Gov. Walz, DFL leaders call for Rep. Thompson to resign after uncovered domestic violence allegations

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – After a FOX 9 report outlining uncovered past domestic abuse cases against Rep. John Thompson, top DFL officials are calling for him to step down.

In back-to-back-to-back statements sent on Saturday, Governor Walz, Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, House Speaker Melissa Hortman, and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler, along with DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin all called for Thompson’s resignation.

The past abuse allegations against the House representative were uncovered by FOX 9 as investigators looked into questions over his residency — which came under scrutiny following a traffic stop in St. Paul earlier this month.

During the stop, Thompson provided a Wisconsin driver’s license which he had renewed in November 2020, the same month he was elected to office.

In FOX 9’s investigation, police reports showed Thompson had faced four past domestic violence allegations from 2003 to 2010.

In his statement, Gov. Walz wrote: “The alleged acts of violence against multiple women outlined in these reports are serious and deeply disturbing. Minnesotans deserve representatives of the highest moral character, who uphold our shared values. Representative Thompson can no longer effectively be that leader and he should immediately resign.”

The DFL statements followed calls by Minnesota Republican leaders for Thompson to resign. In a follow-up statement Saturday afternoon, House GOP leader Kurt Daudt said lawmakers were prepared to file an ethics complaint against Thompson, if he doesn’t resign.