Minnesota state lawmaker facing calls to resign following domestic violence, indecent exposure allegations

Minnesota lawmakers are calling for first-term state Rep. John Thompson (D) to resign after a recent traffic stop unveiled a history of alleged domestic abuse and indecent exposure.

According to The Washington Post, recently surfaced police reports revealed that Thompson, who ran a campaign last year that promised police reform, was accused of choking and hitting his girlfriend on numerous occasions and was once accused of exposing himself to several women while children were present.

In 2004, Thompson’s girlfriend alleged that he choked her, beat her and threw her against a kitchen table, breaking it. Thompson’s children and his girlfriend’s daughter reportedly witnessed this violence.

According to the Post, the Ramsey County attorney declined to file charges against Thompson in two other incidents in which he allegedly exposed his genitals to women because of “poor witness info.”

BREAKING: Gov. Tim Walz, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, DFL House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler all ask Rep. John Thompson to resign immediately. The calls for his resignation come after scrutiny of his criminal record shows cases of domestic abuse. pic.twitter.com/3qDcayxvmO

— Tom Hauser (@thauserkstp) July 17, 2021

Thompson’s lawyer Jordan Kushner posted a statement on Facebook, calling into question the validity of the police reports, saying they are a “smear campaign fueled by police groups.”

“Mr. Thompson challenges the authenticity of the police reports that have been circulated to the press. Mr. Thompson and his wife – the only person whom Mr. Thompson would have been with at the times of the incidents – categorically deny that any of the inflammatory allegations (including but not limited to choking anyone or exposing himself) ever occurred. Mr. Thompson’s wife further does not recall and does not believe she ever made such allegations,” Kushner wrote.

“The police reports are a product of the campaign to silence an American African man who speaks out against powerful and abusive interests, and not the product of any effort to uncover truth,” he added.

The Hill has reached out to Thompson’s office for comment.

The Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party called for Thompson to resign last week, with party Chairman Ken Martin saying, “Physical and sexual violence are anathema to everything we stand for as DFLers and as Minnesotans, and nobody credibly accused of such heinous acts has any place in elected office. I am calling on Representative Thompson to resign from office effective immediately.”

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) has also called for Thompson’s resignation, writing on Twitter that “Minnesotans deserve representatives who uphold the highest moral character and share our values,” and that Thompson “can no longer effectively be that leader and should immediately resign.”

Minnesotans deserve representatives who uphold the highest moral character and share our values. Following the deeply disturbing reports of domestic violence against multiple women, Rep. Thompson can no longer effectively be that leader and should immediately resign.

— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) July 17, 2021