Rep. Thompson to have complaint dropped, will apologize on House floor for remarks made

Rep. John Thompson has agreed to apologize on the House of Representatives floor for comments he made during a June floor debate. As a result, Rep. Eric Lucero’s complaint against Thompson will be dismissed.

The ethics case continued Friday, after Thompson had requested a delay to consult with a lawyer.

"I want to particularly call out my appreciation to Rep. Thompson. Rep Thompson … apologizing isn’t always easy — and you’ve done that, and I thank you for that. I thank you … Rep. Lucero … there are times when we feel we have been affronted in some way accepting an apology isn’t easy, and you’ve done that," said Rep. Jim Davnie.

Lucero says Thompson called him a racist twice during a June 19 House floor debate about police reform over Lucero’s comments about supporting the families of police officers killed in the line of duty.

"This is exactly what I wanted: an admission that a statement was said, an admission that statement was wrong, an apology for it, again, an apology to the institution as a whole," Lucero told KSTP Friday.

The four-member ethics panel unanimously voted to approve the alternate resolution on Friday.

KSTP has reached out to Thompson for comment.