On Sept 2nd, Sen. Harris joins Sen. Tina Smith and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan for a conversation with Senator Bobby Joe Champion, Rep. Rena Moran, and Minnesotans from the Twin Cities about the challenges they are facing with the return to school during the COVID-19 pandemic.
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN), and Representatives Angie Craig (D-MN-2), Dean Phillips (D-MN-3), Betty McCollum (D-MN-4), Ilhan Omar (D-MN-5) sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and House Minority Leader McCarthy requesting relief for state unemployment insurance programs in any upcoming coronavirus relief package. In the letter, the members of the Minnesota delegation highlighted the strain that the coronavirus pandemic has placed on state unemployment insurance programs and requested that the next relief package allow the Federal Government to cover a portion of the upfront costs paid by non-profit and government employers – a relief measure that the Senate has already approved.
“The rapid rise in unemployment claims in Minnesota and across the country is unprecedented and requires renewed attention from Congress as the pandemic continues to have a devastating impact on our economy,” the lawmakers wrote. “This extreme level of unemployment has also placed significant stress on Minnesota’s unemployment insurance program—and unemployment insurance programs in states across the country.” Continue reading “Minnesota Congressional Delegation Requests Federal Relief For State Unemployment Insurance Programs”
MINNESOTA – Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) and Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) announced today that they will host a free and open-to-the-publiccoronavirus briefing call featuring Minnesota public health experts at 6:00 PM CST on Monday, March 16. Minnesotans are invited to submit their questions about coronavirus (COVID-19) online HERE, and join the call by dialing 855-927-0897 or streaming online HERE.
WHAT: Coronavirus Briefing Call
WHEN: Monday, March 16, 2020, 6:00 PM CST – 7:00 PM CST
WHERE: CALL IN: 855-927-0897 or STREAM ONLINE: https://phillips.house.gov/dial-in
WHO:
– Rep. Dean Phillips
– Senator Tina Smith
– Dr. Rob Thomas, Medical Director, Emergency Physicians Professional Association
– Dr. Penny Wheeler, CEO, Allina Health System
– Additional public health experts to be announced
SUBMIT QUESTIONS HERE: https://tinyurl.com/MNCoronavirusBriefing
Jason Lewis’ 2018 reelection campaign was colored, and likely doomed, by the resurfacing of offensive things he’d said on the radio.
Lewis, then representing Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District, tried explaining his rants by saying his radio role was to be provocative and entertaining. If your idea of entertainment is a man angrily complaining he can’t call Madonna a slut, you should 1) try literally anything else, and 2) stop trying to reconcile with your ex-wife.
Lewis lost his seat to Democrat Angie Craig, and could’ve slunk back to a dishonorable life in conservative talk radio and smarmy speaking engagements. Instead, he’s back in a big, dumb way, announcing last week that he’d challenge DFL U.S. Sen. Tina Smith in 2020.
View the complete August 27 article by Mike Mullen on The CityPages website here.
Construction aggravated an existing problem at the main terminal, they said.Long security lines at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport’s main terminal prompted Minnesota’s two U.S. senators on Wednesday to call for additional staffing from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
On Monday, the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) launched a temporary reconfiguration of two security checkpoints in the ticketing lobby of Terminal 1, also known as the Lindbergh terminal. The new system prompted by a construction project has created long lines, confusion and outrage among passengers this week.
But Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Sen. Tina Smith, both D-Minn., said the construction exacerbates an already festering problem: TSA staffing has not kept up with the growth of passengers flying from MSP.
View the complete August 22 article by Janet Moore on The Star Tribune website here.
“I thought I could get more answers here than in Washington,” U.S. Sen. Tina Smith told a group Thursday meeting at Rainy Lake Medical Center about rural health care challenges.
Smith’s visit to Borderland included a rural economy tour of the community in the morning, as well as a boat tour of Voyageurs National Park and its restoration projects.
Top on Smith’s list of concerns about rural health care challenges is maternal and obstetrics, which she said in some rural settings forces families to travel more than 100 miles for care.
SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Today, DFL Chairman Ken Martin released the following statement after President Trump’s hand-picked Republican Senate candidate Jason Lewis—who Minnesotans in the 2nd Congressional District voted out last November—announced that he was running for the U.S. Senate in 2020:
“Jason Lewis spent his time in Washington repeatedly siding with powerful special interests over Minnesotans—voting to gut protections for people with pre-existing conditions and to give tax breaks and giveaways to big corporations like prescription drug companies, big oil and Wall Street. Jason Lewis may want to continue fighting for special interests and big corporations, but Minnesota voters will reject this failed attempt at a second act.” Continue reading “Statement from DFL Chair Ken Martin on Jason Lewis”
Jason Lewis has long history of sexist comments, including lamenting he can no longer call women “sluts”SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, DFL Chairman Ken Martin is calling on Trump’s hand-picked U.S. Senate candidate Jason Lewis to condemn the unhinged, sexist rant his campaign advisor went on moments before Lewis launched his campaign.
Yesterday, State Sen. Dave Osmek – a Lewis campaign advisor and self-described “kitchen cabinet” member – launched a barrage of sexist attacks against U.S. Senator Tina Smith, calling her “an empty-headed pile of nothing.” The comments took place on Thursday morning’s Up and at ‘Em podcast. He also disparaged Sen. Smith as “oily” and “scummy.”
Click here to listen to the Jason Lewis’ team’s sexist rant (beginning at 10:37).
“It’s no surprise that Jason Lewis’ team is beginning their campaign with sexist attacks on women given his own lengthy history of misogynistic comments,” said DFL Chair Ken Martin. “I’m calling on Jason Lewis to condemn these remarks, but I’m not holding my breath given that he once referred to women who care about contraceptive coverage as ‘without a brain.’ Jason Lewis should show women the respect they deserve.”The comments from Jason Lewis’ team come as no surprise. Lewis himself has long history of misogynistic and sexist comments. He has lamented that he can no longer call women “sluts” anymore, he has mocked victims of sexual misconduct, and he has referred to “young single women” who care about contraceptive coverage as “without a brain.”
Transcript – Up and at ‘Em podcast, 8/22/19
OSMEK [00:10:37]: [Jason Lewis is] going to be making an announcement. It’s probably the worst kept secret in the world. I’ve been meeting with him a few times. I’m on his kitchen cabinet, you may say. He’s going to announce that he’s going to be running on the ballot in 2020.
…
OSMEK [00:14:15]: Now, Tina Smith is as oily and scummy as you can possibly get. She wouldn’t have, if I remember correctly, it wasn’t too long ago, she wouldn’t get into debates with Karin Housley. Of all people, Karin Housley. God love her, she’s one of my colleagues in the senate. But Tina Smith wouldn’t debate. Why? She can’t debate. She’s an empty-headed pile of nothing and Jason’s going to chop her to little pieces.
HOST: Here’s the thing with Karin Housley, her forecheck isn’t quite as good as her husband’s.
OSMEK: You are correct. [laughter] If there’s one thing her husband has is that she’s – he’s better in the corners. She might be better with a slap-shot but he’s –
HOST 2: I don’t know. She’s pretty good neutral zone, trap, you know, turnover, speed.
OSMEK: I’m really looking forward to it. He’s going to go around all of Minnesota. I’m going to be helping along the way.
Cornyn remains the favorite, but defending his seat could cost the GOP resourcesThe fight for Senate control is still taking shape and, less than 16 months before Election Day, two states appear to moving in the Democrats’ direction on the battlefield.
Donald Trump came within about a point and a half of winning Minnesota in the 2016 presidential election. But that might be the new high-water mark for Republicans, and the GOP will have a hard time unseating Democratic Sen. Tina Smith in 2020.
Democrats have a 52-43 percent advantage statewide, according to the Inside Elections Baseline, which includes all statewide and House results over the most recent four election cycles. Republicans took a half-hearted shot at Smith last cycle, when she was on the ballot for the first time as a senator, but state Sen. Karin Housley lost by more than 10 points.
View the complete July 9 article by Nathan L. Gonzales on The Roll Call website here.
