State Rep. Munson Responds to New Minnesota COVID Vaccine Incentives for Kids: ‘Bribery and Coercion’

State Representative Jeremy Munson (R-Lake Crystal) responded to Minnesota’s new COVID vaccine incentives for kids, calling it bribery and coercion. The State of Minnesota and Gov. Tim Walz (D) announced that they will be giving every family of 5 to 11 year old children $200 for getting fully vaccinated in the months of January and February.

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EXCLUSIVE: Lisa Hanson Files Writ of Habeas Corpus with United States District Court of Minnesota

A Writ of Habeas Corpus has been filed against two sheriffs in charged of handling the incarceration of Melissa “Lisa” Hanson as of Tuesday morning. Hanson, who represented herself sui juris, was charged and convicted last Thursday with six counts of violating executive orders and sentenced to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. for opening her restaurant during Gov. Tim Walz’s (D) COVID emergency shutdown. 

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Two Gubernatorial Candidates Respond to the Conviction and Jailing of Minnesota Business Woman Lisa Hanson

Two gubernatorial candidates, Dr. Scott Jensen and Dr. Neil Shah, responded to the announcement that business owner Melissa “Lisa” Hanson was convicted and jailed for violating Governor Tim Walz’s (D) COVID emergency orders. Jensen posted a video to Twitter, where he called the conviction and sentencing saying, “SO WRONG!”

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Judge Berates Albert Lea Bistro Owner: ‘You Just Wanted to Make Money During a Global Pandemic,’ Gives Her 90 Days, $1,000 Fine for Violating Gov. Walz’s COVID-19 Indoor Service Ban

The owner of the Interchange Wine and Coffee Bistro began her 90-day jail sentence Thursday after a jury found her guilty of violating COVID-19 emergency orders from Democrat Gov. Timothy J.  “Tim” Walz at her Freeborn County District Court trial.

Melissa “Lisa” Hanson represented herself sui juris, while she was prosecuted by Albert Lea’s City Attorney Kelly Martinez on six of the nine misdemeanors charges against her.

All six of the counts were for willfully violating the governor’s November 2020 executive orders, which prohibited serving alcohol indoors.

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Minnesota Democratic Lawmakers Respond to First Fully Vaccinated Omicron COVID Case: ‘Get Vaccinated’

Minnesota’s Democrat lawmakers responded to the first Omicron COVID case detected in Minnesota. To date, the case is only the second diagnosed case of the Omicron variant in the nation. The man who tested positive for Omicron was fully vaccinated and had just gotten his booster shot in early November. He contracted the virus while attending a conference in New York City in mid-November, Alpha News reported.

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Minnesota Governor Walz Activates 400 National Guard to Assist with Nursing Home Staff Shortages

Elderly woman looking to the side of her

Governor Tim Walz (D) announced he is activating 400 National Guard members to assist with the growing staff shortage in the state’s nursing homes. “Our long-term care facilities are facing an all-hands-on-deck moment, and that’s why we are taking unprecedented action to support skilled nursing workers, residents, and patients,” said Governor Walz.

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Governor Walz Initiates Special Session, Doesn’t Want to Include ‘Additional, Controversial Topics’

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) says he does not want to include “additional, controversial topics” in a proposed special session. Walz finally made the move to have a special session, something that Republican lawmakers have been asking him to do for months.

In the letter to Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller (R-Winona), Walz wrote, “A special session should be focused on areas where we can find agreement, while areas of disagreement can be addressed in the regular session.” The governor is suggesting calling a special session on November 29, if Miller agrees to his terms, which confine the actions of the session to a drought relief bill, a frontline worker pay bill, and a COVID relief bill. Walz is also requiring that the session last no more than three days.

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Leaked Email from Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcom in 2020 Said COVID Numbers ‘Don’t Justify Dial Backs’

A leaked email from Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Commissioner Jan Malcom appears to say that the “small impacts” are not enough to justify “dial backs” to the public. The emails, sent in October of 2020, include from Malcolm to other MDH staff and one from the Chief of Staff for Governor Tim Walz (D).

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Minneapolis Residents Send Letter to Gov Walz Asking for National Guard

Military men in uniform, on the steps of the National Mall in Washington D.C.

A group of Minneapolis residents sent an open letter to Governor Tim Walz (D) asking that he send in the National Guard or State Troopers, calling Minneapolis “a war zone.” The group of 26 residents said that they have been living amidst violence for long enough. As was reported by WCCO, Walz responded to the letter on Wednesday saying that“he shares their urgency to want to improve public safety, but that the state patrol and National Guard are not a substitute for a qualified, local police department.”

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Governor Walz Announces Allocation of $103 Million of Federal Money

Gov. Tim Walz announced the allocation of $103 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds on Friday to support Minnesota students, drive workforce development, and shelter vulnerable Minnesotans before winter.

“President Biden’s American Rescue Plan delivers direct relief to Americans by providing resources to beat this pandemic and build a stronger economy for generations to come. That’s exactly what we’re prioritizing here in Minnesota,” Walz said in a statement. “With this funding, we are helping students recover from the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, driving workforce development in critical, good-paying fields, and providing safe shelter to the Minnesotans who need it most before our harsh winter months.”

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Minnesota Senator Tina Smith Criticizes Texas Abortion Ban

Minnesota Senator Tina Smith tweeted out Wednesday, criticizing the Supreme Court’s decision regarding a Texas abortion ban. Smith called the decision a “direct attack on Roe.” Smith said that she’s not “blind” to what is being done. She said, “I used to work at Planned Parenthood, not blind to what’s happening here.” Smith called the law unconstitutional saying they are going to “fight it.”

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Stop Line 3 Protesters in Minnesota Unlawfully Gathered Outside of Governor’s Mansion

ST. PAUL, Minnesota – Around 150 Stop Line 3 protesters unlawfully gathered outside of the Governor’s Mansion on Saturday afternoon. The protesters blocked Summit Avenue in St. Paul where the Governor’s Mansion is located and hung signs on the surrounding fences. Other protesters blocked entrances and exits to the house, sitting with their arms linked.

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Minnesota Activist and Parent Groups Representing Thousands of Parents Sign on to Anti-Masking Letter

Girl with mask on and braids

Minnesota activist and parent groups that allegedly represent over 30,000 Minnesota parents have signed on to a letter opposing mandatory masking of children. The letter, which has also been used in Wisconsin to protest mandatory masking, was addressed to Governor Tim Walz and President Joe Biden. The letter was written and released under the group Open Schools USA.

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Minnesota Governor Walz to Require COVID Vaccine for Government Employees

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced that the COVID vaccine will be required for government employees in Minnesota. If employees choose not to be vaccinated and get an exemption, they will need to undergo weekly COVID testing. The State of Minnesota is the second largest business to require employees to be vaccinated, with over 40,000 employees, second to Mayo Clinic.

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Minnesota Barber Shops Participating in ‘Shots at the Shop’ Campaign to Get More Vaccination in Black Communities

14 Minneapolis barber shops are participating in a national program called “Shots at the Shop” which is seeking to increase COVID vaccination rates in the Black community. The campaign is “a White House-led effort that is working with 1,000 barbershops and beauty salons across the country.” Some of the barber shops are even offering the COVID vaccine on site, including one Minneapolis shop.

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Official Minnesota Government Twitter Account Parrots Left-Wing Super PAC Word-for-Word

Gov. Tim Walz

An official Minnesota government account tweeted word-for-word the same message as a left-wing super PAC with a less-than-spotless record.

“Thanks to [Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz], our economy is coming back stronger than ever,” the Minnesota Department of Corrections said via Twitter recently. This post came about 90 minutes after A Better Minnesota made the same exact post.

A Better Minnesota is a left-wing super PAC that moved about $4.5 million in the state during the last election cycle, per Open Secrets. It has also been accused of running misleading attack ads according to Influence Watch. The organization’s stated goal is “holding conservatives accountable.”

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Minnesota to End Statewide Mask Mandate Friday

Gov. Tim Walz on Thursday announced the end of Minnesota’s statewide mask requirement starting Friday, aligning Minnesota with new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance on face coverings.

“So, those peacetime emergencies are done and the business mitigations are coming to an end. I want to be clear it’s not the end of the pandemic, but it is the end of the pandemic for a  lot of vaccinated folks,” he told reporters.

Minnesotans who aren’t fully vaccinated are strongly recommended to wear face coverings indoors.

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Prior to Youth Sports Pause, Minnesota State Officials Admitted to Lack of Evidence, Emails Suggest

Young boy hitting a baseball

In the weeks leading up to Gov. Tim Walz’s “pause” on youth sports, state officials were privately scrambling for evidence to support the restrictions, at times admitting that “there isn’t much,” emails released Monday reveal.

“Here’s the way it should work: There is data, then there is a decision, then there is communication,” Sen. Michelle Benson, R-Ham Lake, explained at a Monday Senate hearing. “It’s not, ‘We need a message. Go find me the data that matches it.’”

Benson and her Republican colleagues published a trove of emails between state health officials and members of Gov. Walz’s staff ahead of Monday’s informational hearing.

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Lucero Bill Would Protect Religious Freedom After Minnesota Gov. Walz ‘Blatantly Violated’ Constitutional Protections

A Republican representative introduced a bill last week to provide legal protections to churches during states of emergency.

Under HF 2422, authored by Rep. Eric Lucero, R-Dayton, health boards, whether at the state or local level, would not be allowed to impose restrictions upon religious organizations during a declared emergency.

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Republicans, Business Industry Express Dismay with Minnesota Gov. Walz’s Proposed Spending and Tax Increases

While Minnesota is recovering from a 2020 budget deficit and public health hangover, Gov. Tim Walz proposed a $52.4 billion budget – a $4 billion spending increase from the prior biennium budget and the largest proposed spending plan in state history.

“As a result of rising costs and inflation, it is expected that budgets will increase biennium to biennium,” Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) spokesman Chris Kelly told The Center Square in an email.

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Minnesota State Senators Say Walz ‘Must’ Announce Plan to End Business Closures

Minnesota Sens. Michelle Benson, R-Ham Lake, and Eric Pratt, R-Prior Lake, sent a letter to Gov. Tim Walz asking him to reopen bars and restaurants.

In their letter, the two senators urge Gov. Walz to reopen bars, restaurants, and other “vital economic engines” by January 11. The letter also asks Walz to let businesses know of his plan by Jan. 4 so they have time to prepare.

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Let Them Play Minnesota Calls Out Walz for ‘Ignoring the Science’

Let Them Play MN, a nonprofit, issued a press release outlining its concerns regarding the newest guidelines for youth sports.

A guidance released by the Minnesota Department of Health on Dec. 28 requires all youth sports players to wear masks during practices and, when the time comes, during games. A few exceptions exist, including wrestling, gymnastics, and swimming and diving.

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Walz Indicates Bipartisan COVID Relief Could Come Next Week

Gov. Tim Walz said Wednesday that a bipartisan pandemic relief package may materialize as soon as next week to provide assistance to businesses hurt by the shutdown meant to slow the spread of the virus

Walz said during a tour of a Brooklyn Park warehouse facility where he was helping to package emergency food boxes that he and lawmakers are “pretty close” to an agreement on a relief package, the Star Tribune reported. The Democratic governor and Minnesota House Republicans unveiled separate relief initiatives on Tuesday to provide economic assistance to small businesses, workers and families struggling amid the pandemic.

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Gov. Walz’s Announces Four-Week Lockdown; Republicans and Restaurants Groups Warn of Economic Fallout

On Wednesday night, Gov. Tim Walz introduced sweeping four-week restrictions to combat COVID-19, sparking outcry from restaurant groups and Republicans warning of the inevitable economic fallout.

The restrictions start on 11:59 p.m. Friday and stretch until Dec. 18. Among the restrictions are prohibitions on in-person social gatherings with anyone of another household; limiting restaurants and bars to offer take-out and delivery only; and shuttering gyms, fitness studios and event spaces.

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