Jan. 8, 2021
Tonight, expect patchy, freezing fog after midnight across much of the state. It'll mostly cloudy over the weekend with highs in the 20s. Warmer temperatures, up to the mid-40s, and more sunshine are expected next week. Find the latest on the Updraft. The violent clash at the nation’s Capitol has Minnesota officials concerned about the potential for something similar happening in St Paul. Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington says that protesters who rallied at the state Capitol Wednesday talked about storming it and that his agency is working with local law enforcement to provide extra security on the Capitol grounds.
Minnesota Democrats in Congress call for removing President Trump from office in the wake of the Capitol insurrection. Rep. Dean Phillips, of the 3rd District, says the best option is for removal under the 25th Amendment, but Trump could also resign, or the House could begin impeachment proceedings. Phillips said he is ready to fulfill his constitutional duty.
In the meantime, Minnesota's Rep. Pete Stauber calls the Capitol incident "unacceptable" and says he is disappointed in Trump. The Republican congressman, however, doesn't support impeaching the president, saying it will only "divide this country and not heal."
In the pandemic news, Minnesota had a somewhat encouraging day in its COVID-19 statistics. The latest data from the state Health Department Friday showed 2,387 new cases and 48 additional deaths -- down from 54 deaths last Friday. The seven-day average also ticked down to 6 percent. You can get more of the latest news, in just a few minutes, via the Minnesota Today podcast. — Nina Moini | MPR News | 