In the Know: May 4, 2020

Days to the November Election:  183

2020 Election
A Conservative Legal Group Significantly Miscalculated Data in a Report on Mail-In Voting, ProPublica

Agriculture
Wasted milk, euthanized livestock: Photos show how coronavirus has devastated US agriculture, CNBC
‘We Had to Do Something’: Trying to Prevent Massive Food Waste, New York Times
Belgians urged to eat more fries to help potato farmers amid pandemic-related glut, MPR

Attorney General Keith Ellison
Scam alert from Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, WDIO ABC
Candidates free to help voters to the polls in Minnesota, Star Tribune

Donald Trump
US coronavirus data is at odds with Trump’s push to get the economy back up and running, Vox
The Rest of the World Is Laughing at Trump, The Atlantic
Lincoln got better press treatment, Trump claims, as he ups pandemic death estimate, CNN
Could Trump Go the Way of Herbert Hoover?, New York Magazine

Economy
CFPB Appointee Who Helped Water Down Payday Lending Rule Operated a High-Cost Auto Lender, The American Prospect
How April’s jobs report will help to size up the economy, Axios
Trump team plots tax cuts and regulatory suspensions to boost a coronavirus recovery, Politico

Education
Big Ten Universities Estimate $1.7 Billion In Losses From The Coronavirus, Forbes
Colleges Won’t Refund Tuition. Autumn May Force a Reckoning, New York Times
DeVos sued for seizing student loan borrowers’ wages during pandemic, Politico

Environment
Antarctica vs. Science, New York Times
‘Murder Hornets’ in the U.S.: The Rush to Stop the Asian Giant Hornet, New York Times
The world is paying a high price for cheap clothes, CNN

Governor Tim Walz
Governor Walz signs executive order allowing food trucks to operate at highway rest stops in Minnesota, Bring Me the News MN
Coronavirus: Gov. Tim Walz expected to make elective surgery announcement at Monday press conference, Bring Me the News MN

Health
The pandemic has made the US healthcare crisis far more dire. We must fix the system, The Guardian
Latest on COVID-19 in MN: Death toll passes 400 as more businesses reopen, MPR
Flood Of Calls And Texts To Crisis Hotlines Reflects Americans’ Rising Anxiety, NPR

Immigration
Coronavirus: Immigration detention centres in crisis, BBC News
Altercation occurs over COVID testing between ICE detainees and corrections officers, ABC News

Labor
How a New Breed of Union Activists Is Changing the Rules (and Newsrooms), New York Times
Small stores prepare to reopen for curbside service: ‘It’s kind of daunting,’ Pioneer Press
How unemployment benefits are calculated, CNBC
About That Hazard Pay, NPR

Minnesota Legislature
Minnesota lawmakers set up conflicting plans to ease pain of coronavirus pandemic, Grand Forks Herald
Minnesota House GOP plans to block bonding bill until Walz drops emergency powers, MPR
MN Senate Passes Bill Banning Toxic Chemical TCE, House To Vote Next Week, WCCO
Rift in Minnesota Legislature threatens 77 conservation projects, Duluth News Tribune
COVID-19 damage to state budget assessed this week, MPR

Minnesota News
Pence: ‘I should have worn a mask’ when visiting Mayo Clinic, MPR
Beyond elections: Can Minnesota’s political parties forge stronger ties with immigrants and refugees?, MinnPost
Small stores prepare to reopen for curbside service: ‘It’s kind of daunting’,Pioneer Press

Representative Collin Peterson (CD7)
House Ag Chair supports using local task forces to reopen meat plants, MinnPost

Republicans
GOP needs quarantine from Trump, The Hill
Reopening is a risk for Republican governors, Axios
Governor slams ‘racism’ of Michigan lockdown protest, The Guardian
Kushner challenges Michigan governor’s claim about state’s coronavirus testing capability, CNN

Republicans in Minnesota
DFL lawmakers condemn GOP senator for golfing during committee meeting, MPR
GOP state senator in spotlight for golfing during Zoom hearing,Star Tribune

U.S. News
Pompeo Ties Coronavirus to China Lab, Despite Spy Agencies’ Uncertainty, New York Times
3M powers up in Washington as profile rises over PPE, MN Reformer
‘Like watching a train wreck’: The coronavirus effect on North Dakota shale oilfields, Reuters
Supreme Court to hear 2 cases about when religious employers can ignore civil rights laws, Vox
Monopolies in Meat: Endangering Workers, Farmers, and Consumers, The American Prospect
The Bridge to the Post-pandemic World Is Collapsing, The Atlantic
CDC Releases Detailed National Excess Death Data, Talking Points Memo

World News
Internal Chinese report warns Beijing faces Tiananmen-like global backlash over virus, Reuters
India Eases Lockdown Restrictions Even as New Coronavirus Infections Accelerate, CNN
Ex-Green Beret Claims He Led Failed Raid Into Venezuela in Attempt to Overthrow Maduro, Time

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 18 — Minnesota Stay at Home Order
  • Today through May 23 — Ramadan
  • Today through 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 has now move to a virtual convention, more information as it becomes available.
  • May 31 — Mandatory meeting for district-level DFL National Delegates, more information as it becomes available
  • June 3
    • 6:30 to 8:30 PM — SD50 DFL Central Committee Meeting, more information as it becomes available.
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD33 DFL Central Committee Meeting, more information as it becomes available.
  • June 4, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD46 DFL Central Committee Meeting, more information as it becomes available.
  • June 8
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD44 DFL Central Committee Meeting, more information as it becomes available.
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD49 DFL Central Committee Meeting, more information as it becomes available.