>> WELCOME TO "ALMANAC: AT THE CAPITOL."

I'M MARY LAHAMMER.

COMING TO YOU LIVE FROM THE HOUSE GALLERY.

IT'S BEEN A BUSY AND CHIPPY START TO THE SECOND HALF OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

AS LAWMAKERS RETURN FROM THEIR SPRING BREAK.

WE WILL TALK TO A SPIRITED DUO OF FORMER LAWMAKERS AND A FORMER STATEWIDE OFFICE HOLDER WHO'S NOW A REPRESENTATIVE AND IS ABOUT TO RETIRE.

BUT FIRST A COUPLE OF LAWMAKERS GOT CAUGHT SNEAKING OUT OF COMMITTEE, GOING TO A BAR, AND A NIGHT THAT ENDED IN A DUI ARREST AND NOW ETHICS COMPLAINTS.

ETHICS COMPLAINTS WERE ISSUED AGAINST TWO REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS FOR DRINKING DURING AND AFTER SESSION.

ONE FOR REPRESENTATIVE ELLIOTT ENGEN, FOR DRUNK DRIVING, AND THE OTHER AGAINST REPRESENTATIVE WALTER HUDSON FOR DRUNKING WHILE CARRYING A PERMITTED WEAPON.

>> DISINGENUOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT PROCESS.

>> ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ROLES THAT I PLAY HERE AT THE CAPITOL IS AS A MEMBER OF THE EDUCATION FINANCE COMMITTEE WHERE TOGETHER WE MAKE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT DECISIONS THAT IMPACT THE OVER 900,000 STUDENTS THAT ATTEND SCHOOL IN MINNESOTA.

I TAKE THAT WORK REALLY SERIOUSLY.

WE SAW THAT RIGHT BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE BREAK TWO MEMBERS OF OUR COMMITTEE LEFT.

>> NEARLY AN HOUR BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ADJOURNED, WHEN THERE WAS AN ENTIRE SECOND BILL THAT HAD NOT BEEN CONSIDERED TO GO DRINKING AT A LOCAL BAR.

AN ETHICS COMPLAINT IS A VERY SERIOUS THING.

I HAVE NEVER BROUGHT AN ETHICS COMPLAINT BEFORE.

I HAVEN'T SEEN ONE BROUGHT HERE IN MY TIME AT THE LETTER, BUT NOR HAVE A SEEN ACTIONS AS BLATANT AS THIS WHERE THEY ARE COMPLETELY DISREGARDING THEIR DOUBTS TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS.

>> Mary: THEY WERE BOTH LSO REMOVED FROM ALL COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS AFTER THEY WERE SEEN LEAVING COMMITTEE.

>> I DO THINK IT WAS AN APPROPRIATE MEASURE AS SPEAKER AND AS LEADER OF OUR CAUCUS.

I DID CHOOSE TO REMOVE THEM FROM THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES.

THEY ARE STILL -- YOU SAW THEM ON THE HOUSE FLOOR, THEY ARE STILL VERY MUCH OF OUR CAUCUS AND THE WORK BEING DONE.

WHEN YOU LOOK BACK JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN THE DEMOCRATS HAD THEIR OWN ISSUE VERY SIMILAR TO THIS, THERE WERE NO LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS TAKEN AGAINST TWO DEMOCRAT MEMBERS EVER ON SAME DUI TYPE SITUATIONS.

>> Mary: ANOTHER COMPLAINT IS GENLSZ A D.F.L.

LAWMAKER, REPRESENTATIVE ALEX FALCONER FOR CLAIMS OF LOBBYING AND LEGISLATING FOR NORTHEAST MINNESOTANS FOR WILDERNESS AND SAVE THE BOUNDARY WATERS.

>> YOU CAN BE HERE AS AN ADVOCATE.

YOU CAN BE A LOBBYIST OR YOU CAN BE A LOBBYIST LOBBYIST.

HIGHLIGHTS THAT THERE WAS CARRYING OF LEGISLATION THAT WAS IN DIRECT COLLABORATION WITH WHERE YOU WERE GETTING PAID.

>> YOU ANNOT BE A LOBBYIST AND BE A MEMBER OF THE MINNESOTA HOUSE.

IT SAYS YOU CAN'T BE A LOBBYIST.

>> Mary: INTERNATIONAL ISSUES ALSO GRIPPED THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

>> WHAT WE ARE WITNESSING, Mr.

PRESIDENT, FROM DONALD TRUMP IS NOT JUST RECKLESS RHETORIC.

IT IS A STATED WILLINGNESS TO DESTROY AN ENTIRE PEOPLE.

SO LET US BE CLEAR, THREATENING THE ANNIHILATION OF A NATION'S CIVILIAN POPULATION IS THE LANGUAGE OF GENOCIDE.

IT IS ILLEGAL.

IT IS IMMORAL AND IT IS PROFOUNDLY DANGEROUS NOT ONLY TO INNOCENT LIVES ABROAD BUT TO THE RULE OF LAW AND THE INTEGRITY -- >> Mr.

PRESIDENT, Mr.

PRESIDENT.

>> THIS DOES NOT SEEM TO BE PERTAINING TO THE BUSINESS TODAY OF THE SENATE.

WONDERING IF Mr.

PRESIDENT WOULD BE ABLE TO REMIND MEMBERS TO STAY WITHIN AGENDA.

HISTORY IS WATCHING.

SO ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SWORN TO SERVE.

THE LEADER OF THE OTHER PARTY TRIED TO STOP DISCUSSION ON THE DAY THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES HAS CALLEDFOR THE GENOCIDE OF AN ENTIRE COU