In the Know: December 6, 2019

Agriculture
LATE HARVEST, BAD WEATHER PUT REVENUE PRESSURES ON COUNTRY ELEVATORS, Successful Farming
SOYBEAN MARKET RISES, RECOVERS LAST WEEK’S LOSSES, Successful Farming

Attorney General Keith Ellison
State Panel Works To Prevent Officer-Involved Shootings, WCCO
Attorney General Keith Ellison, Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington hear from citizens on deadly police encounters, Star Tribune

Congress
Nancy Pelosi seizes the reins, Axios
GOP senator, at White House’s request, blocks Armenian genocide resolution, NBC News
‘Don’t mess with me’ — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rips reporter who asks if she hates Trump, CNBC
House Democrats slam Trump admin for ‘illegally withholding’ Puerto Rico hurricane aid, NBC News

Corruption Watch
House Ethics Committee Tells Duncan Hunter To Stop Voting In House Due To Guilty Plea, Huffington Post
William Barr is shockingly clear about his authoritarianism, The Week
Rudy Giuliani Made A Surprise Visit To Kyiv And Nobody There Is Happy About It, Buzzfeed

Donald Trump’s Impeachment
NSC staffer: Call with Giuliani listed in impeachment report was personal, Axios
The Republicans’ Star Impeachment Scholar Is a Shameless Hack, Nation
Right-wingers go full misogynist at impeachment witness Pamela Karlan, Salon
Senate Republicans puncture House GOP dreams for impeachment trial, Politico
Dem senator says he knows ‘handful’ of GOP colleagues considering vote to remove Trump, The Hill

Donald Trump
Trump is so much closer to impeachment, CNN
Trump claims Constitution shields his tax returns from public, Los Angeles Times
350 health professionals sign letter to Congress claiming Trump’s mental health is deteriorating dangerously amid impeachment proceedings, Insider

Donald Trump’s Trade War
Trump’s tariffs are coming to a store near you. It turns out Mexico won’t pay for those either., NBC News
China plans to lift tariffs on some US soybeans and pork products, CNN

Economy
America’s Worst Economy Is Still Waiting for Its Trump Bump, Bloomberg
US taxes drop to 4th lowest following GOP tax cuts: study, The Hill
US gains a robust 266,000 jobs; unemployment falls to 3.5%, Associated Press

Elections
Money speaks even louder than Trump to McConnell on Georgia Senate vacancy, Daily Kos
Republicans win in effort to limit ‘liberal’ student vote in key 2020 races, The Guardian
Another House GOPer Jumps Ship: Rep. Tom Graves Announces He Won’t Run For Reelection, Talking Points Memo

Environment
Ecolab joins U.N. climate compact with 9,500 companies vowing to fight global warming, Pioneer Press
The Arctic Is Warming Much Faster Than the Rest of Earth, Wired
Here’s (One Reason) Why Democrats Should Get Behind a Massive Climate R&D Project, Mother Jones

Governor Tim Walz
Minnesota state leaders react to helicopter crash that killed 3 National Guard soldiers, KSTP
$1.3 billion Minnesota surplus estimate sparks new spending debate, Star Tribune
Here’s how Minnesota went from budget deficits to a $1.3 billion surplus in a decade, Pioneer Press

Health
Scoop: Trump and Pence intervene in clash between top health officials, Axios

Immigration
Trump floats first government shutdown threat over wall, Daily Kos

Minnesota News
3 Minnesota National Guard Soldiers Killed In Black Hawk Helicopter Crash Near St. Cloud, WCCO
More people moving into Minnesota improves state economy, Pioneer Press
Charges weighed in overdose death of girl, 10, in Minneapolis, Star Tribune

Republicans
Beyond conspiracy theory: Trump and the Republicans are waging an all-out war on reality, Salon
Exclusive: Pompeo had off-the-books meeting with Republican donors in London this week, CNN

Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman (HD36B)
Counterpoint: Minnesota’s urban-rural divide is a myth, Star Tribune

Supreme Court of the US
The Supreme Court considers a $12 billion plan to sabotage Obamacare, Vox

U.S. News
Uber reveals extent of sexual assault problem: thousands of abuse reports a year, NBC News
Thousands of retail stores are closing — so how is Dollar General opening almost 20 stores a week?, NBC News
Ex-Infowars Staffer: We Made Up Shariah Law Threat Stories, Daily Beast

World News
U.S. is seen as a top ally in many countries – but others view it as a threat, Pew Research
20 Years of Putin: The pinnacle of power and the fear of losing it, Axios
Russian agents planned hit from assassins’ lairs in French Alps, say intel officials, NBC News
Trump once suggested all of Seoul’s 10 million residents move to avoid North Korean threat, Vox

Upcoming DFL Events:

  • December 6
    • 6:00 PM — DFL Founders Day Dinner with Special Guest Stacey Abrams, Hilton Hotel, 1001 S Marquette Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403. To sit at the CD3 DFL tables please contact Cheryl Poling at chpoling@comcast.net
  • December 7 — Pearl Harbor Day
    • State DFL Executive Committee and Central Committee Meetings, Washburn High School, 201 W 49th St, Minneapolis, MN 55419. Precinct Caucus kits will be distributed at this meeting to all party units. More information as it becomes available.
    • 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM — Expand the Vote with Stacey Abrams Hosted by the Minnesota DFL, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, 301 19th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN. More information and ticketshere.
  • December 9
    • 5:00 to 6:30 PM — CD3 DFL National Delegate Selection Training, Maple Grove Public Library, 8001 Main St N, Maple Grove, MN 55369.
    • 6:00 t0 7:00 PM — SD36 DFL Gales, 8754 Kilbernie Ter, Brooklyn Park, MN
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD44 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd, Minnetonka, MN
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD49 DFL Central Committee Meeting, 7001 Cahill Rd, Suite 21, Edina, MN
  • December 10, 5:00 PM — CD3 DFL National Delegate Selection Training, Edina Public Library, 5280 Grandview Sq, Edina, MN 55436
  • December 12
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD36 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Riverwind Community Center, 2701 Northdale Blvd NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55433
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD48 DFL Committee Meeting, Glen Lake Activity Center, 14350 Excelsior Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345
  • December 18, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — CD3 DFL Holiday Party, The Nelson Home, 15440 Boulder Pointe Rd, Eden Prairie, MN 55347. Please bring an appetizer or dessert to share. Beverages will be provided.
  • December 19, 8:00 to 10:00 PM — DNC Presidential Debate, Loyola Marymount. You can view on PBS stations and CNN television stations, as well as on their websites.
  • December 22 through 30 — Chanukah
  • December 24 — Christmas Eve
  • December 25 — Christmas Day
  • December 31 — New Year’s Eve
  • January 1 — New Year’s Day
  • January 2, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD46 DFL Central Committee Meeting, St. Louis Park City Hall, 5005 Minnetonka Blvd., St. Louis Park, MN 55416
  • January 4, 1:00 PM — Stonewall DFL Annual Membership Meeting, John B. Davis Lecture Hall, Macalster College, 1600 Grand Ave, St. Paul, MN 55105. 1:00 social hour, 2:00 meeting.
  • January 7
    • 7:00 to 8:30 PM — SD37 DFL Central Committee Meeting, check their FaceBook page for specifics.
    • 7:00 to 8:30 PM — SD40 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Brooklyn Park Library, Mississippi Room, 8500 W Broadway Avenue, Brooklyn Park, MN 55443
  • January 9, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD48 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Glen Lake Activity Center, 14350 Excelsior Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345
  • January 13
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD44 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Minnetonka Community Center, Council Chambers, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD49 DFL Central Committee Meeting, 7001 Cahill Rd, Suite 21, Edina, MN
  • January 15, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — CD3 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Minnetonka Community Center, Council Chambers, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345
  • January 18, 6:00 to 9:00 PM — SD37 DFL Winter Gala, Crooners Lounge and Supper Club, Dunsmore Room, 6161 Highway 65 NE, Minneapolis, MN 55432. With Rep. Dean Phillips, other speakers silent auction and live band Victoria and the Acts of Persuasion.
  • January 20 — Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
  • January 25, 9:00 to 10:30 AM — CD3 DFL National Delegate Selection Training, Hennepin County Library, Robert H. Rohlf Room, 12601 Ridgedale Dr, Minnetonka, MN 55305
  • February 25, 7:00 t0 9:00 PM — Minnesota DFL Precinct Caucuses, more information as it becomes available
  • March 3 — Minnesota Super Tuesday Primary, more information as it becomes available.