By Charlie Mahler, KYMN News
Local Republican state legislators Drew Roach and Bill Lieske have accepted leadership roles in the newly formed Minnesota Freedom Caucus, the group announced at its launch on Monday. Roach, the Minnesota House district 58B representative with a constituency that includes townships directly north and east of Northfield, will lead the Freedom Caucus in the Minnesota house.
Lieske, who represents Minnesota Senate district 58 that includes Northfield and much of the surrounding area, was named the assistant Freedom Caucus leader in the Minnesota Senate.
The Minnesota caucus, formed in association with the State Freedom Caucus Network, currently comprises seven men representing senate and house districts as Republicans. Republican State Senator Eric Lucero chairs the caucus.
Styled on the U.S. House Freedom caucus established in 2015 by conservative and Tea Party members, Lucero and Roach stressed “constitutional principles” as the cornerstone of the Minnesota Freedom Caucus.
Speaking at the press conference Roach described the group as a unified bloc of principled conservatives from both the house and the senate who “refuse to compromise on the core values that built this great state: personal responsibility, free enterprise, safe streets, quality education without indoctrination, and the God-given rights enshrined in our constitution.”
He went on to explain that the caucus would strive for single subject bills with committee review rather than omnibus bills, tax and spending reduction, voter ID and “clean voter rolls,” parental rights, and the protection of free speech and gun rights.
Questioned by the media about the lack of women in the caucus, Lucero said he expected the caucus to grow and include women.
“When women join the Minnesota Freedom Caucus, they will be authentic women,” he added. “Not men, who are pretending to be women.”
Minnesota is the 15th state to form a freedom caucus.
Charlie Mahler is a reporter with KYMN News. Contact him at cmahler@kymnradio.net.
