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Quick Facts
Personal Details

Caucuses/Former Committees

Former Member, Bicameral Congressional Caucus on Parkinson's Disease

Former Member, Capital Markets, Securities, and Investment Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Center for Strategic and International Studies Commission on Global Health

Former Member, Children's Environmental Health Caucus

Former Member, Congressional Adoption Caucus

Former Member, Congressional Anti-Terrorism Caucus

Former Member, Congressional Arts Caucus

Former Member, Congressional Black Caucus

Former Member, Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans

Former Member, Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine

Founder, Congressional Consumer Justice Caucus

Former Member, Congressional Diabetes Caucus

Former Member, Congressional E911 Caucus

Former Member, Congressional Human Rights Caucus

Former Member, Congressional Labor and Working Families Caucus

Former Vice Chair, Congressional Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Equality Caucus

Former Member, Congressional Populist Caucus

Former Co-Chair, Congressional Progressive Caucus

Former Member, Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus

Former Member, Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus

Former Member, Financial Services Committee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Green Jobs Caucus

Former Member, House Democracy Assistance Commission

Former Member, Housing and Insurance Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Law Enforcement Caucus

Former Member, Out of Iraq Caucus

Former Member, Pro-Choice Caucus

Former Member, Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (Financial Services), United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Task Force to Investigate Terrorism Financing, United States House of Representatives

Education

  • JD, University of Minnesota Law School, Twin Cities, 1990
  • BA, Economics, Wayne State University, 1987

Professional Experience

  • JD, University of Minnesota Law School, Twin Cities, 1990
  • BA, Economics, Wayne State University, 1987
  • Host, We The Podcast, present
  • Attorney, Hassan and Reed Limited
  • Executive Director, Legal Rights Center Incorporated
  • Attorney, Linquist and Vennum

Political Experience

  • JD, University of Minnesota Law School, Twin Cities, 1990
  • BA, Economics, Wayne State University, 1987
  • Host, We The Podcast, present
  • Attorney, Hassan and Reed Limited
  • Executive Director, Legal Rights Center Incorporated
  • Attorney, Linquist and Vennum
  • Attorney General, State of Minnesota, 2019-present
  • Representative, United States House of Representatives, District 5, 2006-2019
  • Candidate, Minnesota Attorney General, 2018
  • Representative, Minnesota State House of Representatives, 2004-2006

Former Committees/Caucuses

Former Member, Bicameral Congressional Caucus on Parkinson's Disease

Former Member, Capital Markets, Securities, and Investment Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Center for Strategic and International Studies Commission on Global Health

Former Member, Children's Environmental Health Caucus

Former Member, Congressional Adoption Caucus

Former Member, Congressional Anti-Terrorism Caucus

Former Member, Congressional Arts Caucus

Former Member, Congressional Black Caucus

Former Member, Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans

Former Member, Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine

Founder, Congressional Consumer Justice Caucus

Former Member, Congressional Diabetes Caucus

Former Member, Congressional E911 Caucus

Former Member, Congressional Human Rights Caucus

Former Member, Congressional Labor and Working Families Caucus

Former Vice Chair, Congressional Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Equality Caucus

Former Member, Congressional Populist Caucus

Former Co-Chair, Congressional Progressive Caucus

Former Member, Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus

Former Member, Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus

Former Member, Financial Services Committee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Green Jobs Caucus

Former Member, House Democracy Assistance Commission

Former Member, Housing and Insurance Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Law Enforcement Caucus

Former Member, Out of Iraq Caucus

Former Member, Pro-Choice Caucus

Former Member, Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (Financial Services), United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Task Force to Investigate Terrorism Financing, United States House of Representatives

Religious, Civic, and other Memberships

  • JD, University of Minnesota Law School, Twin Cities, 1990
  • BA, Economics, Wayne State University, 1987
  • Host, We The Podcast, present
  • Attorney, Hassan and Reed Limited
  • Executive Director, Legal Rights Center Incorporated
  • Attorney, Linquist and Vennum
  • Attorney General, State of Minnesota, 2019-present
  • Representative, United States House of Representatives, District 5, 2006-2019
  • Candidate, Minnesota Attorney General, 2018
  • Representative, Minnesota State House of Representatives, 2004-2006
  • Co-Founder, Environmental Justice Advocates of Minnesota

Other Info

  • Leonard Ellison

  • Physician (Ret)

Favorite Athlete:

Muhammad Ali

Favorite Author:

Aldous Huxley

Favorite Book:

Look Homeward Angel

Favorite Color:

Green

Favorite Movie:

Phenomenon

Favorite Musician:

Stevie Wonder

Favorite President and Why:

JFK because he was an inspirational leader.

Favorite Quote:

We shall never negotiate out of fear, we shall never fear to negotiate." -JFK.

Favorite Sport:

Football

  • Clida Cora Martinez Ellison

  • Social Worker

Person Most Want to Meet (Dead or Alive):

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Priority Issues:

Working Class Prosperity

Civil and Human Rights

Peace

Environmental Sustainability

Policy Positions

2021

Abortion

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-choice

Budget

In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- Yes

Crime

1. Do you support mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offenders?
- No

Economy

1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

2. Do you support lowering taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

Education

1. Do you generally support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
- Yes

Energy

1. Do you support building the Keystone XL pipeline?
- No

2. Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- Yes

Environment

Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- Yes

Guns

Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- Yes

Health Care

Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- No

Immigration

1. Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- No

Marriage

Do you support same-sex marriage?
- Yes

National Security

Do you support increased American intervention in Iraq and Syria beyond air support?
- No

Social Security

Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts?
- No

Minnesota Congressional Election 2010 Political Courage Test

Abortion

1. Do you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life?
- Pro-choice

2. Should abortion be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy?
- No

3. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- Yes

4. Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered?
- Yes

5. Should federal subsidies be prohibited from being used for abortion procedures?
- No

6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Budget, Spending, and Tax

SpendingIndicate what federal funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category- you can use a number more than once.2) TaxesIndicate what federal tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category- you can use a number more than once.

1. Agriculture
- Maintain Status

2. Arts
- Greatly Increase

3. Defense
- Greatly Decrease

4. Intelligence operations
- Slightly Increase

5. Military hardware
- Greatly Decrease

6. National missile defense
- Greatly Decrease

7. Salary and benefits for active duty personnel
- Greatly Increase

8. Programs to improve troop retention rates
- Greatly Increase

9. Research and development of new weapons
- Maintain Status

SpendingIndicate what federal funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category- you can use a number more than once.2) TaxesIndicate what federal tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category- you can use a number more than once.

1. Education
- Greatly Increase

2. Environment
- Greatly Increase

3. Homeland security
- Slightly Increase

4. International aid
- Greatly Increase

5. Medical research
- Slightly Increase

6. Scientific research
- Slightly Increase

7. Space exploration
- Maintain Status

8. United Nations
- Slightly Increase

9. Welfare
- Slightly Increase

10. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer

11. Alcohol taxes
- Slightly Increase

12. Capital gains taxes
- Slightly Increase

13. Cigarette taxes
- Slightly Increase

14. Corporate taxes
- Slightly Increase

15. Gasoline taxes
- Slightly Increase

16. Income taxes (low-income families)
- Greatly Decrease

17. Income taxes (middle-income families)
- Greatly Decrease

18. Income taxes (high-income families)
- Greatly Increase

19. Do you support the elimination of the federal estate tax?
- No

20. Do you support requiring the federal budget to be balanced each year?
- No

21. Do you support using government funds in an effort to stimulate and improve the economy?
- Yes

22. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Business and Employment

1. Do you support privatizing elements of Social Security?
- No

2. Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
- No

3. Do you support increasing the federal minimum wage?
- Yes

4. Do you support the ability of workers to unionize?
- Yes

5. Do you support federal funding for job-training programs that retrain displaced workers?
- Yes

6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Campaign Finance and Government Reform

1. Do you support increasing the amount individuals are permitted to contribute to federal campaigns?
- No

2. Should Congress regulate indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Yes

3. Do you support removing all contribution limits on federal campaigns?
- No

4. Should candidates for federal office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits?
- Yes

5. Do you support giving the President the power of the line item veto for items concerning appropriations?
- No

6. Do you support limiting the President's ability to define how legislation is applied through the use of signing statements?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Crime

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- No

2. Do you support programs that provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related training and job-placement assistance when released?
- Yes

3. Do you support programs that provide prison inmates with substance abuse treatment?
- Yes

4. Do you support reduced prison sentences for non-violent offenders?
- Yes

5. Do you support mandatory prison sentences for selling illegal drugs?
- No

6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Education

1. Do you support federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students?
- Yes

2. Do you support federal funding for universal pre-K programs?
- Yes

3. Do you support federal funding for charter schools?
- Yes

4. Do you support federal funding for K-12 school vouchers?
- No

5. Do you support the federal government providing college students with financial aid?
- Yes

6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Environment and Energy

1. Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change?
- Yes

2. Do you support international emissions targets aimed at reducing the effects of climate change?
- Yes

3. Do you support allowing energy producers to trade carbon credits under a "cap and trade" system?
- Yes

4. Do you support strengthening fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles?
- Yes

5. Do you support domestic oil exploration in federally-protected areas?
- No

6. Do you support federal funding for the development of alternative energy?
- Yes

7. Do you support the development of nuclear reactors?
- No

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Gun

1. Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
- Yes

2. Do you believe that the Second Amendment guarantees the right of individual citizens to own guns?
- No

3. Do you support allowing individuals to carry concealed guns?
- No

4. Do you support a ban on assault rifles?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Health

1. Do you support a publicly-administered health insurance option?
- Yes

2. Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
- Yes

3. Should the federal government expand eligibility for tax-free medical savings accounts?
- No

4. Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
- No

5. Do you support relaxing regulations on the importation of prescription drugs?
- Yes

6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Immigration

1. Do you support a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants?
- Yes

2. Do you support decreasing the number of legal immigrants allowed into the country?
- No

3. Do you support establishing English as the official national language?
- No

4. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

International Policy

1. Do you support United States military action in Afghanistan?
- No

2. Do you support increasing military assistance for Afghanistan?
- No

3. Do you support increasing economic development assistance for Afghanistan?
- Yes

4. Should the United States continue to strike suspected terrorist targets in Pakistan?
- No

5. Do you support granting aid to countries when it is in the security interests of the United States?
- Yes

6. Should the United States support the creation of a Palestinian state?
- Yes

7. Do you support increasing sanctions on Iran if it continues to defy United Nations mandates?
- Yes

8. Do you support the withdrawal of United States troops from Iraq?
- Yes

9. Do you support the United States' involvement in free trade agreements?
- No

10. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Social

1. Should marriage only be between one man and one woman?
- No

2. Do you support allowing openly-gay men and women to serve in the United States military?
- Yes

3. Do you support federal funding for embryonic stem cell research?
- Yes

4. Should the federal government end affirmative action programs?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Congress Bills
Speeches
Articles

The Mercury News - Preserve Family Reunification for Immigrants of Color, Too

Jun. 27, 2018

By Ro Khanna and Keith Ellison The chilling pictures of kids being separated from their parents stirred the conscience of our nation. But House Speaker Paul Ryan is still forging ahead with legislation this week to restrict family-based immigration. Historical context exposes the hypocrisy of this proposal. During the 1965 immigration debate, many who wanted to preserve America's European makeup explicitly argued for the virtues of family reunification policies. If family was an important consideration back then for European immigrants, is it not equally important today for African-Americans, Asian-Americans and Latino-Americans? The importance of family to an immigrant's success is evident throughout America's history. Consider Jerry Yang, who was born in Taiwan and was 2 years old when his father died. At age 10 in 1978, he moved with his mother and brother to San Jose. Jerry's grandmother and extended family cared for him while his mother worked. Yang would go on to co-found Yahoo and become the company's CEO. Family reunification helps immigrants integrate into society, facilitating access to jobs and credit. The policy has worked. Immigrants today are more than twice as likely to start a new business. Forty-three percent of companies in the 2017 Fortune 500, including several technology firms in Silicon Valley, were launched by foreign-born entrepreneurs, many arriving on family visas. Family and skills-based visas complement each other: America would become less attractive to those who come on skills-based visas without the chance for their families to join them. The president recently disparaged family reunification -- or "chain migration," the pejorative term he prefers -- from Asian, Latino and African countries. Instead, he called for more immigrants from places like Norway. Such inflammatory comments and policy choices remind us of a distant time in history. A century ago, Congress enacted the Immigration Act of 1917, inspired by advocates of eugenics who sought to expressly preserve "American homogeneity" and Northern European character. The Immigration Act of 1924, which included both the Asian Exclusion Act and the National Origin Act, went further by creating a quota system restricting immigration from these "inferior" regions. Discriminatory immigration policies lasted until the civil rights movement in the 1960s. While many tout the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and The Voting Rights Act of 1965, the movement also paved the way for an end to an openly racist immigration system. In a nod to the civil rights movement, President Lyndon Johnson in his 1964 State of the Union address to Congress directed his administration to "lift by legislation the bars of discrimination against those who seek entry into our country." During this period, nativist politicians such as Congressman Michael Feighan, D-Ohio, chairman of the House Immigration Subcommittee, concocted a new pretext to maintain America's European character -- family reunification. On the House floor, Feighan argued that America should give preference to the family members of Europeans who were already living here over foreigners from other continents. Feighan succeeded in having the 1965 Immigration Act prioritize family reunification. Get editorials, opinion columns, letters to the editor and more in your inbox weekday mornings. Sign up for the Opinion newsletter. So why the change of heart today? Why are we abandoning our belief in family values and the importance of family reunification? Could it be related to a shift in the national origin of today's immigrants? In 1960, Europeans were 7 of 8 immigrants in the U.S. By 2010, 9 out of 10 were from outside Europe. In 1965, 84 percent of the country was non-Hispanic white, compared with 62 percent today. The simple truth is that policymakers' willingness to celebrate family reunification has changed as the nationality of immigrants has changed. Today, those marching in the street to keep family reunification draw their inspiration from the civil rights movement. They are marching for the principle that immigrants from China, India or Mexico are as committed to family values as those from Britain, Germany or Norway. They are marching for the principle that we are a creedal nation that celebrates the contributions of immigrants regardless of their blood or religion. They know that an America that stands up for all our families will be a more innovative and stronger America in the 21st century.

Prosecution of former officers charged in the death of George Floyd (2020)

Jan. 1, 1900

On May 26, 2020, the Minneapolis Police Department terminated the employment of four law enforcement officers after an incident during the detainment of Minneapolis resident George Floyd. A police statement indicated that Floyd died at the hospital shortly after the incident. Video of the arrest, which occurred on May 25, showed Floyd on the ground with one of the officers, Derek Chauvin, kneeling on Floyd's neck. On May 29, 2020, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced the arrest of former officer Chauvin, who was initially charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Two days later, on May 31, Governor Tim Walz announced that Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison would step in to lead the case. Ellison and Freeman charged the other former officers—Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng, and Tou Thao—with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter on June 3, 2020.

Prosecution of former officers charged in the death of George Floyd

Jan. 1, 1900

. On May 26, 2020, the Minneapolis Police Department terminated the employment of four law enforcement officers after an incident during the detainment of Minneapolis resident George Floyd. A police statement indicated that Floyd died at the hospital shortly after the incident. Video of the arrest, which occurred on May 25, showed Floyd on the ground with one of the officers kneeling on Floyd's neck. On May 29, 2020, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced the arrest of former Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin, who at the time was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Two days later, on May 31, Governor Tim Walz announced that Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison would step in to lead the case. Ellison and Freeman added an additional charge of second-degree murder against Chauvin on June 3. The officials also charged former officers Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng, and Tou Thao with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. A tentative trial date was set for March 8, 2021.

Events

2020

Oct. 10
Sep. 6
Virtual BBQ Honoring Labor

Sun 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM CDT