“We represent the 90 percent!” was the chant outside the Minnesota House chamber as supporters of universal background checks on gun sales sent a message to Republican lawmakers. It comes after D-F-L Representative Erin Maye Quade staged an all-night sit-in on the House floor. Maye Quade says, “We’ve had more demonstrations in the last month on those steps than we’ve had votes in this House all year, and that’s not okay. I do not know what else to do.”
House Republican Majority Leader Joyce Peppin says, “Some of the bills came up and they were heard in Public Safety [Committee] and didn’t have the votes to pass through Public Safety. So that’s kinda the process that bills normally take going through the committee process.” Anti-gun-violence groups pledge to be back at the Capitol until bills move forward.
Here’s Rep. Maye Quade as she prepared to end her day-long sit-in:
Response from House Republican Majority Leader Joyce Peppin: