A proposed resolution calling for a congressional investigation of President Donald Trump fizzled before the St. Paul City Council, which voted 6-1 on Wednesday to kill the effort.

“Symbolic resolutions, strictly for political purposes, when overused, become meaningless,” said council member Chris Tolbert, dressing down the proposal brought by colleague Dai Thao, who cast a lone vote in support of the resolution.

Thao, a St. Paul mayoral candidate, had sought to have the council ask Minnesota’s congressional delegation to investigate the president’s ties to Russia and any personal financial benefits he receives from foreign powers.

Thao’s resolution specifically called for the delegation to ask the House Judiciary Committee to investigate whether the president is violating the emoluments clause of the U.S. Constitution. His proposal also criticized Trump’s relationship with the media.

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How Mayor Carter’s proposed budget will impact libraries, Fire Dept., Public Works Council President Russ Stark noted that the local delegation — Democratic Rep. Betty McCollum represents the House district that includes St. Paul — does not sit on the House Judiciary Committee and is not in the majority party in Congress.

“I’m sympathetic to the underlying concept, but I’ll speak against the resolution,” Stark said.

“This type of request is something we could do with a letter, or a direct call to our very hard-working delegation,” said council member Amy Brendmoen. “I don’t feel that official city council action is appropriate.”

While acknowledging that he takes issue with Trump’s actions “hourly,” Tolbert delivered the lengthiest remarks against Thao’s proposal. Rather than symbolic political gestures, Tolbert said “we need to work on police-community relations … we need to work on transit cuts. … We need to work on protecting paid leave … jobs for unemployed youth, jobs for adults.”

As the council members prepared to vote, Thao defended his proposal by noting that federal policies affect local ones, and said the president’s rhetoric and actions were an affront to gay rights and women’s rights.