People United for Privacy Foundation CEO Heather Lauer released the following statement in response to the shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses on June 14, 2025.

Last weekend in Minnesota, tragedy struck the heart of American public life. Two sitting legislators—former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and State Senator John Hoffman—and their spouses were violently targeted in a politically motivated attack. One couple was killed, the other severely wounded. The suspect had compiled a chilling “hit list” of politicians, abortion providers, and advocacy groups, demonstrating how easily publicly available personal information can facilitate deadly political violence.

This isn’t just a Minnesota story. It’s a wake-up call for all of us. Across the country, growing numbers of public servants, nonprofit leaders, and private citizens are being targeted online and offline based on data that was once considered benign: addresses, affiliations, donor histories. That information, easily accessible through public records, is being weaponized.

At People United for Privacy Foundation, we have long sounded the alarm about this growing concern. Since 2018, our work has focused on pushing back against threats to donor privacy and freedom of association. We’ve intervened in hundreds of state debates on these issues. But the Minnesota shooting, which is part of a growing pattern that includes other recent attempts on high-profile figures and violence against nonprofits, tells us that vigilance alone isn’t enough.

Too often, we see proposals from both ends of the ideological spectrum emerging from the same flawed premise: that lawmakers can tailor laws to harm their political enemies while helping their allies. That assumption is dangerous and self-defeating. Once the precedent is set, there’s no way to control how the tools will be wielded over time.

The appropriate response is immediate reform—based on constitutional principles and court precedent—to help states bolster privacy infrastructure before the next tragedy happens. These frameworks must be durable enough to endure political and technological shifts.

The simple truth is this: you shouldn’t have to risk your life to participate in civil society. Whether you’re a public servant, a nonprofit leader, or an everyday American, your personal information should never be a weapon.