1.1 	A resolution
1.2 	calling on Congress to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Russian interference 
1.3 	in the 2016 United States presidential election and the extent to which members of the 
1.4 	current executive branch were aware of such interference.
1.5 	WHEREAS, United States law enforcement and intelligence agencies, including the Federal 
1.6 	Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Central Intelligence Agency, and the National Security Agency, 
1.7 	have concluded with high confidence that Russia interfered in the American presidential election 
1.8 	that was held in November 2016; and
1.9 	WHEREAS, evidence collected by United States intelligence agencies suggests that this 
1.10 	interference was ordered by the highest levels of the Russian government, with the direct knowledge 
1.11 	and approval of Russian President Vladimir Putin; and
1.12 	WHEREAS, United States law enforcement and intelligence agencies have determined that 
1.13 	this interference was intended to aid Donald Trump and harm his opponent, Hillary Clinton; and
1.14 	WHEREAS, according to United States intelligence agencies and Russian diplomats, multiple 
1.15 	high-ranking members of the Donald Trump presidential campaign had regular contact with senior 
1.16 	Russian intelligence officials throughout the presidential campaign; and
1.17 	WHEREAS, multiple Trump campaign and administration officials, including National 
1.18 	Security Adviser Michael Flynn, Campaign Manager Paul Manafort, and Foreign Policy Adviser 
1.19 	Carter Page, resigned their posts after scandals related to their connections with Russia; and
1.20 	WHEREAS, in light of evidence discovered during the transition period, President Obama's 
1.21 	administration felt it necessary to take unprecedented measures to disseminate and protect sensitive 
1.22 	information pertaining to Russian interference in the American election to ensure it was not destroyed 
1.23 	or concealed by the incoming Trump administration; and
1.24 	WHEREAS, then Senator and Attorney General nominee, Jeff Sessions, stated under oath 
1.25 	in his confirmation hearings before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee that he had no 
2.1 	contact with Russian officials during the campaign, when in fact he had multiple meetings with 
2.2 	Russian officials during the campaign; and
2.3 	WHEREAS, throughout the presidential campaign and since taking office, President Trump 
2.4 	has repeatedly praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite the well-documented atrocities 
2.5 	and violations of international law that President Putin has committed; and
2.6 	WHEREAS, evidence strongly suggests that Russian President Vladimir Putin has personally 
2.7 	ordered numerous assassinations of political opponents, journalists, and dissidents; and
2.8 	WHEREAS, in violation of international law, Russian President Vladimir Putin directed the 
2.9 	annexation of Crimea, and has waged a covert war in eastern Ukraine that has already cost tens of 
2.10 	thousands of lives, including those of 298 international passengers on Malaysia Airlines Flight 17; 
2.11 	and
2.12 	WHEREAS, Russian President Vladimir Putin directed the Russian intervention in Syria to 
2.13 	support the regime of Bashar al-Assad, during which Russian forces indiscriminately bombed 
2.14 	thousands of Syrian civilians in hospitals, schools, orphanages, and other noncombatant targets; 
2.15 	and
2.16 	WHEREAS, reports have surfaced that Russian forces in Syria have bombed United 
2.17 	States-backed rebels; and
2.18 	WHEREAS, despite substantial evidence of human rights abuses, targeted assassinations, 
2.19 	and interference with our election, President Trump has steadfastly refused to criticize Mr. Putin, 
2.20 	going so far as to equate the actions of American officials with those of Mr. Putin; and
2.21 	WHEREAS, President Trump has refused to release his tax returns to demonstrate he is free 
2.22 	from dangerous conflicts of interest that could undermine America's national security and the 
2.23 	President's executive judgment; and
2.24 	WHEREAS, President George W. Bush, former Speaker Newt Gingrich, Representative 
2.25 	Darrell Issa, Senator Lindsey Graham, and Speaker Paul Ryan, as well as several prominent former 
2.26 	and current elected officials, have all called for an investigation into Russian interference in the 
2.27 	2016 election; and
2.28 	WHEREAS, this attack on American democracy is unprecedented in its scale and effect, and 
2.29 	has undermined the confidence of Americans in the integrity of our electoral process; and
2.30 	WHEREAS, on Tuesday, May 9, 2017, President Trump abruptly fired FBI Director James 
2.31 	Comey, who had just asked the Justice Department for a significant increase in resources for the 
2.32 	FBI's Russia investigation; and
2.33 	WHEREAS, the power to administer elections is reserved to the states respectively, by the 
2.34 	United States Constitution and the states therefore have a right to expect fair and honest elections 
2.35 	and a compelling interest in the legitimacy of the results of those elections; NOW, THEREFORE,
3.1 	BE IT RESOLVED by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota that it urges the appointment 
3.2 	of a special prosecutor in order to conduct a full, independent, and public investigation of any and 
3.3 	all connections between the Trump administration, the Trump campaign organization, and the 
3.4 	Trump business empire and the Russian government, as well as Russian government-owned 
3.5 	enterprises and related interests.
3.6 	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, given the extremely sensitive nature of this investigation 
3.7 	and its implication for the integrity of American democracy, a bipartisan commission, led by a 
3.8 	special prosecutor, is needed to investigate the full extent of Russia's influence on the Trump White 
3.9 	House and Russian interference in the 2016 United States presidential election, as well as the extent 
3.10 	to which members of the Trump White House and the Trump campaign organization were aware 
3.11 	of Russian interference and influence.
3.12 	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of State of the State of Minnesota is directed 
3.13 	to prepare copies of this memorial and transmit them to the President and the Secretary of the United 
3.14 	States Senate, the Speaker and the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, the chair 
3.15 	of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, the chair of the House Committee on Judiciary, and 
3.16 	Minnesota's Senators and Representatives in Congress.