Reporting on State Politics and Government
Reporting on State Politics and Government
Capitol View Digest reporting on state and politics and government
| | The Daily Digest for September 24, 2019 | | Posted at 6:30 a.m. by Bill Wareham |
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Good morning. Here's your Tuesday DIgest. 1. Craig, Phillips shift toward impeachment investigation. Two first-term Democratic members of Minnesota’s congressional delegation got on board with an investigation into President Trump that could result in impeachment, staking out new positions Monday. The 2nd District’s Angie Craig and 3rd District’s Dean Phillips had been reluctant to join other Democrats on pursuing articles of impeachment. That changed amid reports that President Trump urged Ukraine’s new president to investigate a U.S. political rival. Trump has acknowledged bringing up a possible probe of former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden and his son in his July call with the foreign leader. Over the weekend, Craig had said she would wait for the results of preliminary House investigations before deciding whether to advance to an impeachment process. On Monday, Craig said impeachment proceedings should happen “immediately, fairly and impartially.” (MPR News)
2. A higher debate hurdle for Klobuchar. The Democratic National Committee announced new qualification rules for the November debates Monday that could kick several more candidates off the stage, as party leaders continue to push for a smaller field in the presidential nomination fight. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), former Housing Secretary Julián Castro, businessman Andrew Yang and businessman Tom Steyer could all fail to qualify for the November debates if they do not improve their polling standing. Under the new rules, candidates will have to demonstrate they have 165,000 unique donors, an increase of 30,000 from October. They will also have to meet a polling criteria, either by scoring 3 percent in at least four national or state polls approved by the national party, or by receiving 5 percent or more in two approved single-state polls from Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina or Nevada. (Washington Post)
3. Concerns about insulin proposal at initial hearing. People struggling with the cost of insulin and others voiced concerns about a Republican proposal aimed at making the medication more accessible and affordable. The questions came as the Senate Human Services Finance and Policy Committee held the first hearing on the proposal Monday. The plan from Sen. Eric Pratt, R-Prior Lake, and other Senate Republicans, is designed to help increase access to insulin for those who can’t afford it. “The intent is not to replace insurance, undo the impact of last session’s legislation, or really undo any of the existing assistance programs,” Pratt said at the hearing. “This program addresses the issue of insulin affordability.” The proposal would require manufacturers to supply health care providers with insulin at no cost. Physicians would then prescribe the insulin directly to individuals who are eligible based on income requirements. (MPR News)
4. Student accommodations more prevalent in wealthy districts. The rate at which Minnesota students receive accommodations for conditions like ADHD, anxiety, depression and others has increased by about ten-fold in two decades, according to data from the Minnesota Department of Education. In 2000, about 2 out of every 1,000 students enrolled in Minnesota public schools had “504 plans,” which provide for things things like extra time on tests or extended deadlines on assignments. In 2019, that number was 16 out of every 1,000 students, a MinnPost analysis of MDE data shows. But the data also show 504 plans aren’t up everywhere: they’re most prevalent in some of Minnesota’s wealthier school districts. ( MinnPost)
5. Former sheriff wins lawsuit against former FBI-agent. Jurors in Texas have awarded $600,000 to former Hennepin County Sheriff Richard Stanek, who sued for injuries he suffered during a physical clash with a onetime FBI agent who promotes a view that Muslims are a widespread danger in U.S. society. The verdict in Dallas County District Court came late Friday afternoon after an eight-day trial and two days of deliberation by jurors who weighed the evidence presented in connection with Stanek’s altercation with John Guandolo on June 28, 2017, in Reno at the Atlantis Resort and Casino during a National Sheriffs’ Association conference. Guandolo, a retired Marine who resigned from the FBI in 2008 and lives in Dallas, founded Understanding the Threat in 2012, a consulting firm that is “dedicated to providing strategic and operational threat-focused consultation, education, and training” for law enforcement, according to its website. He has come under fire in recent years for his controversial anti-Muslim views. (Star Tribune)
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