnel treated black Americans in the crowd without callousness and directly labeled the police as racist. He says an officer called him an “idiot” and arrested him for trespassing.

He fights in court against the charge of an administrative offense.

Kushner said the state official had always lived in his district but was unaware that court documents were being sent to an address outside of his district. Minnesota law requires that state officials live in their district.

The video of Thompson’s traffic stop earlier this month claiming he was racially profiled was released by the St. Paul Police Department.

“I’m too old to run away from the police, man,” Thompson said to the officer in the video of the July 4th stop. “You profiled me because you looked me dead in the face and I got a ticket while Black. You stopped me because you saw a black face in that car, brother behind me … You looked in that car and did a U-turn and got behind my car and that’s why. “

It was stopped initially because it did not have a front license plate.

Thompson’s allegation prompted St. Paul Police Chief Todd Axtell to seek an apology. He said he checked the bodycam footage and found that it “had nothing to do with the driver’s race”.

“Simply put, the traffic control was according to the books,” Axtell said in a Facebook post. “What happened after that was anything but, I am dismayed and disappointed by the reaction of the state representative to the stop. Instead of taking responsibility for his own decisions and actions, he tried to distract, slander and deny any wrongdoing. “

Thompson did not respond to Axtell’s apology, but supported the release of the Bodycam footage and determined that the officer’s actions “were legal.”

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Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, a Democrat, was among those calling for his resignation.

“As a mother, child advocate and survivor, and witness to domestic violence, I know the deeply traumatic effects of the actions described in reports against Rep. Thompson,” Flanagan said in a statement. “Anyone who has allegedly demonstrated this violent behavior, particularly in the presence of children, is unsuitable for elected offices.”

Melissa Hortman, spokeswoman for the Democratic Peasant Labor Party, and House majority leader Ryan Winkler also issued a joint statement calling for his resignation.

“Rep. Thompson ran for office to advance progressive policies, but his recent actions and unacceptable reports of abuse and misconduct have become a hindrance to that work, “they said, the Tribune reported.