Investigating the Indivisible Event.
-Steven Knotts
Community Forum with Attorney General Keith Ellison
Event Summary: Waconia High School, Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Sponsored by Indivisible Carver County and Carver County DFL
A 90 minute public forum featuring Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison was held on Wednesday, May 14 at Waconia High School. The event was organized by Indivisible Carver County and the Carver County DFL and drew an engaged and vocal crowd. The forum consisted of 30 minutes of remarks by Mr. Ellison followed by an hour long question and answer session with the audience.
Opening Remarks: Immediate Attacks & Tone
Mr. Ellison began the forum with immediate criticism of President Donald Trump referencing a possible acceptance of a $400 million plane from Qatar. Throughout his remarks, Mr. Ellison refrained from referring to President Trump by name or title, instead using terms such as “this guy,” “fascist,” “tyrant,” and “king.” This tone of repeated personal attacks set the stage for what would be a highly partisan and emotionally charged event.
Key Issues Raised by Mr. Ellison
Immigration & Government Overreach
Mr. Ellison emphasized and warned of efforts to revoke birthright citizenship without providing an accurate historical description behind birthright citizenship. He stoked fears about the integrity of government agencies, claiming illegal activities are being conducted within the Department of Justice, DOGE and other federal departments. He repeatedly emphasized that Americans' private data is being mishandled, due to DOGE’s efforts, and warned the crowd, “You should be afraid.”
Social Policy & Identity Politics
Mr. Ellison strongly defended and gave his full endorsement of gender affirming care and advocated the right for children to play sports according to their gender identity. He criticized recent cuts to National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants, warning such reductions would directly threaten the health and wellbeing of every person in the room.
Economic & Environmental Policy
Mr. Ellison denounced the implementation of tariffs under the Trump administration and directly called Trump a “fool” for his economic policies. He then connected the Administration’s environmental rollbacks, including the freezing of wind energy projects and removal of electric vehicle mandates, to natural disasters, asserting such policy decisions were responsible for the California Palisades fires and wildfires currently occurring in northern Minnesota.
Civic Engagement & Resistance
Mr. Ellison strongly encouraged the formation of book clubs focused on topics like fascism and tyranny while describing this as part of a “rebirth of freedom.” He promoted participation in “No Kings Day” on June 14, framing it as a symbolic rejection of authoritarianism. He criticized the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia while labeling it as unjust and a violation of due process. He called the situation as a warning sign for future abuses affecting Americans due to government overreach.
Criticism of Local Officials
Mr. Ellison sharply criticized Congressman Tom Emmer, accusing him of being disengaged and unresponsive to his constituents. He told the crowd to “raise hell” and “hold signs” to pressure “Emmer” into appearing publicly. These comments generated loud applause and a further call to action from attendees. Mr. Ellison painted Congressman Emmer as deliberately avoiding public accountability and falsely implied he is entirely absent in his duties and urged attendees to take continued visible and vocal action against what he portrayed as Republican inaction and complicity. He unfortunately was convincing with his argument and the audience was energized and cheered his remarks.
Question & Answer Session
- A local Christian pastor expressed concern that “Trump” was working to eliminate freedom of religion. Mr. Ellison echoed the sentiment asserting that “this guy” was attempting to impose a singular religious belief on Americans and the rest of the world.
- A member of the audience raised concern about the possible pardon of Derek Chauvin. Despite the fact Chauvin’s federal and state sentences run concurrently and President Trump has publicly stated he would not issue a pardon, Mr. Ellison used the moment to emphasize the need for “justice to be served,” drawing more applause and emotional reactions from the audience.
- Mr. Ellison suggested “this guy” was laying the groundwork to declare martial law and pursue a third term, prompting members of the audience to voice fears that “Trump” was attempting a full government takeover. Statements from attendees included:
- “Trump is destroying America.”
- “Trump is trying to overthrow the U.S. Government.”
- “The complete dismantling of democracy.”
- “U.S. citizens are being deported.”
- “Public lands are being seized.”
- In a moment of striking irony, Mr. Ellison emphasized the importance of “free, fair, and honest elections,” and implied “this guy” is plotting to rig upcoming elections. He called for increased participation in election security efforts while encouraging people to become poll workers and watchers.
- Mr. Ellison ended by stating many elected Republicans oppose “this guy” privately, but are afraid to speak out due to what he called a “gang mentality” in the Republican party. This statement brought a large roar from the audience.
Observations
The forum was marked by intense hyper partisan rhetoric, recurring fear based messaging and an aggressive framing of political opposition. At multiple points, Mr. Ellison's language and the audience’s responses could be described as incendiary especially in reference to President Trump, local elected Republicans and threats to democracy.
The consistent use of terms like “dictator,” “tyrant,” and “fascist” contributed to an atmosphere firing up attendees. The tone of the event, driven by Mr. Ellison’s delivery, made it easy to see how an undecided or uninformed voter might walk away believing the United States is on the brink of authoritarian collapse.
Post Event Thoughts
Following the event, I called Congressman Tom Emmer’s office in Washington D.C. to express concern over Mr. Ellison’s event. My call yielded zero information about any upcoming appearances or plans for similar community forums from our side. The staff member, Hannah, responded only, “I’m not aware of Congressman Emmer’s schedule.” and suggested I send an email. The lack of engagement or acknowledgment of literally any community concerns from his office was extremely disappointing and reinforced a perception of political detachment at a time when visibility and leadership are essential.
The perceived lack of public visibility by conservative elected officials stands in sharp contrast to Ellison’s high profile, well attended and emotionally charged event. The absence of alternative viewpoints in large public forums is increasingly being used against conservatives, contributing to a one sided narrative and intensifying the political divide. We must do better on a local level. We are losing ground.
Implications for Carver County
The event was more than a political forum, it was a coordinated messaging effort filled with misinformation, fear and extreme emotional manipulation. For undecided voters or less politically engaged residents, the narrative was overwhelming and unfortunately convincing. To counterbalance such high profile forums and maintain an informed and active citizenry, it is imperative conservative officials host similar events, engage directly with their constituents and offer clear responses to the growing narrative being shaped in their absence. It’s not enough to hope people see through fear driven messaging. Ignoring and not implementing strong countermeasures is a recipe for disaster within our community. The Waconia forum illustrates the urgent need for proactive civic leadership by our elected officials. Informing and empowering citizens with truth, clarity and respectful dialogue is critical.
