House DFL, Republicans trade ethics complaints over DWI arrest and lobbying ties

In a 2026 legislative session that has often been defined by partisanship, each side of the aisle began the potential final six weeks of session by filing ethics complaints against members of the other.

A complaint against Rep. Elliott Engen (R-Lino Lakes) and Rep. Walter Hudson (R-Albertville) charges them with “leaving in the middle of their appointed committees to go drinking instead”; a complaint against Rep. Alex Falconer (DFL-Eden Prairie) relates to outside employment. 

A House Rule states that 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.”

Complaints will be forwarded to the House Ethics Committee, which “must act in an investigatory capacity and may make recommendations regarding complaints submitted to the Speaker before adjournment sine die.” The 2026 session must end by May 18. 

Engen and Hudson have already been stripped of their committee assignments.

Former members of the House Education Finance Committee, the pair were photographed at a St. Paul bar around 2:30 p.m. March 26, a time when the committee was discussing a school attendance bill. Both returned for a floor session that began an hour later.

Engen was arrested around 2 a.m. the next day in White Bear Lake and charged with DWI. Hudson was one of two passengers in the vehicle and had a firearm on him. He has a permit to carry. No test to determine Hudson’s level of intoxication was performed; however, permit holders are prohibited from carrying a firearm if their blood alcohol content is above 0.04%. 

House DFL Floor Leader Jamie Long (DFL-Mpls) and Rep. Samantha Sencer-Mura (DFL-Mpls) filed the complaint.

“Reps. Engen and Hudson violated the public’s trust, and this type of behavior has no place in the Capitol,” Long said in a statement. “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. ”

Rep. Dan Wolgamott (DFL-St. Cloud) and Rep. Brion Curran (DFL-White Bear Lake) both pleaded guilty to 2023 drunken driving charges, incidents that occurred when the Legislature was not in session. Neither were removed from committees.

For 10 months in 2024, Falconer lobbied for Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness. He is currently listed as the federal government relations manager for Save the Boundary Waters. The complaint states that Falconer’s updated economic interest statement lists his work with Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness, but does not mention his employment with Save the Boundary Waters.

“He was employed as a lobbyist until days before he took the oath of office, swapped his job title, and continues to push legislation supported by the very people who are signing his paycheck," Rep. Isaac Schultz (R-Elmdale Township) said in a statement. He and Rep. Spencer Igo (R-Wabana Township) filed the complaint. 

The statement further says, “Falconer has introduced numerous bills supported by NMW and Save the Boundary Waters, including legislation that has been part of direct lobbying efforts by both organizations.”

“My legislative work on this issue was vetted with nonpartisan House experts. It’s all above board,” Falconer said in a statement. “This is simply a desperate attempt to deflect from clearly unethical conduct from Reps. Hudson and Engen. Why else would they bring this up now, when I’ve been working on these bills since I was seated?”