In the Know: September 26, 2019

2020 Election
Whistleblower: Trump urged Ukraine to meddle in 2020 election — and White House tried to cover it up, Salon

Agriculture
CHINA’S PURCHASES OF U.S. SOYBEANS ROLL ON, Successful Farming

Attorney General Keith Ellison
Ellison: We need systematic change, Marshall Independent

Congress
Senate again votes to end Trump emergency declaration on border wall, The Hill
‘Ice in his veins’: McConnell steers GOP through Trump’s Ukraine scandal, Politico
Democrats’ trust in Congress surges amid Republican drop: Gallup, The Hill
Cracks emerge among Senate Republicans over Trump urging Ukrainian leader to investigate Biden, Washington Post

DFL News
Stacey Abrams to Headline DFL Founders Day Dinner

Donald Trump
Trump’s political defense: Play the victim card, Politico
MSNBC cuts from Trump speech: ‘We hate to do this, really, but the president isn’t telling the truth’, MSNBC
Trump Officials Reportedly Concerned About Rudy Giuliani’s Ukraine Involvement, Huffington Post
Trump’s Ukraine call was referred to DOJ as possible crime. Barr’s team shut it down, Salon
The Truth About Trump’s Insane Ukraine ‘Server’ Conspiracy, Daily Beast
The White House accidentally emailed its Ukraine talking points to Nancy Pelosi, The Week

Economy
Census: Inequality grew, including in heartland states, Associated Press
70% of workers are likely to quit at current $7.25 federal minimum wage in ‘brutal’ turnover cycle, CNBC
GM’s Lost Profits Pile Up as UAW Offers Counter Proposals, Bloomberg
Create a Public Option for Simple Banking, American Prospect

Environment
The world’s largest offshore wind farm is nearly complete. It can power 1 million homes, CNN
Teenage Girls Are Leading The Climate Movement — And Getting Attacked For It, Buzzfeed
Revealed: Trump’s Wildlife Service pick has ties to anti-animal protection groups, The Guardian

Governor Tim Walz
Gov. Tim Walz says Minnesota will adopt stricter emission standards for cars and trucks, Star Tribune
Walz says state laws block him from barring vaping product sales in Minnesota, MPR

Health
Family health plan costs exceed $20,000 for first time, Star Tribune
The fight to end Roe v. Wade enters its endgame next week, Vox

Immigration
More than a year after being deported, military veteran returns home in U.S. citizenship bid, Daily Kos
Trump immigration plans: US signs deal to deport migrants to Honduras, BBC

Impeachment
The Latest: Schiff says complaint reads like crime shakedown, Star Tribune
Majority of House members now back some type of impeachment action against Trump, NBC News
“Do Us a Favor”: The Forty-eight Hours That Sealed Trump’s Impeachment, New Yorker
Here’s what comes next in the House’s impeachment inquiry, Vox
‘One Republican senator told me if it was a secret vote, 30 Republican senators would vote to impeach Trump, MSNBC
Dems Worry Rudy Would Send Impeachment Hearing Off the Rails, Daily Beast

Labor
In historic first, tech contractors for Google vote to unionize, Salon
GM reinstates health insurance for striking UAW members, CNBC
GM-UAW talks advance toward final phase, but break off for evening, Detroit Free Press
‘This Is Our One Chance’: UAW Members Continue GM Strike, St. Louis Public Radio

Minnesota Legislature
Walz wants to revamp Minnesota’s auto emission standards. But it’s Trump, not the Legislature, that may stand in his way, MinnPost
MN Senate Republicans say they’ll fight Walz on emission regulations, KTOE

Minnesota News
Minnesotans Feeling Push To Acquire Real ID, WCCO
16 students detained after large fight at St. Cloud Tech HS triggers lockdown, large police response, Fox 9
Minnesota baby’s ‘co-sleeping’ death blamed on vaccines, City Pages
35W Ramp South Of Downtown Minneapolis To Reopen 2 Years Ahead Of Schedule, WCCO

News of the World
China is harvesting thousands of human organs from its Uighur Muslim minority, UN human-rights body hears, Business Insider
Israel’s president taps Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form next government, NBC News
Walrus Attacks, Sinks Russian Navy Vessel, Huffington Post
World postal rates overhauled after US quit threat, BBC

Representative Collin Peterson (CD7, D)
Another bill introduced to delist wolves, Duluth News Tribune
Collin Peterson: FSA offices under-staffed, Ag Week

Representative Ilhan Omar (CD5, D)

New smears, new bizarre tales: Trump made 79 false claims last week, CNN

Representative Pete Stauber (CD8, R)
Stauber, Midwest governors react to Trump’s conversation with Ukrainian President, KBJR

Republicans
GOP cashes in on impeachment, Politico
GOP Exiles Wonder What Happened To Their Party As Republicans Rally Around Trump, Huffington Post
Will Republicans dump Trump? Nope — they’ll cover up for him until the bitter end, Salon
A first: Vermont GOP governor backs Trump impeachment probe, Associated Press

Senator Amy Klobuchar
SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR: Investing in broadband, SouthernMinn

Senator Tina Smith
Impeachment stakes rising for Minnesotans in Congress, Star Tribune

U.S. News
Three sailors assigned to USS George H. W. Bush aircraft carrier die by suicide in one week, NBC News
NEW JERSEY POLICE CHIEF WHO CALLED DONALD TRUMP ‘LAST HOPE FOR WHITE PEOPLE’ ON TRIAL FOR HATE CRIME., Newsweek
MORE U.S. COMMANDOS ARE FIGHTING INVISIBLE WARS IN THE MIDDLE EAST, The Intercept

Upcoming DFL Events:

    • September 27, 5:00 to 7:00 PM — SD33 DFL Issues Door Knock, staging from Caribou Coffee, 325 Clydesdale Trl, Suite 100, Medina, MN 55340
    • September 29 through October 1 — Rosh Hashana
    • October 1, 7:00 to 8:30 PM — SD37 DFL Central Committee Meeting, check their Facebook page for specifics, locations change from month to month.
    • October 2 through 4 — Minnesota House of Representatives Mini-Session
    • October 2
      • 6:30 to 8:30 PM — SD50 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Kennedy High School, Room C102, 9701 Nicollet Ave, Bloomington, MN 55420
      • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD33 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Ridgedale Library, Room 172, 12601 Ridgedale Dr, Minnetonka, MN 55305
      • 7:00 to 8:30 PM — SD40 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Brookdale Library, Room C, 6125 Shingle Creek Pkwy, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430
    • October 5
      • 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM — SD48 DFL:  A Discussion on Climate Change, Council Chamber, Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345. More information and RSVP here.
      • 4:00 to 8:00 PM — SD50 DFL Octoberfest, Lake Shore Drive Condominiums, 6615 Lake Shore Dr S, Richfield, MN 55423. Join them for brats, beer and other Bavarian fare. There’ll be music and fun activities for kids and adults alike. Event is free, contributions to the district appreciate.
    • October 6, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM  — SD48 DFL Caucus and Convention Planning Session, 14350 Excelsior Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345
    • October 8 through 9 — Yom Kippur
    • October 10, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD48 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Glen Lake Activity Center, 14350 Excelsior Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345
    • October 13, 1:00 to 2:00 PM — SD40 DFL Book Club Meeting, contact them for more information.
    • October 14
      • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD44 DFL Central Committee Meeting, 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
    • October 15 — Democratic Presidential Debate hosted by CNN and The New York Times, more information as it becomes available.
    • October 16 — Democratic Presidential Debate Second Night hosted by CNN and The New York Times if needed, more information as it becomes available.
      • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — CD3 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Council Chambers, Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345.
    • October 31 — Halloween