Tag: Minnesota

Constituents of Minnesota’s U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar Reportedly Being Polled About Potential Challengers for 2020

Jason M. Reynolds

  Someone in the Democratic Party may be considering a test drive of a new candidate to challenge controversial first-term U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) (pictured, center). Residents in Omar’s district reportedly are being polled on support for alternative candidates for the 2020 elections. Minnesota political activist Tane Danger tweeted, “Just got a polling robo-call asking if I would be supporting @IlhanMN or “potential candidate” Andrea Jenkins (@annapoetic) for Congress in 2020 (pictured, right). It was clearly testing out some negative messaging against Rep. Omar. Who is paying for this polling and why? #MN05”. Just got a polling robo-call asking if I would be supporting @IlhanMN or “potential candidate” Andrea Jenkins (@annapoetic) for Congress in 2020. It was clearly testing out some negative messaging against Rep. Omar. Who is paying for this polling and why? #MN05 pic.twitter.com/QXgWKlFX4R — Tane Danger (@TaneDanger) June 21, 2019 Danger is co-founder of The Theater of Public Policy, which describes itself as a merger of nonprofit work and improv comedy to tackle “big ideas.” Jenkins, a Minneapolis poet and artist, has been rumored as a potential challenger since February, The Minnesota Sun reported. Jenkins, who is also Minneapolis City Council Vice President, is best known…

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Report: Northeast Cities the Most ‘Post-Christian’ in the Country While Tennessee’s Knoxville Appears in Top 100, Barely

Anthony Gockowski

  Cities in eight states from Maine to Massachusetts topped a list of the “Most Post-Christian Cities in America,” a new study released this month found. The Northeast region stands in stark contrast to the sole Tennessee city of Knoxville who barely cracked the top 100 – coming in at #99. The study, conducted by Barna research, is part of an ongoing survey of Americans based on a random sample of 21,378 adults conducted over a ten-year period. To be identified as post-Christian, an individual had to meet nine or more of the following factors: – Do not believe in God – Identify as atheist or agnostic – Disagree that faith is important in their lives – Have not prayed to God (in the last week) – Have never made a commitment to Jesus – Disagree the Bible is accurate – Have not donated money to a church (in the last year) – Have not attended a Christian church (in the last 6 months) – Agree that Jesus committed sins – Do not feel a responsibility to “share their faith” – Have not read the Bible (in the last week) – Have not volunteered at church (in the last week)…

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Ilhan Omar Defends AOC’s Comments Comparing Border Crisis to ‘Concentration Camps’

Anthony Gockowski

  Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) recently defended fellow freshman Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14), who’s facing ongoing criticism for calling immigrant detention centers “concentration camps.” Ocasio-Cortez made the comment during a Tuesday night live stream on Instagram, and has continued to stand by her remarks. “This administration has established concentration camps on the southern border of the United States for immigrants, where they are being brutalized with dehumanizing conditions and dying,” she wrote on Twitter. “This is not hyperbole. It is the conclusion of expert analysis.” This administration has established concentration camps on the southern border of the United States for immigrants, where they are being brutalized with dehumanizing conditions and dying. This is not hyperbole. It is the conclusion of expert analysis ⬇️https://t.co/2dWHxb7UuL — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 18, 2019 She later accused the GOP of supporting the building of “mass concentration camps on the southern border.” “Kids and families are dying. Now they want money for more—with zero negotiation on how money is spent,” she added. The GOP has supported building mass concentration camps on the southern border. Kids & families are dying. Now they want money for more – w/ ZERO negotiation on how $ is spent.…

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State Senator Looks to Change SNAP Requirements After Minnesota Millionaire Collected Food Stamps

Anthony Gockowski

  A Minnesota state senator wants to tighten the rules on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) after a local millionaire, in full compliance with the law, collected food stamps for more than a year. Rob Undersander was on Fox Business Thursday to explain how he pulled it off, noting that eligibility for SNAP is based on income only in Minnesota. “I was doing some volunteer work for the Central Minnesota Council on Aging where we helped seniors sign up for Medicare plans, navigate numerous resources and other social programs. I received formal training for this from the state of Minnesota. During one of the classes, they handed out a food stamp application in the event that we needed to help seniors fill it out, explaining that eligibility is based on income only. In comparison, for many other programs eligibility was ascending income limits and assets for descending benefits,” Undersander said. “In other words, if a person has money in the bank or in their retirement account, they don’t necessarily need government assistance. At the time, my wife and I were recently retired, drawing very little income, living off our savings—living very well. And I thought to myself: would I…

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Sureños 13 Gang Member in Country Illegally Charged with Attempted Murder And Kidnapping of Minnesota Woman

Anthony Gockowski

  Luis Alfredo Cortez Mendoza, a 23-year-old member of the Sureños 13 gang suspected of being in the country illegally, was charged Monday in Washington County District Court with attempted murder and kidnapping. His victim, a woman, was found in a pool of blood at 2:30 in the morning on June 9 in Stillwater. An Uber driver, who first thought the woman was “a dead animal in the street,” found her and led officers to the scene. Angel Ignacio Sardina-Padilla was arrested on Tuesday and charged with aiding and abetting attempted murder and kidnapping. According to the criminal complaint, Sardina-Padilla was “in charge” and Cortez Mendoza would reportedly “do anything Padilla asked him to.” Nicole Alberico, a spokeswoman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), told The Star Tribune that Cortez Mendoza is suspected of being in the country illegally. He has been deported to his native Mexico four times, Alberico added. Alberico wasn’t able to offer any information on Sardina-Padilla’s immigration status, telling The Star Tribune that “to determine their immigration status, ICE officers must first interview the individual who still has outstanding warrants for this state investigation.” The woman was transported to Regions Hospital in critical condition but has…

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Warren Leading in Minnesota, Klobuchar Polling in Fourth in Home State

Anthony Gockowski

  A new poll shows Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) leading the field in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary in Minnesota. According to the recent Change Research poll, Warren attracted the support of 21 percent of respondents, while former Vice President Joe Biden came in second with 20 percent of the vote, and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) placed third with 19 percent. Sixteen percent of respondents said they would vote for Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in Minnesota’s Democratic primary, putting her in fourth place in her home state. That puts her in front of South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), who polled at 11 percent and four percent, respectively. Younger voters between 18 and 49 preferred Sanders over Warren, while voters between the ages of 50 and 64 preferred Biden as the nominee. Klobuchar polled stronger among older voters as well, receiving 19 percent of the vote among respondents aged 50 to 64. Female voters selected Warren, Biden, and Klobuchar as their top candidates, while male voters preferred Sanders, Biden, and Buttigieg. Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH-13) polled at zero percent in Change Research’s poll, along with Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI-02) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). “Polling…

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Emails Show Omar’s Committee Boasting of Being Able to Shut Down Stories in Star Tribune

Anthony Gockowski

  Internal emails released this week show members of Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN-05) 2016 Minnesota House campaign committee attempting to “shut down” a story “as we do with the Strib.” “Strib” refers to the nickname used for The Star Tribune, Minnesota’s largest newspaper. The shocking emails were obtained by Powerline from the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board, which discovered the emails during its investigation into Omar’s campaign finance violations. As Powerline notes, the emails were written following the outlet’s publication of an August 12, 2016 story questioning Omar’s marital status—the first story discussing Omar’s alleged marriage to her brother. In response, Omar’s campaign committee temporarily hired Ben Goldfarb as a crisis communications manager. “Does anyone on the team have a relationship with Blois?” Goldfarb wrote in an August 15 email, referring to Blois Olson, best known in media circles for his popular newsletter, Morning Take. That morning, Olson had linked to Powerline’s article in his newsletter. “Someone should probably reach out to talk off the record and shut it down with him as we do with the Strib,” Goldfarb continued. “I don’t know him, but can do it if nobody has a relationship. And we can tighten up the statement today…

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Ilhan Omar Filed Joint Tax Returns with Man She Wasn’t Married to, Media Ignores Bombshell

Zachery Schmidt

  An investigation by Minnesota’s Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board into Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) found she violated campaign finance laws dating back to when she served a single term in the State House of Representatives from 2016-2018. But conservative Twitter quickly uncovered a more shocking detail in the report: she filed joint tax returns with a man she wasn’t married to. The report states that Omar filed joint tax returns in 2014 and 2015 with Ahmed Hirsi, even though she was married to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi from 2009-2017. “One payment of $750 was made to De Leon & Nestor, LLC for obtaining immigration records and one payment of $1,500 was made to Frederick $ Rosen, Ltd. for services related to Mr. Hirsi’s and Rep. Omar’s filed joint tax returns of 2014 and 2015,” Thursday’s report states. The Star Tribune, Minnesota’s most popular media outlet, picked up the story, but made no mention of the fact that Omar filed joint tax returns with Hirsi. “Media has hid the truth about Ilhan Omar for three years. It’s about to ruin them all,” said PJ Media‘s David Steinberg, who explained the bombshell in a Twitter thread Thursday. BREAKING — Important Ilhan…

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Minneapolis Official Calls for End to Car Ownership

Anthony Gockowski

  Sam Rockwell, president of the Minneapolis Planning Commission, suggested in a recent op-ed for The Star Tribune that in order “to save the planet, we have to get over cars.” “The way we live our lives is how we got into this climate catastrophe in the first place. Of course we have to change. And that means driving less, not just switching which model sedan we buy. It means transforming how our personal needs relate to stewardship of our Earth and our communities,” Rockwell said in the article. He was responding to a May 20 article published in The Star Tribune that “paints a picture of an electric-vehicle-filled world,” which he doesn’t think would be enough. Rockwell pointed to Minneapolis’ “2040 Plan,” which explains that “even with the adoption of electric cars, a 38% reduction in passenger miles traveled by automobile is needed.” “If we are obliged to reduce car travel—and perhaps even ownership—does that mean we’re stuck with Jordan’s ‘dreary post-apocalyptic future’? Only if you believe Paris, Vancouver, and New York fit that description. These communities and many others are built around comprehensive transit systems,” Rockwell continued. “Success of these systems, and the dense land uses that support…

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Court Orders Portion of Line 3 Pipeline Environmental Impact Statement to Return to Minnesota Public Utility Commission for Reconsideration

Jason M. Reynolds

  The Minnesota Court of Appeals on Monday overturned a portion of the environmental impact study of Enbridge Energy’s Line 3 oil pipeline replacement project. The court’s ruling is available here. The ruling says: Although we reject most of realtors’ assertions of error, we agree that the FEIS is inadequate because it does not address the potential impact of an oil spill into the Lake Superior watershed. Accordingly, we reverse the commission’s adequacy determination and remand for further proceedings consistent with this decision. FEIS refers to the final Environmental Impact Statement. Enbridge in April 2015 applied for a certificate of need and routing permit to install of 337 miles of pipe and facilities from the North Dakota-Minnesota border to the Minnesota-Wisconsin border to replace the already existing Line 3, part of Enbridge’s Mainline System, the court said. Environmental organizations and tribal bands had challenged a decision made last year by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission  (PUC) which found the FEIS was adequate, the court said. However, the court also upheld most of the environmental impact statement and dismissed most of the opponents’ arguments, Minnesota Public Radio said. The rejected arguments included claims that the study didn’t take into account the…

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Emmanuel Aranda, Who Threw 5-Year-Old Boy Over Mall of America Balcony, Receives 19-Year Prison Sentence

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by Neetu Chandak   The man who threw a 5-year-old boy over the Mall of America’s third-floor balcony in April was given a 19-year prison sentence Monday. Emmanuel Aranda, 24, pleaded guilty in May for attempted murder. The 40-foot fall left the boy, known publicly as Landen, with head trauma and broken bones. Landen and his parents did not appear in court Monday, but offered statements read in court by prosecutor Cheri Townsend, NBC News reported. “Your act was evil and selfish,” the boy’s father said in his statement. “You chose to listen to the worst parts of yourself that day. That is where your impact on us stops. You will take nothing more from us.” Aranda told investigators he was “looking for somebody to kill” on April 12 and was looking to kill another person at the mall, according to The Associated Press. He chose Landen when the previous plan did not “work out.” “God will judge you someday and I have peace with that,” his mother’s statement said, NBC reported. Prosecutors let go of an aggravated-circumstances component to the charge that could have made Aranda’s prison sentence 20 years instead of 19. Aranda could be on parole in 12 years if his behavior is good along…

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Minnesota Gov. Walz Says Republicans and Business Leaders Will Beg Him for a Gas Tax Next Year

Jason M. Reynolds

  Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he expects businesses and Republican legislators to suggest a gas tax to him next year. The governor, a member of the Democratic Farmer-Labor Party, made the remarks Friday during an interview with Mary Lahammer on Twin Cities Public TV. The Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus provided a video clip here. Hard pass. Again. ✋ pic.twitter.com/SU0QHuNGR2 — Minnesota Senate Republicans (@mnsrc) June 1, 2019 Walz said, ”I fully expect that the business community and Republicans legislators will suggest it to me.” The full interview is available here. (The gas tax discussion starts around 12 minutes and 6 seconds.) He said his proposal is not ideological but about needs. “That’s what the engineers tell us we need,” he said. It was obvious to him during negotiations that “Republicans weren’t going to do a single penny,” he said. When asked if he would revisit the tax next year, Walz made the remark about  opponents coming to him. The reaction was overwhelmingly skeptical on the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus’ Facebook video post here. In February, Center of the American Experiment criticized Walz’ planned tax hike of 20 cents per gallon of gas. So, even with a projected budget surplus…

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Growing Number of Felons Strain Probation System in Minnesota

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by Noell Evans   The number of people on probation in Minnesota has increased by 5,000 over the past five years. In 2018, more than 46,000 residents in the state were under some level of community supervision. But the state’s probation system has not grown at the same rate. It’s a concern that the state recognizes but a solution remains elusive. “Caseload sizes are already above the recommended standards and the number of persons under felony probation supervision continues to increase,” Sarah Fitzgerald, director of Communications and Media Relations for the Minnesota Department of Corrections, said. The American Probation and Parole Association recommended standards in 2011 for supervision agents are 20 to 1 for intensive felons, 50 to 1 for moderate to high felonies and 200 to 1 for low parolees. In Minnesota, the ratio is 66 to 1 for the most intensive parolees and 104 to 1 for moderate. “Minnesota has a long history of using community supervision as an alternative to incarceration,” Fitzgerald said. “While there are 10,000 incarcerated individuals, the state supervises over 100,000 individuals in the community. This practice of using community supervision saves taxpayer dollars and produces better justice system results through keeping people connected…

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Far-Left Group ‘Gender Justice’ Sues Minnesota to Further Loosen Abortion Restrictions

Zachery Schmidt

  As the nation sees many states make laws restricting abortion, a lawsuit in Minnesota tries to do the exact opposite. Gender Justice and the Lawyering Project filed a lawsuit on behalf of abortion rights advocates in the Ramsey County District Court where the plaintiffs are targeting laws which they deem restrictive. The lawsuit is targeting certain laws such as requiring a 24-hour waiting period and letting parents of patients under 18 known of the procedure. In addition, the lawsuit wants to eliminate the law requiring fetal remains to be cremated or buried. “Minnesota abortion laws are not only outdated, but they are harmful. Far too often they prevent people from getting the care they need when they need it,” Gender Justice Executive Director Megan J. Peterson said. Peterson went on to add that these laws serve no medical purpose and reflected “outdated, patriarchal views of women.” The lawsuit cites the 1995 Doe v. Gomez case, where the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled the state’s constitution allows for abortions in Minnesota and the right to decide to have an abortion without government interference. “We know too well that women and people who can get pregnant can never be equal in society…

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Minnesota Teens Are Working Less, But Older Residents Are Working More

Anthony Gockowski

  Minnesota teens are working less, while older Minnesotans are working more. That’s an alarming trend, according to Center of the American Experiment economist John Phelan. Phelan notes in a recent article that the labor force participation rate for Minnesotans aged 16 to 19 fell 19.1 percentage points between 1999 and 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But the participation rate increased by 9.6 percent among Minnesotans aged 55 to 64 between the same years. “Not all youth absolutely need jobs, so they’re very sensitive to market conditions,” Oriane Casale, assistant director of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development’s labor market information office told MinnPost. “Basically, if they see their friends working and they can easily find a job, then they’ll work. Otherwise, they might not even look for a job,” she added. Phelan points out that these trends are expected to continue, according to the Minnesota State Demographic Center’s predictions. They suggest that the participation rate for those aged 16 to 19 is forecast to drop by another nine percent between 2020 and 2045, but will increase for all age groups above 45. “This doesn’t just pose a problem for Minnesota by exacerbating the participation…

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Republican Says Minnesota Gov. Walz’s ‘Inexperience’ and ‘Incompetence’ Forced Special Session

Anthony Gockowski

  Gov. Tim Walz called a special session for the Minnesota Legislature so it could finish passing some of the state’s major budget bills, but some Republicans think a special session could have been avoided. The Legislature officially adjourned on Monday, May 20 at midnight after Walz and party leaders had spent most of the prior week in closed-door meetings hashing out their disagreements. Rep. Steve Drazkowski (R-Mazeppa), however, said “there was nothing in the last-hour agreement” that Walz couldn’t have had a week earlier. “By demanding so much, he lost so much more. As of the Monday deadline, the Democrats had not achieved a single one of their top ten goals,” he added. Drazkowski thinks that if Walz “had pivoted a week earlier, he could have succeeded.” “But he just dug in his heels and lost everything,” he continued, calling Walz “the big loser of the year when the 2019 legislative session crashed to a halt.” He said legislators didn’t stand a chance of passing bills on time since “no general targets were set until Sunday evening,” the night before the final day of the session. “It is unsurprising that Governor Walz could not negotiate against experienced legislators,” Drazkowski…

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Dean Phillips Agrees With Jake Tapper That Trump Is ‘Daring’ Dems to Impeach

Anthony Gockowski

  During an appearance on CNN last week, Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN-03) said President Trump’s impromptu Rose Garden speech showed a “woeful lack of leadership.” Trump apparently left a meeting with Democratic leadership after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said he was engaging in a “cover-up,” and instead went to the Rose Garden to speak with reporters. He said he would refuse work with Democrats on legislation until they “get these phony investigations over with.” “There’s no question whatsoever that the president is making it awfully difficult for us to do our jobs, which is to provide oversight over the executive branch,” Phillips said in response. “Whatever prompted his change of heart today in the Rose Garden, I’m not sure, but if that’s all it took, that’s a woeful lack of leadership.” “Do you think President Trump is daring House Democrats to impeach him?” host Jake Tapper then asked. “I got to tell you, Jake, it’s appearing increasingly evident that he may be doing just that,” Phillips replied. “It is our job to provide oversight. I think we’ve been methodical, we’ve been principled, and we’ve been awfully patient, but that patience has its limits. We surely are reaching that limit. If…

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Minnesota’s Presidential Hopeful Klobuchar Campaign Called 3 Percent Polling Number ‘Huge News’ in Fundraising Pitch

Anthony Gockowski

  Sen. Amy Klobuchar jumped from one percent to three percent between April and May in Monmouth University’s monthly polling, which her campaign called “huge news.” “There’s huge news in a new Monmouth poll. As more people learn more about Amy, her bold plans for our country, and how she’ll address the problems Americans face, they’re putting their support behind her,” a recent fundraising email from Klobuchar’s campaign said. “Polls go up and down, but this new Monmouth data confirms what we’re seeing on the ground: big crowds, great enthusiasm, and a surge of grassroots donations from Americans who want Amy to be our next president,” the email added. The poll, conducted by Monmouth University’s Polling Institute between May 16 and May 20, had Klobuchar polling at three percent overall. The poll, however, did show significant gains for female candidates, who received a combined 27 percent of support among Democratic voters, up from the 16 percent they received in April. “Women are commanding a larger slice of Democratic support than they were a few weeks ago and we are seeing bumps in their individual voter ratings,” said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute. “We can’t parse out…

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No Gas Tax Increase for Minnesota

Anthony Gockowski

  An omnibus transportation budget bill is on its way to Gov. Tim Walz’s desk without any gas tax increase. After clearing the DFL-controlled House Friday evening, the bill passed out of the Senate later Friday night in a 54-13 vote. It’s official…no gas tax increase in Minnesota. Senate just passed transportation bill after House passed earlier. On its way to the governor. pic.twitter.com/Yk81S8lq3j — Tom Hauser (@thauserkstp) May 25, 2019 The transportation bill was one of 13 bills state lawmakers passed during their marathon 21-hour special session that wrapped up Saturday morning just before 7 a.m. “This year we drove down the cost of health care, gave tax relief to the middle class, made historic investments in education, and funded roads and bridges. This is a budget that all Minnesotans can be proud of,” Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-Nisswa) said Saturday morning. “This year we drove down the cost of healthcare, gave tax relief to the middle class, made historic investments in education, and funded roads and bridges. This is a budget that all Minnesotans can be proud of.” #mnleg pic.twitter.com/IiBzkg1Og0 — Paul Gazelka (@paulgazelka) May 25, 2019 Sen. Scott Newman (R-Hutchinson), chair of the Senate Transportation Finance…

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Pelosi Continues Swing Through Midwest With Speech at DFL Fundraiser

Anthony Gockowski

  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke Friday night at the DFL’s annual Humphrey-Mondale Dinner in Minneapolis, continuing her swing through key Midwest states. “The House Democratic Majority in Washington has been hard at work tackling the toughest issues facing our country, just as the DFL has been doing in Minnesota,” Pelosi said in a press release. “Democrats have led the way on everything from job-creating infrastructure investments to lowering the prices of prescription drugs. Republicans have responded with division, obfuscation and theatrics.” Pelosi said it was “an honor to celebrate our accomplishments, both legislative and electoral, with so many fine Minnesota Democrats.” “I’m proud of our record of fighting for the American people and I’m confident that record will carry us to victory in 2020,” she added. Both President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have visited Minnesota in recent months. Trump has gone on record saying he believes he could have won Minnesota in 2016 had he made one more visit to the state. “Right now, the DFL is in one of the strongest positions in our party’s storied 75-year history,” DFL Chairman Ken Martin said. “We are offering Minnesotans great schools, fair wages, and affordable health care,…

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Former Minneapolis Police Officer and Convicted Murderer Mohamed Noor Sued for Pulling Gun on Man During Routine Traffic Stop

Anthony Gockowski

  Former Minneapolis Police Officer Mohamed Noor is now being sued by a man who claims Noor pulled a gun on him during a routine traffic stop just months before the murder of Justine Ruszczyk Damond. The lawsuit, which was obtained by KSTP, was filed by Minneapolis resident Brian Oman, and lists Noor, Officer Justin Schmidt, and the City of Minneapolis as defendants. Dash-cam video of the May 2017 incident was first released in February and does, in fact, show Noor pointing a gun at Oman’s head while he approaches the vehicle. The prosecution in Noor’s murder trial asked to use the video to show that he had a history of “unnecessarily escalating force,” according to KARE 11. Noor’s attorneys claimed at the time that the prosecution’s description was “grossly misleading” and that Noor was justified in pulling his gun. In any event, Noor, who was found guilty of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for the shooting of Damond, is now being sued by Oman in response to the incident. The lawsuit claims that Noor and his partner violated Oman’s Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizure. It goes on to state that the officers “assaulted, maliciously prosecuted and…

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Minnesota Teachers Union Calls for Voting in a ‘New Senate’ After Education Budget

Anthony Gockowski

  Education Minnesota, the state’s largest teachers union, urged Minnesotans to “vote in a new Senate” after an education budget agreed to by party leaders was released. “This is a lukewarm outcome to a legislative session that had a lot of potential for Minnesota students,” Education Minnesota President Denise Specht said in a press release. “We have a status quo in our public schools that is driving out educators, failing to serve the needs of thousands of students and was rejected by voters who elected a former educator as governor in a landslide last year.” Gov. Tim Walz, House Speaker Melissa Hortman (D-Brooklyn Park), and Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-Nisswa) agreed on an education budget over the weekend that will increase the general education funding formula by two percent for the next two years. Looks like education might be settled or largely so, by leadership/gov. #mnleg pic.twitter.com/PkC34wJszf — Brian Bakst (@Stowydad) May 21, 2019 Education Minnesota’s response to the deal isn’t exactly a positive sign for Walz, who considers teacher unions to be among his strongest political allies. But Specht placed the blame for the “disappointing” budget squarely on the shoulders of the Republican-controlled Senate. “Educators recognize that Gov.…

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Minnesota GOP House Leader Calls 2019 Session ‘Least Productive’ and ‘Least Transparent’ in History

Anthony Gockowski

  House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt (R-Crown) had some harsh words for his Democratic colleagues in the Minnesota House after the 2019 legislative session came to an official close Monday at midnight. Party leaders and Gov. Tim Walz agreed on a $48.3 billion biennial budget on Sunday, giving lawmakers hardly a day to wrap things up. By Monday’s midnight deadline, the Minnesota House and Senate had sent just one major budget bill to Walz’s desk—a higher education finance bill. A special session is inevitable, but nobody seems to know exactly when it will start or how long it will take. Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-Nisswa) has been telling reporters that he hopes to have a special session on Thursday and possibly Friday, before Memorial Day weekend. Just ran into Sen Gazelka, he says he’s still feeling good about a Thursday/Friday special session #mnleg @TPT #tptAlmanac — Mary Lahammer (@mlahammer) May 21, 2019 One thing is for sure: Daudt was not pleased with how the 2019 session transpired. “This has been the least productive, least transparent session in the history of this state. Minnesotans should be ashamed of the process at the end of this legislative session. They passed one…

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Group of ’10-12 Somali Teens’ Allegedly Chased Light Rail Patrons With Hammers

Anthony Gockowski

  Minnesota Crime Watch and Information reported for Alpha News Monday that an alleged mob of Somali teens were chasing Light Rail patrons with hammers at the East Bank station Friday night. Alpha News notes that a post from the Minneapolis Scanner Facebook page reported Friday night at 9:49 p.m. that the University of Minnesota Police Department, Metro Transit Police, and the Minneapolis Police Department were “responding to multiple calls of [a] group of 10-12 Somali teen males armed with hammers chasing people.” “Several injuries reported,” the Minneapolis Scanner page, which posts summaries of police scanner audio, reported. The Second Precinct Minneapolis Crime Watch and Information Facebook page posted a similar report just minutes earlier. “UMPD requesting assist from MPD and Metro Transit police at the East Bank LRT station for a group of 8-10 males chasing people with hammers. Some people have been injured,” the page reported. Minnesota Crime Watch and Information obtained police dispatch audio from Friday evening confirming the incident did occur. “The U of M PD is asking for assistance from Metro Transit and Minneapolis for a group of 8-10 males at the East Bank Light Rail station chasing people around with hammers. They do have…

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Minneapolis Wants to Ban New Drive-Thru Windows to Reduce Carbon Emissions

Anthony Gockowski

  Minneapolis wants to ban all new drive-thru windows citywide in order to cut down on carbon emissions produced by idling cars. The City Planning Commission has been considering a drive-thru ban since 2017, but the idea didn’t really start to come to fruition until the 2018 conversations surrounding the “Minneapolis 2040” comprehensive city plan. Now, according to a report prepared by the planning commission, a new ordinance wants to take language included in the comprehensive city plan and “expand the prohibition of new drive-through facilities to all zoning districts citywide.” “A text amendment that specifically addresses regulations is timely given the number of proposals for new drive-through facilities that have been considered by the City Planning Commission in the last few years and the undesirable impacts these uses have,” the report states. “Said impacts include noise, extended idling, proliferation of curb cuts, conflicts with pedestrians, and traffic generation.” The report lists seven pending proposals to build new drive-thru windows within city limits for businesses such as banks, pharmacies, coffee shops, and fast-food restaurants. Some, however, think the ban would have an adverse impact on the most vulnerable residents, such as the elderly and disabled, or even parents with young…

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Critics: Family-Oriented Culture, Not High Taxes, Is Why Minnesota Ranks Among Best Places to Live

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by Bethany Blankley   Minnesota ranks among the top places to live in the country according to the most recent U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best States Rankings. Some political leaders are attributing Minnesota’s third-place ranking to its high taxes, but critics argue that couldn’t be further from the truth. The Center of the American Experiment compared U.S. News’ ranking with the Tax Foundation’s state’s business tax climate analysis, which ranked Minnesota eighth-worst. Minnesota’s state and local tax burden was the 11th-highest in the U.S. in fiscal 2016, according to a report produced Key Policy Data (KPD). And according to the financial watchdog Truth In Accounting, Minnesota’s finances are on a “roller coaster ride,” with every taxpayer owing $4,700 to pay off the state’s debt. “We see no strong relationship between a state’s tax burden, as measured by the Tax Foundation, and whether it is a better or worse state, according to U.S. News & World Report,” John Phelan, an economist at the Center of the American Experiment, said in a statement. “Simply put, the causal relationship of ‘high taxes [lead to a] better state,’ just does not exist,” he argues. “Washington and New Hampshire, the two states which…

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University of Minnesota Has Been Offering Scholarships and Financial Aid to Illegal Immigrants Since 2013

Anthony Gockowski

  Minnesota high school graduates who are in the country illegally but meet “certain criteria” are eligible for in-state tuition rates, financial aid, and scholarships at the University of Minnesota. Campus Reform recently exposed the story, though the policy has actually been in place since 2013, when the Minnesota Legislature passed its Minnesota Dream Act. According to Minnesota’s Office of Higher Education, students in the country illegally can qualify for in-state tuition rates, state financial aid, and privately funded scholarships provided by public schools if they meet a list of four criteria, including attendance at a Minnesota high school for at least three years and proof of graduation or a GED. Additionally, the state requires that students “provide documentation to show they have applied for lawful immigration status, but only if a federal process exists for a student to do so.” “There is currently not a federal process in place, so this documentation is not currently required,” the Office of Higher Education notes. The University of Minnesota explains on its website that the school’s Board of Regents adopted the Minnesota Dream Act as official university policy in July 2013, shortly after former Gov. Mark Dayton signed it into law. “At…

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Despite Budget Surpluses, Tax Increases Still Debated in Minnesota as May 20 Deadline Looms

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by Bethany Blankey   Joint conference committees continue to hash out differences with the hope of reaching the May 20 deadline and closing a $2 billion gap between conflicting budget priorities. Still up for discussion in the Minnesota legislature are proposed fees on drug distributors and manufacturers to pay for opioid addiction, treatment and prevention, which opponents argue doesn’t address the real issue and would only suppress an industry providing medication to people who need them. Instead of targeting businesses, stricter criminal justice measures should be implemented, they argue. Another is allocating federal money toward securing the voting system, a 20-cent gas tax hike on top of additional spending on transportation projects, extending a 2 percent tax on medical providers, known as the “sick tax,” which is set to expire, in addition to increased spending on healthcare programs at a time when extensive fraud was uncovered by the state auditor’s office. The jobs and energy conference committee is grappling with a statewide family leave program paid for through a new tax on employees and employers, and a Senate spending bill that would block cities from passing and enforcing their own employment ordinances. The bill would likely reverse the Minneapolis ordinance…

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Ellison Joins Amicus Brief in Support of Non-Binary Colorado Resident Who Had Passport Denied

Anthony Gockowski

  Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced Wednesday that he has joined a “coalition of attorneys general” in defending the “rights of gender non-binary individuals.” According to a press release from Ellison’s office, he is joined in the amicus brief by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Maine, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. The case, Zzyym v. Pompeo, centers around Colorado resident Dana Zzyym, who applied for a passport that would “reflect an undisputed fact—that Zzyym was born intersex and is neither male nor female.” “The U.S. Department of State denied the application for the sole reason that Zzyym did not designate ‘M’ or ‘F’ in the field asking for the applicant’s gender and instead identified as ‘intersex.’ Although the Department stated that it would provide a passport listing Zzyym’s gender as ‘M’ or ‘F,’ the Department refused to provide a passport with an ‘X,’ the marker recognized internationally for individuals whose gender is neither male nor female,” the amicus brief explains. The U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado found in a September 2018 ruling that the U.S. Department of State’s gender policy was “arbitrary and capricious and that the passport application denial was in excess…

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Mother of Minneapolis Man Who Threw Boy from Mall of America Balcony Says Her Son Doesn’t Belong in Jail

Anthony Gockowski

  Emmanuel Deshawn Aranda, the 24-year-old man who was “looking for someone to kill” when he threw a five-year-old boy from a balcony at the Mall of America, entered a guilty plea Tuesday that will send him to prison for 19 years. Aranda’s mother, Becky Aranda, however, told reporters outside the courtroom that her son doesn’t belong in jail and that he “needs mental help.” “He don’t belong in jail. He needs mental help. That’s what he needs. He don’t need to be in jail. He’s really sick,” she said. Aranda’s mom Becky Aranda said her son has mental health issues and should not be in jail, but he refused to see family to challenge case pic.twitter.com/klKpgHZ57i — Chao Xiong (@_ChaoXiong) May 14, 2019 Mrs. Aranda also revealed that her son showed up at his sister’s house three nights before the incident and shoved her. “When she called me after midnight, she told me that he had shoved her, which is something he had never done before. She immediately called the police and explained to the police about his mental situation and that they needed to locate him immediately before he did something else drastic to somebody else,” she said…

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Ilhan Omar Comes to Rashida Tlaib’s Defense in Backlash Over Holocaust Comments

Anthony Gockowski

  Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) has repeatedly defended her colleague Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13) against criticisms related to comments she made about the Holocaust on a podcast over the weekend. “There’s always kind of a calming feeling I tell folks when I think of the Holocaust, and the tragedy of the Holocaust, and the fact that it was my ancestors, Palestinians, who lost their land and some lost their lives, their livelihood, their human dignity, their existence in many ways have been wiped out, and some people’s passports,” Tlaib said on a Saturday episode of the podcast “Skullduggery.” “And just all of it was in the name of trying to create a safe haven for Jews post the Holocaust, post the tragedy and the horrific persecution of Jews across the world at that time,” she continued. Tlaib immediately faced backlash for the comments, and was accused of engaging in revisionist history. “She ignored the fact that Palestinian leaders at the time allied themselves with Hitler and that total war is how the Arab world reacted to the declaration of Israeli independence,” CNN anchor John King said on his Monday show. Writing for The New York Post, Lahav Harkov, contributing editor…

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Ohio and Minnesota Join Lawsuit Against ‘Corporate Drug Cartel’

Anthony Gockowski

  Attorneys General from 44 different states announced their participation Monday in a lawsuit against 20 of the nation’s leading generic drug manufactures. Both Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison have joined the lawsuit, highlighting the bipartisan nature of the issue. “Ohioans who need medicine might think generic drugs would be their cheapest option, but some manufacturers have rigged the system to avoid competition,” Yost said Monday. “That’s not how a free market works, and the conspiracy to avoid competition makes prices higher – and it’s against the law. This lawsuit is the prescription for lower medicine prices in a free market.” The lawsuit, led by the state of Connecticut, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut and explicitly names 15 defendants who are senior level executives responsible for sales and marketing. The lawsuit alleges that they “engaged in a broad, coordinated and systematic campaign to conspire with each other to fix prices, allocate markets and rig bids for more than 100 different generic drugs.” The complaint also details an “interconnected web” of top executives who frequently met with each other and communicated via text messages to sow “the seeds…

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Minnesota Budget Talks Break Down as Shutdown Looms

Anthony Gockowski

  Budget negotiations broke down Monday night as a visibly frustrated Gov. Tim Walz emerged from a third round of meetings and blasted Republicans in the Senate. “I don’t have fair partners to work with right now,” Walz said during a 15-minute conversation with reporters. “They cannot stand in front of you with a straight face, no matter how many emojis are behind them.” Walz was referring to Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka’s (R-Nisswa) use of a chart containing emojis to explain the Republicans’ latest budget offer. “Minnesota is in good shape with enough money in our budget, reserves, and surplus. No need for a $12 billion increase in taxes over the next four years,” the Senate GOP wrote on Twitter. Minnesota is in good shape with enough money in our budget, reserves, and surplus! No need for a $12 billion increase in taxes over the next 4 years. 👍🏻 #mnleg pic.twitter.com/km3h8oUI2a — Minnesota Senate Republicans (@mnsrc) May 14, 2019 The Republican-controlled Senate has been unwilling to budge on the 20-cent gas tax increase or the continuation of the medical provider tax. Instead, Republicans would like to pull $75 million for K-12 education, and $25 million for public safety from…

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Vice President Pence Calls for Omar to be Removed from House Foreign Affairs Committee

Anthony Gockowski

  Vice President Mike Pence said during his visit to Minnesota last week that Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) has “no place” on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. In early April, the GOP pushed for Omar’s removal from the Foreign Affairs Committee in response to her description of the 9/11 terror attacks as “some people did something.” Pence was in Minnesota Thursday to urge Congress to pass the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and spoke with Fox News about Omar’s comments. “Look, Ilhan Omar has made statements, anti-Semitic comments, statements against our most cherished ally, Israel, that ought to be rejected by every American,” Pence said. “And frankly, the fact that very recently she’s been trying to blame the United States of America for the deprivation and the poverty brought on by the dictatorship in Venezuela, it tells me—look, the people of Minnesota will decide whether or not she remains in Congress, but Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has no place on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Democratic leadership ought to remove her,” he continued. Pence recently criticized Omar for her comments on the political situation in Venezuela. Omar said in early May that America has “helped lead the devastation in Venezuela.”…

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‘Stealth Newspaper Campaign’ Exposes ‘Jew Hatred’ at the University of Minnesota

Anthony Gockowski

  A self-described “stealth newspaper campaign” is seeking to expose “Jew hatred” on campuses with a history of anti-Semitic activity, including the University of Minnesota. “Stop University Support for Terrorists,” a project of the David Horowitz Freedom Center, distributed 1,000 copies of its new report on the University of Minnesota campus. The report is titled: “An Epidemic of Jew Hatred on Campus: the Top Ten Neo-Nazi Incidents,” and highlights a March 2018 incident that occurred at the University of Minnesota. At the time, the university’s Department of Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies held an event dedicated to promoting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement as part of the school’s “Divest Week,” organized by Students for Justice in Palestine. “This rampant support for the anti-Semitic and genocidal BDS movement on the part of an official university academic department is a flagrant violation of the proper role of an academic institution and reveals the depths of Jew hatred on the University of Minnesota campus,” the report states. According to a press release from the David Horowitz Freedom Center, printed newspapers were “placed in public locations such as student centers, dining halls, classroom buildings and elsewhere where students would encounter them.” “So…

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Committee Reviewing 1,043-Page Bill Raises Issue Over Minnesota’s Omnibus Process

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  With the May 20 end of session looming, Minnesota lawmakers remain far apart on reaching a deal on the next state budget. The House and Senate each passed their own spending plans, and a conference committee began meeting late last week to hash out differences over a 1,043 page House Omnibus bill that increases spending on health and human services and has drawn criticism from both sides of the aisle. Budget talks broke off late Monday. The Senate version of the bill is significantly shorter, and while it calls for no increased taxes and focuses on reform measures, it still spends $1.6 billion more than the current budget, which ends June 30. Omnibus bills involve legislation that contain more than one substantive issue, or several minor issues combined as one bill. When criticized over the length of the omnibus bill, House Speaker Melissa Hortman said, “I fought hard in private negotiations with Sen. [Paul] Gazelka for us to have an education policy bill, an environment policy bill, a health policy bill, an elections policy bill, an energy policy bill. And he prefers that we put those things in the larger public bills.” Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, said there is…

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Pence Calls on Congress to Pass USMCA During Visit to Minnesota

Anthony Gockowski

  Vice President Mike Pence called on Congress to pass the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) during his visit to Minnesota Thursday. Pence made two stops during his Minnesota visit, first talking with farmers at R & J Johnson Farms in Glyndon before making his way down to St. Paul to talk with steelworkers at Gerdau Ameristeel. While visiting with farmers on the Minnesota-North Dakota border, Pence was informed of the importance of exports to China for Minnesota’s soybean farmers. “30 percent of our U.S. production hopefully goes to China. That hasn’t been the case, and that’s why we’re hurting,” one farmer told Pence. “One of the things we wanted to show you as far as importance of trade. In Minnesota, 60 percent of all of our soybeans are exported. Every six rows of every 10 are exported. So exports are a huge, huge factor in agriculture for this state,” another added, noting that the “biggest export market is China.” Minnesota’s DFL Party highlighted the exchange on Twitter, saying the Trump administration’s “trade wars are doing serious damage to soybean farmers across Minnesota.” “Farmers are hurting, they said it to Mike Pence’s face. Farmers in the bottom 20 percent lost an…

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Klobuchar Joins Fox News for Town Hall Event in Wisconsin

Anthony Gockowski

  Sen. Amy Klobuchar joined Fox News Wednesday night for a town hall in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a state Hillary Clinton famously skipped during the 2016 election. According to Fox News, the network allows candidates to select the location for their town halls and Klobuchar picked Milwaukee, which will also host the 2020 Democratic National Convention. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) was the first to join Fox News for one of its town halls, and it was later reported that candidates were “flocking” to the network, even after the DNC announced in March that Fox News would not “serve as a media partner for the 2020 Democratic primary debates.” Moderators Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum covered a number of topics, but began by asking Klobuchar if she agrees with the House Democrats’ vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt. “Yes, the Attorney General is the people’s lawyer,” Klobuchar responded, saying “he should be showing up and answering questions.” Klobuchar said that although the economy is doing well, when “you go out there and talk to real people, they feel like they’re not sharing in this prosperity.” “There are jobs out there, we know that,” she said. “But it’s become harder…

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After Trump Rule Change, Minnesota Home Care Workers Can Decide for Themselves Whether to Pay Union Dues

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by Bethany Blankey   Minnesota Personal Care Attendants (PCAs) are speaking out about the Trump administration’s decision to prevent unions from taking hundreds of millions of dollars from their paychecks. The Obama-era rule allowed Medicaid payments to be diverted to government unions, which the Trump administration found violates the Social Security Act. “The rule change means family members and friends who stay home to care for loved ones will keep all of the Medicaid payments intended for them, rather than paying hundreds of dollars to the SEIU,” the state’s fiscal conservative think tank, the Center of the American Experiment, said in a statement. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is one of two of the largest public sector unions in the country that lost more than 90 percent of their fee-paying nonmembers less than one year after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Janus vs. AFSCME. “Currently, the state of Minnesota takes money out of Medicaid support checks meant to improve the quality of life of America’s sick, elderly and disabled, and gives it to the SEIU,” the center explains. The process of unions siphoning money from Medicaid became legal in 2013 after former Gov. Mark Dayton and the majority-DFL…

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Ilhan Omar Scheduled to Headline Another CAIR Fundraiser

Anthony Gockowski

  Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) is scheduled to headline another fundraiser for the Hamas-linked Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). CAIR’s Washington state chapter announced last week that Omar would be speaking at its May 25 fundraiser along with Motiva Johnson-Harrell, a state representative from Pennsylvania and the first Muslim woman in its State Legislature. TICKETS ARE HERE! 🎟️ https://t.co/rr2d40XKSm#IlhanOmar #Muslim2020 #Ramadan2019 pic.twitter.com/r59xRUcirx — CAIR Washington (@CAIRWashington) May 2, 2019 The fundraiser is titled “Unapologetically Us: Building Muslim Power for 2020 and Beyond.” “The coming year will be pivotal for our community and for the nation as a whole. There are many challenges from violent Islamophobia to xenophobic policies, but there’s also hope,” an event description states. “American Muslims have seen political representation like never before, including the election of Ilhan Omar, the first Somali-American and one of two American Muslim women elected to Congress.” CAIR goes on to invite its supporters to “join us for an evening of conversation, inspiration, and strategizing on how we can best defend our community everyday while building power for 2020.” In March, Omar headlined CAIR’s Fourth Annual Valley Banquet in Los Angeles and faced widespread backlash for comments she made during her speech. At…

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DFL Chairman Slams Pence for ‘Legacy of Homophobia’ Ahead of Minnesota Visit

Anthony Gockowski

  Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to visit Minnesota Thursday to promote the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and discuss its impact on farmers and steel workers. Pence will stop at R & J Johnson Farms in Glyndon before heading to Gerdau Ameristeel, a steel mill in St. Paul. A White House official told The Star Tribune that he will talk with workers about the benefits of the USMCA. DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin issued a statement Tuesday in response to Pence’s upcoming visit. “I’d like to remind Vice President Pence that the majority of Minnesotans did not vote for him and do not support his tariffs that are devastating to our farmers, his massive giveaway to the rich disguised as a tax bill, or his efforts to take away our health care,” Martin said. “Minnesotans pride ourselves on being open, welcoming, and hospitable,” he continued. “Pence’s recklessness and cruelty are anathema to our values, as is his legacy of homophobia and discrimination. DFLers will continue working around the clock to ensure that Mike Pence is a one-term Vice President.” Republican Party Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan said she is “pleased to welcome Vice President Mike Pence to the great state of…

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Shocking Report Finds Minnesota Taxpayers Foot the Bill While State Employees Are Placed on Leave for Crimes and Misconduct

Anthony Gockowski

  A shocking new report found that state employees who are under investigation for crimes and misconduct are paid millions in taxpayers dollars while they are on administrative or investigative leave. KARE 11, who uncovered the scandal, is dubbing the controversy “stay away pay,” since state employees are effectively paid to stay away from their place of work. A.J. Lagoe of KARE 11 found that Ramsey County Correctional Officer Travis VanDeWiele, for instance, received $121,555 in pay over a two year period while he was on administrative leave. VanDeWiele was placed on leave for using excessive force, and continued to receive pay for a year after he plead guilty to disorderly conduct. Former Minneapolis Police Officer Thomas Tichich, meanwhile, was paid $65,000 over a 13 month period while awaiting trial for sexually assaulting a passed out woman. Tichich was convicted and is now in prison. In total, the investigation found that between January 1, 2015 and May 31, 2018, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Ramsey County, and Hennepin County paid out $3.7 million in “stay away pay.” “Well I think it’s a scandal. I think people are rightly outraged when they find out that many public employees in this state have been…

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Minnesota House DFL Voted Down Amendments to Make Sure Financial Aid Goes Only to Legal Residents

Anthony Gockowski

  The DFL-controlled Minnesota House voted down two amendments to its omnibus higher education finance bill last week that would have ensured state financial aid goes only to legal residents. One of those amendments was introduced by Rep. Mary Franson (R-Alexandria) and would have made sure that only legal residents qualify for in-state tuition rates. “Members, citizenship is under assault,” Franson said on the House floor. “There are perks to being a citizen to the state of Minnesota, one of which is state grant dollars and in-state tuition. Taxpayers, though, should not be burdened with extra benefits that go to non-citizens.” Franson argued that “student citizens are hurt by the preference given to those here in this country illegally.” Her amendment was ultimately voted down, as was one introduced by Rep. Eric Lucero (R-Dayton). Lucero’s amendment would have guaranteed that, in the event of funding cuts, illegal immigrants would lose state financial aid before the family members of wounded or deceased first responders and veterans. The language surrounding financial aid for illegal immigrants stems from a bill introduced earlier this session by Rep. Carlos Mariani (DFL-St. Paul). His bill, which was incorporated into the omnibus higher education finance bill, would…

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Commentary: Mogadishu Comes to Minneapolis

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by Jesse B. Russell   Ridley Scott’s 2001 masterpiece, “Black Hawk Down,” has become, like his 2000 “Gladiator,” a classic tale of the triumph and tragedy as well as the courage, heroism, and sacrifice of a small band of brothers showcasing crucial elements of what classicist Victor Davis Hanson, has called, “the Western way of war.” Based on Mark Bowden’s 1999 chronicle, “Black Hawk Down” narrates the story of the 1993 attempt by U.S. Special Forces to capture Somali warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid and his entourage in and near the Somali capital city of Mogadishu. The true story, as is commonly known, becomes a horrific bloodbath in which 19 American soldiers died at the hands of surprisingly resistant Somali militants. However, the story, under Ridley Scott’s careful command, becomes a celebration of the valor of American soldiers in the face of foreign fighters. At the same time, like Scott’s other great film chronicling an ethnic and religious clash, “Kingdom of Heaven,” “Black Hawk Down,” despite the unjust protest of leftist film critics, presents a humanizing if not sympathetic view of the Somali people—the scene in which young smiling Somali boys playfully run along with beleaguered members of Delta Force and…

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President of Minneapolis Parks and Rec Says Lake Calhoun Residents Live on ‘Stolen Dakota Land’

Anthony Gockowski

  President of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Brad Bourn recently said that homeowners on Lake Calhoun are living “on stolen Dakota land.” The comments were made in the midst of an ongoing legal battle over the name of the popular Minneapolis lake. In January 2018, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources approved of renaming the lake to Bde Maka Ska, its original Dakota name. But an April 29 ruling from the Minnesota Court of Appeals found that the DNR “exceeded its authority” in renaming the lake. Renaming privileges, the ruling stated, are reserved for the State Legislature in cases when a name has been in use for 40 or more years. The DNR later announced that it would petition the ruling to the Minnesota Supreme Court. Despite the ruling, Bourn claimed that the lake will continue to be called Bde Maka Ska “for generations to come.” “The most beautiful lake in Minneapolis has been called Bde Maka Ska for generations before white settlers stole it from the Dakota,” he wrote in a Facebook post. “While it saddens me that 318 property ‘owners’ on stolen Dakota land around Bde Maka Ska calling themselves ‘Save Lake Calhoun’ have prevailed at…

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Conference Committees Meet to Hash Out Tax, Spending Increases in Minnesota Budgets

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by Bethany Blankley   With 17 days to go before the end of session, legislative conference committees began meeting Friday to hash out differing proposals for three of the most contentious omnibus bills yet to be voted on by the full Legislature. The Omnibus tax bill, Omnibus Health and Human Services (HHS), and Omnibus jobs and economic development, energy and climate, and telecommunications policy and finance bills are all expected to be revised through the weekend. Omnibus bills include numerous items that might not be passed on their own and only require a single legislative vote. The House Omnibus HHS bill alone is 1,043 pages long. Both Democratic Gov. Tim Walz’s budget proposal and the Democratic House spending plan raise taxes at a time when the state’s tax revenue is at a record high with an expected billion-dollar surplus. The House plan includes new payroll taxes, new licensing fees and government mandates, in addition to other measures, which the Department of Revenue states would hurt low-income Minnesotans the most. The department’s report estimates that individuals earning less than $14,528 annually would pay an extra $2.37 for every $100 of income, more than double what the highest income earners would pay. On…

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Conference Committees Meet to Hash Out Tax, Spending Increases in Minnesota Budgets

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by Bethany Blankley   With 17 days to go before the end of session, legislative conference committees began meeting Friday to hash out differing proposals for three of the most contentious omnibus bills yet to be voted on by the full Legislature. The Omnibus tax bill, Omnibus Health and Human Services (HHS), and Omnibus jobs and economic development, energy and climate, and telecommunications policy and finance bills are all expected to be revised through the weekend. Omnibus bills include numerous items that might not be passed on their own and only require a single legislative vote. The House Omnibus HHS bill alone is 1,043 pages long. Both Democratic Gov. Tim Walz’s budget proposal and the Democratic House spending plan raise taxes at a time when the state’s tax revenue is at a record high with an expected billion-dollar surplus. The House plan includes new payroll taxes, new licensing fees and government mandates, in addition to other measures, which the Department of Revenue states would hurt low-income Minnesotans the most. The department’s report estimates that individuals earning less than $14,528 annually would pay an extra $2.37 for every $100 of income, more than double what the highest income earners would pay. On…

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Polling Continues to Show Strong Opposition to 20-Cent Gas Tax Increase

Anthony Gockowski

  Veteran political reporter Tom Hauser was chastised in December by at least one state representative when he correctly pointed out that all but one recent poll showed opposition to a gas tax increase. Hauser said at the time that “nearly ever poll,” with the exception of one Star Tribune poll, showed that a majority or plurality of Minnesotans opposed an increase in the state’s gas tax, as The Minnesota Sun reported. He noted that “every KSTP/SurveyUSA poll in the last 15 years” found opposition to an increase. Polling has continued to confirm Hauser’s analysis. A late April poll from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and the Minnesota Business Partnership found that 65 percent of Minnesotans oppose Gov. Tim Walz’s proposed 20-cent gas tax hike. Now, a new poll conducted for the Center of the American Experiment by Meeting Street Research has found similar results. The poll, published in the latest issue of Thinking Minnesota, found that 60 percent of Minnesotans oppose the 20-cent increase, and 45 percent are strongly opposed. Just 35 percent of respondents said they support the increase, and an even smaller 17 percent “strongly” support it. The 20-cent increase, which was approved Monday by the Minnesota…

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DFL State Rep Supports Allowing Minnesota Prisoners to Vote

Anthony Gockowski

  A DFL state representative revealed during a recent debate on the Minnesota House floor that he supports allowing incarcerated individuals to vote from prison. “I actually am looking forward to a bill or amendment … that would put Minnesota in line with states like Vermont and Maine that actually allow individuals who are locked up to vote. So I look forward to the day when we have that bill on the floor to debate it,” said Rep. Raymond Dehn (DFL-Minneapolis), who chairs the House Subcommittee on Elections. The comments were made during a Tuesday debate on the omnibus state government and veterans and military affairs finance bill, a massive spending bill that would draw $1.2 billion from the state’s general fund during the next biennium. Specifically, the House was debating an amendment put forward by Rep. Jim Nash (R-Waconia) that would have removed language on elections from the omnibus bill. He argued that election measures typically receive their own bill. “We have one of the most hyper-partisan elections bills you have ever seen,” Nash added. Dehn’s position that prisoners should be granted the right to vote is supported by some Democratic presidential candidates, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). Sanders…

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Ilhan Omar: ‘This Is Not Going to Be the Country of White People’

Anthony Gockowski

A group of Black Lives Matter founders and communist activist Angela Davis organized a rally in support Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) Tuesday on Capitol Hill. According to Democracy Now, the rally was organized to “defend Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and to urge Congress to censure President Trump for his attacks on her.” Omar made an appearance at the rally and spoke to the crowd of supporters about the “occupant of the White House and his goons in the Republican Party.” “They can’t stand—they cannot stand—that a refugee, a black woman, an immigrant, a Muslim shows up in Congress thinking she’s equal to them,” Omar said. “The occupant of the White House, as my sister Ayanna [Pressley] likes to call him, and his allies are doing everything that they can to distance themselves and misinform the public from the monsters that they created that is terrorizing the Jewish community and Muslim community.” Omar elaborated on the comments by saying that when “we are talking about anti-Semitism, we must also talk about Islamophobia.” “It’s two sides of the same coin of bigotry,” she said. “What we are fighting for is not for the few but for the many. Every single one…

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