Calls for an independent assessment of Capitol security are growing. One of those adding her voice is DFL state Sen. Heather Gustafson of Vadnais Heights. Gustafson has asked the Office of the Legislative Auditor to conduct a Capitol security assessment.
The request comes after the assassination of Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband and attempted assassination of Sen. John Hoffman and his wife in June. It also follows the arrest of a man who allegedly trespassed naked in the Senate chambers last week.
Gustafson joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer on Morning Edition Tuesday.
The following conversation has been lightly edited for clarity. Listen to the interview by clicking the player button above.
How much have you been told about this latest security breach?
Not too much. I do know they're taking it seriously. We are getting updates when we can, but I'm concerned like everyone else. I have questions about how on earth somebody was able to access the Senate chamber.
As a senator myself, I can't just access the Senate chamber, especially in the interim. So I know that those are some questions that still need answers. But it does appear that they are taking it seriously, so we'll find out more as soon as we can.
Gov. Walz supports an audit of the police response to the shootings of lawmakers in June. How did you learn you were on the assassin’s hit list?
I found out through my local sheriff. Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher was the one who let me know. I don't know what time it was; it was after 7 o’clock, several hours after the fact.
What do you want the state auditor to do?
We didn't have the coordinated response that we needed, right? So the systems that should have been in place weren't. And I don't want this to be where we're trying to go out there and find somebody to blame; it's more about what we can fix.
We owe it to ourselves, the public, our staff, where the breakdowns happen, how to fix them. Anybody who works at the Capitol should feel that they're safe. And for legislators, when we're not at the Capitol, how are people going to let us know if there is an imminent threat to us or our families?
What do you make of Fletcher’s calls for enhancing Capitol security, like bag screening?
I think it's a good idea. We are one of the few states that have an open-door policy. After everything that we've been through, if we don't make changes like that, I worry that it means that we aren't taking it seriously, that we aren't doing what's necessary to keep everybody who works at the Capitol safe and the public safe, too.
When those school groups come through, they want to know that that's a secure building as well. So I think it's in the best interest of everybody if we move forward with extra precautions.
Who do you think should head up an after-action report or audit?
I think anybody who wants to put their eyes on this, especially with some independence, and do a thorough study of what happened, what went wrong and what we can do to prevent this from happening again — I'm all for that.
But as a legislator, it is within my purview and appropriate for me to also ask for the Office of Legislative Auditor to do an independent review and audit. So I don't think it has to be an either-or, and I'm happy to get answers, just like everybody else.
Given everything that’s happened, have you rethought your role in state government?
I have. I was elected by my community to do my job. I still continue to do my job. I'm very honored to have this job. But I think anybody who says this hasn't changed you is probably …that's not me. You have a heightened level of anxiety, and you've got your head looking around your shoulder all the time. And I suppose as time goes by, some of that nervousness will go away, but it does take its toll.
