In the Know: April 21, 2020

Days to the November Election:  196

2020 Election
Here We Go: Trump Has Started Accusing the Dems of Stealing the 2020 Election, Mother Jones
Joe Biden Starts General Election Nearly $187 Million Behind Trump, New York Times
Trump Campaign Secretly Paying $180,000 A Year To His Sons’ Significant Others, HuffPost

Agriculture
Why Some Farmers Are Ditching Livestock And Growing Plants Instead, HuffPost
America’s food supply chain moves backward, Axios

Attorney General Keith Ellison
MN AG Ellison touts the importance of following stay-at-home order, KTOE

Congress
Schumer says deal in place to boost spending for small businesses and virus testing, but GOP urges caution, Washington Post

Donald Trump
Illinois’ governor organized secret flights to bring masks and gloves from China out of fear Trump would seize them, Business Insider
Is Trump using the Ukraine playbook to pressure states to bow to his will amid a pandemic?, AlterNet
Report: Americans At World Health Organization Told Trump Administration About Coronavirus ‘Late Last Year’, Forbes
Trump and Darwin: Make America Sick Again, The American Prospect
Trump coronavirus response feeds distrust in black and Latino communities, Politico
Company With Ties To Trump Receives Millions From Small Business Loan Program, NPR

Economy
Amazon-owned Whole Foods is quietly tracking and scoring stores it deems at risk of unionizing, Business Insider
A Primer on Disaster Capitalism, Our New Normal, In These Times
Stocks sink as US oil prices fall below $0 a barrel: April 20, 2020, CNN
Millennials are getting screwed by the economy. Again., Vox
Oil crash slams stocks, dollar gains as risk sentiment rolls over, Reuters
The Bailout, the Fed, and the Aftermath, The American Prospect

Environment
Air quality in US dramatically worse than in prior years, says new ‘State of the Air’ report, CNN
Supreme Court says Montana landowners in Superfund fight must consult with EPA, Washington Post

Governor Tim Walz
Gov. Tim Walz: Business disruptions could last 18 months, Star Tribune
Gov. Walz and President Trump discuss reopening Minnesota, KTTC
Minnesota Scene: Gov. Tim Walz says schools, sports unlikely to resume this spring, Star Tribune

Health
The ACA is doing fine without a mandate penalty, Axios
WH Yanks Surgeon General From Airwaves After Official Comments On COVID-19 Race Disparity, Talking Points Memo

Immigration

Trump Plans to Suspend Immigration to U.S., New York Times

Labor
Koch-Funded Think Tanks Are Lobbying to Send Workers to Their Deaths, In These Times

Minnesota Legislature
Holocaust trivialization at protests isn’t just offensive. It threatens democracy, Forward

Minnesota News
Latest on COVID-19 in MN: Surge in deaths, cases may be starting, MPR
ArcelorMittal will idle Hibbing Taconite, Duluth News Tribune
UPM Blandin temporarily shutting down Grand Rapids paper mill, WDIO
Behind rallies to reopen economy, a Minnesota activist and his family, MPR
Minnesota wants to test all JBS pork packing plant employees after COVID-19 outbreak, MN Reformer

Representative Angie Craig (CD2)
‘We have a long, long way to go’: Disease expert and Rep. Craig answer COVID-19 questions, SW News Media

Representative Dean Phillips (CD3)
Biggest banks “prioritized” larger clients for small business loans, lawsuits claim, CBS News

Republicans
Did The Wisconsin Primary Spark New Infections?, Talking Points Memo
America doesn’t want another Tea Party, Vox
The ugly side of politics emerges, Axios

Senator Tina Smith
Rep. Craig, Sen. Smith introduce bill to include students in COVID-19 relief package, MN Daily

U.S. News
Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina Say Businesses Can Reopen Soon, New York Times
Atlanta mayor ‘at a loss’ over Georgia governor’s move to reopen state economy, Politico
How the coronavirus is surfacing America’s deep-seated anti-Asian biases, Vox
To Understand the Medical Supply Shortage, It Helps to Know How the U.S. Lost the Lithium Ion Battery to China, ProPublica
Tracking the virus may require 300,000 workers. We’re nowhere close., Politico
How an “Old Hippie” Got Accused of Astroturfing the Right-Wing Campaign to Reopen the Economy, Mother Jones

World News
Brazil’s Bolsonaro Joins Supporters In Protest Against Coronavirus Measures,NPR
There’s Another Plague. This One Is of Huge Locust Swarms in Africa., Mother Jones
Zimbabwe faces malaria outbreak as it locks down to counter coronavirus, The Guardian
Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro denounced for joining pro-dictatorship rally, The Guardian
Hong Kong crisis escalates as China moves to hasten demise of city’s autonomy,Washington Post
US monitoring intelligence that North Korean leader is in grave danger after surgery, CNN

Upcoming DFL Events

With the rapidly changing COVID-19 situation, we suggest you check with the hosting organization to see if meetings, etc. are being held.

All DFL conventions will now be held virtually. If you were elected as a Delegate or Alternate at Caucuses, you will be hearing from your district with specifics.  If you don’t, please check with the hosting organization.

  • Today through May 4 — Minnesota Stay at Home Order
  • Today to April 23 — State DFL prepares local unit ballots and provides them to those units fro certification
  • April 22 — Earth Day
  • April 23 through May 23 — Ramadan
  • April 23 — Deadline for DFL local units to certify their ballot in writing to DFL Staff
  • April 24 — Arbor Day
  • April 25 – May 4 — DFL Virtual Convention Balloting Window
  • May 5 — Cinco de Mayo
    • 7:00  to 8:30 PM — SD40 DFL Central Committee Meeting, location to be determined
  • May 6
    • 6:30 to 8:30 PM — SD50 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Kennedy High School, Room C102, 9701 Nicollet Ave S, Bloomington, MN 55420
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD33 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Ridgedale Library, Room 172, 12601 Ridgedale Dr, Minnetonka, MN 55305
  • May 7, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD46 DFL Central Committee Meeting, St. Louis Park City Hall, 5005 Minnetonka Blvd, St. Louis Park, MN 55416
  • May 9, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM — CD3 DFL Convention, Park Center High School, Performing  Arts Center, 7300 Brooklyn Blvd, Minneapolis, MN 55344.
  • May 10 — Mother’s Day
  • May 11 — deadline for certification of DFL local unit balloting results
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD44 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Council Chamber, Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD49 DFL Central Committee Meeting, 7001 Cahill Rd, Suite 21, Edina, MN
  • May  14
    • 7:00  to 9:00 PM —  SD36 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Riverwind Community Center, 2701 Northdale Blvd NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55433.
    • 7:oo to 9:00  PM — SD48 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Glen Lake Community Center, 14350 Excelsior Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345
  • May 18 — Last Day of the 2020 Legislative Session
  • May 20, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — CD3 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Council Chambers, Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345
  • May 25 — Memorial Day
  • May 30 -30 — State DFL Convention, Rochester, MN, more information as it becomes available.