In Tribute to Late Speaker, Leader Murphy Urges End to Conspiracy Theories and Dehumanizing Narratives that Fuel Violence and Radicalization
BOSTON, Mass. – Today in Boston, MN Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy (DFL- St. Paul) told thousands of state leaders from across the nation that the late MN House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman taught her that when governing, “failure is not an option” because your goal is to make government work for the people of Minnesota.
Majority Leader Murphy paid tribute to Hortman’s life and to her work on behalf of Minnesota at the National Conference on State Legislatures (NCSL) Legislative Summit, Monday while also urging other leaders to redouble efforts to end conspiracy theories and dehumanizing narratives that fuel radicalization and violence.
Minnesota Speaker Lisa Demuth (R- Cold Spring) joined Leader Murphy on stage to discuss the June 14 assassination of Hortman and her husband Mark. Senator John Hoffman, who along with his wife Yvette, was also shot by the same gunman on June 14, addressed the summit in recorded video remarks and urged leaders to focus on governance not grievance.
- Majority Leader’s remarks honoring Melissa Hortman can be watched here.
- Senator Hoffman’s taped remarks about surviving targeted violence and building a new political culture can be watched here.
- Below is a copy of Majority Leader Murphy’s remarks to the NCSL in Boston Monday.
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Remarks to NCSL Legislative Summit in Boston
MN Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy
August 4, 2025
“Although I wish I didn’t have to, I’m going to talk about what happened in the very early morning hours of June 14 in Minnesota.
A man armed with a large cache of weapons and ammunition, impersonating a police officer, approached the homes of 4 Minnesota legislators. He first shot and gravely wounded Senator John Hoffman, and his wife Yvette. He traumatized their daughter, who witnessed the shootings and heroically first notified authorities that a public servant had been targeted for assassination.
Later, after two unsuccessful attempts at the homes of two other lawmakers, he arrived at the home of Melissa Hortman, and assassinated her, her husband Mark, and killed their beloved dog, Gilbert.
For the next two days, we all watched – the nation watched – numb and shocked – as the assassin evaded the largest law enforcement manhunt in Minnesota history. After 43 hours, he was apprehended, arrested, and later charged. He left writings in the fake police vehicle he used, including the names and addresses of many of my Minnesota colleagues, all Democrats, as well as other Minnesotans belonging to groups and organizations that have been publicly demonized for years.
Many of you knew Speaker Hortman. Beginning in 2007, I served with her. In the last two years, we worked closely together as House and Senate caucus leaders.
Melissa was infinitely consequential to the future of our state and she inspired a generation of Minnesota leaders.
She was brilliant, tenacious, funny, and unassuming. She loved cake, her husband Mark and her children Colin and Sophie, margaritas, her garden, skiing, and her work. She always came ready to work. She was a partner and an ally and a formidable opponent. But her hallmark was her priority- to get our work done for Minnesotans. She knew failure wasn’t an option- and pushed all of us to strike a deal. It is how we make government work for people.
I’ve heard many suggest that in response to the evil that visited us, we should turn down the vitriol in our rhetoric. I think a lot of America would appreciate that. I know Melissa would.
But, as public leaders, we need to go deeper to understand how persistent, dehumanizing narratives and conspiracy theories in public discourse are serving movements and fueling the radicalization of individuals.
On the day of the assassinations, I watched in real time as false narratives laying political blame were built on social media platforms. It was – and it is – disturbing. It’s a problem for our fragile democracy, for public leaders and for Americans.
I’ve relied on the words of William Sloane Coffman over the last weeks and will share them with you. “The world is too dangerous for anything but truth, and too small for anything but love.”
We can’t lose faith in each other. We can’t lose faith in America. As Melissa taught us, failure is not an option.
Thank you.”
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