The man accused of killing one Minnesota legislator and wounding another found his victims’ home addresses on “people search” websites, according to court documents. The allegation has renewed calls for stricter data privacy laws.
Documents made public on Monday, June 16, state a notebook discovered in the vehicle of 57-year-old Vance Boelter listed the names of 11 registered data brokers, companies that collect and sell consumer data. The notebook also allegedly contained addresses, emails and telephone numbers for dozens of state and federal lawmakers.
Boelter is facing multiple state and federal charges related to the shooting deaths of Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, on June 13 at their home in a Minneapolis suburb. Authorities also charged Boelter with shooting state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. Both are expected to recover.
“Boelter stalked his victims like prey,” acting U.S. attorney Joseph Thompson said at a press conference Monday. “He researched his victims and their families. He used the internet and other tools to find their addresses and names, the names of their family members.”
Calls to regulate ‘sleazy’ industry
The shootings brought scrutiny to data brokers and prompted calls for regulation by data privacy advocates and some lawmakers.
In remarks to Wired, Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon called the data broker industry “sleazy” and argued no American would be safe until Congress acts.
“The accused Minneapolis assassin allegedly used data brokers as a key part of his plot to track down and murder Democratic lawmakers,” Wyden said. “Congress doesn’t need any more proof that people are being killed based on data for sale to anyone with a credit card.”
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota, whose name was reportedly on Boelter’s list, told Politico that she has “long advocated for data privacy for everyone” despite resistance from other lawmakers.
“Maybe these horrific murders will change the sentiment within Congress,” Klobuchar said.
In 2023, Sen. Amy Klobuchar partnered with Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas to sponsor a bill that allows federal lawmakers to prevent the sale of their personal information online. The bill did not pass.
Expanding protections
Since 2022, Congress has barred companies from reselling personal information about federal judges online, following the passage of “Daniel’s Law,” named after Daniel Anderl, the son of U.S. District Judge Esther Salas of New Jersey. In 2020, a gunman shot and killed Anderl when he answered the door at the family’s home. The shooter, who allegedly intended to kill the judge, found the address online.
Individuals can request that people search sites remove their personal information. But some companies charge fees to complete the request.
Rep. Lori Trahan, a Democrat from Massachusetts, wants to make the protections given to judges available for all Americans.
“Every American, not just elected officials, deserves the right to privacy, safety, and security,” Trahan told The Washington Post.
