Good morning. Hope you enjoyed February, all 29 days of it. Onto March!
Minnesota lawmakers get an important budget update today from state finance officials. The economic report due out here at 8 a.m. will detail how much money is coming in and what's going out to pay for various programs. Prior reports showed a modest surplus in the short term but concerning signs down the road. The February forecast dictates how much is available for the Legislature to use this session. A two-year budget was set last year, but there could be new initiatives or touch-up work on the table. State law requires the report to be issued in February, and thanks to it being a leap year the department remains in compliance.
It was a poignant ceremony to honor three Burnsville first responders killed in the line of duty this month. From the heartfelt and sometimes humorous stories told from the lectern to the solemn processional along wind-whipped streets, it was a memorial laden with tradition and steeped in emotion. MPR’s photographers and reporters on the scene (with the help of editor Paul Tosto) compiled this report.
Another prominent political visitor is headed for Minnesota. Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, is due in Minneapolis today for a pair of evening fundraising events. The Minnesota primary is Tuesday.
The near-final tally in Michigan put Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips in fourth place. He finished behind President Joe Biden, the “uncommitted” protest vote against Biden, and author Marianne Williamson, who took the unusual step of “unsuspending” her campaign in response. Phillips got about 2.7 percent of the vote. He reacted on social media with a message that suggested he’ll forge ahead . “Dem primary voters and Party people don’t wish to entertain alternatives to Joe Biden — and I honor that. But that doesn’t change the fact Donald Trump is walking right back to the Presidency while we sleepwalk from it. I’ve dedicated 8 years of my life resisting that dangerous man, and it remains my singular mission to ensure his defeat at the ballot box in November. I’m not going anywhere and not suspending my mission. I will continue to assess the most proficient approach to protecting America, Americans, and our treasured democracy.”
President Joe Biden got his physical yesterday.The summary of the exam will be closely scrutinized because Biden is the oldest person to ever hold the office of U.S. president and some voters have expressed concern that he would face age-related challenges in a second term. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that his doctors — the White House said they drew on the expertise of 20 doctors — did not recommend a cognitive exam. Jean-Pierre said, “He passes a cognitive test every day.” Biden’s medical reports from November 2021 and February 2023 also did not include any references to cognitive tests or evaluations.
Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell will step down in November. McConnell, 82, is the longest-serving Senate leader in history. McConnell said , “One of life’s most underappreciated talents is to know when it’s time to move on to life’s next chapter.” The senator had been under increasing pressure from hostile wings of his party that had aligned firmly with Trump. The two have been estranged since December 2020 when McConnell refused to accept Trump’s claim the presidential election was stolen. McConnell gave no specific reason for the timing of his decision, which he said he had been contemplating for months. Aides said his decision was unrelated to his health. McConnell said he plans to serve out his term, which ends in January 2027.
The Supreme Court will take up Donald Trump’s immunity case in April. The Supreme Court accepted the case Wednesday and set a course for quick resolution as to whether former President Trump can be prosecuted on charges he interfered with the 2020 election. But even with a decision likely coming no later than June, the court action calls into question whether a trial for Trump could be scheduled and concluded prior to November’s election if the immunity claim is rejected. This is a situation Special Counsel Jack Smith had attempted to prevent. He first asked the Supreme Court to intervene immediately in December.
There's a Leap Day special primary election to fill Republican Rep. Kurt Daudt’s old seat. Two Republicans and a Democrat are vying to move forward to a special election next month to determine who will replace former Republican Rep. Kurt Daudt in Minnesota House District 27B. Bryan Lawrence and Rachel Davis are facing off on the GOP side, while DFLer Brad Brown is running unopposed. The district spans sections of Anoka, Isanti, Mille Lacs and Sherburne Counties. Daudt stepped down effective earlier this month to take a full-time gig for an out-of-state consulting firm. He served as House speaker from 2015-19, then as minority leader until 2022. The contest won’t change the party balance in the chamber, but Republicans hope the November election will deliver them control of the House for the first time in six years.
A lot of money is flowing out to nonprofits as part of a new Minnesota budget. MPR reported last summer that the Legislature earmarked about $1 billion for organizations to carry out programs enhanced or created last year. Lawmakers set up new oversight steps. The Minnesota Reformer reported yesterday on some grants that have raised eyebrows because of the finances or leadership of certain organizations in line for the money. The Reformer created a one-stop, searchable table to see which agencies are administering which grants. | 