Vance Boelter, 57, is currently in the Sherburne County Jail in Elk River, Minnesota. He is facing multiple state and federal charges related to shootings that resulted in the death of a state representative and her husband, and injuries to a state senator and his wife.
Former Democratic Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her spouse, Mark, were killed inside their home in Brooklyn Park early Saturday. Approximately 90 minutes earlier, police reported that Boelter shot Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their residence in Champlin. Both of the Hoffmans were hit multiple times and are on the path to recovery.
About six years ago, Boelter was chosen to join the Minnesota Governor’s Workforce Development Board by Democratic Gov. Tim Walz. But what exactly does his appointment to this board involve?
Details About Boelter’s Workforce Board Appointment
State records indicate that Boelter completed two terms of three years each on the development board, having been first appointed by then-Gov. Mark Dayton in 2016 and reappointed by Walz three years later.
A representative from Walz’s office provided the following comment to WCCO on Tuesday:
“There are numerous volunteers from all political backgrounds participating in hundreds of boards. This specific board comprises over 60 members. The Governor does not conduct interviews for these roles and has no personal acquaintance with Boelter. These positions are not part of the Governor’s cabinet. The boards and commissions lack the power to make decisions, amend laws, or implement policies.”
The board’s website states that it “includes key figures from business, education, labor, community organizations, and government,” aiming to “create a platform for collaboration among workforce stakeholders with a shared vision and purpose.”
Boelter’s experience was primarily as a general manager at a Speedway gas station.
During Boelter’s second term, which concluded in January 2023, he served with Sen. John Hoffman. It’s not clear if they collaborated closely.
David Schultz, a political science professor at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota, explains that state law permits the governor to appoint numerous individuals to various boards statewide, covering topics that range from amateur sports to mosquito control and tourism.
Schultz notes that appointees are not paid, and state boards tend to be more technical than political, involving bipartisan appointments and largely comprising citizen volunteers. The governor’s role in these appointments is primarily ceremonial.
“They are not personally vetted or reviewed by the governor. Generally, this is conducted by subordinates who then present recommendations to the governor,” Schultz said. “This process is similar to what would occur in business, where the company president isn’t responsible for every single hiring decision.”
He added that individuals are typically allowed to serve multiple terms, with each board having varying meeting schedules—some meet only once a year, while others convene more frequently through platforms like Zoom, particularly following the COVID pandemic.
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, a former lieutenant governor under Dayton and his chief of staff, supported Schultz’s assertion that governors don’t independently select board members.
“Those workforce training committees are generally non-political, and often the governor appoints people he or she may not know personally, but who have been recommended by industry groups,” she stated in an interview with WCCO.
FBI: Boelter Planned Attacks and Researched Victims
The FBI reports that Boelter conducted extensive planning and research on his victims. Law enforcement found powerful weapons and ammunition in his SUV, parked outside the Hortmans’ residence.
Additionally, authorities located notebooks filled with handwritten pages listing over 45 Minnesota state and federal officials, including Melissa Hortman, whose home address was noted next to her name.
Boelter also approached two other lawmakers’ homes early that Saturday. Sen. Ann Rest, DFL-New Hope, confirmed on Tuesday that she was at home when Boelter allegedly attempted to approach her but was deterred when a police officer arrived. Rest expressed her gratitude for the New Hope Police Department’s swift action that “saved my life.”
Rep. Kristen Bahner, DFL-Maple Grove, shared on Wednesday that she, too, was targeted but was not home at the time, attributing her family’s change of plans to “divine intervention.”
“This senseless violence reached my doorstep as well, putting my family at risk,” Bahner commented. “I cannot comprehend the hatred that drove this man to come to my home.”
There’s an ongoing discussion regarding security among legislators at the Minnesota State Capitol, which currently lacks metal detectors or security checks at its entry points.
Congressional leaders in Washington, D.C., held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the shootings, with some expressing concerns about the sufficiency of existing security measures.
