Probably Roots for the Packers Too...

Minnesota State Rep. John Thompson was pulled over for driving without a front license plate and ticketed for driving on a suspended license (child support issue dating to 2019).  He says pretty much, It's a Black Thing.  You Wouldn't Understand.

It's the Wisconsin license -- renewed multiple times since the early 2000s -- and the residency issue of whether his St. Paul home is even within his representative district boundaries, that's gonna bring him legal trouble.  Nothing to do with the color of his skin.  You just can't continue to play fast and loose with the laws if you want to be a lawmaker.

By Jessie Van Berkel Star Tribune

July 13, 2021

St. Paul police released body camera footage Tuesday of a traffic stop of Rep. John Thompson earlier this month, during which the state legislator — who has been pushing at the Capitol to end such low-level stops — told the officer that he was pulled over for "driving while Black."

The Democrat, who represents part of St. Paul's East Side, has faced sharp scrutiny related to the traffic stop on July 4 and the subsequent discovery that he has had a Wisconsin driver's license for years.

In the 16-minute body camera video, an officer pulled Thompson over and asked him why he was in such a hurry. Thompson said he didn't think he was driving fast, adding that he's a state representative in the district.

"With a Wisconsin license?" the officer asked.

"Yes, with a Wisconsin license. I'm state Representative John Thompson," he replied.

After asking for Thompson's license and proof of insurance, the officer takes the license to his squad car. He returns to Thompson's car and tells him he's "suspended in Minnesota." Thompson replies, "no," but the officer tells him that's what his computer said.

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From the Star Tribune editorial:

Thompson, it turns out, has never had a Minnesota driver's license. Instead, he holds a Wisconsin driver's license, which he has renewed repeatedly over more than 20 years, most recently in November 2020, when he won a legislative seat on the claim of being a "proud East Sider" for 18 years.

Wisconsin is not in the habit of issuing driver's licenses to residents of other states. Meanwhile, Minnesota requires that new residents who drive apply for a Minnesota license within 60 days of moving here. It also requires that state representatives actually reside in the state. So where, in fact, Thompson lives becomes a key question. He may have been untruthful either in obtaining a Wisconsin license or becoming a Minnesota candidate.