In a petition to the Supreme Court, Democrats in the state House accuse Republicans of acting "unlawfully" when they conducted House business on Tuesday, including electing a speaker, with no DFL members present.

While Minnesota House Republicans hold a one-seat majority right now, a special election later this month should put the state House in an even political split. State Democrats called the move to elect a Republican speaker in the meantime unconstitutional.

Democratic-Farmer-Labor Secretary of State Steve Simon and the House DFL have filed lawsuits to stop Republicans from taking control of the House for the next two years, arguing it’s unconstitutional for them to move forward without Democrats present.