State Rep. John Thompson, DFL-St. Paul, raised questions of racial profiling during a recent traffic stop, when police pulled him over for not having a front license plate. Since then, the questions have all been raised about him.

First, why would a Minnesota state representative have a driver’s license from Wisconsin? State law says you have to apply for a new Minnesota driver’s license within 30 days. Thompson said he has never had a Minnesota driver’s license, and has even renewed his Wisconsin license twice since moving to Minnesota. So, either he was lying to the state of Wisconsin or the state of Minnesota about his residence when he ran for office in 2020.

Reports are now emerging that allege he was investigated for domestic assault in cases between 2003 and 2010.

Republican legislative leaders are calling for an investigation of his residency and the process the Secretary of State’s office went through to verify it. Members of his own party, including Gov. Tim Walz, have called on him to resign following the emergence of the domestic violence reports.

Thompson’s legal representatives deny the claims of violence, and say it is a smear campaign by police against a strong Black man willing to speak out against the powerful establishment.

It is obvious that Thompson’s presence in the Legislature will make it difficult to discuss questions of police reform and racial equality on the floor of the Legislature. He should resign and clear up his record, then run again if he feels he must.