In the Know: June 30, 2020

Days to the November Election:  126

2020
2020 primaries: 4 things to watch in Tuesday’s contests in Colorado, Utah and Oklahoma, CNN
Trump spends millions on battleground TV ads as his campaign sees warning signs in key states, CNBC
Biden to Criticize Trump For Golfing, Holding Rallies During Covid Crisis, Bloomberg
Atlanta Hawks to transform State Farm Arena into massive voting station for 2020 elections, USA Today
New poll: Young people energized for unprecedented 2020 election, Tufts
Amy McGrath just won her unexpectedly close Kentucky Senate primary, Vox

Agriculture
Insulin safety net program, farm safety funding set to launch Wednesday in Minnesota, Rochester Post Bulletin

Attorney General Keith Ellison
Minnesota Attorney General Sues Exxon Over Climate Change, NPR
Judge warns of possible move of trial in George Floyd death, Star Tribune

Congress
Congress demands answers from Trump administration on Russia bounty intelligence, CNN
Fauci, Redfield testify on Covid-19 reopening as cases rise, CNN
House Dems headed to White House for briefing on Russian bounties, Politico
House Democrats call for firing of USAID political appointee with history of Islamophobic statements, Politico
Climate panel urges sweeping change, deep carbon cuts, Roll Call
House Democrats push through first bill in a decade expanding Affordable Care Act, Washington Post

Donald Trump
Behind the Trump team’s U-turn, mounting fears about a mission-accomplished message, Politico
How the Trump Campaign Is Drawing Obama Out of Retirement, New York Times
Video:Trump retweets then deletes video of man yelling ‘white power’, CNN YouTube
Trump Got Written Briefing in February on Possible Russian Bounties, Officials Say, New York Times
Trump hoping for Supreme Court vacancy as way to boost a flagging campaign, CNN

Economy
Powell says recovery path is ‘extraordinarily uncertain’ amid efforts to control virus, CNBC
U.S. Halts High-Tech Exports to Hong Kong Over Security Concerns, New York Times
Is Remote Work Here To Stay?, NPR
Goldman Sachs says a national mask mandate could slash infections and save economy from a 5% hit, CNBC

Education
U campus, Edina, Rochester require more face masks, Star Tribune

Environment
House Democrats unveil ambitious climate package, steering toward a net-zero economy by 2050, Washington Post
Pioneering Process Could Safeguard Water Quality and Environment, Technology Networks
Destruction of the environment ‘could make future pandemics more likely and less manageable’,Yahoo News
Supreme Court allows Trump to override environmental laws to build border wall, San Francisco Chronicle
French President Macron Pledges Nearly $17B for Environmental Programs, VOA

Governor Tim Walz
Walz warns Minnesota bar owners: Follow COVID-19 rules — or get shut down, MinnPost
The daily coronavirus update: State meets testing-capacity goal; Walz mulling mask mandate, MinnPost
Walz, health officials say Minnesota has built capacity for 20,000 COVID-19 tests per day, KSTP

Health
How Trump gave insurance companies free rein to sell bad health plans, Vox
Senate Hearing On Reopening Schools, Workplaces Amid Coronavirus, NPR
Tracking The Pandemic: Are Coronavirus Cases Rising Or Falling In Your State? NPR
‘I Will Kill You’: Health Care Workers Face Rising Attacks Amid COVID-19 Outbreak, NPR

Labor
Labor Department Proposes Fiduciary Exemption for Retirement Plans, Wall Street Journal
Nearly half the U.S. population is without a job, showing how far the labor recovery has to go, CNBC
The Uncounted Workforce, NPR

Minnesota News

Minn. achieves ‘moonshot’ goal, hitting capacity for 20k tests, Star Tribune
Tentative Trial Date Set For Ex-Minneapolis Officers Accused In George Floyd Death, NPR News
Students of color lead police reform push on campuses, Star Tribune
Indigenous Minnesotans — key voice on racial profiling — split on future of Minneapolis Police Department, MN Reformer

Representative Angie Craig (CD2)
PPP Loan Window Is Closing, With $134 Billion Still on Offer, Wall Street Journal

Representative Collin Peterson (CD7)
Peterson, Katko, Capito, Cardin Introduce Bill to Cut Red Tape Around EDA Funds, Red Lake Nation

Representative Ilhan Omar (CD5)
A new docuseries looks at how women of color rewrote the political playbook in 2018, Washington Post
House Democrats call for firing of USAID political appointee with history of Islamophobic statements, Politico

Republicans in Minnesota
‘Trump Victory Minnesota’ registered voters at Confederate flag-flying bar, City Pages

GOP
Texas Republicans Holding in-Person Convention in a Coronavirus Hot Spot, New York Magazine
Republicans have been skipping House Intelligence meetings for months, Politico
Wyoming Republican Party Chairman Cited For Assault & Battery, County 17
Surprise: Arkansas Republican Party opposes lawsuit to make it safer and easier to vote in November, Arkansas Times
Obamacare Versus the G.O.P. Zombies, New York Times
The GOP traded its principles for conservative judges. It was a bad deal., Washington Post

Senator Tina Smith
Lawmakers worry debit-card stimulus payments come with high fees, compromise personal information, CNBC
U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley Co-sponsor Legislation to Extend Nationwide Moratorium on Evictions That Expires on July 24 – Would Continue to March 27, 2021, Siera Sun Times

Supreme Court of the US
Supreme Court: Montana Can’t Exclude Religious Schools From Scholarship Program, NPR

U.S. News
AP sources: White House aware of Russian bounties in 2019, Associated Press
Trump Got Written Briefing in February on Possible Russian Bounties, Officials Say, New York Times
Exodus from Trump’s economic team continues despite fresh fears about new closures and coronavirus crisis, Washington Post

Voter Protection
If you or someone you know has trouble registering to vote or casting a ballot, we encourage you to reach out to the DFL’s new Voter Protection Hotline at 833-DFL-VOTE (833-335-8683).

World News
E.U. Formalizes Reopening, Barring Travelers From U.S., New York Times
China Enacts Security Law, Asserting Control Over Hong Kong, NPR
WHO warns coronavirus pandemic is speeding up as countries ease lockdown rules: ‘The worst is yet to come’, CNBC
Belgian king expresses ‘deepest regrets’ for DR Congo colonial abuses, BBC

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.

  • Today through August 10 — Primary Election Early Voting Window, more information here.
  • Today through July 17, 5:00 PM — Deadline to apply to screen for CD3 DFL Director. Complete the application here.
  • June 30
    • 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM — Virtual Phone Bank with the DFL in CD3, more information and sign up here.
    • 1:00 to 4:00 PM — Virtual Phone Bank with the DFL in CD3, more information and sign up here.
    • 4:00 to 7:00 PM — Virtual Phone Bank with the DFL in CD3, more information and sign up here.
  • July 1 — Somali Independence Day
    • 4:00 to 7:00 PM — DNC National Convention Virtual Platform Drafting Committee Hearing. Additional information on how interested parties, allied groups and members of the public can give input on the platform will be announced in the coming days. For more information, please email platform@demconvention.com.
    • 5:00 to 6:00 PM — Minnesota DFL POCCI Town Hall, Band Shell, public forum on the PROMISE Act
    • 6:30 to 8:30 PM — SD50 DFL Central Committee Meeting, contact them for specifics.
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD33 DFL Central Committee Virtual Meeting, contact them for specifics.
  • July 2, 4:00 to 7:00 PM — DNC National Convention Virtual Platform Drafting Committee Hearing. Additional information on how interested parties, allied groups and members of the public can give input on the platform will be announced in the coming days. For more information, please email platform@demconvention.com.
  • July 3 — Independence Day (observed)
  • July 4 — Independence Day (actual)
  • July 7, 5:00 to 7:00 PM — DFL Virtual Grassroots Fundraiser:  Where We Go From Here, more information and RSVP here.
  • July 8, 6:15 to 7:45 PM — SD40 Nominations Screening Sessions, contact them for specifics
  • July 9
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD36 DFL Central Committee Meeting, contact them for specifics.
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD46 DFL Central Committee Meeting, contact them for specifics.
    • 7:00 t0 9:00 PM — SD48 DFL Central Committee Meeting, contact them for specifics.
  • July 13
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD44 DFL Central Committee Meeting, contact them for specifics
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD49 DFL Central Committee Meeting, contact them for specifics.
  • July 15 — Last Day to File 2019 Taxes
    • 4:00 to 7:00 PM — DNC National Convention Virtual Platform Drafting Committee Hearing. Additional information on how interested parties, allied groups and members of the public can give input on the platform will be announced in the coming days. For more information, please email platform@demconvention.com.
  • July 18, 1:30 to 4:00 PM — SD40 DFL Central Committee Virtual Business Meting, contact them for more information.
  • July 20, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — Anoka County DFL Meeting, contact them for specifics.
  • July 21, 5:00 PM — DFL LGBTQ Leadership Event, more information and RSVP here.
  • July 28 through August 11 — Window for Candidates to Register with State for City Offices with No Primaries to Register
  • July 29, 7:00 PM — CD3 Virtual Central Committee Meeting and Election of Directors, more information as it becomes available.
  • August 4, 7:00 to 8:30 PM — SD40 DFL Central Committee Meeting, contact them for specifics.
  • August 5
    • 6:30 to 8:30 PM — SD50 DFL Central Committee Meeting, contact them for meeting specifics
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD33 DFL Central Committee Meetings, contact them for specifics.
  • August 6, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD46 DFL Central Virtual Central Committee Meeting, contact them for specifics.