No excuse absentee balloting for the Aug. 14 primary today through Aug. 13
47 days until the Aug. 14 primary
86 days until no excuse absentee balloting opens for the Nov. 6 election
132 days until Election Day
2018 election — Early Primary Voting
Early primary voting in Minnesota starts Friday, Duluth News Tribune
Enbridge Pipeline
State regulators OK certificate of need for controversial Enbridge pipeline, Star Tribune
With 5-0 vote, PUC backs Enbridge pipeline, MPR
GOP
Governor
Four gubernatorial candidates discuss competing visions for Minn., MPR
Janus Decision
Defiant union members and leaders comment on Janus, Workday Minnesota
Organized labor must reform after Supreme Court ruling, Star Tribune
Duluth labor pushes back on Janus ruling, Duluth News Tribune
Mass Shooting
Gunman targeted Maryland newspaper building, killing 5, Star Tribune
Trump
President Trump, with his refusal to take advice or yield to experts, is the West Wing. Republicans who control both halves of Congress won’t lift a finger against him and fully support his every move.
- And now — with his chance to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy — Trump may have fewer checks on his power than any president in his lifetime. (Trump was born in 1946, the year after FDR died in office, 72 years ago.) Axios
Trump and Russia
House Republicans grill FBI, Justice Department on Russia probe, Star Tribune
Putin, Trump to have July 16 summit in Helsinki, MPR
Trump’s repeated assertions that he believes Putin’s denial of involvement in the 2016 election are, on their face, hard to believe. There is ample evidence to suggest that Russia conducted a broad and deep campaign of disinformation and persuasion designed to aid Trump and hurt Clinton. And that they will seek to meddle in future elections. And yet, in the face of all of that evidence, Trump chooses to believe Putin’s unsubstantiated denials. CNN
U.S. Supreme Court
Minnesota’s U.S. senators say Supreme Court appointment should wait, Star Tribune
Seven front runners for U.S. Supreme Court, via the Washington Post
- Brett Kavanaugh of Maryland, who is on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
- Raymond Gruender of Missouri (8th Circuit)
- Thomas Hardiman of Pennsylvania (3rd Circuit)
- Raymond Kethledge of Michigan (6th Circuit)
- William H. Pryor Jr. of Alabama (11th Circuit)
- Amy Coney Barrett of Indiana (7th Circuit)
- Amul Thapar of Kentucky (6th Circuit)
Upcoming Events
- Today through August 13 — Primary early voting. More information here.
- June 29, 12:00 PM — Stand Against Trump, SD40 DFL Treasurer John Schafer is holding a weekly hour of protest and resistance on Fridays from 12pm to 1pm at the corner of Brookdale & Xerxes in Brooklyn Park.
- July 3, 7:00 PM — SD40 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Brooklyn Park Library, 8500 W Broadway Ave, Brooklyn Park, MN 55443
- July 4 — Independence Day
- July 4 — SD48 DFL will be at Eden Prairie’s Independence Day celebration at Round Lake Park (southwest corner for Valley View Road and Eden Prairie Road).
- July 4, 1:30 PM — SD33 DFL Marching in the Chanhassen 4th of July Parade. Line up starts at 1:30 PM, parade steps off at 2:30 PM.
- July 6, 12:00 PM — Stand Against Trump, SD40 DFL Treasurer John Schafer is holding a weekly hour of protest and resistance on Fridays from 12pm to 1pm at the corner of Brookdale & Xerxes in Brooklyn Park.
- July 9, 7:00 PM — SD44 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd., Minnetonka, MN 55345
- July 9, 7:00 PM — SD49 DFL Central Committee Meeting, 7001 Cahill Rd, Suite 21, Edina, MN
- July 10, 7:00 PM — SD34 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Maple Grove Library, 8001 Main St N, Osseo, MN 55369
- July 12, 6:00 PM — SD34 DFL Marching in the Maple Grove Days Parade
- July 12, 7:00 PM — SD48 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Glen Lake Activity Center, 14350 Excelsior Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345
- July 13, 12:00 PM — Stand Against Trump, SD40 DFL Treasurer John Schafer is holding a weekly hour of protest and resistance on Fridays from 12pm to 1pm at the corner of Brookdale & Xerxes in Brooklyn Park.