Right-Wing Influencers Spread Lies and Conspiracy Theories in Wake of Minnesota House Leader's Assassination

Strategic Insights -

In the aftermath of the assassination of Democratic House leader Melissa Hortman, right-wing influencers on social media platform X immediately began spreading conspiracy theories and lies about the motive behind the killing. Sensationalized posts by influencers such as Collin Rugg and Mike Cernovich hinted that Hortman's death was linked to a recent vote on ending undocumented adults' ability to enroll in MinnesotaCare, a subsidized health insurance program for the working poor.

However, this theory was quickly undercut by the fact that Hortman and Governor Tim Walz had negotiated a compromise with Republicans to end eligibility for adults, but keep it for children, in order to pass a state budget. Hortman had spoken tearfully about how difficult the vote was for her, but was bound to vote yes due to the prior agreement. The "theory" was further discredited by the vote of Democratic Sen. John Hoffman, who was also targeted by the suspect, against rolling back MinnesotaCare for undocumented Minnesotans.

Despite this, right-wing influencers continued to spread misinformation, including a false claim that suspect Vance Luther Boelter was a "Walz appointee," when in fact he was appointed to a nonpartisan advisory board. The Murdoch media machine, including the New York Post, also ran with this misleading information.

Key Takeaways:

  • Right-wing influencers Collin Rugg and Mike Cernovich spread conspiracy theories and lies about the motive behind Melissa Hortman's assassination, suggesting it was linked to a vote on MinnesotaCare.
  • The theory was debunked by the fact that Hortman and Governor Tim Walz had negotiated a compromise to end eligibility for adults, but keep it for children, to pass a state budget.
  • Democratic Sen. John Hoffman's vote against rolling back MinnesotaCare for undocumented Minnesotans also undercut the theory.
  • Suspect Vance Luther Boelter was actually appointed to a nonpartisan advisory board and was not a "Walz appointee."
  • Right-wing influencers Joey Mannarino and Elon Musk also spread misinformation, with Mannarino suggesting Hortman was preparing to switch parties and Musk claiming she was killed by "the left."
  • The "hit list" allegedly found on the suspect's phone comprised Minnesotans who have been outspoken in favor of abortion rights, not the left.
  • Right-wing influencers continued to spread lies and smear Walz despite the lack of evidence to support their claims.

Statistics:

  • 1.8 million followers: Collin Rugg's following on X.
  • 1.4 million followers: Mike Cernovich's following on X.
  • 600,000 followers: Joey Mannarino's following on X.
  • 342: The number of open positions on Minnesota boards and commissions.
  • 67-67: The House vote that Hortman and Walz negotiated a compromise to pass a state budget.
  • July 1: The date by which state government would have shut down if the budget had not been passed.

Sources:

  • Collin Rugg's post on X (https://x.com/CollinRugg/status/1933924564419129643)
  • Mike Cernovich's post on X (https://x.com/Cernovich/status/1933961216671490485)
  • Minnesota Reformer article (https://minnesotareformer.com/2025/05/15/senate-not-on-board-with-walz-house-budget-agreement/)
  • CNN report on the suspect's "hit list" (https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/minnesota-shootings-manhunt-06-14-25)
  • New York Post article (https://nypost.com/2025/06/14/us-news/suspect-in-deadly-minnesota-shootings-identified-as-vance-luther-boelter/)