State Lawmakers Convene in Minnesota for ‘Day of Solidarity’
Many met up in-person in St. Paul to address the media and the public, while still others who could not make the trip joined a Zoom webinar from their respective states.
ST. PAUL, MN (KVRR) – More than 40 lawmakers from states as far away geographically as Rhode Island and Oregon gathered in St. Paul in a show of support for their Minnesota brethren, stressing that the need to change the situation in the state went beyond political lines.
“This is not a partisan issue. This about the American people. This is about upholding the Constitution,” said state senator Cora Neumann from Montana.
Joining them were a large delegation from North Dakota, including state senators Tim Mathern and Ryan Braunberger as well as representatives Gretchen Dobervich and Jayme Davis.
They stood by their colleagues in saying that the federal government was overreaching in Minnesota and that these abuses of power needed to stop before the pattern spread to other parts of the Union.
“I traveled a thousand miles to stand in this room because what is happening in Minnesota is not staying in Minnesota,” said state senator Michael Garrett of North Carolina.
That in-person program began at 2:00 P.M. CST. When it concluded, the action expanded to a virtual press call encompassing 100+ state lawmakers, many of whom could not be physically present because their own legislatures were in session but still wanted to let Minnesota know that they would be by their side when defending local communities and democratic principles.
“Today we stand in solidarity with Minnesota in saying, we will not be divided. We will not be intimidated. We will not stop organizing until every family can live without fear. Because we must keep families together,” said state representative Darrin B. Madison of Wisconsin.
With a vote on the Department of Homeland Security’s budget pending and tensions on the ground remaining high, it remains to be seen if this Day of Solidarity will influence the administration’s current course of action.
Lawmakers also stated that this gathering is the first time since the Hartford Convention of 1814 that this many states have unified against federal action.
