WASHINGTON – Minnesota Representative Donald Raleigh was revealed to have signed up for a membership with the violent extremist group the Oath Keepers. Raleigh may try to downplay his ties to a group known for violence and their connections to the January 6th insurrection, but this is only the latest revelation in a long record of extremism for Raleigh.
Raleigh co-authored a series of disturbing cartoons that depicted gun violence against numerous groups of people, including people of color, children, and members of the military. In 2016, he pleaded guilty to bringing a gun into an airport. Given his past, it is no surprise Raleigh has brought his extreme relationship with guns into the Minnesota legislature, pushing for extreme laws like dangerous permitless carry, a Stand Your Ground law, and an extreme constitutional amendment that would expand access to both firearms and knives. In sharp contrast, Minnesota DFLers are working to keep communities safe by fighting for commonsense gun safety reforms and checking the GOP’s extremism at the door.
“Any connection to the Oath Keepers is disqualifying,” said DLCC President Jessica Post. “But Donald Raleigh’s past record is disqualifying on its own. Drawing comics depicting children being murdered is despicable. Raleigh’s views are dangerous, and his priorities in the legislature reveal his complete disregard for keeping our communities safe.”
The Oath Keepers played an integral role in the January 6th insurrection and growing extremism in state legislatures. The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee was the first and only entity committed to identifying, tracking, and condemning the hundreds of Republican state lawmakers who aided and abetted Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election and continue to normalize anti-democratic extremism. The committee’s GOP of Hall of Shame: Sedition Edition tracks these lawmakers and candidates and ensures that every voter understands the GOP’s role in the insurrection and the Republican attempt to overturn free and fair elections.
###
