Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has issued an open letter marking the start of the 2026 legislative session. In his message, Ellison addressed members of the Minnesota Legislature and residents across the state, reflecting on the recent loss of Speaker Emeritus Melissa Hortman.
Ellison opened by acknowledging the collective grief following the violent deaths of Hortman, her husband, and their family dog. He described the incident as having “left a wound in the conscience of our state,” and expressed deep mourning for Hortman while celebrating her legacy.
Ellison recalled first meeting Hortman when she was a legal aid lawyer. He shared a story from their early careers involving Stormy Harmon, a Black mother who faced eviction and racial discrimination from her landlord in Minneapolis. According to Ellison, “Melissa took that case with the tenacity and heart that defined her entire career. As a housing attorney with Legal Aid, she sued on Ms. Harmon’s behalf and proved that the landlord had engaged in race-based discrimination in violation of Minnesota law. She won what was, at the time, the largest jury award for race-based housing discrimination in Minnesota history: roughly $490,000 in damages for Ms. Harmon and her children. This stunning victory that helped change the trajectory of that family’s life. Before either one of us held public office, Melissa Hortman was already fighting and winning for people who needed a champion. That is who she was at her core.”
Ellison also spoke about Hortman’s work as a legislator and Speaker: “As a legislator and as Speaker, Melissa brought the same courage, intellect, and compassion to her public service that she brought to her clients. She fought for working people, for clean air and water, for public education, and for fairness and equality in every corner of Minnesota. She listened deeply, led boldly, and never lost sight of the humanity in every issue that came before this body.”
He encouraged lawmakers to honor Hortman’s memory by continuing efforts toward justice and public service: “In this moment of loss, we can honor Melissa best by continuing her work of building a government that serves the common good. Her early fight for Stormy Harmon’s family reminds us that justice is not abstract; it is about whether a mother and her children can sleep safely in their home, whether the law protects them equally, and whether someone will stand up when their rights are denied. Melissa taught us that empathy is a strength, that courage is contagious, and that justice is a daily act of faith.”
The letter concluded with condolences from Ellison on behalf of his office: “On behalf of the Office of the Attorney General, I offer my deepest condolences to her children, her family, her friends, and to all those whose lives she touched. Let her memory be both a comfort and a challenge for all of us to live and lead with the same heart, integrity, and resolve she brought to everything she did, and may her example continue to guide Minnesota forward.”
The Office of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison continues its commitment to diversity as an equal opportunity employer.
