Good morning. A fast-moving week makes the weekend come sooner.
Former President Donald Trump is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to declare him eligible for primary ballots, challenging a Colorado ruling to exclude him. AP has an FAQ. The case has broader ramifications because ballot exclusion cases have spread around the country. One in Minnesota was turned back on the basis it is a party-run process and therefore premature. The Minnesota Supreme Court didn’t rule out reaching a different conclusion in a general election.
All four Republicans in Minnesota’s congressional delegation will back Trump in his bid for the White House. As Mark Zdechlik reports, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer along with Reps. Michelle Fischbach, Brad Finstad and Pete Stauber endorsed the former president in a statement on Wednesday. Emmer also released a separate statement declaring his support for Trump, in which he calls on Republicans to unite behind the “party’s clear frontrunner.” It wasn’t long ago, in October, that Emmer was nominated by Republicans to fill the vacant House Speaker seat, but quickly withdrew after Trump and others lined up against him . Emmer drew scorn from Trump for voting to certify the 2020 Electoral College results. His support now is notable. Trump is currently facing four criminal indictments and 91 felony counts, some relating to his alleged role in trying to change the outcome of the 2020 election.
Retired attorney Quentin Wittrock has joined the race for the open 3rd Congressional District seat as a Republican candidate. Wittrock filed paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission this week and went up with a website that has detailed policy positions , including on contentious topics from abortion to laws on guns. One word not on his website (but on his candidate form): Republican. The 3rd District is open because Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips is running for president instead. It was once a lock for Republicans but has trended Democratic and made more so by the last redistricting. Two DFLers are vying for their party nomination, state Sen. Kelly Morrison and former Minneapolis official Ron Harris. Another Republican, Blaize Harty, opened a campaign committee in October. Wittrock told Mark Zdechlik that he’s never voted for Donald Trump because he “disagreed with his morals and his way of acting.”
People looking for easy access to retail marijuana in Minnesota still have to wait, probably for another year. But 2024 will be a big year in setting the rules around the growth, testing, distribution and sales of legal cannabis. Brian runs through the process from here forward. Expect the Legislature to also open up the marijuana law to ease concerns or clear up confusion. Gov. Tim Walz is preaching patience: “It’s not as if they’re going to pop up like Subways everywhere on every corner immediately when this happens.”
The FAFSA has finally launched after a long delay, but it still isn’t available to everyone. The newly simplified Free Application for Federal Student Aid is finally online for the 2024-2025 school year, but not without its issues. Many families reported they were having trouble accessing the form. This year, due to a redesign and new legislation, completing the form should take less time. Our Feven Gerezgiher reports just over 12,000 Minnesotans will be newly eligible for the federal Pell Grant. Also new this year is Minnesota’s North Star Promise Scholarship Program, which covers tuition and fees for Minnesota residents whose family adjusted gross income is below $80,000. To apply, Minnesotans just need to fill out the FAFSA (Feven sums it up in engaging TikTok videos on the topic).
Gov. Tim Walz has appointed Hwikwon Ham to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. Ham previously worked on the commission's regional energy program. Before that, he was an energy rates analyst with the Minnesota Department of Commerce. Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan said Ham's experience in Minnesota's energy sector would make him a good fit for the post. For his part, Ham said he will aim to ensure Minnesotans can access reliable and affordable utilities, and he said it is important to transition the state toward clean energy sources.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty will require law enforcement to disclose more of officers’ misconduct history. Sarah Thamer reports that this is a part of a new series of measures Moriarty says will help to ensure fair judicial proceedings. The measures are focused on the Brady/Giglio policy, which refers to information that must be released to the defense prior to trial when a police officer or professional witness is called as a witness in a case. Prosecutors are obligated to disclose any information that could aid in the defense of someone accused of a crime. Under past interpretations of this law, Moriarty said the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office only disclosed data considered to be public information under a state statute.
Finally, state lawmakers appear to be rallying around a bill that could fund more outdoor learning opportunities for kids. Elizabeth Shockman reports that only about 30 percent of Minnesota students are able to participate in accredited outdoor learning programs. That’s because much of the funding comes from families and schools raising money on their own. Last year, state Rep. Kristi Pursell, DFL-Northfield, sought last year to set up a pilot grant program through the state Department of Natural Resources to free up money for outdoor learning. State Sen. Jeremy Miller, R-Winona, had a similar bill. Both plan to make another run at it this year. | 