Newly released investigative materials show that Vance Boelter, a 57-year-old accused of assassinating former state House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband and attempting to kill State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, alleged in a handwritten letter that Governor Tim Walz directed him to kill Senator Amy Klobuchar.
Federal investigators discovered the letter—alongside other writings—near Boelter’s abandoned vehicle after his arrest. In it, Boelter claims Walz’s motive was to clear the way for a Senate bid by eliminating both Klobuchar and fellow Senator Tina Smith.
Authorities, however, have dismissed these claims as unfounded and symptomatic of Boelter’s delusional mindset. At a June 16 press conference, Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson described the letter as “incoherent,” noting Boelter’s notebooks included hit-lists but offered no ideological reasoning or motive to support the assassination theory.
Despite the lack of evidence, the shocking allegation has fueled conspiracy theories on both social media and fringe media platforms, with some drawing speculative links between political figures and Boelter’s actions .
Investigators confirmed that no credible proof has emerged connecting Gov. Walz to Boelter’s violent spree. Minnesota law enforcement and political colleagues— including Klobuchar and Walz—have denounced the letter’s claims and emphasized the need to focus on the criminal proceedings.
Boelter is now facing federal charges including murder, stalking, and weapons violations, as well as state-level indictments. The life-or-death nature of the case has triggered enhanced security for public officials in Minnesota, while the FBI and prosecutors continue their investigation into Boelter’s motives and actions .
This development raises urgent questions about political violence, extremist ideology, and the mechanisms used to vet and assess threats tied to politicians. More revelations from Boelter’s writings are expected to surface during ongoing legal review and grand jury proceedings.
