Minnesota House Republicans plan to file ethics complaint againts DFL Rep. Alex Falconer over lobbying ties

Republicans in the Minnesota House say they plan to file an ethics complaint against a Democratic lawmaker over his ties to environmentalist lobbying groups.

The GOP said Monday it will file a complaint against DFL Rep. Alex Falconer of Eden Prairie. In a release, Republican Rep. Isaac Schultz accused Falconer of being “effectively a legislator lobbyist.”

Falconer was a registered lobbyist for Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness from March 5, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2024, according to the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board. He was elected to the House in November of 2024 and took the oath of office in January 2025.

Falconer also serves as the federal government relations manager for Save the Boundary Waters, according to its website. His legislative bio lists his occupation as “nonprofit manager.”

House Republicans allege Falconer’s ties to these groups are “ethically questionable.” Falconer has, according to legislative records, authored bills for which the groups have lobbied. 

In response, Falconer released the following statement:

“It’s no surprise to my constituents that I care about the Boundary Waters; I literally campaigned with a canoe on top of my car. My favorite memories with my family are there, and that’s true for so many Minnesotans. The Boundary Waters are universally beloved by Minnesotans, vitally important as ancestral lands to our tribal communities and are irreplaceable. I’ve spent more than a decade working to protect Minnesota’s crown jewel for all generations to come and am proud of my work. My legislative work on this issue was vetted with nonpartisan House experts. It’s all above board.

“This is simply a desperate attempt to deflect from clearly unethical conduct from Reps. Hudson and Engen. Why else would they bring this up now, when I’ve been working on these bills since I was seated?”

Also on Monday, House Democrats announced their intentions to file ethics complaints against Republican Reps. Elliott Engen and Walter Hudson. Engen is charged with DWI after a March 27 arrest in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. He said he was “sober cabbing” for Hudson and another passenger at the time, according to a police report. A source told WCCO Engen and Hudson will be stripped of their committee assignments. Hudson on social media said the planned complaint is a “dumb move.”