Press Release

Today, Friday, June 17, DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin released the following statement after audio surfaced of Scott Jensen threatening to retaliate against the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice for investigating his medical license after Jensen said that he has treated COVID patients with ivermectin – the use of which has been rejected by the medical community and scientific studies.

Jensen, the presumptive GOP nominee for Minnesota governor, specified that when he’s elected, he would fire the members of the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice specifically because they are investigating his medical license.

SCOTT JENSEN: “When they came after me the fifth time, I said, “Is this ever going to stop?” And I almost quit caring. I did my responses, but I said, “I will beat you.” And right now, I’m in the ninth month of my fifth investigation, and they’re not coming back at me, and I think the reason is they don’t know what to do with me. I wouldn’t know what to do with me. If I get elected in November, do you think their jobs are secure? I get to appoint them. We’ll have picks. I promise you guys, we’ll take care of that juggernaut.”

“These despicable remarks are disqualifying,” said DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin. “Anyone who repeatedly promises to use the governor’s office to jail or fire their personal enemies is unfit for public service. The doctors who serve on the board investigating Scott Jensen are not anti-vaccine conspiracy theorists, which is what makes them different from him. Scott Jensen’s extremism and disturbing enthusiasm for political retaliation don’t belong anywhere near the governor’s office.” 

This isn’t the first that Jensen has vowed to use the governor’s office to retaliate against his political or personal enemies. Last month, Jensen made national headlines when he promised to jail Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, citing the Big Lie. Under Simon’s leadership, Minnesota has led the nation with the highest voter turnout for the past three elections in a row.

Jensen has also called Ron DeSantis a hero for retaliating against Disney after they criticized Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law.