Days to the November Election: 173
2020 Election
Political ads expected to explode, even as economy tanks, Politico
Trump campaign focuses fire on Biden as pandemic undermines strategy, The Guardian
‘They are angry’: Pandemic and economic collapse slam Trump across Rust Belt, Politico
Agriculture
To Fight Waste and Hunger, Food Banks Start Cooking, New York Times
Meat Plant Closures Mean Pigs Are Gassed or Shot Instead, New York Times
Attorney General Keith Ellison
Effort to broaden hate crime reporting in Minnesota stalls, Star Tribune
AG Ellison: ‘Governor carefully turning the dial on reopening Minnesota’, Red Lake Nation
Minnesota AG pushes to preserve Obamacare ahead of Supreme Court fight, Fox 9
Donald Trump
Trump’s company has received at least $970,000 from U.S. taxpayers for room rentals, Washington Post
Trump’s “Reopening” Is a Red Herring, In These Times
Trump expresses anger that his China trade deal is off to a rocky start, but he lacks obvious remedies, Washington Post
How Trump is using coronavirus to reshape world trade, Politico
Frank Rich: ‘Obamagate’ Means Trump Is Desperate, New York Magazine
“Obamagate”: Trump’s latest conspiracy theory, explained, Vox
Trump Minions Go Crazy for His Toxic ‘Mask-ulinity’, Daily Beast
World looks on in horror as Trump flails over pandemic despite claims US leads way, Guardian
Economy
Retail Sales Fall 16.4% in April, New York Times
Coronavirus ‘could cost global economy $8.8tn’ says ADB, BBC
Economic Shock of Virus Hit Lower-Income Households Harder, Fed Finds, Wall Street Journal
36.5 Million Have Filed For Unemployment In 8 Weeks, NPR
Whistleblower: Wall Street Has Engaged in Widespread Manipulation of Mortgage Funds, ProPublica
Hopes fade for coronavirus relief deal before June, The Hill
House to vote on massive new coronavirus relief bill, CBS News
Education
DeVos Funnels Coronavirus Relief Funds to Favored Private and Religious Schools, New York Times<
With school buildings closed, children’s mental health is suffering, MPR
When Can Kids Go Back to Class? New York Times
House Democrats Scale Back Student Debt Cancellation In The Heroes Act, Forbes
Environment
Minnesota environment loses again if GOP has its way with trust fund money, Star Tribune
Ozone layer: Concern grows over threat from replacement chemicals, BBC News
Tracking the Environmental Rules Reversed Under Trump, New York Times
Governor Tim Walz
Gov. Tim Walz says Minnesota’s reopening followed preparation, not political pressure, Star Tribune
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz loosens stay-at-home restrictions, Star Tribune
Minnesota relies on data to reopen during coronavirus outbreak. Same measures will be used if there’s a need to ‘dial back’, Pioneer Press
Youth sports, Walz administration working toward return to play, Star Tribune
Health
Workers and COVID-19: Access to healthcare, now ‘a matter of life and death’, The United Nations
The Disproportionate Impact of Covid-19 on Black Health Care Workers in the U.S. Harvard Buisness Review
CDC warns doctors about childhood illness linked to Covid-19, CNN
Live updates: Prestigious medical journal slams Trump as U.S. death toll surpasses 85,000, Washington Post
Doctors in Italy make a link between Covid-19 and rare ‘Kawasaki-like’ inflammatory disease in children, CNN
Immigration
Court ruling a win for safe communities over sanctuary chaos, The Hill
Five Ways Immigrants Are Helping Their Fellow Americans Fight COVID-19, Talking Points Memo
Labor
Labor Department reports 36.5 million unemployment claims over 2 months, Politico
As businesses look to reopen, Democrats and advocates want more rules to protect workers, ABC
White House likely to support new round of stimulus checks, 6th Amazon worker dies from virus, CNB
Minnesota News
Minnesota will be recovering from COVID-19 for years, MN Reformer
County health official: Rochester house party spawned cluster of COVID-19 cases, MPR
What’s open (and what’s not) under the Stay Safe MN order, KARE11
Local retailers express mixed feelings about reopening amid coronavirus crisis, Pioneer Press
Minnesota State Legislature
The Minnesota Legislature really wants a say in how the state distributes federal COVID-19 money — even if Walz doesn’t have to listen, MinnPost
Minnesota Legislature votes to raise tobacco age to 21, Brainerd Dispatch
Minnesota Senate leader: Bonding bill still likely to pass, MPR
Representative Angie Craig (CD2)
SBA abruptly drops disaster loan limit from $2M to $150K, Star Tribune
Trump administration removes LGBTQ data from the foster care and adoption reporting system, Metro Weekly
Representative Collin Peterson (CD7)
Pork producers praise livestock provisions in HEROES Act, Fence Post
Representative Dean Phillips (CD3)
House Introduces Legislation To Modify Existing PPP Regulations, JD Supra
Representative Ilhan Omar (CD50
Sanders, Omar Lead 300+ Global Lawmakers in Call to Protect Developing Countries from Economic Ruin, Red Lake Nation
Republicans
Loeffler turns over documents to SEC and DOJ amid stock-trading controversy, Politico
A noose, an ax and Trump-inspired insults: Anti-lockdown protesters ratchet up violent rhetoric, Washington Post
McConnell says he was wrong on Obama pandemic playbook, Politico
I was a conspiracy theorist, too, Vox
Team ‘Lock Her Up’ Is Now Going After Fauci, Daily Beast
Burr problem grows for GOP, The Hill
Republicans in Minnesota
Minnesota Republicans, what are you going to do?, Star Tribune
Faced with an appalling US coronavirus death toll, the right denies the figures, The Guardian
Secretary of State Steve Simon
Older Minnesota voters file suit to change absentee voting rules amid COVID-19 fears, Star Tribune
Minnesotans encouraged to vote early by mail this election year, Bring Me the News MN
Senator Amy Klobuchar
Klobuchar, Rubio ask CDC to investigate reports of coronavirus causing strokes in younger patients, The Hill
Legislators Urge Justice Department to Watch Post-Covid Ticket Prices, Wall Street Journal
Senator Tina Smith
Sen. Tina Smith part of effort to get more funding for mental health, KIMT
Senator Smith pushes for telehealth funding during COVID outbreak, KTOE
VIDEO: Sen. Smith on COVID-19 federal funding package, ABC Rochester
U.S. News
There Are Sensible Ways to Reopen a Country. Then There’s America’s Approach, Time
CDC offers brief checklists to guide businesses, schools and others on reopening, Washington Post
In 3 Key States That Elected Trump, Bitter Divisions on Reopening, New York Times
FDA cautions about accuracy of widely used Abbott coronavirus test,MPR
Bars and other businesses quickly reopen in Wisconsin — for now, Star Tribune
Pentagon fires its point person for Defense Production Act, Politico
World News
Sweden Stayed Open. A Deadly Month Shows the Risks., New York Times
COVID-19 Has Arrived In Rohingya Refugee Camps And Aid Workers Fear The Worst, NPR
What’s fueling South Korea’s coronavirus success — and relapse, Politico
A New Report Shows What Really Happened With China’s Coronavirus Response, Mother Jones
The Countries Taking Advantage of Antarctica During the Pandemic, The Atlantic
Upcoming DFL Events
With the rapidly changing COVID-19 situation, we suggest you check with the hosting organization to see if meetings, etc. are being held.
- Today through May 17 — Minnesota Stay at Home Order
- Today through May 23 — Ramadan
- May 18 — Last Day of the 2020 Legislative Session
- May 20, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — CD3 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Council Chambers, Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345
- May 25 — Memorial Day
- May 26 -31 — State DFL Convention virtual voting window
- May 31 — Mandatory meeting for district-level DFL National Delegates, more information as it becomes available
- June 3
- 6:30 to 8:30 PM — SD50 DFL Central Committee Meeting, more information as it becomes available.
- 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD33 DFL Central Committee Meeting, more information as it becomes available.
- June 4, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD46 DFL Central Committee Meeting, more information as it becomes available.
- June 8
- 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD44 DFL Central Committee Meeting, more information as it becomes available.
- 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD49 DFL Central Committee Meeting, more information as it becomes available.