In the Know: October 1, 2020

Days Until the Election: 33

33 Days OUT – Let’s get to work!
If you’d like to help the DFL Party fight for criminal justice reform, better schools, wages, our environment, and health care, click here to get more involved there are events happening in your area! Consider signing up for a shift on a CD1 Phone Bank or CD2 Phone Bank!

Early voting!
Check out iwillvote.com/mn to learn more about early voting in person or by mail!

Agriculture News
Agriculture workers risk health during pandemic, Finance & Commerce
New study finds that Minnesota agriculture and forestry contributes to more than $37 billion dollars in economic value, KEYC

CD1 Candidate Dan Feehan
Feehan represents our values, Winona Post
Hagedorn accuses Feehan of being paid to run for Congress, but organizations say the work was legit, Post Bulletine

Democratic Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates Joe Biden and Kamala Harris
Back in his comfort zone, Joe Biden hits Amtrak and the campaign trail, Washington Post
Joe Biden tells white supremacist groups to ‘cease and desist’, The Guardian
Biden: Trump’s conduct was a national embarrassment, CNN
Here’s how Kamala Harris puts the nail in the Trump-Pence coffin, Washington Post

Economy
Why Joe Biden is better than Donald Trump for the US economy, The Guardian
Consumer Spending Rose in August, but Incomes Pose Hurdle for U.S. Recovery, Wall Street Journal
U.S. economy plunges 31.4% in the second quarter but a big rebound is expected, CNBC

Environmental News
New ‘forever chemicals’ contaminating the environment, regulators say, The Guardian
Getting warmer: Trump concedes human role in climate change, Associated Press News

Governor Tim Walz
Judge dismisses Jason Lewis’s lawsuit over Gov. Tim Walz’s COVID-19 orders, Star Tribune
12 Democratic Governors (including Tim Walz) vow that all votes will be counted, Pioneer Press

Health Care
As Covid-19 Cases Rise, Insurers Reduce Coverage for Virtual Doctors’ Visits, Wall Street Journal

Immigration News 
Congress Greatly Expands Premium Processing For Immigration Benefits, Forbes
Supreme Court Speeds Case on Excluding Undocumented Immigrants in Redistricting, New York Times

Minnesota News
Minnesota reports 16 COVID-19 deaths; highest total in a month, Star Tribune
Twin Cities educators seek assurances for safe return to classroom, MPR News
Hundreds of Faribault, Northfield residents to receive energy kits, Northfield News
Rising from the rubble, Liberty’s Restaurant in Red Wing to reopen Thursday, Star Tribune
Fairmont schools return to hybrid learning after emergency board meeting, Marshall Indepedent
Minnetonka students lead march for equitable education, speak out against racism, The Sun Sailor
Community members rally against President Trump’s visit to Duluth, WDIO

Republican Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates Donald Trump and Mike Pence 
In Duluth, Trump warns his followers that Biden would turn Minnesota “into a refugee camp”, Minnesota Reformer
Trump’s latest punt on White supremacy shows a debate rebound will be tough, CNN
Trump boasted he made insulin so cheap ‘it’s like water.’ Americans with diabetes beg to differ., Washington Post
Trump’s Abdication on Health Care, Politico
Trump has no answers on America’s crisis — his debate rage made it worse, CNN
Trump plans to slash refugee admissions to U.S. to a record low, NBC News
Trump supporter attacks WCCO journalist near Duluth rally, Star Tribune

Republicans
Trump Renews Fears of Voter Intimidation as G.O.P. Poll Watchers Mobilize, New York Times
Republicans and democracy have much deeper problems than Trump’s awful debate performance, USA Today
False G.O.P. Ad Prompts QAnon Death Threats Against a Democratic Congressman, New York Times
Appeals court delivers second blow to Republicans in Wisconsin voting case, Milwaukee Journal Sentinal

Secretary of State Steve Simon
Top Minnesota election official defends integrity of mail-in ballots, Star Tribune

Senator Amy Klobuchar
Top Democrats urge Biden to keep debating Trump, Politico
Amy Klobuchar Wants Presidential Debates To “Turn Off The Mic”, Bustle

U.S. News
Appeals Court Rejects Push To End Census Early By Trump Administration, NPR News
Leaders in several states warn residents to be on guard as worrying Covid-19 trends emerge, CNN
Fewer People May Vote By Mail Than Expected. That Could Mean Election Day ‘Chaos’, NPR News
Another 837,000 Americans filed for unemployment claims last week, CNN
$2.2 trillion HEROES Act would provide second round of stimulus checks, CBS News

World News
Madrid locks back down as European leaders sound alarm on Covid-19 surges, CNN
EU begins legal action against the UK after it approves controversial Brexit bill, CNBC
Merkel Says She’ll Meet With Belarus Opposition Leader ‘Soon’, Bloomberg News
Kuwait Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Sabah dies aged 91, BBC News

DFL Headquarters Office Hours 
Looking to buy yard signs or Biden-Harris merchandise? WE ARE FULLY STOCKED WITH SIGNS IN ALL SIZES! Stop by the DFL Headquarters on 255 East Plato Blvd in St Paul, we are now open to the public from 12:00-5:00PM Monday-Friday.

Upcoming Events:

  • Today through November 2 — General Election Early Voting
  • October 5
    • 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM — DFL Pop Up Shop, Excelsior, MN, location TBD, more information here.
    • 2:00 to 6:00 PM — DFL Pop Up Shop, 6770 Chaparral Ln, Chanhassen, MN 55317
  • October 7
    • 6:30 to 8:30 PM — SD50 DFL Virtual Central Committee Meeting, contact them for specifics.
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD33 DFL Virtual Central Committee Meeting, contact them for specifics.
  • October 8
    • 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM — DFL Pop Up Shop, Brooklyn Park, MN, location TBD, more information here.
    • 2:00 to 6:00 PM — DFL Pop Up Shop, Maple Grove, MN, location TBD, more information here.
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD36 DFL Virtual Central Committee Meeting, contact them for specifics.
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD48 DFL Virtual Central Committee Meeting, contact them for specifics.
  • October 10, 1:30 to 3:00 PM — SD40 DFL Central Committee Meeting, contact them for specifics.
  • October 12
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD44 DFL Central Committee Meeting, contact them for specifics.
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD49 DFL Central Committee Meeting, contact them for specifics.
  • October 19, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — Anoka County DFL Meeting, contact them for more information.
  • October 21, 7:00 to 900 PM — CD3 DFL Central Committee Meeting, no meeting this month, please focus on supporting campaigns in your district.
  • October 22 — Presidential Debate, more information as it becomes available
  • October 31 — Halloween
  • November 1 — Daylight Saving Time ends
  • November 3 — Election Day
    • 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM — Polls open for in person voting. Not certain where to vote? Visit the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website here.
  • November 4, 6:30 to 8:30 PM — SD50 DFL Virtual Central Committee Meeting, contact them for meeting specifics
  • November 5, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD46 DFL Virtual Central Committee Meeting, contact them for meeting specifics

Trump tax revelations shine a spotlight on IRS enforcement

The Hill logo

The New York Times’s blockbuster story on President Trump’s taxes has boosted the push to give the IRS more funding to scrutinize wealthy taxpayers.

The Times article published Sunday reported that Trump paid little to no federal income taxes in many recent years, and the article described some of the ways Trump minimized his tax bills. The news outlet also reported that, starting in 2010, Trump claimed and received a $72.9 million refund that has been at the center of a years-long audit.

Trump said in a tweet on Monday that he “paid many millions of dollars in taxes but was entitled, like everyone else, to depreciation & tax credits.” It remains to be seen what the ultimate results of the audit will be. Continue reading.

Watch: Trump Tells White Supremacists To ‘Stand By’

Donald Trump on Tuesday refused to condemn the white supremacists who have been purposefully causing chaos and committing violence at racial justice protests across the country.

“Proud Boys, stand back and stand by. But I’ll tell you what, somebody’s got to do something about antifa and the left,” Trump said — a comment that does not condemn the violence white supremacists have carried out at protests.

The moment came when debate moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump to specifically condemn the actions of white supremacists, who Trump’s own FBI director said are a danger and account for the majority of the domestic terrorism threats in the country. Continue reading.

Robert Reich: The coming civil war caused by Trump’s megalomaniacal ego

AlterNet logo

What is America really fighting over in the upcoming election? No particular issue. Not even Democrats versus Republicans.

The central fight is over Donald J Trump.

Before Trump, most Americans weren’t especially passionate about politics. But Trump’s MO has been to force people to become passionate about him – to take fierce sides for or against. And he considers himself president only of the former – whom he calls “my people.”

Trump came to office with no agenda except to feed his monstrous ego. He has never fueled his base. His base has fueled him. Its adoration sustains him. Continue reading.

5 takeaways from the first presidential debate

Washington Post logo

President Trump and Joe Biden took part in their first of three one-on-one debatesof the 2020 general election Tuesday night in Cleveland.

It was so contentious and full of interruptions that it was almost unwatchable, but there were some takeaways. Here they are.

1. Biden resists Trump’s goading — mostly.

Trump’s strategy was clear: to steamroll both Biden and debate moderator Chris Wallace, hoping to provoke a bad moment. It was the strategy of a challenger, more than of an incumbent, and seemed to reflect that Trump needs to change the race more than Biden does. Continue reading.

Project Veritas video about Minneapolis ballots probably was part of a ‘coordinated disinformation campaign,’ Stanford researchers say

James O’Keefe and his group, Project Veritas, appear to have made an abrupt decision to release the video sooner than planned, according to the researchers. 

A deceptive video released Sunday by conservative activist James O’Keefe, which claimed through unidentified sources and with no verifiable evidence that Rep. Ilhan Omar’s campaign had collected ballots illegally, was probably part of a coordinated disinformation effort, according to researchers at Stanford University.

O’Keefe and his group, Project Veritas, appear to have made an abrupt decision to release the video sooner than planned after the New York Times published a sweeping investigation of President Donald Trump’s taxes, the researchers said. They also noted that the timing and metadata of a Twitter post in which Trump’s son shared the video suggested that he might have known about it in advance.

Project Veritas had hyped the video on social media for several days before publishing it. In posts amplified by other prominent conservative accounts, O’Keefe teased what he said was evidence of voter fraud, and urged people to sign up at “ballot-harvesting.com” to receive the supposed evidence when it came out. (None of the material in the video actually proved voter fraud.) Continue reading.

Trump refused to condemn white supremacists and militia members in presidential debate marked by disputes over race

Washington Post logo

President Trump refused to condemn white supremacists and armed militia members Tuesday during a bellicose debate in which racism emerged as one of the most contentious issues.

He called out one far-right group, using words that some of its members embraced as a call to arms rather than a denunciation.

“Proud Boys — stand back and stand by,” Trump said after Democratic rival Joe Biden challenged him to decry far-right supporters who have taken to the streets in recent months brandishing weapons, and cited the Proud Boys. “But I’ll tell you what, somebody’s got to do something about antifa and the left.” Continue reading.

With Cross Talk, Lies and Mockery, Trump Tramples Decorum in Debate With Biden

New York Times logo

Interrupting Joe Biden nearly every time he spoke, President Trump made little attempt to reassure swing voters about his leadership. Mr. Biden hit back: “This is so unpresidential.”

WASHINGTON — The first presidential debate between President Trump and Joseph R. Biden Jr. unraveled into an ugly melee Tuesday, as Mr. Trump hectored and interrupted Mr. Biden nearly every time he spoke and the former vice president denounced the president as a “clown” and told him to “shut up.”

In a chaotic, 90-minute back-and-forth, the two major party nominees expressed a level of acrid contempt for each other unheard-of in modern American politics.

Mr. Trump, trailing in the polls and urgently hoping to revive his campaign, was plainly attempting to be the aggressor. But he interjected so insistently that Mr. Biden could scarcely answer the questions posed to him, forcing the moderator, Chris Wallace of Fox News, to repeatedly urge the president to let his opponent speak. Continue reading.

Scoop: CDC director overruled on cruise ship ban

Axios logo

Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was overruled when he pushed to extend a “no-sail order” on passenger cruises into next year, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the conversation today in the White House Situation Room.

Why it matters: Cruise ships were the sites of some of the most severe early coronavirus outbreaks, before the industry shut down in March. And their future is just the latest disagreement between Redfield and members of President Trump’s team.

The undermining of Redfield has been the source of much consternation among public health officials inside the administration, who argue that a politically motivated White House is ignoring the science and pushing too aggressively to reopen the economy and encourage large gatherings. Continue reading.

ICE preparing targeted arrests in ‘sanctuary cities,’ amplifying president’s campaign theme

Washington Post logo

The Trump administration is preparing an immigration enforcement blitz next month that would target arrests in U.S. cities and jurisdictions that have adopted “sanctuary” policies, according to three U.S. officials who described a plan with public messaging that echoes the president’s law-and-order campaign rhetoric.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation, known informally as the “sanctuary op,” could begin in California as soon as later this week. It would then expand to cities including Denver and Philadelphia, according to two of the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive government law enforcement plans.

Chad Wolf, acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, probably will travel to at least one of the jurisdictions where the operation will take place to boost President Trump’s claims that leaders in those cities have failed to protect residents from dangerous criminals, two officials said. Continue reading.