Category: 2020 Election

Manafort shared campaign info with Russian intelligence officer, Senate panel finds

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Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort had deep ties to a Russian intelligence officer and secretly shared campaign information, according to a sweeping Senate Intelligence Committee report released Tuesday.

The nearly 1,000-page report offers a detailed portrait of Manafort’s connection to Konstantin Kilimnik, whom the Senate panel identifies as a Russian intelligence officer with potential ties to the hack of Democratic emails during the 2016 election.

“On numerous occasions over the course of his time on the Trump Campaign, Manafort sought to secretly share internal Campaign information with Kilimnik,” the committee wrote. Continue reading.

DeJoy donated big to GOP senators up for re-election. They’re still mum on the USPS

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Recently appointed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a top donor to Donald Trump and until earlier this year the head fundraiser for the Republican National Convention, has given tens of thousands of dollars to Republican Senators up for re-election this November, according to Federal Election Commission records reviewed by Salon.

FEC records also show that DeJoy regularly maxed out with tens of thousands of annual contributions to the official GOP committees dedicated to electing Republican lawmakers: the National Republican Congressional Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

DeJoy’s political fundraising and donor records have come under scrutiny since his appointment to the head of the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors. He caught fierce backlash last week from Democrats and Postal Service employees after reports broke that USPS warned 46 states that their mail ballots might not be delivered on time for the November election, potentially disenfranchising millions of voters. Continue reading.

Trump Tweets Russian Propaganda Against Biden

Donald Trump retweeted an audio recording that U.S. intelligence cited as a key element in a Russian campaign to smear Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.

The alleged conversation between Biden and former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, purportedly occurred on Feb. 18, 2016, and concerns the removal of Ukraine’s chief prosecutor.

When Trump promoted the recording to his tens of millions ofTwitter followers, he demonstrated how easily Russian propaganda invades the election debate — even when loyal intelligence officials designate its origins explicitly. Russia routinely spreads disinformation as “news,” according to those officials. Continue reading.

Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan update: August 18, 2020

August 18, 2020

Updates from the Governor

Governor Tim Walz recently announced the appointment of Angie Dickison to serve as Executive Director of Broadband Development. She has been filing this position in an interim capacity since July 2019.

“Internet access is both an economic and quality of life issue,” said Governor Walz. “Angie is passionate about ensuring that all Minnesotans have high-speed internet access for work, learning, business, and health care, and she understands the importance of working together to achieve Minnesota’s goal of border-to-border high-speed internet access.”

“Broadband internet access is critical to helping our communities thrive, from businesses getting products to customers, to students logging on to do their homework. And during this time of crisis, ensuring that every Minnesotan has high-speed internet access is more important than ever,” said Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. “I am grateful that Angie is leading this work on behalf of all Minnesotans.”

Continue reading “Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan update: August 18, 2020”

At DNC, Bernie Sanders Says ’Nero Fiddled, Trump Golfs’

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) gave a keynote address at the Democratic National Convention Monday night, slamming Donald Trump’s failure to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and connecting that failure to the ongoing economic crisis plaguing the country.

To date, more than 5.4 million people have been infected with the coronavirus in the United States, and 170,419 have died. Trump’s critics and health experts alike have said that the administration’s slow response to the pandemic only served to worsen its impact and the still-rising death toll.

“Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Trump golfs,” Sanders said on Monday night, referencing Trump’s continued visits to his various clubs and resorts amid the outbreak. Continue reading.

Minnesota Delegates React to Night Two of the 2020 Democratic Convention

St. Paul, MN –  Below, the Minnesota DFL Party has collected reactions from the Minnesota delegation to the second night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention and the nomination of Joe Biden to be the next President of the United States of America:

“Joe Biden has a heart that can bring us all together.”

– Jules Goldstein from St Louis Park, Minnesota

“Tonight was so energizing! It was refreshing to see leaders unified around values of courage, honesty, kindness, and empathy. It gave me hope to see our Democratic Nominee, Joe Biden, commit to fighting to protect ALL Americans the way he fights to protect his own family. I ended the night feeling filled with hope for our country’s future.”

– Shivanthi Sathanandan from Minneapolis, Minnesota

Continue reading “Minnesota Delegates React to Night Two of the 2020 Democratic Convention”

The Memo: Michelle Obama shines, scorching Trump

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It was Michelle Obama’s night — again.

The former first lady was the standout speaker, by some distance, on the first night of the Democratic National Convention Monday.

Obama took the fight directly to President Trump in a pre-taped but emotive speech. She accused him of being “clearly in over his head” and being “the wrong president for our country.”  Continue reading.