Political

Student Loan Forgiveness Could Help More Than 40 Million

WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 40 million Americans could see their student loan debt reduced — and in many cases eliminated — under the long-awaited forgiveness plan President Joe Biden announced Wednesday, a historic but politically divisive move in the run-up to the midterm elections. Fulfilling a campaign promise, Biden is erasing $10,000 in federal student loan debt for those with incomes…

Panel: Trump Staffers Pushed Unproven COVID Treatment At FDA

WASHINGTON (AP) — Officials in the Trump White House tried to pressure U.S. health experts into reauthorizing a discredited COVID-19 treatment, according to a congressional investigation that provides new evidence of that administration’s efforts to override Food and Drug Administration decisions early in the pandemic. The report Wednesday by the Democratic-led House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis also sheds new light on the role that…

Biden To Make Long-Awaited Student Loan Debt Announcement On Wednesday, Reports Say

WASHINGTON – With the freeze on student loan payments set to expire soon, President Joe Biden is planning an announcement on Wednesday amid pressure from Democratic lawmakers to forgive more than $10,000 in student loan debt, according to multiple reports. Payments for federally backed student loans have been suspended since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020. The federal pause has been extended several times, and they’re finally set…

Trump Seeks Special Master To Review Mar-A-Lago Documents

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for former President Donald Trump asked a federal judge Monday to halt the FBI’s review of documents recovered from his Florida estate earlier this month until a neutral special master can be appointed to inspect the records. The request was included in a federal lawsuit, the first filing by Trump’s legal team in the two weeks since the…

Fauci, Top Infectious Disease Expert, To Retire In December

WASHINGTON (AP) — Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert who became a household name — and the subject of partisan attacks — during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced Monday he will depart the federal government in December after more than five decades of service. Fauci, who serves as President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser, has been the director of the…

Jill Biden Rejoins President After Negative COVID-19 Tests

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. (AP) — First lady Jill Biden left COVID-19 isolation on Sunday after twice testing negative for the coronavirus and reunited with President Joe Biden at their Delaware beach home. She had been isolating in South Carolina, where she tested positive for the virus as the couple wrapped up a vacation there last week. The president made a brief stop at the White House before going…

Wisconsin Political Leaders Visit Superior Ports

SUPERIOR, Wisc.– Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin and Governor Tony Evers stopped by the Superior Ports for a tour on Thursday. To discuss potential critical water infrastructure investments on the federal and state levels. Just under $8.5 million dollars was invested into to the city of Superior port to fund repairs for unutilized facilities. This money came from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment…

Judge Appears Willing To Unveil Some Of Mar-A-Lago Affidavit

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Justice Department to put forward proposed redactions as he committed to making public at least part of the affidavit supporting the search warrant for former President Donald Trump’s estate in Florida. U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart gave prosecutors a week to submit a copy of the affidavit with…

Trump Supporters’ Threats To Judge Spur Democracy Concerns

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hundreds of federal judges face the same task every day: review an affidavit submitted by federal agents and approve requests for a search warrant. But for U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, the fallout from his decision to approve a search warrant has been far from routine. He has faced a storm of death threats since his signature…

Trump Foe Cheney Loses Wyoming GOP Primary, Ponders 2024 Bid

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, Donald Trump’s fiercest Republican adversary in Congress, soundly lost a GOP primary, falling to a rival backed by the former president in a rout that reinforced his grip on the party’s base. The third-term congresswoman and her allies entered Tuesday downbeat about her prospects, aware that Trump’s backing gave Harriet Hageman considerable lift in…

St. Louis Co. Sheriff’s Office Primary To Have Partial Recount

ST. LOUIS CO., Minn. — A “partial discretionary recount” will happen for the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office this Thursday. The county board clerk says the auditor will hold this recount for votes cast on primary election day last Tuesday. The 3rd, 6th, and 8th precincts will be covered. The public is welcome to observe the recount this Thursday inside…

Biden Signs Massive Climate And Health Care Legislation

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden signed Democrats’ landmark climate change and health care bill into law on Tuesday, delivering what he has called the “final piece” of his pared-down domestic agenda, as he aims to boost his party’s standing with voters less than three months before the midterm elections. The legislation includes the most substantial federal investment in history to fight climate change…

Jill Biden Tests Positive For COVID-19, Has ‘Mild’ Symptoms

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — First lady Jill Biden tested positive for COVID-19 and was experiencing “mild symptoms,” the White House announced Tuesday. President Joe Biden continues to test negative after recently recovering from the virus but will wear a mask indoors for 10 days as a precaution. The Bidens have been vacationing in South Carolina since Aug. 10, and the 71-year-old…

Wisconsin GOP Leader Vos Fires 2020 Election Investigator

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s Republican Assembly leader on Friday ended a 14-month, taxpayer-funded inquiry into the 2020 election by firing his hand-picked investigator. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos’ firing of Michael Gableman came just three days after the lawmaker narrowly survived a primary challenge from an opponent endorsed by former President Donald Trump and Gableman. While Gableman found no evidence of widespread…

Minnesota State Senator David Tomassoni passed away after battle with ALS

CHISHOLM, Minn. – A longtime member of the Minnesota Legislature who represented the Iron Range for nearly 30 years has died. The Facebook page of State Senator David Tomassoni says he passed away Thursday night, August 11, 2022.  He was 69. The Chisholm native, who played professional hockey in Italy and was part of the country’s hockey team at the 1984…

Justice Dept. Seeks To Unseal Search Warrant Of Trump Home

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has asked a court to unseal the warrant the FBI received before searching the Florida estate of former President Donald Trump, Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday, acknowledging the extraordinary public interest in the case. The request was striking because such documents traditionally remain sealed during a pending investigation. But the Justice Department appeared to…

Biden Signs ‘Burn Pits’ Help For Vets, A Personal Win, Too

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden, whose elder son Beau died of cancer years after deploying to Iraq, signed legislation on Wednesday expanding federal health care services for millions of veterans who served at military bases where toxic smoke billowed from huge “burn pits.” “We owe you,” Biden said. “You’re the backbone. You’re the steel. You’re the sinew. You’re the…

Trump Says He Took The Fifth In NY Civil Investigation

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump invoked his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination as he testified under oath Wednesday in the New York attorney general’s long-running civil investigation into his business dealings, the former president said in a statement. Trump arrived at Attorney General Letitia James’ Manhattan offices in a motorcade shortly before 9 a.m., before announcing more than an hour later that he…

August 9 Primary Election Results

Below is the results of the key races in Tuesday’s Primary Election U.S. Representative District 8 – Two Advance Republican: Pete Stauber (incumbent) – 91% Harry Welty – 8% Stauber took the overwhelming win and will be seen at the November election. DFL: Jen Shultz – 86% John Munter – 14% Shultz took the big win and will face off…

Two Harbors Mayor Chris Swanson Recalled In Election

TWO HARBORS, Minn. — On Tuesday night, voters in Two Harbors voted to recall Mayor Chris Swanson after months of allegations of misconduct. The question on the ballot asked, “Shall Mayor Christopher Swanson be recalled?” 86.46% of voters said “yes,” which added up to 1,149 people. 13.54% of voters said “no,” which adds up to 180 people. Swanson has been…

Walz, Jensen Win Primaries To Set Up Minnesota Governor Race

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Democratic Gov. Tim Walz and Republican challenger Scott Jensen scored easy victories in their primaries Tuesday, setting the stage for their fall matchup in Minnesota’s marquee race for governor. Walz is seeking his second term under the same “One Minnesota” slogan he used four years ago, but in an ever more polarized environment where Jensen and the…

Democrat Barnes Set To Challenge GOP Wisconsin Sen. Johnson

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes won the Democratic Senate primary on Tuesday and will face two-term Republican Sen. Ron Johnson in what is expected to be one of the country’s most competitive races as the parties battle for control of the U.S. Senate. Barnes’ top rivals dropped out of the race late last month and backed the former…

Biden Signs $280B CHIPS Act In Bid To Boost US Over China

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed a $280 billion bipartisan bill to boost domestic high-tech manufacturing, part of his administration’s push to boost U.S. competitiveness over China. Flanked by scores of lawmakers, union officials, local politicians and business leaders, Biden feted the legislation, a core part of his economic agenda that will incentivize investments in the American…

FBI Searches Trump’s Florida Estate For Classified Records

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI searched Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate as part of an investigation into whether he took classified records from the White House to his Florida residence, people familiar with the matter said, a dramatic and unprecedented escalation of law enforcement scrutiny of the former president. Trump, disclosing the search in a lengthy statement, asserted that agents had opened a…

Two Harbors Mayor Chris Swanson Faces Recall Election Tuesday

TWO HARBORS, Minn. – Two Harbors Mayor Chris Swanson will learn Tuesday if he is staying in office as he faces a recall election. In June, the City Council unanimously approved a resolution calling for Swanson to step down. Council members said allegations against him are a distraction and damaging the City’s reputation. A recent state auditor’s report supported the…

Tuesday’s Primary Election Preview

Tuesday’s primary elections have some key state and federal seats up for grabs in Minnesota, along with Sheriff’s races in St. Louis and Douglas County. Starting in St. Louis County for the 8th Congressional race: On the Republican side incumbent Pete Stauber is running against Harry Welty.       On the Democratic side Jen Shultz is running against John…

What To Watch In Wis., 3 Other States In Tuesday’s Primaries

(AP) — The Republican matchup in the Wisconsin governor’s race on Tuesday features competing candidates endorsed by former President Donald Trump and his estranged vice president, Mike Pence. Democrats are picking a candidate to face two-term GOP Sen. Ron Johnson for control of the closely divided chamber. Meanwhile, voters in Vermont are choosing a replacement for U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy as the chamber’s longest-serving member…

Senate Democrats Pass Budget Package, A Victory For Biden

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats pushed their election-year economic package to Senate passage Sunday, a hard-fought compromise less ambitious than President Joe Biden’s original domestic vision but one that still meets deep-rooted party goals of slowing global warming, moderating pharmaceutical costs and taxing immense corporations. The estimated $740 billion package heads next to the House, where lawmakers are poised to deliver on Biden’s priorities, a stunning turnaround of what…

Biden Signs Executive Order To Protect Travel For Abortion

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed an executive order aimed in part at making it easier for women seeking abortions to travel between states to obtain access to the procedure. More specifically, one of the directives Biden will issue will allow states that have not outlawed abortion to apply for specific Medicaid waivers that would, in effect, help them treat women…

US House Speaker Pelosi Arrives In Taiwan, Defying Beijing

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Taiwan late Tuesday, becoming the highest-ranking American official in 25 years to visit the self-ruled island claimed by China, which quickly announced that it would conduct military maneuvers in retaliation for her presence. Pelosi arrived aboard a U.S. Air Force passenger jet and was greeted on the tarmac at…

Biden: Killing Of Al-Qaida Leader Is Long-Sought ‘Justice’

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden announced Monday that al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Kabul, an operation he said delivered justice and hopefully “one more measure of closure” to families of the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. The president said in an evening address from the White House that…

Duluthian From Ukraine Prepares For Another Aid Trip To War-Torn Country, Needs Donations

DULUTH, Minn. – Bogdana Krivogorsky, a Duluthian who was born and raised in Ukraine, talked to FOX 21’s Dan Hanger on the morning show Wednesday about her recent trips to the Poland-Ukraine border to bring all types of medical supplies to the war-torn country. Krivogorsky is planning more visits and is always looking for donations to help her access and…

Biden Tests Negative For COVID-19, Ends ‘Strict Isolation’

WASHINGTON (AP) — After isolating for five days with mild symptoms, President Joe Biden tested negative for COVID-19 and swiftly arranged a Rose Garden appearance on Wednesday to talk about his bout with a virus that has killed millions of people around the world and disrupted daily life for more than two years. Biden planned to discuss his infection and his administration’s progress against the…

UPDATE: Wis. Sen. Janet Bewley Involved In Double-Fatal Crash In Ashland

UPDATE (July 26, 4:00p.m.) — New details came out regarding what Wisconsin State Senator Janet Bewley was doing when she was involved in the fatal multi-vehicle accident in Ashland on July 22. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says one of their reporting interns was conducting a phone interview with Bewley regarding the fall elections. The paper adds Bewley told the reporter…

Trump And Pence Back In Washington For Rival Speeches

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump is returning to Washington on Tuesday for the first time since leaving office, delivering a speech hours after his Vice President Mike Pence, a potential 2024 rival, exhorted Republicans to stop looking backward. Trump’s appearance in the nation’s capital — his first trip back since Jan. 20, 2021, when President Joe Biden was sworn into office despite Trump’s…

White House Plans COVID-19 Vaccine Summit As Biden Recovers

WASHINGTON (AP) — As President Joe Biden continues to recover from his coronavirus infection, the White House plans to hold a summit on Tuesday to discuss developing a new generation of vaccines that could more effectively guard against contagious variants. The summit, which involves top administration officials, scientists and pharmaceutical executives, comes as the country faces a surge of infections from BA.5, a…

White House Announces $270M Military Package For Ukraine

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House announced Friday that the U.S. is sending an additional $270 million in security assistance to Ukraine, a package that will include additional medium range rocket systems and tactical drones. The latest tranche brings the total U.S. security assistance committed to Ukraine by the Biden administration to $8.2 billion, and is being paid for through $40 billion in…

Steve Bannon Convicted Of Contempt For Defying 1/6 Subpoena

WASHINGTON (AP) — Steve Bannon, a longtime ally of former President Donald Trump was convicted on Friday of contempt charges for defying a congressional subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Bannon, 68, was convicted after a four-day trial in federal court in Washington on two counts: one for refusing to appear for…

Supreme Court Won’t Let Biden Implement Immigration Policy

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court won’t allow the Biden administration to implement a policy that prioritizes deportation of people in the country illegally who pose the greatest public safety risk. The court’s order Thursday leaves the policy frozen nationwide for now. The vote was 5-4 with conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett joining liberal Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown…

White House Tries To Make Biden’s COVID A ‘Teachable Moment’

WASHINGTON (AP) — For more than a year, President Joe Biden’s ability to avoid the coronavirus seemed to defy the odds. When he finally did test positive, the White House was ready. It set out to turn the diagnosis into a “teachable moment” and dispel any notion of a crisis. “The president does what every other person in America does every day, which is he…

What To Watch As Jan. 6 Panel Returns To Prime Time

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Jan. 6 committee is headed back to prime time for its eighth hearing — potentially the final time this summer that lawmakers will lay out evidence about the U.S. Capitol insurrection and President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election defeat. Thursday’s hearing is expected to focus on what Trump was doing in the White House as the…

Biden Tests Positive For COVID-19, Has ‘Mild Symptoms’

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, underscoring the persistence of the highly contagious virus as new variants challenge the nation’s efforts to resume normalcy after two and a half years of pandemic disruptions. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that Biden was experiencing “mild symptoms” and has begun taking Paxlovid, an antiviral drug…

Biden Announces Modest Climate Actions; Pledges More To Come

SOMERSET, Mass. (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced modest new steps to combat climate change and promised more robust action to come, saying, “This is an emergency and I will look at it that way.” The president stopped short, though, of declaring a formal climate emergency, which Democrats and environmental groups have been seeking after an influential Democratic senator quashed hopes for…

Pressure On Senate GOP After Same-Sex Marriage Passes House

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced a renewed push to protect same-sex marriage in federal law on Wednesday after a surprising number of House Republicans helped pass landmark legislation in that chamber. Some GOP senators are already signaling support. The legislation started as an election-season political effort to confront the new Supreme Court majority after the court overturned abortion access…

Rep. Ilhan Omar Arrested During Abortion Rights Protest Outside Supreme Court

WASHINGTON D.C. (FOX 9) – Rep. Ilhan Omar was arrested at a protest outside the Supreme Court today, according to a staff spokesperson. Omar’s staff said she planned to partake in the protests about the overturning of Roe v. Wade, calling it an act of civil disobdience. Other lawmakers joined Omar at the protest, but additional details about arrests have not been…

Former Duluth Mayor Don Ness Talks Past Political Life, Role At Ordean Foundation

DULUTH, Minn. – Don Ness, former mayor of Duluth, stopped by the morning show Tuesday to reflect on his changes in public life over the past 25 years, the decision to leave, and the benefits in doing so.  He also talked about his role as executive director of the Ordean Foundation, as the non-profit prepares to celebrate 90 years of…