State Issues 9 , CD3 DFL

Rep. Melissa Hortman (HD36B) Update: May 27, 2021

Dear Neighbors,

I hope you are staying safe and healthy. After more than a year of a pandemic, it’s looking more and more like a typical, wonderful Minnesota summer is ahead of us. COVID vaccines are safe, effective, and are bringing back a sense of normalcy that we have been missing for so long. If you haven’t gotten your vaccine yet, visit the Vaccine Connector to find a vaccine site near you. The state also has a number of community vaccination sites that are accepting walk-ins.

On another happy note, today is my birthday! I am officially past the half-century mark, and I intend to celebrate my birthday by eating chocolate cake in between negotiation meetings and phone calls.

ICYMI: Scott Jensen Joins Capitol Insurrectionists And Right-Wing Doctors To Block 12 to 15 Year Olds From Getting Vaccinated

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Yesterday it was reported that gubernatorial candidate Scott Jensen joined America’s Frontline Doctors, a group of right-wing physicians and COVID-19 conspiracy theorists, as well as Capitol insurrectionist Simone Gold, to try and block the use of the COVID-19 vaccine in 12 to 15-year-olds.

The CDC recommends that “everyone 12 years and older should get a COVID-19 vaccination to help protect against COVID-19.”

The 80-page petition falsely claims, among a slew of other COVID-19 conspiracy theories, that the vaccine is an “experimental biological agent”, that its more dangerous than COVID-19 itself, that hydroxychloroquine could be used to treat COVID-19, that the vaccine should be “strongly discouraged” for anyone between the ages of 20 to 69, and that vaccinated children are at risk of spreading the vaccine to unvaccinated children.

House DFL Team: One Year Later

One year ago today George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer. The guilty verdicts delivered earlier this spring are a step toward justice, but there is a long way to go to provide true public safety and justice for all.

Last year the Legislature, led by the People of Color and Indigenous Caucus, passed the Minnesota Police Accountability Act of 2020 which included a ban on chokeholds, use of force reforms, and mental health training amongst other critical reforms. This was a good first step, but more needs to be done.

No matter where we were born, how we pray, or what we look like, every Minnesotan deserves to make it home at the end of the day. George Floyd, Daunte Wright, and so many others should still be alive.

While we can’t bring George Floyd back, we can honor his memory by continuing the fight for justice and accountability.

Rep. Dean Phillips (CD3) Statement on the Anniversary of George Floyd’s Death

WASHINGTON, DC ― Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) released the following statement on the anniversary of George Floyd’s death, as police reform negotiations continue, led by a bipartisan group of lawmakers that includes Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA), Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and Rep. Phillips’s colleagues on the Problem Solvers Caucus:

“It was one year ago, today. George Floyd’s murder finally forced our country to acknowledge and confront the systemic racism that has ended too many Black lives and dreams. And while progress is being made, justice and opportunity for all requires a collective commitment. As we stand at the cusp of a bipartisan agreement on policing reforms to ensure accountability and enhance safety for all Americans, I urge President Biden and Congressional leaders to choose what is just over what is easy. Inaction is unacceptable, and the time is now.”

DFL Party Statement on the Anniversary of the Death of George Floyd

Saint Paul, Minnesota – Today, Minnesota DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin released the following statement on the anniversary of the death of George Floyd:

“One year ago today, George Floyd was slowly and agonizingly murdered under the knee of then-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. George Floyd didn’t ask to be a symbol and he didn’t ask to give his life to motivate a mass movement, he just wanted to be able to breathe and we failed him.

“While Floyd’s killer has been brought to justice, that is not nearly enough. We cannot content ourselves with justice after the fact because that leaves in place the unjust systems that brought about George Floyd’s death in the first place. We must make real, durable, and systemic change to protect Black lives in Minnesota and across America. I urge Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and I urge Minnesota lawmakers to build on last year’s work by passing the police reform measures put forward by House DFLers. Failing to act is simply not an option.”

Minnesota AG’s office to prosecute case in Wright’s death

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced Friday that his office will lead the prosecution of a former suburban police officer who is charged with second-degree manslaughter in the death of Daunte Wright.

Former Brooklyn Center Officer Kim Potter, who is white, fatally shot Wright, a 20-year-old Black motorist, on April 11. The city’s police chief, who has since stepped down, had said he believed Potter meant to use her Taser instead of her handgun.

“Daunte Wright’s death was a tragedy. He should not have died on the day that he did. He should not have died the way that he did,” Ellison said in a statement. Continue reading.

RNC Illegally Paid & Tricked Blind, Disabled Veteran to Run for Congress Under a 3rd Party to Pull Votes from Democrats

Saint Paul, Minnesota — In a stunning report just released by Fox 9, it was revealed that a Republican National Committee (RNC) staffer, Kip Christianson, tricked a blind, disabled war veteran into running for Congress under a 3rd party in order to pull votes from the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party candidate in Minnesota’s swing 7th congressional district.

The RNC staffer, Christianson, also broke Minnesota law by providing an inducement for the 3rd party candidate, Kevin “Ne Se” Shores, to run for office. This payment was not disclosed on campaign finance reports as an in-kind contribution.

Per Fox 9’s Tom Lyden:

Blind and permanently disabled, Kevin Ne Se Shores is accustomed to navigating life’s obstacles, but it has never stopped him from pursuing his third-party political ambitions.

Senate DFL: Week in Review

Session ends with lots of work left to do
and everything happening in the Legislature this week.

Judiciary budget target received, time for Senate Republicans to come to the table

After initially receiving a $90 million target, $20 million of which was earmarked for the disaster assistance contingency account, DFLers fought to increase new spending for the Judiciary Committee and were able to raise the target to $105 million. This new funding, however, is expected to be stretched very thin, as our communities are demanding changes in our criminal justice and policing systems. Read more >>

Environment budget left in limbo, no progress in negotiations despite hearings

Though the Environment and Natural Resources conference committee met nine times – the House convening six hearings and the Senate three – in the final weeks of session, no progress was made towards working through the differences between the two versions of this year’s policy and budget omnibus bill. Senate Republicans maintained throughout that time that they couldn’t begin working on anything with a financial component to it, despite the many non-general fund financial components contained within the bill. Read more >>

Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: May 21, 2021

Governor Walz, Legislature Reach Bipartisan Budget Agreement

Speaker Hortman, Gov. Walz, Leader Gazelka, Leader Kent

On Monday, Governor Walz announced that he has reached a bipartisan budget agreement with Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka and House Speaker Melissa Hortman that supports working families, ensures students continue to catch up on learning, and helps small businesses to drive Minnesota’s economic recovery.

“This bipartisan budget confronts the challenges we face today while investing in the future to help Minnesotans emerge from this crisis stronger than before. Not every Minnesotan was hit by COVID-19 equally – many families and small businesses have struggled tremendously over the past year. That is why it’s so important that we make it easier for families to get by, ensure our students catch up on learning loss, and provide support to our small businesses.”

Appeals court hears case of 3 ex-cops charged in Floyd death

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA — Attorneys for the state and for three former Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd ’s death appeared before the Minnesota Court of Appeals on Thursday as prosecutors sought to add an additional charge to the case.

Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao are scheduled to face trial next March on charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter. Prosecutors want to add an additional count of aiding and abetting third-degree murder.

The three-judge panel has 90 days to rule. Based on an appeals court decision in February and a related ruling in the case of former officer Derek Chauvin that found the February ruling was binding, the judges could rule in favor of the state and send the case back to the lower court to add the charge. Continue reading.

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