Lindner Ethics Complaint of The 83rd Minnesota Legislative Session - Minnesota House Republicans Response

Minnesota House Republicans Response

The Republicans in the Minnesota House dismissed the idea of speech being an ethics violation, maintaining “Lindner's comments were offensive, but Lindner has the right to say them.” Republican House Speaker Steve Sviggum pointed out that "House Republicans didn't complain when Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Virginia, called State Auditor Pat Awada, 'Osama Bin Awada'" when Awada proposed to curb local government aid. Sviggum said "everyone is entitled to First Amendment rights. 'At some point or another people have freedom of speech even though that speech may not be appropriate, politically correct or even the most wise speech.'" Sviggum said "I don't think that we want to take this to the ultimate end and put that chilling effect upon speech, upon feeling, upon values and principals that one has or doesn't have in this entire process." Lindner also invoked freedom of speech, saying "I still believe in the First Amendment -- that we're allowed to express our views and so forth -- and it's getting close to maybe not being able to do that, but while we can, I'm doing it." In their rebuttal the House Republicans also played a recording of Ellison’s interview with a radio station. In the interview Ellison had said “People should feel free to express themselves as long as they don’t violate the law. ...I would never invoke the powers of the state to restrict Arlon Lindner from expressing himself.”