House DFLers to File Ethics Complaint Against Engen and Hudson

St. Paul, Minnesota — House DFL Floor Leader Jamie Long and Rep. Sam Sencer-Mura released their plan to file an official ethics complaint Tuesday regarding Reps. Elliott Engen and Walter Hudson. The complaint follows the House GOP members’ actions on March 26th involving skipping official duties to drink and showing up for official duties inebriated.

“As members of the Education Finance committee we make incredibly important decisions that impact the over 900,000 students who attend school in Minnesota. Reps. Engen and Hudson apparently skipped out on that important work to go drink at a bar, during a critical hearing the day before a legislative deadline. They were literally absent from a hearing on a bipartisan bill addressing student absenteeism,” said Rep. Sam Sencer-Mura (DFL - Minneapolis). “This behavior is unusual and concerning. Have they left official work before to do this? Minnesotans should be able to trust that their representatives are here to do work, not skip their duties to go to the bar.”

“Reps. Engen and Hudson violated the public’s trust, and this type of behavior has no place in the Capitol,” said House DFL Floor Leader Jamie Long. “There has to be accountability for their actions that goes beyond removing them from committees. They left committee halfway through to go drink, choosing to let down their colleagues and constituents by not doing the job they were hired for on an important committee overseeing funding for Minnesota schools. ”

House Rule 6.10 spells out the process for ethics complaints. Ethics complaints “may be brought about conduct by a member that violates a rule or administrative policy of the House, that violates accepted norms of House behavior, that betrays the public trust, or that tends to bring the House into dishonor or disrepute.” Within seven days after receiving a complaint, the Speaker must refer the complaint to the Ethics Committee. The committee must act in an investigatory capacity and may make recommendations regarding complaints before adjournment sine die.