06/15/2026
One year ago today, Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman -- a 55-year-old Democratic leader who dedicated more than two decades to serving her state with unwavering commitment -- was assassinated at her Brooklyn Park home, alongside her husband Mark and their golden retriever Gilbert, in a politically motivated attack by a far-right religious extremist and anti-abortion zealot. Three days ago, just before the anniversary of the attack, the gunman -- Vance Boelter, 58 -- pleaded guilty in federal court to all six charges against him, including two counts of murder, two counts of stalking, and two fi****ms offenses. He will serve two consecutive life sentences plus 40 years. In exchange for the plea, federal prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty, sparing the Hortman children, Sophie and Colin, from a painful trial.
The guilty plea included a new and devastating detail. Boelter acknowledged in court that Melissa Hortman attempted to flee before he pointed his gun at her head and shot her at point-blank range. Sobs were heard from the courtroom gallery, where the Hortman children and the Hoffman family sat. The same night that Boelter murdered the Hortmans, he shot State Senator John Hoffman nine times, wounded Hoffman's wife Yvette eight times, attempted to shoot their adult daughter Hope -- who managed to call 911 -- and went to the homes of two other Minnesota lawmakers, where his attack attempts were thwarted.
In his vehicle, investigators found a notebook with a list of about 70 targets, including other Democratic lawmakers and "doctors, community and business leaders, and locations for Planned Parenthood and other health care centers." Boelter had previously attended Trump rallies. He still faces state charges including first-degree premeditated murder.
The Hoffman family, who survived the attack on their home, released a statement after Boelter's guilty plea that speaks directly to the climate that produced their attacker: "There is no justice for Mark and Melissa Hortman, and there is not justice when our family and our state will never truly heal. While the legal process may provide accountability, true healing requires something more from all of us... The opportunity for justice is for Minnesotans and Americans to serve, to treat people with respect, to stop de-humanizing each other, and to stop dividing our country with hate and rhetoric."
A fearless champion for justice and equality, Hortman was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2004 and served as Speaker from 2019 to 2025. She championed environmental protection, reproductive rights, and education reform; authored Minnesota's solar energy standard; and built the coalitions that passed paid family leave, expanded education funding, and free breakfast and lunch for all Minnesota K-12 students.
As her protégé Zack Stephenson, who took over her leadership role, reflected when the Minnesota Legislature opened its 2026 session this past February with a day dedicated to her memory: "Think about a child born in 2026. That child may never know Melissa Hortman's name, but Melissa Hortman will shape her life. Her parents will have paid family medical leave. She will be less likely to grow up in poverty because of the child tax credit. She will eat breakfast and lunch at school, no questions asked. College will be more affordable. Opportunity will be wider. And on and on. Melissa's legacy will reverberate through generations."
Hortman's desk on the House floor in St. Paul remains an ongoing memorial -- a bundle of red roses replaced every eight days by House Chief Clerk Patrick Duffy Murphy, who set up the display in the hours after he learned of her death and has maintained it ever since.
A year after her murder, Hortman remains the only elected official assassinated during Donald Trump's second term -- yet the country she served has not grown safer in her absence. In September, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, between 2016 and 2025, there were 25 attacks and plots targeting elected officials, political candidates, judges, and government employees motivated by partisan beliefs -- compared to just two such incidents in the previous two decades combined.
The rhetoric from the nation's highest office has not grown more careful in this year either, despite the Hoffmans' plea for exactly that. President Trump has referred to political opponents as "vermin" who must be "[rooted] out"; called judges "monsters"; and, in a Memorial Day social media post, described those Americans who oppose his policies as "scum" and accused them of "trying to destroy our country." He has labeled them an "enemy from within" that is "more dangerous than China, Russia, and all those countries." In November, he accused six Democratic lawmakers -- all of them veterans of the military or intelligence community -- of "seditious behavior, punishable by DEATH!" for a video reminding service members of their legal duty to refuse illegal orders, then reposted a call to hang them.
An analysis of Trump's speeches over the past decade by UCLA political scientists found that his use of violent language has increased over time and now surpasses that of nearly all other politicians studied from democratic countries. A 2020 study by Penn State political scientist James Piazza found that countries where politicians used hate speech "often" or "extremely often" experienced an average of 107.9 domestic terrorist attacks compared to just 12.5 attacks in countries where politicians rarely used such language. Republican lawmakers have largely remained silent about or defended such rhetoric, despite warnings from security experts about its potential to inspire violence.
In addition to his often extremist rhetoric, Trump has demonstrated a willingness to absolve acts of physical violence to advance his political interests. On his first day back in office, Trump granted clemency -- full pardons or sentence commutations -- to roughly 1,500 people charged in connection with the January 6 attack on the Capitol, including approximately 174 individuals charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to a police officer. The message was unmistakable: political violence in service of the right cause will be forgiven.
Hortman's life work stands as a powerful reminder of the importance of civic engagement, bipartisan cooperation, and the democratic process she so deeply cherished. Her memory will continue to inspire those committed to positive change through democratic means rather than violence. As Hortman and Mark's two children, Sophie and Colin, said in a statement after their parents' death: "If you would like to honor the memory of Mark and Melissa... Stand up for what you believe in, especially if that thing is justice and peace."
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A fund supporting the training of service dogs for veterans and first responders -- the Hortman Heroes Fund -- was established by Helping Paws, the nonprofit where the Hortmans volunteered and trained their beloved Gilbert. To learn more or support the fund, visit https://www.helpingpaws.org/hortman-heroes-fund
For books for children and teens about the importance of standing up for truth, decency, and justice, even in dark times, visit our blog post, "Dissent Is Patriotic: 50 Books About Women Who Fought for Change," at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=14364
For books for children about more trailblazing female political leaders who made an impact -- both historically and in modern times -- visit our blog post, “Remember the Ladies: 25 Children's Books on Women in Politics” at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=11162
For a simple yet powerful picture book that reassures kids that the world is filled with helpful and friendly people -- and serves as a counterpoint to scary news stories -- check out "Most People" for ages 4 to 7 at https://bookshop.org/a/8011/9780884485544 (Bookshop) and https://amzn.to/3wKwNzL (Amazon)
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Thanks to GIFFORDS for sharing this image.
