Rep. Grossell Removed From MN House Committees Following May Arrest

A Minnesota legislator and ex-deputy accused of drunkenly scuffling with security at a St. Paul hotel and disorderly behavior at a nearby hospital has lost his seats on two law-and-order committees.

Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman told Republican Representative Matt Grossell of Clearbrook Wednesday she was most disturbed by his conduct after his release from jail and the hospital. She quoted a police report that says he went to police headquarters, saying he was a former Clearwater County Deputy and lawmaker, and demanded that an officer call the police chief.

Hortman says that was an abuse of office and took him off the Judiciary and Public Safety Committees. Grossell, who’s now in a diversion program, says Hortman is trying to remove law enforcement voices from the Public Safety Committee.