It’s Tuesday and the best chance of the week for rain. The special congressional panel investigating the storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6 is holding another public hearing today. This one has built-in drama: It was suddenly scheduled to air what committee leaders advised was “recently obtained evidence” about the election-related uprising and is expected to feature a key White House insider as the witness. As with the past hearings, MPR News will air it live on the radio and online.
The Star Tribune checked in on how the hearings are going over in places on the far outskirts of the Twin Cities, where former President Donald Trump was popular. Many voters told Jessie Van Berkel that they’re focused on other things. "Couldn't care less," one person said. But another said she was taking in a lot of the hearings, saying, "I put a lot of value on just seeing things for myself.”
The U.S. Supreme Court remains at the forefront of the news. This time it’s a ruling in a case regarding prayer in school settings. The high court’s conservative majority ruled that a football coach was deserving of constitutional protections of free expression for leading an on-field, postgame prayer. The court’s liberal minority said the ruling was further entangling religion with public activities. The Supreme Court is likely to issue the final decisions of a monumental term tomorrow.
Of course, a lot of fierce debate still swirls around the court’s decision that will restrict or outlaw abortion access in many places. Democratic officeholders and office seekers in Minnesota – from Gov. Tim Walz (he’s expected to make more comments today) to Attorney General Keith Ellison (he signed onto this national pledge ) to candidates for the Legislature – further signaled their plans to make reproductive freedom a central campaign theme in Minnesota. Republicans are keeping their messaging on economic frustrations. Prepare for an intense five months between now and Election Day.
I mentioned yesterday that MPR’s Mark Zdechlik was in South Dakota to check in there. Here’s his dispatch.
Midterm elections are traditionally difficult for the party that holds the White House. Democrats are bracing for a tough go, although the cultural and economic crosscurrents make this environment somewhat volatile. Still, voter registration and primary voting patterns in other states suggest Republicans are adding to their ranks, according to this AP story . There are layers of nuance so read beyond the headline. Minnesota doesn’t have partisan registration and Aug. 9’s primary is shaping up as a low-turnout affair.
Still no signs the Legislature will return for a special session to approve use of the historic state surplus. Advocacy groups are continuing to apply pressure. People with disabilities worry that group homes will be at risk without more state funding, according to MPR’s Sarah Gelbard. | 