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Capitol View®
Tim Pugmire

Thissen urges Gauthier to step aside

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Minnesota House Minority Leader Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis, said he thinks an embattled member of his caucus should end his re-election bid.

Thissen said today that he is "deeply disappointed" with the conduct of Rep. Kerry Gauthier, DFL-Duluth, who was investigated for his involvement in a public sex act at a Duluth-area rest stop. Authorities declined to press charges against Gauthier. In a news release, Thissen said the conduct was wrong, and that no one in the DFL House Caucus condones the behavior.

"Rep. Gauthier was released from the hospital over the weekend and I was able to visit with him," Thissen said. "I shared with him that his friends and colleagues are concerned for him and his health, but also that we were all very disappointed in his behavior. I expect he will address these issues publicly and soon. As I shared with Rep. Gauthier, I believe he should withdraw from the race for re-election."

Thissen's statement follows a similar recommendation from Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers, who said on Friday that he thought Gauthier was "unfit to continue serving his constituents in Duluth."