Fact Check: "Melissa Hortman served as the speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives until early 2023."
What We Know
Melissa Hortman was indeed the Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, serving from 2019 until her assassination in 2025. She was elected to the Minnesota House in 2004 and represented District 34B. According to her official biography, she was a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) and held various leadership roles throughout her political career. Notably, she served as the Speaker from January 2019 until early 2025, when she was tragically killed.
As per the Minnesota Legislators Past & Present, her term as Speaker did not end until 2025, and she was still in office as of January 2023. This timeline is corroborated by her Wikipedia entry, which confirms her tenure as Speaker continued until her death in June 2025.
Analysis
The claim that "Melissa Hortman served as the speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives until early 2023" is misleading. While it is true that she was the Speaker, her service did not conclude in early 2023. Instead, she continued to serve in this capacity until her assassination in June 2025. The assertion fails to recognize the full timeline of her leadership role.
The sources used to verify this information are credible. The official Minnesota House of Representatives website provides direct information about her current and past roles, while the Minnesota Legislators Past & Present database offers a comprehensive record of her legislative history. Wikipedia, while user-edited, is generally reliable for biographical information and corroborates the details from official sources.
Conclusion
Verdict: False
The claim that Melissa Hortman served as the Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives until early 2023 is false. In reality, she held the position until her assassination in June 2025. The timeline presented in the claim does not accurately reflect her tenure in office.
