Paul Gazelka Called On To Resign As MN Senate Majority Leader

TWIN CITIES, MN — DFL state Sen. Susan Kent called on the majority leader of the Minnesota Senate to resign from his leadership position Sunday. Kent says Republican Sen. Paul Gazelka failed to lead and keep the chamber safe from COVID-19.

Gazelka confirmed Sunday that he is among the Republicans to contract the virus following a large in-person event the party hosted in the Twin Cities metro on Nov. 5, Fox 9 reported. At least two other Republican senators recently tested positive for COVID-19, the Star Tribune reports.

According to Minnesota Public Radio reporter Brian Bakst, the venue that hosted the Republican event was not immediately notified of the virus outbreak.

Gazelka and other state Republicans came under blistering criticism Saturday after it was reported that Republicans in the state Senate kept quiet about their members testing positive for COVID-19.

According to the Star Tribune, Republican senators were given a memo Tuesday that said "a number of" their own members and staff "have been diagnosed with COVID-19." The memo did not say who among the Senate GOP has contracted the virus.

Democrats were kept in the dark about the COVID cases, according to the newspaper, even though the state Senate held a special session Thursday.

Because of this, Kent — who is the minority leader — said Gazelka should no longer hold is leadership position in the Minnesota Senate:

"I am calling for Senator Gazelka's resignation as majority leader of the Minnesota Senate. As state leaders it is our responsibility to lead by example. The Senate Majority Leader is entrusted with the responsibility of keeping al members and staff in the Senate safe. Senator Gazelka has failed to do both. Under his leadership, Republican caucus members have engaged in high-risk behaviors, he has misled Minnesotans about their actions, and they have made excuses instead of being accountable. This demonstrates that he is not committed to providing for the well-being of all who work in the Senate, their families, and their communities. As a result he cannot be counted on to lead during the cruicial 2021 session. We are at a pivotal point in our fight against COVID-19 and actions speak louder than words. We need to provide measures that ensure workplace safety, such as testing and tracing so we can make informed decisions and keep each other safe. I am in the process of working with the governor's administration to ensure both are available to all members and staff in the Senate."

Several other high-profile Minnesota Democrats criticized the Republican Senate cacus this weekend:

"When COVID-19 spreads from one person to another, it does not care who you are or where you are from," Gov. Tim Walz said Saturday.

"The virus doesn’t operate along party lines, and so neither can we. Each of us has a personal responsibility to take steps to slow the spread. And if we know of a positive case, we have a moral obligation to share that information with others so that they can protect themselves and their families."

Gazelka responded to Walz's criticisms on Twitter, saying that "no one was put at risk." As of 8 p.m. Sunday, Gazelka has not yet responded publicly to the call to resign.

Patch will update this story as more information is made available.