Rachel Marie Welsch, a 42-year-old woman from Hugo, has been charged with felony threats of violence and has been granted two protective orders in Stearns and Washington counties. She is accused of leaving threatening voicemails for two Republican state representatives, including Speaker of the House Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, and Rep. Patti Anderson. The Minnesota State Patrol has filed petitions for protective orders on behalf of Demuth and Anderson. Welsche has reportedly blamed the lawmakers for issues occurring in other states and made several vague threats. The threats came after state Rep. Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, her husband, Mark, and their dog were shot and killed in June.