FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: [email protected]
06/14/25
WASHINGTON – Chair of the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State Cisco Aguilar issued the following statement after the targeted assassinations of Minnesota Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, and State Senate Senator John Hoffman and his wife earlier today:
”Democratic Secretaries of State are outraged and devastated by the assassinations of Representative Hortman and her husband and attempted assassinations of State Senator John Hoffman and his wife. Representative Hortman and her husband were true public servants.
“These murders were tragic and cruel. They were also preventable. They are the consequence of years of violent speech directed at elected officials and public servants for upholding the rule of law. These murders cannot be separated from the rhetoric of some in power in Washington and around the country who would rather stoke conspiracy and hatred than engage in democratic debate.
“DASS stands with Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon as he grieves the loss of his friends and colleagues.
“We are sickened, we are outraged. But we won’t cave – we will continue to do the jobs we swore to do. We will continue to uphold the Constitution. And we will never stop fighting in every arena and avenue to ensure that this never happens again.”