In the Know

Minnesota DFL
April 25, 2016
150 days until people can begin to vote by no excuse absentee ballot, Sept. 23
196 days until Election Day, Nov. 8
 
Events today

• 7 a.m. – The annual AFL-CIO Worker’s Memorial pancake breakfast will be served from 7-9 a.m. with welcoming statements by the City of Duluth Mayor and Central Labor Body President at 8:30am. At 9:15 a.m., a tree planting ceremony will take place outside on the grounds of the Duluth AFL-CIO Labor Temple.
• 10:30 a.m. – An initiative designed to help develop strong bipartisan relationships and enhance entrepreneurial thinking among Minnesota legislators will be launchedMonday at the State Capitol complex including Sens. Terri Bonoff, Michelle Benson, Melissa Franzen, Jeremy Miller, Carla Nelson, Sean Kershaw of the Citizen’s League, Dean Phillips of the Phillips Foundation and Studio/E Founders Nate Garvis and Tom Weise.
• 10:30 a.m. (EST) – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, will convene a roundtable discussion at the Harriet Tubman Center Shelter with community leaders and local advocates to discuss the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and what improvements can be made in the next Congress when the current reauthorization expires. Klobuchar, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Leahy helped pass the 2013 VAWA reauthorization into law which contained many important changes to the previous law, such as consolidating duplicative programs and streamlining others; providing greater flexibility for how communities use resources; and including new training requirements for people providing legal assistance to victims. It also included Klobuchar’s provision to strengthen federal stalking laws and help law enforcement more effectively target high-tech predators. The current reauthorization will expire in 2018.
• 11 a.m. – The Senate meets in session.
• 4 p.m. – The House meets in session.

Mark your calendars

• April 26 – Sen. Franken’s “Rural Education Tour,” aimed at learning more about the challenges rural educators face to ensure that students in rural communities have access to high quality education, will be held at 1 p.m. at the Northeast Service Cooperative, 5525 Emerald Ave., Mt. Iron.
• April 26 – Rep. Raymond Dehn (DFL-Minneapolis) will be hosting a town hall meeting with Reps. Tim Miller (R-Prinsburg), Kathy Lohmer (R-Stillwater), Abigail Whelan (R-Anoka), Matt Dean (R-Dellwood), and Jeff Backer (R-Browns Valley) on realigning sentencing and the Appleton Prison. They will be joined by Justin Terrell from Justice 4 All and Jamil Jackson from TakeAction Minnesota. 6 – 9 pm., University of Minnesota Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center – 2001 Plymouth Ave N, Minneapolis.
• April 26 – Volunteers with the Minnesota chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a part of Everytown for Gun Safety, will join gun violence survivors, gun owners, law enforcement officers, faith leaders, and other local and state leaders at a rally to urge lawmakers to pass Senate File 2493.
• April 27 – Lt. Gov. Smith and Rep. Rena Moran will hold a Town Hall on Racial
  Equity for Women & Girls of Color. 6 p.m., The City View Grille, St. Paul Technical College, 235 Marshall Ave. St. Paul.
• April 28 – Sen. Franken’s “Rural Education Tour,” aimed at learning more about the challenges rural educators face to ensure that students in rural communities have access to high quality education, will be held at 2 p.m. at the Lakes Country Service Cooperative, 1001 E. Mt. Faith, Fergus Falls.
• April 28 – Chairs, vice chairs, secretaries, treasurers, outreach officers and directors are invited to register for an informative webinar designed to help new DFL leaders. The webinar begins at 6 p.m. Click here to register.
• April 29 – Marchers will gather at 4:30 p.m. at Lake St. and Nicollet Ave., in south Minneapolis, then march at 5 p.m. to downtown, where they will rally in front of the Hennepin County Government Center. Led by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action committee, the march and rally are endorsed by several labor and community organizations.
• April 30 – CD 2 DFL Convention, 10:30 a.m., Shakopee West Junior High School, 200 10th Ave. E, Shakopee.
• April 30 – CD 7 DFL Convention, 1 p.m., Courtyard Marriott Hotel, 1080 28th Ave. S, Moorhead.
• April 23 – DFL African-American Caucus will meet at 10 a.m. at Penn Lake Library, 8800 Penn Ave S., Minneapolis.
• April 28 – On April 28, the unions of the AFL-CIO observe Workers Memorial Day to remember those who have suffered and died on the job and to renew the fight for safe jobs. Find an event near you.
• May 3 – Join neighbors, allies, and DFL- endorsed candidates Lindsey Port and Erin Maye Quade for a Reclaim the South Metro Community Forum to discuss issues we want to see addressed throughout the election season and beyond with neighbors and future elected officials. Education Minnesota Apple Valley, 7373 W. 147th St., Suite 107, Apple Valley.
• May 7 – CD 5 DFL Convention, 10:30 a.m., South High School, 3131 S 19th Ave., Minneapolis.
• May 7 – CD 8 DFL Convention, 10 a.m., Duluth Holiday Inn, 200 W 1st St., Duluth.
• May 7 – Chairs, vice chairs, secretaries, treasurers, outreach officers and directors are invited to register for an informative webinar designed to help new DFL leaders. The webinar begins at 10 a.m. Click here to register.
• May 14 – CD 1 DFL Convention, 1 p.m., Worthington Event Center, 1447 Prairie Dr., Worthington.
• May 14 – CD 3 DFL Convention, 10:30 a.m., Park Center High School auditorium, 7377 Noble Ave N, Brooklyn Park.
• May 21 – CD 6 DFL Convention, noon, St. Cloud Apollo High School, 1000 44th Ave. N, St. Cloud.
• May 22 – CD 4 DFL Convention, noon, Carpenters Union Hall, 700 Olive St., St. Paul.
• June 7 – Primary season ends.
• June 12 – DFL Women’s Hall of Fame Annual Luncheon, 11 a.m. reception, noon luncheon, 12:45 p.m. award ceremony. Ticket information and list of award recipients are available here.

Fundraisers

• April 30 – A “Blue” Print for Victory! 7th Congressional District DFL Social Hour and Banquet, 5 p.m. Saturday, April 30, Marriott Hotel, 1080 28th Ave. S, Moorhead. The banquet includes grilled chicken with white wine sauce, peppercorn pork loin, Caesar or mixed greens salad, glazed baby carrots, mashed potatoes and cupcakes. The cost is $40, to be paid at registration, but you must reserve a seat by contacting CD7 Chair Nancy Larson at  or  before April 26.
• May 1 – Senate District 51 True Blue Celebration. 2 p.m., Eagan Civic Arena, 3870 Pilot Knob Rd, Eagan.
• May 7 – The Congressional District 8 DFL will host a dinner beginning a 5:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn in the Duluth. Keynote speaker is Congressman Rick Nolan. The evening will include a program to honor Don Bye for his many years of service to the DFL. For information, visit https://www.dfl.org/cd8/.
• May 21 – Senate District 14 DFL will hold a Red to Blue Post-Convention Party. $20 Suggested Donation. Michael’s Restaurant, 510 US-10, St Cloud. Tickets available at: http://www.eventbrite.com/o/dfl-senate-district-14-3077414154

9/11 inquiry
White House poised to release secret pages from 9/11 inquiry, Star Tribune
 
2016 election
Legislature
DFL endorses Simonson for Senate District 7 seat, Duluth News Tribune
Olson, Kulp win DFL endorsement for District 8, 8B, Alexandria Echo Press
Two candidates endorsed by local DFL, Hutchinson Leader

U.S. House
Hinson hopes to challenge 7th District Congressman Collin Peterson, KFGO
House primaries to watch on Tuesday, The Hill
Duluth groups endorse Rick Nolan for Congress, Fox 21

Vice president
5 people Hillary Clinton might pick as her vice president, Washington Post

President
Cruz dominates, Trump falls short as more states pick delegates, Washington Post
Five internet powerbrokers who could shape the election, The Hill
Cruz, Kasich strategies align with goal of beating Trump, MPR
Trump: Cruz/Kasich alliance ‘horrible act of desperation’, The Hill
Why Tuesday could determine the nominees in both presidential primaries, MPR
5 takeaways from the latest fundraising reports, The Hill

• Bernie Sanders is on a spending spree
• Donald Trump is going pro
• Hillary Clinton is grinding it out the old-fashioned way
• Ted Cruz is not (yet) catching fire
• John Kasich is running on financial fumes

Ted Cruz and John Kasich are coordinating in an effort to stop Donald Trump from clinching the nomination before Cleveland. With Trump favored to win all five states that vote tomorrow, the Ohio governor has agreed to pull out of Indiana to help Cruz. In exchange, the Texas senator will step out of Oregon and New Mexico to boost Kasich’s chances in those contests. The calculus: “Limited public polling in Indiana has shown that Cruz stands the best chance of stopping Trump,” report Sean Sullivan and David Weigel. “Cruz allies believe Kasich is siphoning votes away from him, as evidenced by a pro-Cruz TV ad released last week that urged voters not to back Kasich. A loss to Trump in Indiana would be a devastating blow to Cruz, who is hoping to undercut some of Trump’s momentum heading into the final month of the race.” Washington Post

Billionaire businessman and Republican financier Charles Koch made some surprising comments Sunday about the presidential race, hinting that he might support Hillary Clinton, given the available crop of GOP White House hopefuls. In an interview with ABC News’ “This Week” Koch pointed to former President Bill Clinton’s record on federal spending and economic growth, suggesting that a Clinton regime could be the best option after 2016. Clinton, who has been critical of the conservative donor network spearheaded by Charles Koch and his brother, David Koch, wasn’t having it. “Not interested in endorsements from people who deny climate science and try to make it harder for people to vote,” her campaign tweeted after the interview. CNN
 
2016 session
Capitol Catch-Up: Budget plans nearly ready for battle, Pioneer Press
 
Affordable Care Act
ObamaCare premiums expected to rise sharply amid insurer losses, The Hill
 
Bathrooms
Rural Minnesota, not the North Carolina Bathroom Bill, is the real issue, Morris Sun Tribune
Conservative group launches boycott of Target over transgender policy, Star Tribune
How bathrooms and transgender rights have become a flash point in the GOP race, Star Tribune

 
Connecticut
Democratic primary focuses attention on Sandy Hook, Boston Globe
 
Cruz, Ted
On policies, Ted Cruz shifts his stance to suit a fractured GOP, Washington Post
 
Delaware
First State presents rare battleground for presidential hopefuls, Delaware State News
 
Economy
Rural companies spend overtime, even buy other companies, to find workers, Star Tribune
Schafer: Tough times could mean difficult choices on the Iron Range, Star Tribune
 
Education (E-12)
Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius applies to become next Mpls. superintendent, Star Tribune
It’s time to have an honest conversation about financial education in Minnesota, Star Tribune
Free college courses during high school? Yes, but some Minnesota schools still don’t tell students, MinnPost
Minnesota Comeback takes new aim at Minneapolis achievement gaps, Star Tribune

Environment
Dayton honors ‘water heroes’ on Earth Day, Duluth News Tribune
 
Franken, Al
Decades after ‘SNL,’ Sen. Al Franken still has zingers, Washington Post
Sen. Franken bill to get grants to Indian country fosters bipartisan love, Star Tribune
 
GOP
Graham: GOP is at risk for being torn apart, The Hill
Fed-up GOP mega-donors sitting on their checkbooks, The Hill
 
Health and human services
Caryn Sullivan: A small raise for caregivers, Pioneer Press
 
Iron Range
Lawmakers crafting subsidy package to lure mystery plant to Iron Range, MPR
  
Labor
Immigrant bus drivers allege discrimination, labor law violations, Workday Minnesota
Agencies ask for time to comply with new overtime rules, Star Tribune
 
Licenses
From eyelash extensions to breastfeeding consultants, Minnesota looks at new licenses, Star Tribune
 
Maine
To the chagrin of Trump and his supporters, Cruz’s superior ground forces won nearly a full slate of delegates in Maine, making it even difficult for Trump if he fails to secure the 1,237 delegates needed to clinch the Republican presidential nomination on the first ballot at the national convention. CNN’s David Wright reports: “Cruz secured 19 of 20 delegate slots filled at the state convention over the weekend. The sweep frustrated rivals Donald Trump and John Kasich — as well as Maine Gov. Paul LePage, a Trump supporter — and prompted accusations of backstabbing and deception after an effort to agree to a “unity slate” of national convention delegates fell apart. While the Maine GOP awarded 23 total delegates proportional to the vote in the state’s caucus on March 5 (12 to Cruz, 9 to Trump, 2 to Kasich), those delegates are bound to a presidential candidate only on the first nominating ballot at the national convention.” CNN
 
May Day
May Day march set for April 29, Workday Minnesota

Neighborhoods Organizing for Change
Fast-growing Neighborhoods Organizing for Change is altering Minneapolis’ agenda, Star Tribune
 
Pennsylvania
Trump and Clinton hold strong leads in Pennsylvania, new poll shows, NBC
In Pennsylvania, delegates may have the power to swing GOP presidential race, Washington Post

Delegates from Pennsylvania, where both parties will hold a primary contest on Tuesday, “could turn out to be some of the most influential delegates in the nation,” The Washington Post reports. The Post’s Ed O’Keefe writes: “The bitter contest between Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Ohio Gov. John Kasich could come down to the final few undecided delegates from places such as Pennsylvania. If Trump falls short of the 1,237 delegates needed to win the nomination outright, his team has vowed to launch a full-scale pressure campaign to win over dozens of the delegates elected in the state’s unusual primary. While most states award convention delegates on a winner-take-all or proportional basis, 54 of Pennsylvania’s 71 delegates — three for each of 18 congressional districts — are officially unbound to a candidate and do not have to announce their intentions before Tuesday’s vote. The winners can vote for whomever they want at the convention. The latest poll in Pennsylvania shows Clinton and Trump with wide leads in the state.” Washington Post
 
Pensions
Pension cuts loom for thousands of retired truckers, 15,000 in Minnesota, Pioneer Press
 
Prince
Purple as the official state color? Prince would approve, Pioneer Press
Dayton on Prince: ‘We owe him an eternal debt of gratitude,’ Star Tribune
Beyond music, Prince’s legacy includes black activism, MPR
Prince was a champion for working people, AFL-CIO
 

 
Sanders, Bernie
Voters’ ‘Bernie or Bust’ efforts persist despite Sanders’ vow not to be another Ralph Nader, Los Angeles Times

Bernie might soon be mathematically eliminated from contention, but he’s still turning out mega-crowds: More than 14,000 people came to see him in New Haven yesterday, just hours after more than 7,000 attended a Sanders rally in Providence, R.I. “The senator from Vermont took markedly different approaches regarding Clinton at his two rallies, John Wagner reports. “In Providence, he barely mentioned her name during his hour-long stump speech — a signal, some thought, that he might be dialing back his criticism as his odds of prevailing grow longer. But [in New Haven], Sanders was back to mocking the former secretary of state for giving paid speeches on Wall Street … and aggressively laying out his policy differences.” Washington Post
 
Transportation
Fund transportation and do it now, Star Tribune
 
Trump
Delegates face death threats from Trump supporters, Politico
Is Donald Trump a modern-day George Wallace? MPR

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Daily Brief: Thursday, April 14, 2016 (161 days until people can begin to vote) >>