Tag: Minnesota

Keith Ellison Says Minnesota Attorney General’s Office Prepared to Take ‘Legal Action’ in Response to Shutdown

Anthony Gockowski

Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) was joined by a large cohort of bipartisan lawmakers, top administrative officials, and local faith leaders Tuesday to discuss the impact of the partial government shutdown on Minnesota. According to Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Myron Frans, the state receives roughly $1 billion in federal funding per month, and about a quarter of state agencies are currently affected by the shutdown. The group of state leaders stressed in particular the impact the shutdown is having on programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), veterans health care, and Medicaid. The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a one-month extension for SNAP benefits that will last through mid-February, and Walz has directed the Minnesota Department of Human Services to ensure recipients “are informed about any changes to their SNAP food benefits.” Attorney General Keith Ellison spoke at Tuesday’s press conference and argued that the “literally hundreds of federal streams of income” are “contractually obligated to flow.” “From the attorney general’s standpoint, we’re here and we are busy working to make sure that these promises are kept. And we’re exploring the remedies that we have available to us to make sure the federal government meets its obligations,” he said.…

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Minnesota’s Betty McCollum Introduces Constitutional Amendment to Make Health Care a Right

Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN-04) recently introduced an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would make health care a right for all American citizens. The Health Care for All Amendment, H.J. Res. 17, is currently co-sponsored by Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI-02) and states “health care, including care to prevent and treat illness, is the right of the people and necessary to ensure the strength of the nation.” “The Congress shall have power to enforce and implement this article by appropriate legislation,” the amendment states. In a press release announcing the amendment, McCollum bashed “the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans” for “actively and intentionally sabotaging our health care system,” while stating that “pharmaceutical companies are gouging consumers to extract huge profits.” “Strengthening the Affordable Care Act, expanding federal Medicare and Medicaid programs, protecting women’s reproductive rights, and working to build a system of universal health coverage are some of the steps Congress must take to ensure that the American people have the assurance and stability they deserve when it comes to receiving health care,” McCollum said. She went on to lament the treatment of health care as “a commodity driven by profit” that should not have to “be restricted or rationed according…

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Minnesota Receives ‘C’ Grade From Center for Education Reform, Cautions Against Walz’s ‘Authoritarian’ Approach

Anthony Gockowski
students in class

Minnesota received an overall C grade in parent empowerment on the Center for Education Reform’s annual Parent Power Index, which factors school choice, charter schools, personalized learning, teacher quality, and transparency into its grading system. With two school-choice programs, Minnesota received an F grading in the area of school choice, but still managed to score above the national average. Only one state, Florida, received an A for its school choice programs. Minnesota currently offers a K-12 Education Credit, which is an individual tax credit program that “offers families refundable tax credits for non-tuition educational expenses like tutoring, educational after-school programs and books.” The state also offers an Education Deduction program that allows “parents to deduct educational expenses, including tuition, tutoring, books, and more.” Overall, Minnesota ranked fourth on the Parent Power Index, which states that “only a lack of private school choice prevents this star from rising as high as it could.” “Like its North Star name suggests, Minnesota is truly a stellar state for education innovation. It was the first state to pass a charter school law, and it is now at the forefront of digital and personalized learning. Minnesota also offers many choices for high school students to…

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Minnesota Democrat Says Most People Calling His Office Support ‘The Wall’

Anthony Gockowski

Democratic Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN-07) told Fox News that the overwhelming majority of calls his office is receiving are from constituents who support President Donald Trump’s border wall. “From what I can tell, they’re still hanging with the president. Today, we got 67 calls for building the wall and five against. So, sounds to me like he’s still pretty popular,” Peterson said in an interview last week. This week, @collinpeterson admitted that both President @realDonaldTrump and the wall are popular in Minnesota. #BuildTheWall #mn07 pic.twitter.com/6xS9M7NKKr — Republican Party of Minnesota (@mngop) January 11, 2019 In another interview with Bloomberg, Peterson revealed that he’s not actually opposed to Trump’s wall, and said he believes Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi “should negotiate.” During Trump’s Tuesday night Oval Office address, he urged every American citizen to “call Congress and tell them to finally, after all of these decades, secure our border.” “This is a choice between right and wrong. Justice and injustice. This is about whether we fulfill our sacred duty to the American citizens we serve,” Trump said. Vice President Mike Pence echoed those sentiments in an interview on The Rush Limbaugh Show, where he too pleaded…

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Klobuchar Gears Up For Another Confirmation Battle As Presidential Rumors Swirl

Anthony Gockowski

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) issued a statement Wednesday night after she and her Democratic colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee were apparently denied meetings with President Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general, William Barr. Barr is set to testify before the committee this week, but it is already shaping up to be another controversial nomination process. Klobuchar says she has concerns about an unsolicited memo Barr sent to the Justice Department in June 2018 in which he raised doubts about the scope of Robert Mueller’s investigation. “Mueller should not be permitted to demand that the president submit to interrogation about alleged obstruction. Apart from whether Mueller [has] a strong enough factual basis for doing so, Mueller’s obstruction theory is fatally misconceived,” Barr wrote. Klobuchar told Rolling Stone that she has additional concerns with Barr’s alleged failure to submit all of his ethics reports to the Senate Judiciary Committee. When she and her colleagues sought to meet with Barr to discuss these concerns, Klobuchar claims they were brushed off. “I tried (as did Blumenthal) to get meeting w/AG nominee Barr and was told he couldn’t meet until after hearing. The reason given? The shutdown. Yet shutdown didn’t stop him from other…

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Senate DFL Introduces Slate of Identity Politics Bills, Seeks to Loosen Prevention of HIV in Blood Donations

Anthony Gockowski

The Minnesota State Senate plans to introduce 92 new pieces of legislation Monday, several of which are backed by the DFL, and focus on LGBT or race issues. Senate File (SF) 95, for instance, urges President Donald Trump and Congress to direct the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to “revise its current blood or plasma donor deferral policy related to men who have had sex with a man and to women who have had sex with a man who has had sex with another man within the previous 12 months from the most recent contact.” The resolution, co-authored by five DFL senators, argues that the United States is “facing a critical shortage of blood donations,” which could be offset by revising an FDA donor deferral policy that “prohibits approximately 19 million American men and women from donating blood and plasma.” “Advances in HIV donor testing have reduced the risk of HIV transmission from blood transmissions to about one in 1.47 million transfusions,” the bill continues, calling for a revised policy “based on individual assessment of the risk posed by the donor.” SF 107, meanwhile, calls for the establishment of a “Council on LGBTQI Minnesotans,” which would consist of “two members…

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Minnesota’s Republican-Controlled Senate Introduces 91 Bills, Seeks to Punish Sanctuary Cities

Anthony Gockowski

Minnesota’s Republican-controlled Senate hit the ground running Thursday by introducing 91 pieces of legislation. Many of the items correspond with the top five priorities Republicans outlined at a Tuesday press conference, though there were several noteworthy outliers. Senate File (SF) 80, for instance, would impose “aid reductions” on sanctuary cities in Minnesota. The bill defines a sanctuary city as any city that prohibits or restricts local public safety officials from enforcing federal immigration law, or any city “designated as a sanctuary jurisdiction” by the Department of Homeland Security. “Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, a city may not receive aid payment under sections 477A.011 to 477A.03 if it is determined to be a sanctuary city,” the bill states. Cities such as Minneapolis and Rochester have declared themselves sanctuary cities for illegal immigrants. Republicans also introduced what is often referred to as a “stand your ground” bill, which allows for the use of deadly force in life-situations and is generally pushed by pro-Second Amendment activists. “An individual taking defensive action pursuant to subdivision 2 may use all force and means, including deadly force, that the individual in good faith believes is required to succeed in defense,” SF 72 states, noting…

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Multimillionaire Dean Phillips Won’t Take Pay During Shutdown, 0.2 Percent of His Net Worth

Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN-03) announced Wednesday that he will forego his congressional salary during the government shutdown “in solidarity with hard-working federal employees who are working without pay or on furlough.” “I have officially requested that my salary be withheld until the shutdown ends. I’ll divide my shutdown pay equally, and contribute it to 2harvest, CornerstoneMN, and VVAmerica,” Phillips wrote on Twitter, saying he would donate the money to three different charities, including one that works with victims of domestic violence. In solidarity with hard-working federal employees who are working without pay or on furlough, I have officially requested that my salary be withheld until the shutdown ends. I’ll divide my #shutdownpay equally, and contribute it to @2harvest, @CornerstoneMN and @VVAmerica. pic.twitter.com/JDHhV4FYPO — Rep. Dean Phillips 🇺🇸 (@RepDeanPhillips) January 9, 2019 It’s now well-known that Phillips is the heir to the Phillips Distilling Company, and has started several successful businesses of his own, including Talenti Gelato and Penny’s Coffee. His personal financial disclosure forms show that he has an estimated net worth of up to $77 million, meaning the average congressional salary of $174,000 is just 0.22 percent of his projected net worth. His wealth was the subject of a…

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Tim Walz Confronted by Pipeline Protesters at Capitol Hours After Inauguration

Anthony Gockowski

Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) faced his first test Monday just hours after being sworn in when protesters opposed to the Enbridge Line 3 Pipeline project disrupted his reception at the State Capitol. This isn’t the first time anti-pipeline activists have caused a public disruption. In November, they shut down a performance in Minneapolis after the Public Utilities Commission voted unanimously in favor of approving the project to replace Line 3. Activists say that replacing the aging pipeline, which crosses through northern Minnesota, could present the risk of an oil spill in the Mississippi River, and will contribute to climate change by adding high rates of carbon to the atmosphere. Now former Gov. Mark Dayton (D-M) made a last minute appeal of the project in December through his Department of Commerce, which said that Enbridge “failed to provide a future demand forecast for its product.” On Monday, activists with Stop Line 3 and Cooperation Northfield disrupted Walz while he delivered a speech to a crowd gathered at the State Capitol after his inauguration. The protesters began by draping banners from the Capitol rotunda containing riffs on his campaign slogan of “One Minnesota.” “Hey, Tim. We only have one Minnesota. Stop Line…

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Minnesota’s #MeToo Casualties Al Franken and Garrison Keillor Plot Comebacks

Anthony Gockowski

Former Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) and iconic Minnesota Public Radio host Garrison Keillor were among the biggest names brought down by the #MeToo Movement, but both are plotting comebacks as the dust begins to settle. Franken, a one-time SNL cast member, is trying his hand at podcasts, and has so far produced three episodes of his yet untitled show. Franken recently sat down with comedian Dana Carvey to discuss the passing of President George H.W. Bush, whom Carvey famously impersonated. His other shows have been with former Acting Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Andy Slavitt, and author David Frum, who recently published a book titled “Trumpocracy: The Corruption of the American Republic.” Franken, who resigned in early 2018 after facing multiple accusations of sexual misconduct, has also been doing some writing. He published an article on Medium called “He’s Doing the Best He Can” in which he claims that it’s “time for Republicans who knew they put a dangerously unqualified buffoon in the White House to either help contain the damage or get the hell out of the way.” Keillor, meanwhile, has been performing sold-out shows at Crooners Lounge and Supper Club in Fridley, Minnesota, and…

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Ellison Outlines Agenda at Minneapolis Event and Says He’ll Sue Trump if Necessary

Anthony Gockowski

Attorney General-elect Keith Ellison (D-MN) continued his statewide listening tour Thursday in North Minneapolis where he said his office will sue President Donald Trump if it has to. During the Minneapolis stop, Ellison began to outline his agenda for when he takes over as Minnesota attorney general next week. His agenda, as it stands, will be two-fold: ensuring economic equality and protecting civil liberties as defined by the Minnesota Human Rights Act. Ellison also said he plans to continue hosting listening sessions after he takes office and will adjust his agenda as he sees fit. “One of the things we’re going to do with the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office is we’re going to listen a lot. This is not just something we’re going to do leading up to the time that I actually get sworn in. We’re going to do it now, and we’re going to keep doing it,” he said, and went on to share how he’s “envisioning the priorities of [his] office.” “First of all, we’re here to do this listening session based on the priories that you’re going to help us set, but I’m telling you the reason I ran and gave up a congressional seat that…

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St. Paul DFL Rep Promises to Fight ‘All Other Isms’ While Calling Trump a ‘Piece of S***’

Anthony Gockowski

Minnesota State Rep.-elect Jay Xiong (D-St. Paul) hasn’t been sworn into office yet, but he’s already vowing to oppose the nation’s “vile president” and stand against “bigotry and racism, sexism and all other isms.” On Friday, Xiong released a statement discussing the actions of President Donald Trump as well as the 2020 census, which could cause significant changes to Minnesota’s congressional districting. Xiong pledged to support any Minnesota House bills that condemn “racist, sexist and hateful presidential executive orders,” such as H.R. 1—a resolution introduced by now Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) condemning Trump’s travel ban. “We stand united against a single idea that we all must fight til the end: hate. It is the vile bigotry and racism, sexism and all other isms that spew from the horrid mouth of an unqualified and unfit president,” Xiong said Friday. He claimed he will do his part at the Minnesota Capitol to oppose “hateful presidential executive orders which have one clear intention: to keep black and brown people out of the process, the polls, and the political and physical body politic of this country, which was founded on immigration.” https://twitter.com/RepJayXiong/status/1081159724710719488 In a subsequent tweet, Xiong mocked Republicans as “snowflakes” after they criticized…

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Walz Nominee for DNR Commissioner Worked for Activists Suing to Stop Mining Project

Anthony Gockowski

Gov.-elect Tim Walz (D-MN) named Sarah Strommen his commissioner for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Thursday in a move some Republicans say raises “red flags.” Strommen has worked in various roles in her more than 20-year career of interacting with the DNR, and most recently served as the assistant commissioner for the divisions of Fish and Wildlife, and Parks and Trails at the Minnesota DNR. But she also worked as policy director for Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, a group that sued the federal government to block a mining project in northeastern Minnesota. In May 2018, the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management reinstated federal leases for a Twin Metals copper-nickel underground mine close to Ely and resting on Birch Lake, a body of water that flows into the Boundary Waters. That has made the project the ire of local and national environmental groups who are suing the federal government to prevent it from moving forward, according to The Star Tribune. In total, three complaints were filed against the Interior Department, one from a cohort of national environmental groups, another from a group of nine local Minnesota businesses, and the last from Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness.…

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Keith Ellison Accuser Alleges Widespread Pattern of ‘Abuse and Bullying’

Anthony Gockowski

Keith Ellison accuser Karen Monahan claimed Friday that she has received several “confidential messages” regarding other acts of “abuse and bullying” committed by Ellison since coming forward with her allegations. “Every single one has told me to protect my family from Keith [and] his people. There is so much fear that keep[s] others from speaking out,” Monahan wrote on Twitter Friday afternoon. I’ve received so many confidential messages, regarding abuse and bullying award others at the hands of Keith Ellison. Every single one has told me to protect my family from Keith & his people. There is so much fear that keep others from speaking out — Karen Monahan (@KarenMonahan01) January 4, 2019 Monahan also revisited a story from 2005 when Amy Alexander, the first woman to accuse Ellison of domestic abuse, spoke out. Unlike Monahan, Alexander has no presence online, and has been difficult to track down. In a 2006 article for The Wright County Republican, Alexander claimed that she moved to New York for five years because she felt “exiled” from “black community activism.” That publication is now defunct, and the article can only be accessed via an archived copy uploaded to Scribd. Some, like Monahan, claim that…

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Minnesota Secretary of State Unveils Plan to Restore Voting Rights to 60,000 Felons

Anthony Gockowski

Secretary of State Steve Simon (D-MN) unveiled his “Investing in Democracy” 2019 agenda during a Thursday press conference where he announced plans to restore voting rights to felons after they are released from prison. Currently, Minnesota is one of 22 states that revokes voting rights for felons during incarceration and for any periods of parole or probation thereafter. Simon’s office estimates that this means there are roughly 60,000 Minnesotans who have been released from prison, but are still ineligible to vote because they are on probation or parole. There are only two states, Maine and Vermont, in which felons never lose the right to vote, while at least 14 states restore voting rights immediately upon release, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. “Investing in democracy also means investing in people,” Simon said Thursday. “These are people who have served their time already and are working to establish or reestablish themselves in their communities. Minnesotans, I think, believe in second chances, and believe in forgiveness, and restoring the right to vote at the end of a prison term will give real opportunities to those who have left prison behind to become full members of their communities.” Simon also argued…

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Minneapolis’ ‘Little Mogadishu’ Sees 56 Percent Increase in Violent Crimes Caused by Somali Gangs

Anthony Gockowski

  Violent crimes increased by more than 50 percent in 2018 in Minneapolis’ Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, nicknamed “little Mogadishu,” which authorities attribute to Somali gang activity in the area. Buried in a recent Star Tribune article was the fact that violent crimes jumped from 54 in 2010 to 84 in 2018, an increase in roughly 56 percent. Authorities attribute the violence to rivalries between Somali gangs, such as the Somali Mafia, the Somali Outlaws, the Hot Boyz, and Madhibaan with Attitude, Alpha News reports. According to a 2014 Southside Pride article, the Outlaws and Madhibaan with Attitude have a rivalry that stretches back years, and likely resulted in the murder of two Somali men in April 2014. That article notes that the summer of 2013 was a particularly bloody season for gang warfare, which produced at least 4 killings. A 2013 CBS article detailed the involvement of the Outlaws, the Mafia, and another gang called the Lady Outlaws in a sex-trafficking ring that recruited and prostituted young girls, some of whom were under the age of 14, between 2000 and 2010. The ring was operated out of Minneapolis, Columbus, and Nashville, and resulted in the indictment of 30 individuals involved. In…

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Departing Minnesota AG Lori Swanson Thanks Disgraced Sen. Al Franken on Her Way Out

Anthony Gockowski

Attorney General Lori Swanson (D-MN), who will leave office in January after 12 years in the position, published one last op-ed in The Star Tribune recently to thank her colleagues for helping her along the way. Among those she thanked are Gov. Mark Dayton (D-MN), former Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN), and disgraced former Sen. Al Franken (D-MN), who resigned from his seat in early January after facing multiple sexual harassment allegations. “Against this backdrop, I’d like to relate some of what I learned over the last 12 years,” Swanson writes, taking a subtle jab at “political correctness.” “I learned from Sen. Al Franken. In 2012, I was being attacked by several former White House chiefs of staff for my lawsuit against the politically connected Accretive Health. Yet, Al Franken held a U.S. Senate hearing so that patients could testify about the atrocities committed by the company, which had embedded bill collectors in the emergency rooms of Minnesota hospitals,” Swanson recalls. The hearing “blunted the political mischief,” Swanson continues, thanking Franken “for showing others that you can succeed when standing up to powerful special interests.” In November, Swanson convened a task force to discuss potential changes to Minnesota law surrounding alcohol…

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Ellison Names Outspoken Anti-Trump Immigration Lawyer As Second in Command

Anthony Gockowski

Attorney General-elect Keith Ellison (D-MN) announced Friday that he has named John Keller to serve as his chief deputy attorney general. Keller currently oversees the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, a vehemently anti-Trump non-profit that provides legal services to illegal aliens and refugees. According to a press release from Ellison’s transition team, Keller began working at the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM) in 1998 as a staff attorney, and has served as its executive director since 2005. “In that time, he has transformed ILCM from a small, regional legal-services organization with five staff to Minnesota’s leading provider of free, high-quality, and comprehensive legal, policy, and education services with five offices statewide, 32 employees—a majority of whom are from immigrant, refugee, or mixed-family backgrounds—more than 350 trained pro bono attorneys, and a statewide and national reputation,” the press release explains. Keller and the ILCM have become outspoken critics of the Trump administration and its immigration polices, and have repeatedly taken actions to thwart Trump’s agenda in Minnesota. Last December, for instance, Keller helped secure $250,000 in taxpayer funds from Hennepin County to launch a legal defense fund for county residents facing deportation. The fund was criticized by Republican gubernatorial candidate…

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Second Amendment Groups Vow to Fight Minnesota DFL’s Gun Control Efforts

Anthony Gockowski

The only thing barring Democrats from total control of Minnesota’s government is a one-seat Republican majority in the Senate, but that might not be enough to block gun-control efforts during the upcoming session. Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-Nisswa) recently indicated that he has “some openness” on the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party’s gun-control proposals, but insisted that he’s a “strong supporter of Second Amendment rights.” https://twitter.com/paulgazelka/status/1075130258813280258 But his December 18 tweet sparked some optimism among DFL legislators, who now believe they “have a pretty good chance this year of convincing suburban legislators who might have been reluctant in the past to vote for these bills,” Sen. Ron Latz (D-St. Louis Park) told KSTP. Latz said the DFL is looking at two specific gun-control policies, namely universal background checks in the state as well as a “red flag” law, which allows the state to temporarily seize guns from people who are deemed a danger to themselves or others. As Battleground State News reported Thursday, House Speaker-designate Melissa Hortman (D-Brooklyn Park) said a “gun violence prevention measure” can be expected in a package of bills introduced in January. Rob Doar, vice president and political director of Minnesota’s Gun Owners Caucus, noted that there…

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Illegal Immigrant With Criminal Past Reentered Country Illegally and Murdered His Ex in Minnesota

Anthony Gockowski

A 35-year-old illegal immigrant who reentered the country illegally pleaded guilty last week to stabbing his ex-girlfriend to death in August in his Shakopee apartment. According to a statement from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Fraider Diaz-Carbajal was deported in 2012 for “suspected immigration violations.” He had a history of criminal activity, including three DUIs and a domestic assault conviction. “Since then he illegally reentered the United States, which is a felony. He remains in local custody pending adjudication of his criminal charges,” ICE said in August after Diaz-Carbajal’s arrest. The Star Tribune reports that he entered his plea to second-degree murder last week, and prosecutors will seek a maximum sentence of 40 years for the murder of Enedelia Perez Garcia. Court records reveal that Garcia was found with “multiple stab wounds all over her body” after she visited Diaz-Carbajal’s apartment to pick up some of her belongings. The two had previously lived together, but Garcia moved out “due to the domestic abuse,” the records state. A witness to the murder, a young woman who lived in a neighboring apartment, said she heard Garcia yell “drop the knife,” and then saw through a bedroom window Diaz-Carbajal pinning Garcia to…

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Jesus Robbed From Nativity Scenes Across Minnesota

Anthony Gockowski

Churches and communities across Minnesota are beginning to install security systems to prevent thieves from stealing Jesus and Mary from their Nativity scenes. The New York Times reported Sunday that Christians across the nation now have to use “bolts, cameras, and tethers” to combat the sad trend of Nativity-scene crimes. In that article, three Minnesota towns were highlighted that have seen repeat offenders. “This year, thieves have raided Nativity scenes in Tennessee, West Virginia, Minnesota, and plenty of other places, and made off with Jesus figurines,” The Times reports. In Alexandria, for instance, a baby Jesus was robbed from a creche outside a local bed-and-breakfast, whose owners told Echo Press about the incident. “At first we were very disheartened but in keeping with this joyous season of love and generosity, we decided not to despair,” said Rose and David Gibson, owners of Cedar Rose Inn. “Evidently the person/persons responsible needs Jesus in their lives, as do all Christians.” In St. Cloud, meanwhile, a Nativity set near the local fire station lost its Jesus figurine to thieves. The Star Tribune reports that the statue was part of a historic set purchased by local schoolchildren in the 1940’s. Last year, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church had its…

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Transgender Woman Wins Legal Battle Against All-Female Minnesota Football Team

Anthony Gockowski

A transgender woman was awarded $20,000 in damages last week by a Dakota County jury who found that the Minnesota Vixen female football team had wrongfully discriminated against the plaintiff. Christina Ginther, who underwent gender-reassignment surgery to transition from a man to a woman, was prevented from playing on the Independent Women’s Football League (IWFL) team after teammates discovered that Ginther is transgender. According to MPR, an attorney representing the Minnesota Vixen argued that league rules state that “a player may not play in the IWFL, unless they are now, and always have been, legally and medically a female, as determined by their birth certificate and driver’s license.” Ginther first went public with the story in March 2017 after filing a discrimination lawsuit against the Minnesota Vixen, owner Laura Brown, and the IWFL. “She said, ‘Well, your numbers were good. But in the process of drawing up player contracts, we looked at your social media and found out that you’re transgender,” Ginther recalled Brown saying. “I hung up the phone and just felt violated,” Ginther said. “I mean, just the sense of, ‘I’m a freak. I’m a defective. I am not worthy to be with this team.’” Ginther later joined…

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Minnesota Lawmakers Respond Feverishly to Border Wall Shutdown

Anthony Gockowski

It was a wild week in Washington, which gave Minnesota’s politicians ample opportunity to attack President Donald Trump. In a Friday appearance on The Dan Obeidallah Show, Rep.-elect Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) said Trump’s border wall “is deeply rooted in xenophobia.” “If Trump shuts down the government: 420,000 Americans will be forced to work without pay over the holidays. 380,000 will be furloughed. 30 million small businesses will lose access to loans,” she later wrote on Twitter. “All of this, over a wall that Americans don’t want. A wast of billions of dollars.” If Trump shuts down the government: 420,000 Americans will be forced to work without pay over the holidays. 380,000 will be furloughed. 30 million small businesses will lose access to loans. All of this, over a wall that Americans don’t want. A waste of billions of dollars. — Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) December 21, 2018 “Hey GOP, your incompetency is mind numbing, three shutdowns in one year. For the sake of the American people, get it together or get out of the way,” Omar wrote on Saturday. Hey @GOP, your incompetency is mind numbing, three #shutdowns in one year. For the sake of the American people, get it together…

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Enbridge Responds to Minnesota Gov’s ‘Erroneous’ Appeal of Pipeline

Anthony Gockowski
Mark Dayton

Minnesota’s Public Utilities Commission unanimously approved permits to replace Enbridge’s aging Line 3 Pipeline in November, but departing Gov. Mark Dayton (D-MN) is now appealing the decision. The Public Utilities Commission’s November vote to approve the replacement project was protested and disrupted by environmentalist activists who have opposed the project every step of the way. In one instance, they shut down a performance at Minneapolis’ Theater of Public Policy in protest. Activists say Line 3, which crosses through northern Minnesota, could present the risk of an oil spill in the Mississippi River, and will contribute to climate change by producing carbon dioxide, according to The Associated Press. On Friday, Dayton’s Department of Commerce filed an appeal against a certificate of need and a pipeline routing permit granted to Enbridge. “Enbridge failed to provide a future demand forecast for its product, which is required by state law,” Dayton said in a press release. “Instead, the company presented its analysis of the future oil supply from Canadian tar sands extractions. It failed to demonstrate that Minnesota needs this pipeline to meet our future oil demand. In fact, most of the product would flow through our state to supply other states and countries.”…

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Minnesota DHS Provided Medicaid Benefits to Out-of-State and Incarcerated Individuals, Report Finds

Anthony Gockowski

A new report issued last week by the Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor found that the Department of Human Services (DHS) provided Medical Assistance (MA), or Medicaid, benefits to ineligible residents. While the report concluded that the DHS “generally complied” with eligibility requirements, there were numerous instances in which enrollees failed to report “changes in circumstances” that “likely would have affected their eligibility.” For instance, the audit found that “24 enrollees did not timely notify their county agency that they had permanently moved out of state and that MA coverage should have been terminated.” Additionally, DHS failed to “identify” that one enrollee was “later incarcerated,” and paid $6,308 in “medical payments to a managed care organization while this enrollee was incarcerated.” The state of Minnesota paid nearly $1.8 billion for health insurance coverage for an estimated 297,000 enrollees in 2017, but last week’s audit found that 15 percent of recipients were ineligible because they exceeded income limits. “For 15 of 100 sample cases (15 percent), the enrollee’s actual income for calendar year 2017 exceeded their income reported to the county agency and the household income limit set in federal law. Thus, these individuals would not have met income eligibility…

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Minnesota Gov. Dayton Lists ‘Diversity and Inclusion’ Among Top Accomplishments of His Tenure

Anthony Gockowski

Gov. Mark Dayton (D-MN) and his staff released a list of his “top 25” major accomplishments as governor on Wednesday as he prepares for the end of his eight-year stint in the governor’s mansion. “When Gov. Mark Dayton took office, he promised to build a better Minnesota. Eight years later, Minnesota is doing better—much better than it was before,” a press release from his office states, listing policies such as “education funding” and “free all-day kindergarten” as some of his most proud achievements. Dayton’s staff says that when he first took office, just 54 percent of Minnesota’s children were enrolled in all-day kindergarten, but now “165,000 children have benefited from free, all-day kindergarten.” “And their families have been spared the expense of paying for all-day K out-of-pocket,” the press release states. Dayton also touts the “economic growth” experienced under his administration, which took over when the unemployment rate was at 6.9 percent. Now, however, Dayton’s office notes that unemployment is at a 19-year-low of 2.8 percent and has been “at or below 4 percent for 53 months.” Among Dayton’s other most prized accomplishments are his efforts to promote “diversity and inclusion” throughout the state. As governor, Dayton hired “the first…

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SHOCK CLAIM: Minnesota DHS Whistleblower Says Politicians Received Kickbacks in Childcare Fraud

Anthony Gockowski

Minnesota lawmakers are pushing for answers on the state’s allegedly rampant childcare fraud, but officials within the Department of Human Services seem unwilling to provide any. The story was first exposed in May by investigative reporters with Fox 9, who found that up to $100 million in suitcases left MSP bound for the Middle East. Experts suspect that some of the money is being transferred through Hawalas, the unofficial banking systems of some third-world countries, a share of which is generally demanded by Al-Shabab. Fox 9 found that daycare centers across Minnesota would sign low-income families up for services and bill the state for a full day of care. But in many cases, the children would never show up. Video surveillance obtained by Fox 9 suggests that families in on the scam would even receive shares of the profit. Scott Stillman, a former investigator who spent eight years with the state’s digital forensics lab, was directly involved with the state’s investigation of fraud in daycare centers. He later blew the whistle on Minnesota’s Department of Human Services (DHS), and during a Tuesday hearing at the State Capitol said the case has “the potential to be Minnesota’s Watergate.” “The door is…

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MyPillow’s Mike Lindell Helping Fund Conservative Movies in Hollywood

Anthony Gockowski

Minnesota businessman and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell is trying his hand at Hollywood after investing $1 million in a new movie that offers a critical look at Planned Parenthood. The movie, titled Unplanned, had to be filmed in secret due to the sensitive nature of its subject, The Hollywood Reporter reveals, but that hasn’t stopped Lindell from speaking about his role in the film. “I don’t get into things for the money; I get into them if the message is right,” Lindell told The Hollywood Reporter, which notes that Lindell previously backed a Christian movie called Church People. Lindell’s investment in Unplanned amounts to one-sixth of the film’s whole production budget, and was made by the creators of such films as God’s Not Dead and I Can Only Imagine, which both grossed more than $60 million at the box office. The film is based on a book of the same title, and tells the true story of Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood clinic director and spokesperson who went on to become one of the nation’s most outspoken critics of abortion. “I’m pro-life and I’m happy to do it,” said Lindell, who makes a cameo in the movie set to…

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Make Halloween Spooky Again with a Visit to These Real-Life Haunts

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As we come to the end of summer and begin the season of winter, one hundred and seventy-nine million Americans will celebrate the season with urban legends, scary bonfire stories, and armies of children carrying candy up and down the streets of in what was once referred to as Samhain, All Hallows Eve and All Saints Day in the early Middle Ages and marks itself as a “cross-quarter” day acknowledging the end of the harvesting season and the beginning of winter. Early civilizations were big observers of the sky.  A cross-quarter day is a day more or less a midway marker between an equinox (when the sun sets due west) and a solstice (when the sun sets at its most northern or southern point on the horizon). October thirty-first is an approximately middle point between the autumn equinox and winter solstice, for those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere. The United States is home to many haunted farms, abandoned insane asylums, historic mansions now turned museums, and old spirit infested bridges.  We’ve found a few that may very well be hidden in your own backyard. Whether you believe in ghosts, goblins, demonic possessions and or spirits, one thing is for…

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Americans for Limited Government Asks: ‘Is Sexual Violence in Minnesota Okay When It’s a Democrat?’

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by Natalia Castro   Minnesota Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith are running to maintain their seats this November. While both are leading in the polls, their race has not been without controversy. In Americans for Limited Government’s latest issue advocacy ad, they highlight the hypocrisy surrounding Klobuchar and Smith’s alignment with controversial political figures Al Franken and Keith Ellison. By refusing to call out violence against women in their own party, even within their own state, Klobuchar and Smith have proved they are more invested in party politics than doing what is right. Klobuchar became a national name during the nomination process for now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Kavanaugh was subject to unsubstantiated sexual misconduct claims that dragged out his nomination process for weeks. Klobuchar became one of his fiercest critics and an adversary during the hearing process. Smith also called upon constituents to “rise up” and “use their voice” against Kavanaugh on the steps of the Supreme Court. Smith and Klobuchar advocated against Kavanaugh, despite an FBI investigation which was unable to verify his alleged victim’s story and bodies of evidence supporting Kavanaugh’s denial of events. Meanwhile, in these Senators’ own state of Minnesota, two high profile political…

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Minnesota Teacher Placed on Paid Leave After Calling for Murder of Kavanaugh

Anthony Gockowski

A Minnesota public school teacher is now under investigation after calling for the murder of newly-confirmed Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The teacher, identified on social media as Samantha Ness, works for Intermediate School District #917’s Alliance Education Center, which “provides services to all students with unique needs,” including children with autism, cognitive disabilities, emotional behavior disorders, and more. “So whose [sic] gonna take one for the team and kill Kavanaugh?” Ness tweeted over the weekend, but has since deleted her Facebook and Twitter. Screen grabs of her social media accounts, however, show that she started at her teaching position in April, while pictures she posted to Twitter confirmed her identity. https://twitter.com/pahubb43/status/1049143893743296512 Additionally, the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board confirms that Ness is a licensed teacher in the state and a graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato. Before deleting her Twitter account, Ness went on to write that “Kavanaugh will be dealing with death threats for the rest of his life being on the Supreme Court,” so she doubts her “mid-west ass is a real threat,” according to archives of her account. On Monday, her employer announced that it has “received a complaint regarding an employee” who has…

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Court Approves U.S. Catholic Church’s Proposed $210 Million Payout To Sex Abuse Victims

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by Joshua Gill   The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, which filed for bankruptcy in 2015 amid a flood of sexual abuse allegations, will pay $210 million to abuse victims. U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Robert Kressel approved the archdiocese’s proposed settlement Wednesday as part of its reorganization plan. The archdiocese faced an overwhelming financial burden in 2015 after the Minnesota Child Victims Act lifted the statute of limitations on sexual abuse for three years, which would have allowed many victims whose cases went previously unreported to sue the archdiocese. The archdiocese filed for Chapter XI bankruptcy in light of that impending burden, and offered to pay the lump settlement as remuneration to abuse victims. The settlement is the U.S. Catholic church’s second largest payout to victims of sexual abuse. “I need to say once again that I am truly sorry,” Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda said during the hearing, according to Crux Now. “I know those words — as well as my promise of prayers — may ring hollow for many and will never be enough. Still, I am so sorry for the horrific things done to you by people you should have been able to trust.” “As a bishop, as a priest, as a…

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As Kavanaugh Hearings Loom, One Minnesota Senate Democrat Regrets Abolishing Filibuster

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by Kevin Daley   Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota said Sunday that her party should not have invoked the so-called nuclear option and abolished the legislative filibuster for judicial nominees. The remarks come just before Judge Brett Kavanaugh will appear for confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Republican lawmakers expect Kavanaugh will be confirmed if he acquits himself well at the hearings. “I would’ve liked to see 60 votes, no matter what the judge is,” Klobuchar told NBC. “I don’t think we should’ve made that change, when we look back at it. But it happened because we were so frustrated, because President Obama wasn’t able to get his nominees.” But Klobuchar added that neither party is likely to reimpose the filibuster over judicial nominations, since doing so would cede a huge tactical advantage. “I don’t think anyone’s going to want to hamstring themselves,” she said. Democrats changed Senate rules in 2013 after a protracted Republican filibuster blocked three Obama nominees to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, the court on which Kavanaugh sits. All three nominees, Judges Nina Pillard, Patricia Millett, and Robert Wilkins, were later confirmed. The GOP followed suit in 2017 when Democrats successfully filibustered Justice Neil Gorsuch’s…

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Daily Caller’s Stephanie Hamill Accuses Democrats Of Ignoring Allegations Against Keith Ellison

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Stephanie Hamill, Keith Ellison

by Nick Givas   The Daily Caller’s video columnist Stephanie Hamill accused the Democratic party of purposely ignoring abuse allegations against House Democrat Keith Ellison, on “Fox & Friends First” Saturday. “You would think that the #MeToo movement people, the women’s march, the Democrat leadership, you think they would be speaking out about this,” Hamill said. Daily Caller’s Stephanie Hamill Accuses Democrats Of Ignoring Allegations Against Keith Ellison https://t.co/5BiVv6u7i1 pic.twitter.com/8yPNv2U2Qx — Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) September 1, 2018 “You would think that this would be enough to generate the protests across the country where people are storming the streets in their pink clothing and their silly hats. But, for some reason it seems like when the people that are being accused that happen to be Democrats, then it is — there are victims that aren’t really believed in this case.” Hamill said the DNC has been investigating the allegations for weeks, but continue to stonewall the press to protect the party’s brand. “The DNC has been investigating this for a couple weeks now, but they’re not giving out any information,” she continued. “The Daily Caller has reached out multiple times through email, through phone calls and pretty much the DNC is stonewalling.” Hamill…

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Billionaire CEO Of JD.com, Richard Liu, Arrested In Minnesota For ‘Suspicion of Sexual Misconduct’ – Again

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Richard Liu

by Kyle Perisic   The billionaire CEO of Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com was arrested in Minnesota Friday on suspicion of sexual misconduct, and it’s not the first time he’s been involved in such allegations. The company said it was a false allegation after Liu Qiangdong, also known as Richard Liu, was released. He’s worth an estimated $7.9 billion, according to Forbes, making him one of China’s richest men. “During a business trip to the United States, Mr. Liu was questioned by police in Minnesota in relation to an unsubstantiated accusation,” the company said Sunday, The Wall Street Journal reported. “The local police quickly determined there was no substance to the claim against Mr. Liu, and he was subsequently able to resume his business activities as originally planned.” Liu has previously been accused of sexual misconduct, according to The WSJ. He reportedly tried to keep his name out of a sexual assault case in Australia, where he has a home in Sydney, in 2015. Beginning in 1998 as an online electronics store, JD.com has become an online retail behemoth — operating similar to Amazon. Walmart is its second largest shareholder, behind Liu, owning 10 percent and 17 percent, respectively. Alphabet’s Google owns about 1…

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Vice President Pence Calls for New ‘Century of American Strength’ in Minneapolis Address

Anthony Gockowski
Mike Pence

Vice President Mike Pence delivered the keynote address at the American Legion’s centennial convention Thursday in Minneapolis, touting the Trump Administration’s historic record of defending America’s veterans. “To all the legionares today, and every member of the legion family across America, I bring greetings and congratulations from a leader that you heard from last year, and a great champion of our armed forces—past, present, and future—I bring greetings and congratulations from the 45th president of the United States of America, President Donald Trump,” he began his address. Pence went on to thank “the men and women of the American Legion” who brought America “to the start of a new century of American strength,” a theme the vice president frequently returned to throughout his address. “You veterans are emblematic of American greatness. You stepped up to serve your country, to serve a cause greater than yourselves,” he said, before honoring the life of Sen. John McCain. “America will always remember and honor the lifetime of service of United States Sen. John McCain.” “In case you haven’t noticed, you have an ally and a champion in President Donald Trump. Just as you fought for our freedom, we will always fight for you,”…

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Keith Ellison’s Smear Campaign Against His Opponent Continues While He Avoids Accusations

Anthony Gockowski
Keith Ellison

Keith Ellison’s campaign for Minnesota attorney general is smearing Republican opponent Doug Wardlow for previously working for an organization labeled an “extremist group” by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). “Wardlow has proudly worked for an organization the Southern Poverty Law Center labeled an anti-LGBTQ ‘hate group,’ testified against allowing trans students to use the restroom of their choice, and called the United States Supreme Court’s decision legalizing marriage equality a ‘totalitarian impulse,’” Ellison’s team wrote in an August 27 Facebook post. The SPLC, however, often smears “good people with false charges of bigotry,” as Washington Post columnist Marc Thiessen recently wrote, saying the organization has “lost all credibility.” In fact, SPLC was sued earlier this year by former Islamic radical Maajid Nawaz for including him in its “Field Guide to Anti-Muslim Extremists.” The SPLC eventually reached a settlement with Nawaz, and was forced to make a public apology. Nonetheless, liberals like Ellison continue to push the SPLC’s characterization of conservatives as “extremists,” with the former Democratic congressman questioning his opponent’s views on “civil rights laws.” “On the anniversary of the March on Washington, Minnesotans deserve to know if Wardlow would enforce the civil rights laws Rev. Dr. Martin King…

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Police Records Show Keith Ellison Abused Another Woman In 2005

Anthony Gockowski
Al Franken, Keith Ellison

Records from a 2005 911 call reveal that Rep. Keith Ellison allegedly abused yet another woman, though the story has been swept under the rug by Minnesota’s media. In early August, Ellison, who vacated his safe seat in Congress to run for Minnesota’s attorney general, faced new accusations from his ex-girlfriend Karen Monahan that the former congressman forcibly dragged her off a bed while shouting obscenities. Monahan claims there is video of the incident, but has yet to release any evidence. A similar story dating back to 2005 started to resurface on social media after Monahan came forward, though this time there was hard evidence. Police records reveal that an “Ellison/Keith/BM/41” was reported in 2005 for assaulting a woman. Ellison was born in 1963, which would mean he was 41 in 2005. The woman who allegedly made the call, Amy Alexander, later related her experiences with Ellison in a 2006 article for The Wright County Republican, whose publisher told The Conservative Tribune that none of the local newspapers wanted to interview her. “In May, Keith wanted to try and quiet me so he came to my home uninvited. We had words. His anger kicked in. He berated me. He grabbed…

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GOP Candidate for Attorney General in Minnesota Says Democrat Opponent Keith Ellison ‘Not Authorized to Practice Law’ in the State

Anthony Gockowski
Keith Ellison, Doug Wardlow

In a damning Monday press release, Republican candidate for Minnesota attorney general Doug Wardlow claimed that his opponent Keith Ellison is “not authorized to practice law” in the state. According to the release, the State Office of Lawyer Registration reveals that Ellison surrendered his law license in 2012 and is no longer eligible to practice law in Minnesota. “Keith Ellison has falsely said that Congress requires lawyers to surrender their licenses to practice law when they enter the U.S. House. According to the Clerk of the House, no professionals are required to surrender their licenses when they take the oath of office,” Wardlow’s campaign claims, noting that “this means Keith Ellison has intentionally skipped 180 hours of mandatory classes.” The classes, which bring attorneys up-to-date on “legal ethics, changes in the law, and diversity training,” could takes “years” to make up, according to Wardlow. “He may never be able to practice law in Minnesota again,” the press release states. If Ellison were to practice law in Minnesota as attorney general by “filing a criminal complaint or appearing in court,” he would actually be breaking a criminal law against the “Unauthorized Practice of Law,” Wardlow’s campaign argues. “Every separate time Keith…

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DNC Chair Tom Perez Runs Away When Asked If He Believes Keith Ellison Accuser

Anthony Gockowski
Tom Perez

Democratic National Committee (DNC) chairman Tom Perez is refusing to state whether or not he believes the recent domestic-violence allegations leveled against his right-hand-man Keith Ellison. In a recent video first obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation, Perez is shown running away as he is asked if he believes “the allegations against Keith Ellison.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xcglLBOn38 “Why haven’t you asked Keith Ellison to step down while the review is being conducted? These are pretty serious things that deserve serious answers,” the man recording asks while Perez is escorted into a private office by his staff. Throughout the video, Perez not once addresses the questions, nor does he even acknowledge that they are being asked. In an interview with CBSN that appears to have been conducted that same day, Perez places responsibility for investigating the allegations on the Minnesota Democratic Party, though the DNC previously claimed that it would review the matter. “These allegations recently came to light and we are reviewing them. All allegations of domestic abuse are disturbing and should be taken seriously,” the DNC told NPR in a statement. “We take all allegations of sexual misconduct very, very seriously and that is something we’ve always done, and that’s…

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New Evidence Reveals That Ilhan Omar, Democrat Nominee to Succeed Keith Ellison in Congress, Used ‘State Resources’ To Conduct Private Business

Anthony Gockowski

New information allegedly reveals that Minnesota State Rep. Ilhan Omar, now a congressional candidate, used state resources to conduct her personal business. According to a Thursday press release from Rep. Steve Drazkowski, Omar has used “state resources and state staff time to conduct her private business activities.” “As we learn more about Representative Omar’s activity as a member of the Minnesota House, we continue to find more troubling violations of House Rules, and in this case, Minnesota law,” Drazkowski commented. The findings are a result of a data practices request filed by Drazkowski’s office, which had previously been investigating Omar’s acceptance of speaking fees from organizations that lobby at the Minnesota Legislature. Omar admitted to the finance violations, and agreed to return the $2,500 she collected. In the latest round of documents provided to Drazkowski, it is shown that Omar accepted an additional $250 payment from Minnesota State University, Mankato for appearing on a February 9 panel, claiming that she was not an employee of the State of Minnesota. Based on the emails, Drazkowski also has reason to believe that Omar has “used state resources and state staff time to conduct her private business,” which he claims is a violation…

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Minnesota Politicians Invade State Fair, But Voters Want to Leave Politics At Home

Anthony Gockowski
Tom Walz, Jeff Johnson

Each year, the Minnesota State Fair looks more and more like a political convention, but this year fair-goers seem to have had enough of the politicization of the Great Minnesota Get-Together. Both major parties, the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party and the state GOP, have booths at the fair with their respective candidates for elected office campaigning all day long throughout the fairgrounds. DFL candidate for governor Rep. Tim Walz and his running mate Peggy Flanagan chronicled their adventures at the fair on Twitter, posting of video of Walz delivering “Sweet Martha’s Cookies” to the GOP booth. “Minnesotans can show this nation that our politics doesn’t need to be narrow and divisive. It can be inclusive, it can be hopeful, it can be visionary, and it can be about one Minnesota gathering together,” Walz said to a crowd of fair-goers. Kicking off the Minnesota State Fair with a visit to the @MinnesotaDFL booth! Together, we can make our vision for #OneMinnesota a reality. pic.twitter.com/Tg52inyLEG — Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) August 23, 2018 Walz’s opponent, Republican Jeff Johnson, is also making his presence known at the annual gathering, which broke its opening day attendance record Thursday with 122,695 Minnesotans in attendance. “Excited to be…

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Republican Jeff Johnson Closing In On Tim Walz In Minnesota Governor’s Race

Anthony Gockowski
Jeff Johnson, Tim Walz

The latest poll out of Suffolk University shows that Republican gubernatorial candidate Jeff Johnson (pictured, left) trails his opponent Rep. Tim Walz (pictured, right) by only five points in the race for Minnesota’ governorship. The poll, conducted between August 17 and August 20, surveyed 500 Minnesotans on their opinions of candidates running in the upcoming gubernatorial and senatorial races, all of which are guaranteed to be high-stakes races for the typically blue state. Recurring physical and mental health issues have sidelined Gov. Mark Dayton, who will not seek reelection, leaving the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party endorsement open for Rep. Tim Walz, who is leading Johnson by a small margin of five points, according to Suffolk. In the governor’s race, Minnesota voters ranked healthcare as the most important issue facing the state, with gun control measures placing near the bottom at just 4.8 percent. The economy and taxes both tied for second at 16 percent. Among those polled, 47 percent answered that they are “extremely interested” in the race,” while another 32 percent responded that they are “very interested.” 90 percent of respondents said they will “almost certainly” vote in the upcoming midterm elections. Looking at the two Senate races in Minnesota,…

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Keith Ellison’s Daughter Criticizes Accuser for ‘Exploiting A Movement’

Anthony Gockowski
Amirah Ellison

Rep. Keith Ellison’s daughter is now speaking out against his father’s accuser, saying the Minnesota Democrat’s ex-girlfriend is “exploiting a movement.” In early August, accusations surfaced on Facebook that Ellison committed an act of domestic violence against his ex-girlfriend, who later claimed to have a “tape” of the incident. Ellison and his campaign for Minnesota attorney general have repeatedly denied the accusations, saying the “video does not exist” and “any characterization otherwise is false.” Ellison managed to win his primary election, but the controversy continues to loom over his campaign as it prepares for November. To help, Ellison’s daughter Amirah Ellison has decided to join the fight against Karen Monahan, Ellison’s accuser. “The kinds of accusations Karen Monahan has thrown at my dad, Keith Ellison, and her inability to stand firm on the truth are very much qualities inherent to the Karen I know,” the former congressman’s daughter wrote in a long-winded Facebook rant. “I can’t sit back and watch as Karen’s tried and true red flags appear and the public selectively ignore them,” she continues, detailing in length her personal experiences living with Monahan, which allegedly include losing her bedroom to store Monahan’s personal items, and being accused of…

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Democrat Congressional Candidate Dean Phillips Supports Making Minnesota A Sanctuary State

Anthony Gockowski
Dean Phillips

In a heated first debate, incumbent Rep. Erik Paulsen squared off against his Democratic challenger Dean Phillips in their battle for Minnesota’s Third Congressional District. Although Paulsen has safely held the seat since 2009, Minnesota’s Democractic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party is hopeful that their candidate can pull off an upset, since the district went to Hillary Clinton during the 2016 Election. At one particular tense moment of Tuesday’s debate, Phillips was cornered into revealing that he would support gubernatorial candidate Rep. Tim Walz’s plan to declare Minnesota a sanctuary state, but only after insisting that he’s “in favor of law enforcement.” “I believe we need comprehensive immigration reform because we need more thoughtful laws and regulations that are decent, that take into account all the dynamics and the context in which they exist. And we need to hold people accountable in all of our laws and regulations,” Phillips responded to the question, saying he believes “laws in this country should be followed.” Phillips’ answer prompted the moderator to repeat his question, to which the DFL-backed candidate admitted that he would offer “short term” support of a sanctuary state option. “I believe humanity transcends nations,” he continued. “Yes, humans come first in my…

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VP Pence Will Return to Minnesota, Highlighting High-Stakes Election for Republicans

Anthony Gockowski
Mike Pence

Vice President Mike Pence plans to return to Minnesota for the second time in one month, highlighting the unusual importance of the consistently blue state for the 2018 elections. On August 8, both Pence and President Trump visited Duluth, Minn. to campaign for Pete Stauber, a candidate for the state’s Eighth Congressional District who won last week’s primary. Republican Party of Minnesota Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan announced Pence’s return in an August 20 press release, expressing her excitement to welcome him back. “This election cycle, the future of our country and state are on the line and its a priority of the MN GOP to send more Republicans to Washington DC to support the President’s agenda,” Carnahan remarked. She went on to point out the high-stakes nature of Minnesota for Republicans in the 2018 election, calling it an “election year unlike any we have seen since perhaps the late 1970s.” “We look forward to supporting our current administration and carrying them through to the 2020 election,” she added. As indicated by Carnahan’s statement, the state GOP has stood by the Trump administration on the campaign trail, perhaps explaining former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty’s upset loss to Jeff Johnson in the primaries.…

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Keith Ellison Likely to be Replaced By Candidate With Equally Controversial Past in Minnesota’s ‘Anti-Israel Seat’

Anthony Gockowski
Ellison, Omar

Minnesota State Rep. Ilhan Omar is still serving out her first term as the first Somali-American legislator, but she is poised to inherit what some have called the “anti-Israel seat” in the U.S. House of Representatives. Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District has remained a Democratic stronghold since the 1970’s, and Omar should easily defeat her opponent Republican Jennifer Zielinski in the race to replace Rep. Keith Ellison, who left Congress to run for Minnesota attorney general. Like her soon-to-be predecessor, Omar brings with her a healthy resentment of the Israeli state, notoriously tweeting in 2014 that “Israel has hypnotized the world.” “May Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel,” the tweet continued, later referring to Israel as an “apartheid regime.” Omar’s intriguing past, which involves four years in a Kenyan refugee camp, goes well beyond her contempt for Israel. Minneapolis attorney and writer Scott Johnson, who dubbed MN-05 the “anti-Israel seat,” wrote a 2016 article claiming that Omar had married the father of her three children in 2002, but then married her alleged brother in 2009 for fraudulent purposes. Omar obviously denied the claims, calling them “baseless and absurd,” but Johnson insisted that the claims…

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Johnson and Walz Spar Over Taxes, Refugee Resettlement In First Minnesota Gubernatorial Debates

Anthony Gockowski
MN Governor Debate

It’s been just one week since Rep. Tim Walz and Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson won their respective primaries, but the two are already hitting the debate circuit in their race for Minnesota’s governor seat. On Friday, the two went head-to-head in front of a live audience in Nisswa, Minn., showing right off the bat that the fundamental differences between the two candidacies will come down to taxes and diversity-related issues. Johnson, on the one hand, promised not to raise a single tax, prompting his opponent Walz to criticize him for closing “the door on any potential negotiation.” He put himself “in a box that does not allow you ideologically to have that discussion,” Walz suggested. While both agreed that costs of healthcare in the state are too high, their visions of a solution were far different. Walz expressed support for a single-payer healthcare system, while Johnson favored a free-market solution. “I don’t believe that as governor I should be able to tell someone that if you think limited coverage is best for you, I know better. Let’s give people more options and choice,” Johnson commented, though Walz retorted by revealing that he believes “healthcare is a basic human right.”…

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Muslim Celebration of ‘Unity and Power’ at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota, With Chants of ‘Allahu Akbar’

Anthony Gockowski

More than 20,000 Muslims are expected to gather at U.S. Bank Stadium Tuesday morning in celebration of the Islamic holiday known as Eid al-Ahda commemorating the sacrifice of Abraham. As such, the holiday, known as the “Feast of Sacrifice,” often involves the ritual sacrifice of an animal, though organizers of Tuesday’s event set to be held in the new Minnesota Vikings stadium have assured the public that no animals will be slaughtered inside the stadium. The two-day event was first announced to the public August 7 on Somali TV of Minnesota when a group of local imams gathered outside the stadium, calling the celebration an opportunity to display the “unity and the power of our community.” In attendance at the press conference was Dr. Waleed Idris al-Maneese, who leads the Islamic University of Minnesota and serves as the imam of a Bloomington mosque. His mosque has produced at least five Islamic extremists who have gone on to fight with either ISIS or al-Shabaab, according to WND. Leo Hohmann, an author and journalist who has spent much of his career covering radical Islam, had former imam Dr. Mark Christian translate Maneese’s comments made during the press conference. According to Christian, Maneese…

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NOW Calls on Keith Ellison to Drop Out of Race for Minnesota Attorney General Amid Abuse Allegations

Anthony Gockowski
Keith Ellison

Rep. Keith Ellison managed to win last week’s primary in his bid for Minnesota attorney general, but one organization is now calling on the controversial Democrat to drop out of the race amid abuse allegations. The Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party offered Ellison its official endorsement Saturday during its state executive committee meeting. Speaking to a room full of delegates, 82 percent of whom went for Ellison, the former United States congressman addressed the allegations. “Despite everything, I still care about her as a person and I don’t want anybody to say anything insulting to her at all. I want you to know that I am committed to listening to all of the voices of every victim of abuse,” Ellison said, according to Yahoo News. “I recognize and hear those voices of so many women who were silenced when they needed to be heard,” he continued. After Saturday’s endorsement, DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin released a statement in support of Ellison, saying that the “party stands with him in his campaign” and looks “forward to working together to keep this seat.” “As attorney general, Keith will be a champion for families and fight to hold powerful interests accountable,” Martin said of his…

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