Category: State Issues

Minnesota POCI Caucus Statement on National Immigrant Heritage Month

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SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – This month, President Joseph Biden proclaimed June 2021 as National Immigrant Heritage Month. In recognition of the contributions to Minnesota made by our immigrant communities, the People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus released the following statement:

“So much of the diversity that makes Minnesota the state we love is thanks in large part to our immigrant communities. From all walks of life, from all over the globe, immigrants have been coming to Minnesota in search of a better life for our state’s entire history. Minnesota’s heritage is a heritage of immigrants. This month, as we celebrate and honor our immigrant heritage, we must also reflect and address the new and continued burdens faced by those starting a life in a different country.

“The past year has not impacted all Minnesotans equally, and our immigrant communities have not only been disproportionately harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic and xenophobic attacks, but the civil unrest following the murder of George Floyd has devastated some of the most influential immigrant-owned economic corridors in the state. As we honor our heritage, let us also commit to supporting our present immigrant communities, and building a prosperous future for the next generation of new Minnesotans.”

House Education Chairs’ Statement on Private School Vouchers

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SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA —House Education Chairs released the following statement on any inclusion of private school vouchers in the E-12 education budget:

“Aside from the fact that using private school vouchers in public education funding is unconstitutional, House DFLers and Minnesotans know public dollars belong in public schools, where 95% of Minnesota students receive their education. 

“We encourage Republicans in the House and Senate to focus on negotiating an education budget grounded in reality, constitutionality, and most importantly, what’s best for Minnesota students and families.” 

Trump supporter pleads guilty to attacking elderly couple with a golf club over their Biden sign

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A Minnesota man has pleaded guilty this Tuesday to attacking an elderly couple over a Joe Biden campaign sign, CBS Minnesota reports.

Mark Anthony Ulsaker took a plea deal, dropping the second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and assaulting a peace officer charge against him. He instead is guilty of two counts of making threats of violence.

On Nov. 8, 2020, Ulsaker allegedly stopped his pickup truck at a street corner in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, where the couple stood with the Biden sign and swore at them. After parking his truck, he ran at the couple with a golf club. Continue reading.

THURSDAY: Governor Gretchen Whitmer to Keynote DFL Founders Day Dinner

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SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – On Thursday, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer will keynote the DFL Party’s 2021 Founders Day Dinner. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith and Governor Tim Walz will also be speaking during the event. 

Members of the media will be able to tune in to the virtual dinner at dfl.org/founders. We ask that you do not share this link with people outside of your media outlet. Members of the public looking for more information and to order tickets should visit www.dflfoundersday.com.

WHAT: A virtual fundraising dinner to celebrate the founding of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.

WHO:

  • Governor Gretchen Whitmer
  • Governor Tim Walz
  • Senator Amy Klobuchar
  • Senator Tina Smith
  • DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin

WHEN: 5:30 PM on Thursday, June 3rd

WHERE: Virtual – members of the media can tune in at dfl.org/founders

He Called FBI Agents Nazis. The Feds Just Arrested Him For Storming The Capitol.

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In multiple tweets, Adam Weibling defended the Capitol riot and described its participants as “patriots” and “brave.”

Adam Weibling, a 38-year-old Texas man, made no secret in recent months of his contempt for the FBI, likening its agents to Nazis and “terrorists” in a series of conspiracy-laden tweets. His dislike for them surely grew on Tuesday when they arrested him for storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

FBI agents arrested Weibling in Katy, Texas, on charges of unlawfully entering restricted grounds and engaging in disorderly conduct inside the Capitol, according to court records. His first virtual appearance in D.C. court is scheduled for June 3.

According to an affidavit filed May 19 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and signed by an FBI task force officer, Weibling can be seen in video recorded by a reporter pushing his way past police in riot gear to get inside the Capitol around 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 6.

By the Numbers: Making the Expanded Child Tax Credit Permanent Would Help Thousands of Minnesota Families

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MINNESOTA — The historic expansion of the Child Tax Credit passed by Democrats in Congress and without the support of a single Minnesota Republican will substantially reduce poverty for about 43,000 children in Minnesota. Now, President Biden and congressional Democrats are poised to make this life-changing provision permanent with the passage of the American Families Plan. 

Right now, the program is only written to last through the end of 2021. The American Families Plan would make the expanded Child Tax Credit available for at least the next four years, locking in these benefits for years to come. The numbers below help to show what passing the American Families Plan and making the expanded child tax credit permanent would mean for Minnesota families:

Continue reading “By the Numbers: Making the Expanded Child Tax Credit Permanent Would Help Thousands of Minnesota Families”

Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: May 28, 2021

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Governor Walz Calls for Moment of Silence to Honor George Floyd on One Year Anniversary of His Death

Governor Walz issued a proclamation asking Minnesotans for a moment of silence at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 25, 2021 for 9 minutes and 29 seconds to honor George Floyd on the one year anniversary of his death. On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered by Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

“George Floyd’s murder ignited a global movement and awakened many Minnesotans and people around the world to the systemic racism that our Black communities, Indigenous communities, and communities of color have known for centuries,” reads the proclamation issued by Governor Walz. “On April 20, 2021, a jury found Derek Chauvin guilty of George Floyd’s murder. This historic verdict was a step in the right direction, but our work to dismantle systematic racism and discrimination has not ended. True justice for George Floyd will come only through real, systemic change to prevent acts like this from happening again—when every member of every community, no matter their race, is safe, valued, and protected.”

Continue reading “Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: May 28, 2021”

ICYMI: Scott Jensen Signs Petition That Compares Vaccination Effort To Nazi Medical Experimentation, Claims He Never Read It

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Jensen claims he never read the petition despite being the first-named plaintiff 

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Yesterday it was reported that gubernatorial candidate Scott Jensen joined a group of right-wing physicians, COVID-19 conspiracy theorists, and Capitol insurrectionists to try and block the use of the COVID-19 vaccine in kids, despite claiming he only read 10 of the 80 pages. 

“The petition, which includes several passages written in all-caps with exclamation points, alleges a widespread collusion of national media outlets to suppress information, challenges both the official COVID-19 death and case counts as “false,” and compares the nationwide vaccination effort to Nazi doctors convicted at Nuremberg for experimenting on imprisoned Jews, Poles and Russians without their consent. But Jensen said he didn’t read all that.”

…

“When I submitted the affidavit, the petition wasn’t done,” he said. “I never saw the full petition until a week ago. I have not read the entire 80 pages. I read the first 10 pages, I think.”

And despite befriending the group’s leader Simone Gold “about a year ago,” Jensen also claims he did not know that Gold was among those who stormed the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection and faces charges for her involvement. 

“Not only has Scott Jensen joined a fringe group of doctors and insurrectionists to spread dangerous misinformation, but after being called out he claims he never even read the petition he signed onto – which would not be an acceptable excuse for a middle school student’s missing book report,” said DFL Party Chairman, Ken Martin. “It’s laughable that Scott Jensen thinks that excuses his spreading of dangerous misinformation about the vaccine. Real leaders take responsibility for their actions, but Scott Jensen is clearly incapable of that. Once again, Jensen is demonstrating why the people of Minnesota cannot trust him to lead our state.

“If I were a patient of Scott Jensen’s, I would find a new doctor immediately,” added Martin. “No one wants a physician who reads part of their lab work before making a diagnosis.”

BACKGROUND 

The 80-page petition also falsely claims that the vaccine is an “experimental biological agent,” that it’s more dangerous than COVID-19 itself, that hydroxychloroquine is a miracle treatment for COVID-19, and that vaccinated children are at risk of spreading the vaccine to unvaccinated children. 

Scott Jensen has made a name for himself as a COVID-19 conspiracy theorist, has spread misinformation about COVID-19, posted anti-vaccine videos on social media, and was kicked off TikTok for spreading COVID-19 misinformation. 

Senate DFL Week in Review: May 28, 2021

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Anniversary of George Floyd’s death 
and everything happening in the Legislature this week.

#1

Minnesota observes the one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s death

Tuesday, May 25, marked one year since George Floyd was murdered at the hands of Minneapolis police officer, Derrick Chauvin, in South Minneapolis. His death brought to the forefront the global consciousness of what Black communities have known about systemic racism and policing for years. Had Darnella Frasier not been there to bear witness to and record the event, it is likely Chauvin would have never faced accountability. Read more >>

#2

Behind closed doors

Much of the work for the next two-year state budget was left unfinished at the close of the 2021 Legislative Session. With general budget spending targets not released until the last day of session, a special session will be needed to finish the work. In the meantime, working groups were assigned to negotiate which spending proposals in each budget conference committee would be included in the final bills. Working groups were expected to have these fiscal spreadsheets completed by May 28 and policy priorities agreed upon by June 4. As of Thursday, May 27, few details have emerged about the status of these negotiations. Read more >>

Continue reading “Senate DFL Week in Review: May 28, 2021”