‘Completely depraved’: California leaders react to Minnesota lawmaker shootings
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, his wife and state lawmakers are condemning the shooting of two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses Saturday morning.
Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed early Saturday morning and Minnesota State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were wounded by a gunman in what appears to be a “politically-motivated assassination,” according to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
“This is appalling,” Newsom wrote on X. “Lawmakers are now being shot and assassinated — targeted for their political beliefs. We pray for their families. We grieve with Minnesota. We call for peace in our politics.”
Newsom’s wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, also posted her reaction on X.
“Assassinating elected officials and their loved ones for their decisions is an attack on democracy itself,” she wrote. “It’s completely depraved and it cannot be normalized.”
“This cannot—and will not—become the cost of public service in America.”
In both the state Senate and Assembly, lawmakers took a bipartisan approach in their responses. The top Democrat and Republican in both chambers issued joint statements.
Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire, D-Santa Rosa, and Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, R-Santee, sent an emailed statement that said their “hearts go out” to Hortman and Hoffman’s families and Minnesota more broadly.
“The immutable truth is that there is no place for political violence in a democracy – none. No cause, no grievance, no election justifies the use of fear or force against our fellow human beings,” the statement read.
California State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, and Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher, R-Yuba City, said in an emailed statement they condemn the violence “in the strongest possible terms.”
“Americans can disagree, but we must always do that without violence,” the statement read. “As leaders on both sides of the aisle, we call on everyone to take down the temperature, respect differences of opinion and work toward peace in our society.”
The shooting was only briefly mentioned during Saturday’s ‘No Kings’ rally on the west steps of the Capitol, where thousands gathered to protest federal government overreach and aggressive immigration enforcement.
State Sen. Angelique Ashby, D-Sacramento, said she “had woken up to more tragedy” that morning.
“The balance of mercy and justice has never been achieved through tyranny,” she said, urging attendees to stand together and protect each other.
As of Saturday afternoon, authorities in Minnesota were still looking for the suspected shooter, who authorities say was posing as a police officer when he fatally shot Hortman and her spouse in their home.
This story was originally published June 14, 2025 at 2:48 PM with the headline "‘Completely depraved’: California leaders react to Minnesota lawmaker shootings."
