Category: The Upper-Midwest

China a Potential Issue in Michigan U.S. Senate Race

The Center Square
Mike Rodgers and Elissa Slotkin

Foreign policy is an infrequent subject in U.S. Senate campaigns. In Michigan’s Senate election, however, tough talk on the Chinese Communist Party is growing on the campaign trail.

Michigan, a key swing state in 2024’s general elections, will vote this year to elect a successor to retiring Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow. Though the primary election is Aug. 6, the race has crystallized around Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin and former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers – the leading candidates for their parties’ nominations – who have both attacked the CCP with a frequency unusual among this year’s Senate campaigns.

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Minnesota City Council Votes in Favor of Moratorium on Mosque-Centric Development

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Lino Lakes Council Meeting

The Lino Lakes City Council has voted 4-1 to postpone development of a new residential community centered around a mosque, with a final vote to decide the moratorium coming on July 8.

The development, with the proposed name of “Madinah Lakes,” was slated to cover 156 acres in Lino Lakes’ northwest quadrant. 434 housing units, businesses, and a grocery store, along with the $15 million, 40,000 square foot mosque at its center, were to be built on an area formerly dedicated to sod farming. The community was specifically marketed as “Masjid-Centric” in reference to the mosque.

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Second Effort to Recall Wisconsin Speaker Fails

The Center Square
Robin Vos

Republican Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos will not face a recall election after the Wisconsin Elections Commission threw out more than a hundred signatures on a petition.

The WEC voted 4-2 on Thursday afternoon to reject the Vos recall petition after it found the number of signatures submitted by the deadline insufficient. Commission staff had recommended Wednesday the commission accept the petition signatures.

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RFK Jr. Cleared to Appear on Minnesota Presidential Ballot

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Independent candidate for president Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been officially approved to appear on the 2024 presidential ballot in Minnesota, officials with Secretary of State Steve Simon’s office have confirmed.

Field staff for Kennedy’s campaign in Minnesota submitted their ballot petition — which includes the requisite minimum of 2,500 signatures and a list of presidential elector nominees — to the secretary of state on Jun 7. The secretary of state then engaged in a standard review of the signatures and application materials.

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Michigan Museum Funding Could Raise Property Taxes

The Center Square
Tom Kuhn

A new Michigan policy could cost Oakland and Macomb county households thousands in higher property taxes.

The Michigan House recently approved House Bill 4177, seeking to subsidize two nonprofit museums run through the Wright and Detroit Historical Societies. Because they likely could not stay open through admission fees and donations alone, Oakland and Macomb County residents would pay up to $200,000 in property taxes over the next 10 years.

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Gangs, Crime, and Terrible Living Conditions Included in New Look into Wisconsin City’s Immigration Problems

The Center Square
Tammy Baldwin and Bryan Steil

A new report says Whitewater’s immigration problems did not end when the city’s police chief sent a letter to the White House late last year.

The Institute for Reforming Government on Monday released a report that uses 4,000 open records requests to paint a picture of the continued problems that a flood of illegal immigrants has caused in Whitewater.

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10 More Minneapolis Gang Members Charged with Illegal Gun Possession and Drugs

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Andrew Luger Press Conference

Ten more alleged Minneapolis gang members have been charged in federal court for various crimes including illegal possession of firearms, possession of a machine gun, and drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger in a Tuesday press conference.

Luger was joined by Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara and FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Leah Greeves in announcing charges against the “10z” and “20z” (pronounced “tens” and “twenties”) gang members who they say operate mainly in the area of East Franklin and Chicago avenues in south Minneapolis and are part of a two-year crackdown on gangs in the city.

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Retired Border Chief Says Michigan and Other States Face Impacts of Border Crisis

The Center Square
Chris Clem

The immigration wave at the southern border is a crisis of national security, and Michigan is not exempt from its effects, a recently retired Border Patrol chief says.

Former Chief Chris Clem, who is visiting Michigan as part of Americans for Prosperity’s “Secure Borders, Secure America” tour, served more than 27 years and under five presidents as a U.S. border patrol agent. He was promoted to Yuma Sector chief in December 2020, right before President Joe Biden took office. 

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House Republican Gains Bipartisan Support for Estate Reform Bill

The Center Square
Doug Wozniak

Estate planning could get a little easier in Michigan if a bill that cleared the Michigan House continues to move forward.

Sponsored by Rep. Doug Wozniak, R-Shelby Township, HB 5110 allows income trusts to convert to unitrusts, and vice versa. A unitrust gives a fixed percentage of the assets to the recipient per year, while an income trust provides a steady stream of income.

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Minnesota Parents Petition School Board for Improved Safety in Schools

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Ashley Ashbeck

A petition was presented to the Hopkins School Board during a June 11 meeting, calling on the board to provide a safe environment for students in Hopkins Public Schools following a violent incident that occurred at the end of May.

“We, the undersigned members of the Hopkins Public Schools community, are deeply concerned about the violent assault last Thursday against a transgender student at Hopkins High School,” the petition reads. “Just two days prior, there were three fights at the high school and the police were called to prevent a fourth.”

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16-Year-Old Minnesota Girl Speaks Out About Having to Share School Restrooms and Locker Rooms With Males

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Women's Locker Room

A 16-year-old Minnesota girl forced to share private spaces with males under a public school transgender policy says that girls deserve privacy in their restrooms and locker rooms.

“It’s really uncomfortable, because I was in gym class, and I was just about to change, but then I heard this voice, and I was, like, ‘That does not sound right.’ So, I look, and it’s a male,” said the rising junior at Stewartville High School, who asked to remain anonymous to speak freely on the controversial issue.

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RNC Declares ‘Victory’ in Judge Ruling on Michigan Secretary of State’s Signature Verification Rule

Just the News
Jocelyn Benson

A Michigan judge partially ruled against Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s lenient guidance on signature verification, following a lawsuit brought by the Republican National Committee.

On Wednesday, Michigan Court of Claims Judge Christopher Yates ruled “that the ‘initial presumption’ of validity in signature verification of absentee-ballot applications and envelopes mandated by the December 2023 guidance manual” issued by Benson “is incompatible with the Constitution and laws of the State of Michigan.”

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Michigan Gov. Whitmer Requests FEMA Assistance Following May Tornadoes

The Center Square
Michigan Tornado

Southwestern Michigan impacted by recent storms might be given a federal disaster declaration.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wants President Joe Biden to issue a Major Disaster Declaration for four Michigan counties after the multiple tornadoes earlier this month. While Branch, Cass, Kalamazoo and St. Joseph counties have all received state disaster support, and preliminary estimates suggest a need for federal financial assistance.

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MSTAR Program Given Additional $10 Million for EV Semiconductor Research

The Center Square
EV Charging

by Carly Moran Gov. Gretchen Whitmer gave another $10 million toward the Michigan Semiconductor Talent and Technology for Automotive Research, a private-public partnership that wants to make the Great Lakes State a leader in electric car innovation. The MSTAR initiative was launched a year ago and has developed a portfolio of projects. Partners include semiconductor company KLA, Belgium-based imec, the University of Michigan, Washtenaw Community College and General Motors. “At imec, we bridge industry and academia to develop new technologies that improve people’s lives,” Luc Van den hove, president and CEO of imec, said. “We are thrilled to begin joint research with the University of Michigan, on their Ann Arbor campus, and grateful for the state’s support for the MSTAR initiative and Gov. Whitmer’s leadership. By combining the strengths of our research organizations, we can accelerate technological innovations for the automotive industry, making vehicles safer and more sustainable.” Through the $10 million initiative, MSTAR hopes to expand to train the current and future workforce in chip manufacturing, collaborate with K-12 schools and implement current innovations toward electric car technology. “Michigan put the world on wheels, and we need to do the work to ensure we stay at the forefront of innovation and…

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Minnesota Supreme Court Won’t Let Group of Moms Defend Parental Notification Law for Abortions

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MOMS

The Minnesota Supreme Court has declined to hear a case brought by a group called Mothers Offering Maternal Support (MOMS), which sought to intervene in the ruling of the Ramsey County District Court in the 2022 case Dr. Jane Doe, et al. v. State of Minnesota.  In that case, the court struck down Minnesota’s remaining abortion restrictions, including a requirement that practitioners give parents notice before performing an abortion on a minor.

In the aftermath of the ruling, most of Minnesota’s former abortion restrictions were officially removed from the statutes during the state’s 2023 legislative session. However, one precondition that remained on the books was the parental notification requirement. This requirement became MOMS’ primary object of focus in its attempts to secure an intervention in the case.

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Poll: Trump Leads Biden in Michigan

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Trump Biden White House

The latest battleground poll reveals that President Trump is still leading Joe Biden in the crucial swing state of Michigan, with exactly five months to go before the November election.

As Breitbart reports, the poll by Mitchell Research shows Trump at 49% to Biden’s 47% in a head-to-head matchup. When the poll includes the three major third-party candidates – independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., independent candidate Cornel West, and Green Party candidate Jill Stein – Trump leads Biden with 46% to 45%. In the five-way poll, 5% support Kennedy, while 1% each choose West and Stein.

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Minnesota State Rep. Calls Gov. Walz a ‘Masterful Liar’ After Another Officer is Murdered in Minnesota

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Tim Walz and Walter Hudson

Walter Hudson, a Republican Minnesota state representative from Albertville, joined Liz Collin on her podcast to speak out on failed leadership and how “lies about public safety” have continued to put police officers in danger.

Last week, Minneapolis Police Officer Jamal Mitchell became the fifth first responder in Minnesota to be murdered in just a little over a year — the 10th in this region.

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Michigan State Has over 140 Employees Working on 222 DEI Action Items

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Michigan State University

Michigan State University currently has more than 140 employees working on 222 different “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” agenda items.

The salaries for those employees, some of whom work on DEI full-time, totals more than $18 million dollars according to a College Fixanalysis. One of these goals included an “inclusive language” guide that instructed university employees not to say “America” or use Easter and Christmas imagery.

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Wisconsin AG Hits 3 Trump Allies with 2020 Election-Related Charges

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Josh Kaul

Democratic Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul on Tuesday charged three Trump allies with felony forgery related to the 2020 election.

Two attorneys, Kenneth Chesebro and Jim Troupis, along with former aide Mike Roman, face one count each of forgery related to their role in attempting to submit alternate elector certificates to Congress stating former President Donald Trump, rather than President Joe Biden, won the 2020 election in the state. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers shared a one word statement on X in response to the charges: “Good.”

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Two Wisconsin Illegal Immigrants Charged in Alleged Sexual Assault of 12-Year-Old Girl

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Antonio Meija

Two illegal immigrants were charged Wednesday in connection with an alleged sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, according to court documents and releases.

The office of Fond du Lac Country District Attorney Eric J. Toney announced that Elia Antonio and Juan Carlos Rocha Mejia each face multiple counts stemming from a May 19 incident where Antonio’s 12-year-old daughter escaped after allegedly being bound, blindfolded and assaulted, according to a Wednesday release from the DA’s office and a May 20 release from the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office. Antonia was the 12-year-old girl’s mother, according to a criminal complaint.

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Minnesota DFL Chair Calls on Sen. Nicole Mitchell to Resign Days After Session Ends

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Nicole Mitchell

Just a little more than a week after the legislative session ended in Minnesota, the DFL Party has called for the resignation of beleaguered Sen. Nicole Mitchell — who faces felony burglary charges stemming from her arrest at her elderly stepmother’s home in northwest Minnesota last month.

Republican leaders in the Senate said the timing of such a statement after session has concluded is “hypocrisy” and a political ploy leading up to the November election.

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Major Shift in State Supreme Court Could Allow Unions to Wreak Havoc on Wisconsin’s Budget Once Again, Experts Say

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Wisconsin Capitol Protest Union

A legal challenge could upend a long-standing Wisconsin law that has successfully balanced the budget at the expense of curbing public unions in the state, experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Lawmakers passed the Wisconsin Budget Repair Bill, also known as Act 10, in 2011 in an effort to reduce the state’s budget deficit primarily by limiting the power of public unions to demand higher compensation and benefits that had come to be a drag on the state’s finances. A coalition of unions had their chance to argue starting on Tuesday to a Wisconsin judge that the law was unconstitutional, despite previous legal objections and the law’s success at solving key budgetary issues that had previously plagued the state, emboldened by a new liberal majority on the court that threatens to repeal the law, according to experts who spoke to the DCNF.

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Michigan Republicans Fire Back at Attorney General’s Environmental Lawsuit

The Center Square
Michigan Politics

Michigan Senate Republicans universally signed a letter opposing Attorney General Dana Nessel after she threatened to sue the fossil fuel industry.

Nessel issued a statement earlier this month seeking assistant attorneys to litigate on behalf of the state, saying the industry has knowingly caused the state harm. In response, the senate Republicans described the lawsuit as a mistake.

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Secretaries of State from Arizona, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Georgia Claim AI ‘Disinformation’ Top Threat in 2024

Tom Pappert
Arizona Sec State Adrian Fontes

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes on Sunday joined a number of his counterparts from other states for a Meet the Press panel discussion, and the top state election official claimed that artificial intelligence (AI) will pose new “mis- and disinformation” threats during the 2024 elections.

Fontes told Meet the Press host Kristen Walker, “AI is not a new weapon. It’s an amplifier and a magnifier of mis- and disinformation,” and revealed that his office held a “tabletop exercise” that apparently involved both election officials and members of the media.

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Minnesota GOP Legislators Call on Gov. Walz to Veto 1,400-Page Bill Passed amid Chaos

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Tim Walz

Republican leaders in the Minnesota House of Representatives and the Minnesota Senate called on Gov. Tim Walz to veto a 1,400-page bill that was passed in the final moments of the legislative session before many lawmakers even had a chance to see what was in the bill.

House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, and Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks, made their request in a letter to Gov. Walz on Wednesday.

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Poll: Uninstructed Voters Claim to Control Biden’s Wisconsin Fate

The Center Square
Joe Biden Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s uninstructed, or uncommitted, voters are out with a new poll that says they could keep President Joe Biden from winning the state in November.

The Americans for Justice in Palestine-Action group commissioned the poll from YouGov. It says 1-in-5 Democrats and Independents in Wisconsin say they are less likely to vote for the president because of how he’s handled the war in Gaza.

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Human Rights Campaign to Target Wisconsin in Push for Equality Voters

The Center Square
People Voting

The Human Rights Campaign wants spend millions of dollars to connect with equality voters in Wisconsin this election season.

The Human Rights Campaign bills itself as the largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people.  It says equality voters are people who share their LGBTQ focus and agenda.

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Ilhan Omar Votes Against Bill to Deport Illegal Immigrants Who Assault Police

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Ilhan Omar

Two Democratic Minnesota congresswomen voted against federal legislation which seeks to deport illegal immigrants who assault law enforcement officers. Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep. Betty McCollum were the lone votes from Minnesota to oppose H.R. 7343.

The aptly named “Detain and Deport Illegal Aliens Who Assault Cops Act” was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last week in a 265-148 vote. In total, 54 Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the bill; 148 Democrats voted against H.R. 7343. No Republican opposed the proposed law.

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New Polls Show Trump, GOP Legislators in Competitive Minnesota Races

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Donald Trump

A set of new polls show that Republican candidates are in close contests for both the 2024 Minnesota presidential race and the race to win the majority in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

According to a McLaughlin & Associates poll conducted on behalf of the Trump campaign, former President Donald Trump is locked in a competitive race with President Biden in the 2024 presidential election in Minnesota. In the survey, pollsters gauged voter interest in several different scenarios.

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Wisconsin Awards $32.6 Million in Grants to Housing Developers

The Center Square
Construction on House

Wisconsin housing developers are set to receive $32.6 million in housing tax credits for 2024, part of $525 million in workforce housing in this year’s biennial budget, Gov. Tony Evers’ office said.

The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority received $56 million in grant requests from developers with 23 developments in 14 counties that will create 1,383 affordable housing units being awarded the grants.

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Minnesota Mother Says Daughter was Attacked at School Because ‘She Wasn’t Muslim’

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Shawna Larson

A Minnesota mom is demanding answers after she says her nine-year-old daughter was jumped on the school playground by a group of girls who she was told targeted her daughter because “she wasn’t Muslim.”

Shawna Larson told Liz Collin Reports about the disturbing details of the attack that she says took place on Monday, April 29 at Hidden Valley Elementary in Savage.

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Minnesota and Wisconsin Withhold Voter Registration from Public That Most States are Federally Mandated to Disclose

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Meagan Wolfe Steve Simon

Wisconsin is one of the most fiercely contested battleground states in this election cycle, but it lacks federal transparency requirements for voter registration imposed on most states, according to a lawsuit by an election watchdog.

Minnesota, generally a solidly blue state although it saw a razor-thin margin in the results of the 2016 presidential race, also doesn’t make its voter rolls available to the public, the lawsuit contends.

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