GOP lawmakers introduce impeachment articles against Walz, Ellison
(FOX 9)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota Republican lawmakers on Monday introduced two House resolutions for the impeachment of Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison.
Resolution introduced
What we know:
Republican lawmakers introduced two House resolutions on Monday: House Resolution 6 on the impeachments of Gov. Tim Walz and House Resolution 7 on the impeachment of Attorney General Keith Ellison.
The resolutions point to alleged "corrupt conduct" by both Walz and Ellison. The resolution stated on the House floor also accused Ellison of "crimes and misdemeanors."
The backstory:
Rep. Mike Wiener, an author of the resolution, provided FOX 9 with drafts of the articles in January.
The resolution introduced on Monday accuses Walz of "violating his constitutional oath to faithfully execute the laws of this state." The resolution cites his response to the state's fraud cases.
The Ellison resolution accuses him of "undermining" the FACE Act by defending the anti-ICE protesters and journalists who protested at a St. Paul church. It also references a meeting Ellison had with future defendants in the Feeding Our Future fraud case.
Dig deeper:
This is not the first attempt by Republican lawmakers to remove Gov. Walz from office.
In 2021, Republicans introduced House Resolution 2 to remove Walz over his COVID-19 emergency declaration.
The impeachment attempt ultimately went nowhere as Democrats at the time held control of both the House and Senate.
Impeachment process
What's next:
The Minnesota Constitution allows for impeachment on the grounds of "corrupt conduct in office or for crimes and misdemeanors."
Given the party balance in both the House and the Senate, an impeachment of Walz and Ellison seems unlikely.
An impeachment requires a majority vote in the House. If successful, the impeached official is suspended and the case moves to the senate for trial.
In the Minnesota Senate, a supermajority vote, or two-thirds vote, is required for conviction and removal from office.
By the numbers:
Currently, the Minnesota House is split evenly between Republicans and Democrats, meaning every Republican would need to vote for impeachment and at least one DFL member would need to flip sides.
In the Senate, Democrats hold a one-seat majority.
It's worth pointing out Gov. Walz ended his campaign for re-election in January while Ellison is seeking a third term as attorney general.
What they're saying:
FOX 9 reached out to reps from the governor's office and attorney general's office for reaction to the resolutions but have not received a response yet.