This story was originally published on Minnesota Reformer. [1]
   Published here under Creative Commons License CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
   --------------------------------------------------------------

St. Paul lawmaker faces potential ethics violation over remark during debate, residency questions abound
By:   ['Ricardo Lopez Is The Senior Political Reporter For The Reformer. Ricardo Is Not New To Minnesota Politics', 'Previously Reporting On The Dayton Administration', 'Statehouse For The Star Tribune To', 'The Republican National Convention In Previously', "He Was A Staff Writer At The Los Angeles Times Covering The California Economy. He'S A Las Vegas Native Who Has Adopted Minnesota As His Home State. In His Spare Time", 'He Likes To Run', 'Cook', 'Volunteer With Save-A-Bull', 'A Minneapolis Dog Rescue Group.', 'Ricardo Lopez']
Date: None

State Rep. John Thompson, DFL-St. Paul, is facing questions about his residency after a July Fourth traffic stop that revealed he holds a Wisconsin drivers license. Now, he faces a potential ethics violation in the House.

State Rep. Eric Lucero, R-Dayton, filed an ethics complaint against the embattled first-term lawmaker alleging Thompson violated House rules, alleging Thompson called him a racist during heated debate

The complaint, dated June 29, came a little over a week after a debate on a public safety budget bill amendment.

During his floor remarks, Lucero criticized Thompson’s Aug. 17, 2020 remarks in Hugo at a protest staged at the home of former Minneapolis police union president Bob Kroll and WCCO reporter Liz Collin. He used profane language aimed at minors nearby, and criticized police.

Thompson interrupted Lucero to say: “Are we speaking on the bill” and added, “I have about had enough of this.”

Thompson, who was participating by Zoom, was ruled out of order, and he could be heard interjecting twice more. The crosstalk makes it difficult to clearly make out Thompson’s words, but Lucero’s complaint says he said twice: “I know you’re a racist!”

Reached by phone, Thompson said he would not comment on Lucero’s complaint and hung up after saying he was dealing with a death in the family.

Thompson has been under fire in recent days after receiving a citation in St. Paul for driving with a suspended license and not having a front license plate. The St. Paul Pioneer Press first reported that Thompson presented a Wisconsin driver’s license.

Thompson accused the officer who pulled him over of racial profiling, sparking a rebuke from St. Paul Police Chief Todd Axtell who said he reviewed body-worn camera footage of the traffic stop and said it was conducted appropriately. He called on Thompson to apologize for his claims of racial profiling.

DFL Party Chair Ken Martin and DFL Gov. Tim Walz on Sunday separately criticized Thompson, saying state legislators are not above the law. “We expect all of our elected officials, regardless of party, to not only follow the law, but to hold themselves to the highest standards,” Martin said.

Walz similarly said he expects lawmakers to model good behavior.

A spokesperson for House Speaker Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, did not immediately return a request for comment.

The Reformer requested the video footage but a St. Paul police spokesman said it had been classified as confidential investigative data. Body-worn camera footage is typically not public data, but a few exceptions exist in state law. Police can release it in cases where it aids law enforcement, promotes public safety or helps dispel rumor or civil unrest. The subject of the footage can also make a notarized request to receive the video and then publicly release it.

A St. Paul police spokesman said Monday that the department had not received a request from Thompson for the footage. Later, the spokesman said St. Paul police are checking with the city attorney’s office to determine if it can release the video.

The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, which last summer blasted Thompson for his remarks in Hugo, has also criticized Thompson and has begun raising questions about Thompson’s residency.

The address listed on the July Fourth traffic ticket is not in his district. Thompson hung up before a Reformer reporter could ask about the discrepancy.

Thompson later responded by text when asked whether he lived at the Frogtown address contained on the traffic citation. “I live on the Eastside of (St. Paul). Raised kids on the Eastside and I plan on retiring on the Eastside!” he said.

He did not respond to a follow up text asking why he gave a Frogtown address and not an Eastside address.

[1] Url: https://minnesotareformer.com/briefs/st-paul-lawmaker-faces-potential-ethics-violation-over-remark-during-debate-residency-questions-abound/