In the Know: September 18, 2019

2020 Election
‘The ground is shifting’: Arizona emerges as a 2020 trouble spot for Trump, Politico

Agriculture
Trump administration allows pork slaughterhouses to have fewer USDA inspectors, NBC News
Wild wheat genetics offer climate hope for food crops, BBC
Draining Arizona: Residents say corporate mega-farms are drying up their wells, NBC News

Attorney General Keith Ellison
Bar Buzz: Cost of insulin first topic of Ellison’s new podcast series, Minnesota Lawyer

Congress
Dems see Lewandowski’s combativeness as Trump impeachment fuel, Politico
Ayanna Pressley introduces impeachment resolution against Brett Kavanaugh, USA Today

Donald Trump
Trump outpaces Obama, Bush in naming ex-lobbyists to Cabinet, AP
Trump Feuds With Lindsey Graham Over ‘Weak’ Iran Policy, Daily Beast
Lewandowski pumps life into Trump obstruction story, NBC News
‘Baby Trump’ flies high in protest of president’s Bay Area visit despite FAA ban, LA Times
Trump’s team mulls replacing Mike Pence as vice president on the 2020 Republican ticket: report, Salon

Economy
The Fed Is Poised to Cut Rates Again. Here’s What to Watch., New York Times
Oil plummets 6% as Saudi minister says supplies fully restored, Reuters
RV shipments decline as Trump administration touts economic “boom”, Axios
Vietnam Becomes a Victim of Its Own Success in Trade War, Bloomberg

Education
To bring “prestige” back to education, make teachers tax-exempt, says Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman, Vox
St. Paul school board eyes property tax levy increase of up to 5%, raises its pay, Star Tribune

Environment
AS AMAZON FIRES CONTINUE BURNING, BRAZIL SEEKS TO REMOVE EMPLOYEES FROM ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OFFICES, Newsweek
Trump plans to revoke a key California environmental power; state officials vow to fight, LA Times
Air pollution particles can cross to fetal side of the placenta, study finds, MinnPost
Isra Hirsi Wants You To Join The Climate Strike On September 20, Essence

Governor Tim Walz
Tickets available for Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener banquet, KTOE
Walz to push gun control, insulin affordability in 2020, MPR
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz Weighs In On Water Gremlin Pollution Investigation, WCCO

Healthcare
Tennessee becomes first state with a plan to turn Medicaid into a block grant, Washington Post
General Motors stops paying for striking union workers’ health insurance, The Hill
America’s Abortion Rate Has Dropped to Its Lowest Ever, New York Times

Immigration
Sherburne County won’t budge on plan to expand immigrant detention, MPR
Park Service Says Archaeological Sites Are Imperiled by Border Wall, New York Times
Congress Considers Sidestepping Debate Over Border-Wall Funding, Wall Street Journal
Bootleg pharmaceuticals flood immigrant communities cut off from healthcare, LA Times
Trump immigration officials defend tent courts, saying they’ll speed up asylum process, LA Times

Labor
GM strike: Nearly 50,000 workers walk out at America’s biggest automaker, CNN
Sources: GM offers 2% raises to UAW; company ends strikers’ health care, Detriot Free Press
GM strike costing up to $100 million a day isn’t worrying investors — at least not yet, CNBC
White House intervenes in General Motors strike, Politico

Minnesota News
University of St. Thomas in St. Paul contends with third bomb threat this year, Star Tribune
The gates are once again open at Fort Snelling State Park, Star Tribune
Minneapolis officials say they need more time to formulate neighborhood association plan, MinnPost
Minnesota probe says man fatally shot by police had knife, Star Tribune

News of the World
Trump names new national security adviser, CNN
Exclusive: Pence rebuffs Solomon Islands PM after nation cuts ties with Taiwan, Reuters
Russian priests spray holy water from plane to stop ‘alcohol use’ and ‘fornication‘, ABC News
Trump admin weighing retaliatory action against Iran after Saudi oil attack, NBC News
DONALD TRUMP’S NEW UAE AMBASSADOR IS A REPUBLICAN MEGADONOR WITH NO DIPLOMATIC EXPERIENCE, Newsweek

Representative Angie Craig (CD2, D)
Dems, GOP call for CCC provision; CRS explains it; DeLauro asks for briefing, The Fence Post

Representative Collin Peterson (CD7, D)
Congressman Collin Peterson on Farm Bill & payments for farmers: “You can’t do this with just one party.”, KFGO
Minnesota’s Peterson Helps Establish 4-H Congressional Caucus, KXRA
Peterson: CCC Funding Issues Resolved, RFS Solution Looms, Ag Professional
House Dems Reverse Stance on MFP Payments; Will Include Borrowing Limit “Fix”, Hoosier Ag Today

Representative Ilhan Omar (CD5, D)
Trump Retweets Video Falsely Claiming Ilhan Omar Danced On 9/11, WCCO News

Republicans
American Migration Patterns Should Terrify the GOP, The Atlantic
Donald Trump, king of chaos: New research on right-wing psychology points toward big trouble ahead, Salon
Virginia county GOP censures Rep. Riggleman, sparking sharp response, The Hill

Senator Amy Klobuchar
Senate Democrats Grill DOJ Official Over Automaker Investigation, Bloomberg
Democrats raise political influence issue in antitrust probe, The Washington Post

Senator Tina Smith
U.S. Senators Smith and Cramer Make Bipartisan Push to Address Skyrocketing Drug Prices, Voice of Alexandria

Secretary of State Steve Simon
Our view: Minnesota takes right steps to secure voting, Rochester Post Bulletin

Supreme Court of the Unite States
How to remove Brett Kavanaugh without impeaching him, Vox

U.S. News
Humberto strengthens into Category 3 hurricane: NHC, Reuters
New York bans sales of flavored e-cigarettes after seventh death nationwide, CBS News
Trump says homeless people are living in ‘our best highways’ and building entrances and people have told him they want to ‘leave the country’ over it, Insider
Sheriff helped plot his own deputy’s killing over ‘racially offensive’ tape, prosecutors say, Washington Post

Upcoming DFL Events:

  • September 18, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — CD3 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Council Chamber, Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka, Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345
  • September 20, 6:00 to 8:00 PM — SD33 DFL Issues Door Knock, staging from Caribou Coffee, 325 Clydesdale Trl, Suite 100, Medina, MN 55340
  • September 21
    • 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM — SD44 DFL Marching in Plymouth on Parade, more information and RSVP here.
    • 12:00 PM — State DFL Business Conference, Redwood Valley Senior High School, 100 George Ramseth Dr, Redwood Falls, MN 56283. More information here.
  • September 23 — Autumnal Equinox
  • September 25, 6:00 to 8:00 PM — SD33 DFL Issues Door Knock, staging from Caribou Coffee, 325 Clydesdale Trl, Suite 100, Medina, MN 55340
  • September 26, 6:00 to 8:00 PM — SD33 DFL Issues Door Knock, staging from Caribou Coffee, 325 Clydesdale Trl, Suite 100, Medina, MN 55340
  • September 27, 6:00 to 8:00 PM — SD33 DFL Issues Door Knock, staging from Caribou Coffee, 325 Clydesdale Trl, Suite 100, Medina, MN 55340
  • September 29 through October 1 — Rosh Hashana
  • October 1, 7:00 to 8:30 PM — SD37 DFL Central Committee Meeting, check their Facebook page for specifics, locations change from month to month.
  • October 2 through 4 — Minnesota House of Representatives Mini-Session
  • October 2
    • 6:30 to 8:30 PM — SD50 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Kennedy High School, Room C102, 9701 Nicollet Ave, Bloomington, MN 55420
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD33 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Ridgedale Library, Room 172, 12601 Ridgedale Dr, Minnetonka, MN 55305
    • 7:00 to 8:30 PM — SD40 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Brookdale Library, Room C, 6125 Shingle Creek Pkwy, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430
  • October 5, 4:00 to 8:00 PM — SD50 DFL Octoberfest, Lake Shore Drive Condominiums, 6615 Lake Shore Dr S, Richfield, MN 55423. Join them for brats, beer and other Bavarian fare. There’ll be music and fun activities for kids and adults alike. Event is free, contributions to the district appreciate.
  • October 8 through 9 — Yom Kippur
  • October 10, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD48 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Glen Lake Activity Center, 14350 Excelsior Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345
  • October 13, 1:00 to 2:00 PM — SD40 DFL Book Club Meeting, contact them for more information.
  • October 14
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD44 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD49 DFL Central Committee Meeting, 7001 Cahill Rd, Suite 21, Edina, MN
  • October 15 — Democratic Presidential Debate hosted by CNN and The New York Times, more information as it becomes available.
  • October 16 — Democratic Presidential Debate Second Night hosted by CNN and The New York Times if needed, more information as it becomes available.
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — CD3 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Council Chambers, Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345.
  • October 31 — Halloween