In a petition to the Supreme Court, Democrats in the state House accuse Republicans of acting "unlawfully" when they conducted House business on Tuesday, including electing a speaker, with no DFL members present.

Steve Simon, who as secretary of state initiates the first House proceedings, ruled there was not a quorum present and adjourned the session. Republicans argued he couldn’t do that.

Following the contentious first day of the 2025 Minnesota Legislative session, where members of the DFL failed to show, partisan tensions are rising as lawmakers claim House Republicans attempted to select a speaker.

In their lawsuit, House Democrats say Republicans unlawfully organized and elected a speaker on the legislative session’s opening day.

The Minnesota House GOP says it could still keep a DFL lawmaker out of office even after a judge ruled he won reelection by a slim margin.

On January 14, 2025, the DFL filed a lawsuit asking the state Supreme Court to declare that Republicans acted unlawfully when they organized the house in the absence of a quorum.

It’s a rocky start to the Minnesota legislature session. DFL House members failed to show up at the Capitol, but Republicans conducted business as usual and elected a house speaker. FOX 9’s Bill Keller has more on the story.

The Minnesota Legislative Session entered its second day on Wednesday, as did an organized boycott by House DFL members. The ongoing power dispute comes as Republicans have established themselves a structural majority in the House.

As the clock struck noon on Tuesday, all desks were empty in the DFL half of the House chamber; Republicans pressed ahead declaring a quorum.