Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan failed to hold mandatory safety meetings before Dem speaker's assassination: 'Shameful'

Minnesota’s Democratic Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan flouted state law by failing to hold quarterly meetings on lawmaker safety before the June 14 assassination of state House Speaker Melissa Hortman , prompting harsh backlash against Flanagan from colleagues in the legislature for the “shameful” oversight.

Flanagan, who is running to replace retiring US Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.), only held around half of the required meetings of the Minnesota Advisory Committee on Capitol Area Security over the past five years.

Ignoring the state-mandated briefings on security for lawmakers could prove a stumbling block to Flanagan as she seeks higher office — and has drawn harsh criticism from Republicans in the Minnesota legislature.

“The Advisory Committee on Capitol Area Security is designed to ensur