Carlotta Madison said what happened to her brother was “horrific.”
Andre Madison died after a no-knock warrant — based on his suspected possession of $5 worth of marijuana — became a chaotic gun battle between Minneapolis police entering the front door of his residence and those entering the rear.
Rep. Athena Hollins (DFL-St. Paul) sponsors HF1762, which would prohibit no-knock warrants when the only underlying crime is suspected drug possession. Continue reading.
Mayo study offers new evidence that vaccine prevents asymptomatic cases of COVID-19, and resulting viral spread.
Gov. Tim Walz on Friday will announce looser restrictions on group events in Minnesota, despite a sports-related COVID-19 outbreak in Carver County and the state’s first known infection involving a variant found in South Africa.
The governor on Thursday called the switch “probably our biggest turn” in response to improving statewide pandemic indicators, and he hinted that it could permit everything from high school proms to live Minnesota Twins baseball.
“Unless we see the variants come roaring back and something goes terribly wrong, I think those things will happen,” Walz said after a speech at Robbinsdale Armstrong High School to advocate for a summer learning funding plan. Continue reading.
Limits eased on concerts, restaurants, gatherings.
Large events from high school proms to live Minnesota Twins games can resume this spring under a rollback of COVID-19 restrictions announced Friday by Gov. Tim Walz.
While public mask-wearing and social distancing requirements will remain, Minnesota will allow in-person work again, lift capacity limits for worship services and permit up to 10,000 fans at the Twins home opener April 8.
“We’re winning, and this thing’s coming to an end,” said Walz, who encouraged people to plan for summer weddings and the May 15 walleye opener. “Let’s just buckle down. We’re going to know in the next three or four weeks if we’ve truly got this thing on the ropes and it’s done and then we finish it.” Continue reading.
As Minnesota continues to make progress vaccinating Minnesotans and slowing the spread of COVID-19, Governor Walz today announced that on March 15 Minnesotans can begin safely gathering with more friends and loved ones, supporting Minnesota’s small businesses, and visiting large venues.
Minnesota landlords, generally prohibited from evicting tenants under Gov. Tim Walz’s COVID-19 peacetime emergency orders, could be required to wait 60 days before starting most eviction proceedings in the 12 months after the orders expire.
HF12, sponsored by Rep. Alice Hausman (DFL-St. Paul), would only allow immediate evictions during the 12-month period in the most serious circumstances, such as if a tenant unlawfully destroys property, not for rent nonpayment.
Mortgage lenders would also be required to wait 60 days before filing foreclosures. Continue reading.
Former state senator and physician’s comments on COVID deaths went viral.
Physician and former Republican legislator Scott Jensen is jumping into the race for governor in 2022, only the second candidate to announce a run against DFL Gov. Tim Walz.
Jensen, who retired in January after one term in the state Senate, gained national prominence early last year after questioning federal guidelines around reporting COVID-19 deaths in interviews with Fox News and other outlets. Since leaving the Senate, he’s continued to be critical of the state’s response to the pandemic, posting a series of online videos that characterized Walz as in an “abusive relationship” with Minnesotans.
“Over the past year, Scott has gained national attention for his criticism of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) guidelines on the classification of coronavirus deaths due to inflated numbers,” reads a release announcing his campaign for governor. “He has been and will continue to search for truth and expose the facts surrounding COVID-19 and the measures Gov. Walz has implemented.”
SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan, his $1.9 trillion COVID relief and stimulus bill, into law. The wide-ranging and incredibly popular bill contains numerous important measures to combatting COVID-19 and helping the American people build back better from the pandemic, including:
Every DFL member of Congress voted in favor of the American Rescue Plan and every Minnesota Republican voted against it. Republican opposition comes despite the bill’s tremendous popularity among voters across the political spectrum – 75% of American voters and 59% of Republican voters approve of the American Rescue Plan – and despite the roughly $1 billion in local government aid the bill will bring to Minnesota’s Republican-controlled congressional districts.
Continue reading “DFL Party Statement on President Biden Signing the American Rescue Plan Into Law”Ramsey officials said order infringes on individuals’ constitutional rights.
The city of Ramsey has voted to stop enforcing Gov. Tim Walz’s mask mandate, arguing that the statewide effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is infringing on individuals’ constitutional rights.
In 4-3 vote Tuesday night, the City Council approved the measure put forth by council members Ryan Heineman and Chelsee Howell stating that city resources “physical, financial or otherwise shall not be used to enforce any of Gov. Walz’s Emergency Executive Orders.”
It was not immediately clear what liability the city might face as a result of the vote, which was discouraged by city attorney Joe Langel. Continue reading.
SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin released the following statement in response to failed one-term Republican state senator Scott Jensen’s run for governor of Minnesota:
“Scott Jensen is a dangerous COVID-19 conspiracy theorist who has been caughtspreading lies about the pandemic, palling around with anti-vaccine extremists, and downplaying the virus that has taken over half a million American lives. Numerous doctors, public health officials, and independent fact-checkers have sharply criticized Jensen for peddling damaging disinformation and fanning the flames of conspiracy that have caused real harm across our state and country. We deserve honest leaders that will help us get through this pandemic, not quacks like Scott Jensen. The last thing Minnesotans need is someone like failed one-term state senator Jensen anywhere near the governor’s mansion, especially during times of crisis.”
Continue reading “DFL Party Responds to Scott Jensen’s Run for Governor”
SAINT PAUL – Today marks the beginning of the trial of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd. This process will be strenuous and traumatic for many throughout the state, especially for BIPOC communities and those who have fought for justice over the last year. The People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus released the following statement to remember the life of George Floyd and highlight the urgent need for continued public safety reform:
“It is difficult to comprehend the full scale of consequences that stem from the fateful day of May 25, 2020. For many of us, it marked a turning point in our lives, and how we view public safety. The trauma of that day and the sleepless nights that followed will stay with us for the rest of our lives, but the hope is that we can honor this moment by enacting change that will last for generations.
There are some things we know for sure. We know that a man’s life was taken before his time, before our eyes. We all bore witness to the final minutes of a human life that was snuffed out with a terrible cruelty that was all too casual in its nature. We know that our society has not changed enough, that this terrible death can and will occur again if we do not act now to transform how we approach public safety so that we are all working together to keep one another safe.
The POCI caucus has worked tirelessly to make positive change, and while we have been successful on many fronts, systemic changes that will allow for true reforms have yet to reach a bipartisan consensus. We will continue to fight for justice for our black, brown, and Indigenous communities, and we hope that this trial is the beginning of justice for George Floyd.”
The People of Color & Indigenous (POCI) Caucus includes Reps. Esther Agbaje (59B), Jamie Becker-Finn (42B), Cedrick Frazier (45A), Aisha Gomez (62B), Hodan Hassan (Vice- Chair 62A), Kaohly Her (64A), Athena Hollins (66B), Fue Lee (59A), Carlos Mariani (65B), Rena Moran (65A), Mohamud Noor (60B), Ruth Richardson (52B), John Thompson (67A), Samantha Vang (Chair, 40B), Jay Xiong (67B), Tou Xiong (53B), and Senators Bobby Joe Champion (59), Omar Fateh (62), Melisa Franzen (49), Foung Hawj (67), Mary Kunesh (41), Patricia Torres Ray (Chair, 63)
