ST. PAUL, Min. – Sunday night was a grim night at the Minnesota State Capitol, with lawmakers shouting as they clashed the final moments of the 2024 legislature. But amid the chaos, there was a rare moment of bipartisan jubilation.
Members of the Minnesota House were in the middle of debate, with just 2.5 hours to go before their midnight deadline, when a lawmaker made an off-topic announcement.
“For those of you who don’t know, the Minnesota Timberwolves won Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals,” an unidentified representative said.
Video shows most of the representatives jumping into standing applause as cheers fill the room.
The joy lasted only a few seconds before the bitter atmosphere returned. Both the House of Representatives and the Senate descended into chaos after Democrats, who control all branches of state government, sidestepped debate and went straight to a vote on a 1,400-page tax bill.
The House adjourned at midnight but will reconvene on Monday so that retiring members can say goodbye to their colleagues. The Senate has been suspended for a year sine die, meaning no date has been set for members to reconvene to complete its work.
The Wolves meet again on Wednesday evening Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Mavericks after pulling off the biggest Game 7 comeback in NBA history.
This feat came on the twentieth anniversary of the team’s last Game 7 victory, which also happened to be the birthday of the Wolves’ patron saint, team legend Kevin Garnett.
