Poli Alert Politics & Civics
Related Articles
Federal prosecutors on Tuesday filed murder and stalking charges against Vance Boelter, the 57-year-old Minnesota man who has confessed to carrying out a deadly attack targeting state lawmakers and their spouses — an act of political violence that has shocked the nation and left Minnesota reeling.
Boelter is accused of murdering former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and wounding state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, during a violent rampage that investigators say was driven by a politically motivated plot.
“Vance Boelter planned and carried out a night of terror that shook Minnesota to its core,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson. “He carried out targeted political assassinations the likes of which have never been seen in Minnesota.”
Confession and Political Motive
According to prosecutors, Boelter outlined his motives in a confession letter addressed to FBI Director Kash Patel, revealing a convoluted plan to punish Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential nominee in the 2024 election.
The letter was released as a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Boelter, charging him with multiple federal crimes, including murder, attempted murder, interstate stalking, and using a firearm in a crime of violence.
The attacks unfolded late last month and sparked a two-day manhunt that ended with Boelter’s arrest in Green Isle, Minnesota. Authorities have not confirmed whether they will seek the death penalty.
Chilling Hit List
In a press conference Tuesday, prosecutors revealed that notebooks recovered from Boelter’s car included the names of nearly four dozen current and former elected officials, including:
-
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.)
-
Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.)
-
Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.)
Authorities say it is still unclear whether Boelter intended to target those individuals or was compiling information for future attacks.
National Mourning and Political Fallout
The political assassination has rocked Minnesota and sparked an outpouring of grief from across the country. Former President Joe Biden joined mourners at the Minnesota Capitol Rotunda, where Melissa and Mark Hortman lay in state.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), who had dined with Hortman just hours before the killings, called for a national reckoning on violent political rhetoric.
“This must be a wake-up call,” Klobuchar said. “Words have consequences, and this kind of violence is the direct result of a political climate where extremism is tolerated.”
Prosecution Moves Forward
Boelter is expected to be arraigned in federal court later this week. If convicted, he could face life in prison or potentially the federal death penalty, although the Justice Department has not made that determination.
“We grieve with the Hortman family and continue to pray for the recovery of the Hoffmans,” Thompson said. “Boelter will see justice. Let me be clear: There is no place for political violence in this country.”
