Vance Boelter, the alleged assassin in a high-profile political shooting, stunned a Minnesota courtroom Monday by claiming poverty while admitting he owns seven cars. Boelter, 57, faces federal and state charges in the murders of former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, along with the shooting of State Senator John Hoffman and his wife.
Appearing in an orange jumpsuit, Boelter told the judge he only earns about $540 per week from a part-time job. Yet in the same breath, he admitted to owning a home, seven vehicles, and holding up to $30,000 in his bank account. Despite this, he insisted he couldn’t afford a private lawyer.
The judge ordered the federal public defender’s office to investigate his financial status but preliminarily agreed Boelter likely can’t pay for legal representation. Federal prosecutors pressed for him to remain in custody, calling the case “extremely serious.”
Boelter’s background raises more questions. He once worked in the food industry and allegedly bragged to friends about a “private security firm” he claimed to run—an assertion one acquaintance dismissed as “just some fantasy.” Authorities captured him Sunday night after a two-day manhunt, discovering a chilling “manifesto” listing additional elected officials he allegedly intended to target.
The court’s willingness to consider taxpayer-funded defense for a man who owns seven cars and substantial assets highlights a troubling disconnect in the justice system. As one observer noted, “Boelter owns a home and seven cars” yet pleads for public assistance—an irony that won’t sit well with hardworking Americans footing the bill.
