Political

US Capitol Closing to Public Until April Amid Virus Outbreak

WASHINGTON (AP) – Congress is shutting the Capitol and all House and Senate office buildings to the public until April in reaction to the spread of the coronavirus. The House and Senate sergeants at arms said in a statement that the closure will begin at 5 p.m. EDT Thursday. Lawmakers, aides, journalists, and official visitors will be allowed into the…

Minnesota Senate GOP Unveils Gun Violence Prevention Bills

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota Senate Republicans have moved to try to change the direction of the contentious gun control debate in this election year. They unveiled a slate of bills Tuesday to address the problem of gun violence, mostly by increasing penalties for crimes involving firearms. Members of the Senate GOP majority say their bills can actually pass…

2 City Maintenance Worker Positions Cut; Duluth CAO Provides Perspective

DULUTH, Minn. – We’re learning more about two recent cuts to positions within the city of Duluth. Mayor Emily Larson’s office said Monday the positions were maintenance workers for the fleet and parks divisions. The two employees were making $47,096 a year. Both were offered new jobs within the city at similar salaries — one as a janitor and the…

Pence Pledges to ‘Lean Into’ Fight Against Coronavirus

MAPLEWOOD, Minn. (AP) – Vice President Mike Pence is pledging that federal officials will “lean into” the fight against the new coronavirus. The vice president commented from Minnesota, where he visited with a leading maker of masks being used to stem the spread of the virus. He spoke after meeting with 3M CEO Mike Roman and Minnesota Gov. Tom Walz…

Warren Ends 2020 Presidential Bid After Super Tuesday Rout

WASHINGTON (AP) – Elizabeth Warren has ended her Democratic presidential bid after a disappointing finish in Super Tuesday states. That’s according to a person familiar with her plans. The Massachusetts senator’s campaign had the markers of success: robust poll numbers, impressive fundraising, a national organization. But she was squeezed out by Bernie Sanders, who had an immovable base of voters…

Bloomberg Drops Out of Presidential Race, Endorses Biden

NEW YORK (AP) – Billionaire Mike Bloomberg has ended his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination and has endorsed Joe Biden. It was a stunning collapse for the former New York City mayor, who had pinned his 2020 hopes on the Super Tuesday states and drained more than $500 million from his own fortune into his ultimately unsuccessful campaign. Bloomberg…

Bernie Sanders Super Tuesday Watch Party Held in Duluth

Supporters gathered to cheer Bernie on in Primary.

DULUTH, Minn.- Carmody’s Irish Pub was packed with Bernie Sanders supporters from across the Northland anxious to see their candidate win Super Tuesday. Sanders and Joe Biden were neck and neck for most of the night, but in the end Biden was declared the projected winner for Minnesota. The Twin Ports Democratic Socialists of America have been meeting at the…

Biden wins Minnesota, surges in South; Sanders wins Colorado

WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden scored key Super Tuesday victories in Minnesota and across the South, building on momentum that has swiftly revived his Democratic presidential campaign in recent days. Bernie Sanders countered with wins in his home state of Vermont and in Colorado, as the race began to shift west, where some polls were starting to close. Biden took…

Klobuchar Exit Boosts Sanders for Minnesota’s Super Tuesday

(AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King) ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The abrupt withdrawal of Amy Klobuchar from the presidential race gives front-runner Bernie Sanders a sudden opportunity for locking up her home state on Super Tuesday. Sanders, who easily won Minnesota’s caucuses in 2016, has a large and motivated progressive base in the state. He also had a fortuitously timed last-minute rally…

Amy Klobuchar Ends Presidential Bid, Now Endorsing Biden

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar Will Now Endorse Former Vice President Joe Biden

WASHINGTON (AP) – Amy Klobuchar is ending her Democratic presidential campaign and is set to endorse Joe Biden. The Minnesota senator announced the decision Monday, calling it quits after a bid that broke briefly into the top tier with a third-place finish in New Hampshire but failed to sustain that energy further into the Democratic nomination fight. The three-term senator…

Klobuchar Cancels Minnesota Rally

ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar has canceled a rally in her home state after protesters took over the stage shouting for her to drop out of the presidential race. Klobuchar was scheduled to speak Sunday at St. Louis Park High School ahead of Tuesday’s primary. But dozens of protesters took the stage chanting “black lives…

House Approves Bill to Ban the Sale of Flavored E-Cigarettes

WASHINGTON (AP) – The House has approved a bill to ban the sale of flavored e-cigarettes and other flavored tobacco products. Lawmakers say the bill will stem a vaping epidemic among young people. The bill would place new restrictions on the marketing of e-cigarettes and ban flavors in tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes. It also would place a new excise…

Trump to Detail US Coronavirus Efforts, Schumer Seeks $8.5B

(NOTE: News conference to be streamed on Fox 21’s Facebook page.) WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is pushing back against criticism that his administration isn’t doing enough to meet the coronavirus threat. Trump plans to hold a news conference late Wednesday to talk about what the U.S. is doing to prepare for the virus. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers are…

Wisconsin Legislature Sends $250 Million Tax Cut to Governor

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin’s Republican-controlled Legislature has sent a $250 million income tax cut to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who appears likely to veto it. Both the Senate and Assembly voted to pass the tax cut Thursday on mostly party-line votes. Evers has not said whether he will sign the measure. Republicans introduced it after new estimates projected the…

Longtime Duluth City Attorney Suspended; No Comment From Mayor Larson’s Office

DULUTH, Minn. – Longtime Duluth City Attorney Gunnar Johnson confirmed to FOX 21 Wednesday that he’s been placed on administrative suspension. Johnson said he was “shocked” to learn about his suspension last Wednesday and never saw anything of this magnitude coming from Mayor Emily Larson and her administration. Johnson said it’s his understanding a Twin Cities law firm has been…

Wisconsin Spring Primary Election Results

Below are the up to date results to the key races in Tuesday’s Wisconsin Spring Primary Election **98% of Precincts Reporting** Representatives in Congress District 7 (Democrat) – One Advances Tricia Zunker – 35,562 votes | 89% Lawrence Dale – 4,473 votes | 11% Representatives in Congress District 7 (Republican) – One Advances Tom Tiffany – 43,766 votes | 58%…

President Trump goes on Clemency Spree, and the List is Long

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has gone on a clemency blitz, commuting what he called a “ridiculous” 14-year prison sentence for former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and pardoning former New York Police Department commissioner Bernie Kerik, among a long list of others. Others who got a break from Trump include financier Michael Milken, who served two years in prison…

Polls Open for Wisconsin Spring Primary Election

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Polls are now open for the Wisconsin spring primary election. Two Republican candidates and two Democratic candidates are running to replace former Congressman Sean Duffy’s seat in District 7. The Democratic candidates are Lawrence Dale and Tricia Zunker, and the Republican candidates are Jason Church and Tom Tiffany with only one to advance. Running for justice of…

Mike Bloomberg Opens Campaign Field Office in Duluth

Duluth office one of five in Minnesota.

DULUTH, Minn.- A Democratic Presidential candidate set up a remote office in Duluth. Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s campaign held a grand opening on Sunday. The office opened up on First Street Downtown, in the Duluth Athletic Club building. It’s one of five field offices in Minnesota for Bloomberg to boost his presence across the Super Tuesday state. According…

Klobuchar Pushes to Keep Defying Expectations in Campaign

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) – Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar says she’s plans to keep defying expectations heading into Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary. Though she’s spent the last year behind the front-runners, Klobuchar has enjoyed a burst of momentum in the last few days thanks to a strong debate performance and infusion of cash. At a rally at Southern New Hampshire University…

Meeting on Refugee Resettlement Turns Contentious

Both sides of the refugee issue clashed outside of meeting.

CLOQUET, Minn.- A presentation on refugee resettlement at the Fond Du Lac Tribal and Community College sparked a bit of controversy Thursday. The presentation focused on explaining “all the facts” about refugee resettlement, while some people in attendance said what they’re doing is wrong. The meeting at the college Thursday was not a part of any established group, but was…

DNC Calls for a ‘Recanvass’ of Iowa Results After Delays

WASHINGTON (AP) – The chairman of the Democratic National Committee is calling for a “recanvass” of the results of Monday’s Iowa caucus. Technical problems and delays have marred the first contest on the 2020 election calendar. The current results show Pete Buttigieg and Bernie Sanders nearly tied with almost all the votes counted. But the race remained too early to…

Buttigieg, Sanders Nearly Tied as Iowa Caucus Results Narrow

The Race Remained Too Early to Call Thursday Morning

(https://results.thecaucuses.org/) WASHINGTON (AP) – New results from the Iowa Democratic caucuses show Pete Buttigieg and Bernie Sanders nearly tied with almost all the votes counted. But the race remained too early to call early Thursday with 97% of precincts reporting. Party officials were scrambling to verify the remaining results three days after Iowans gathered at caucus sites across the state…

Trump Impeachment Acquittal on Track Ahead of Senate Vote

A Vote is Expected Wesneday Afternoon

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is on the verge of acquittal by the Senate. An afternoon vote will bring an end to only the third presidential impeachment trial in American history. One key Democrat, Alabama Sen. Doug Jones has now announced he will vote to convict. The impeachment vote comes at the start of a tumultuous campaign for the…

Duluth Mayor Emily Larson Attends State of the Union with Sen. Tina Smith

Larson calls it an opportunity to discuss Duluth issues with national officials

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Duluth Mayor Emily Larson attended the 2020 State of the Union as the guest of U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (DFL-Minnesota). Larson told us before the President’s speech she thinks this is a great opportunity for her to talk with national officials about issues that are important to Duluth. “We’re talking about the St. Louis River corridor, we’re…

Iowa Democratic Party Starts Releasing Partial Caucus Results

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Initial data released by the Iowa Democratic Party shows Pete Buttigieg and Bernie Sanders ahead in the state’s first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses. The tally of state delegate equivalents released Tuesday shows Elizabeth Warren, Joe Biden and Amy Klobuchar trailing behind. The party released 62% of results from all 99 counties after a daylong delay sparked by…

Democratic Convention Host Committee Leaders Put on Leave

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The two leaders of Milwaukee’s host committee for the 2020 Democratic National Convention have been placed on leave pending an investigation into allegations that they oversaw a toxic work environment. The Associated Press obtained a letter on Tuesday about the probe into the group’s president, Liz Gilbert, and its chief of staff, Adam Alonso. They didn’t…

The Latest: Dems Say Delay Due to Coding Error, Results Soon

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Democratic Party says delays in reporting the outcome of Monday’s caucuses were due to a coding issue that has been fixed. The party says it hopes to release results “as soon as possible.” In a statement Tuesday, Iowa Democratic Party Chair Troy Price says, “We have every indication that our systems were secure…

What Went Wrong: Tech Troubles Behind Delay in Iowa Results

The Delays Were Not the Result of a Hack or Intrusion

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A new mobile app is being blamed for the delay in reporting the results of Iowa’s 1,700 caucuses. Glitches with the mobile app caused confusion and left the caucus results unknown early Tuesday. Some caucus organizers were forced to call in results for the state party to record manually, introducing delays and the possibility for…

Delegates Prepare One Week Ahead of Superior Days

Nearly 100 delegates met to go over issues, meet with lobby teams.

SUPERIOR, Wis.- Nearly 100 delegates from four Wisconsin counties met at UWS to go over their final agenda to take to Madison for Superior Days next week. Delegates learned about each of the legislative issues, including, according to officials, the drug crisis and mental health service improvements. They also met with their lobby teams and received final instructions for the…

Dems Kick Off Iowa Caucuses

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – More than two years have passed since the first presidential announcement, nearly $1 billion has been spent and numerous candidates have already come and gone. And yet the Democrats’ turbulent 2020 primary season officially begins Monday. By day’s end, tens of thousands of Iowa Democrats will have decided the results of their presidential caucus in…

Bakk Ousted as Top Democrat in Minnesota Senate

Tom Bakk MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Minnesota state Sen. Susan Kent defeated longtime Sen. Tom Bakk in an election for the leadership of the DFL Senate caucus. The two-term member from Woodbury was elected Senate DFL Minority Leader on Saturday, toppling longtime Iron Range leader to become the first woman ever to lead the caucus. Susan Kent The 32-member caucus is…

Stepfather of Slain Girl Fears Teen Was Wrongfully Convicted

(AP Photo/John Minchillo) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The stepfather of an 11-year-old girl who was killed by a stray bullet as she studied inside her home now says he questions whether a teenager was wrongfully convicted of the shooting. Leonard Winborn was responding to an Associated Press investigation that uncovered new evidence and numerous inconsistencies in the case that sent Myon…

Superior Council Candidates Involved in Ballot Eligibility Complaints React To State’s Conclusion

SUPERIOR, Wis. — Superior’s 5th District will indeed have all candidates on the primary ballot in February after one candidate challenged the incumbent’s nomination papers and even the process the city clerk took to get the mistake corrected at the last minute. FOX 21’s Dan Hanger reports. Incumbent Brent Fennessey reacted Tuesday to the Wisconsin Elections Commission’s conclusion that he…

Pence Touts School Choice in Liberal Capital of Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Vice President Mike Pence touted alternatives to a public school education during a visit to the state where the private school voucher program began. His stop Tuesday in battleground Wisconsin was part of a celebration of national school choice week. Pence and U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos were both drowned out briefly by chants of “shame”…

Trump Team Brushes Past Bolton, Attacks Impeachment Case

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump’s legal team is raising a broad-based attack on the impeachment case against him even as it mostly brushes past allegations in a new book that could undercut a key defense argument at the Senate trial. Former national security adviser John Bolton writes in a manuscript that Trump wanted to withhold military aid from Ukraine…

Elections Commission: Fennessey To Be On Primary Ballot Despite Foster Campaign’s Complaints

Brent Fennessey | Amanda Foster SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Wisconsin Elections Commission made a conclusion Monday that Incumbent Superior City Councilor Brent Fennessey will be on the February primary ballot despite formal complaints from candidate Amanda Foster’s campaign. The Foster campaign said Fennessey didn’t have enough valid signatures to be on the ballot because he didn’t sign one of his nomination…

Democrats Demand Bolton Testify at Trump’s Impeachment Trial

WASHINGTON (AP) – Democrats have new fuel in their pursuit of sworn testimony at President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. A draft of a book from former national security adviser John Bolton appears to undercut a key defense argument that the president never tied withholding of aid to Ukraine to a demand the country investigate political rival, Joe Biden. Bolton writes…

County Commissioner Patrick Boyle Announces Run for Reelection

Boyle has served as County Commissioner for the past 6 years.

DULUTH, Minn.- County Commissioner Patrick Boyle announced his campaign for re-election to the St. Louis County Board Sunday. “It’s been an honor to represent the citizens of eastern Duluth…I will be asking again for their vote this fall,” Boyle said in a press release. Boyle has served as Commissioner for the past 6 years, with the last year as chair….

Superior 5th Dist. Council Candidate: Incumbent Fennessey Should Be Disqualified From Ballot

SUPERIOR, Wis. – For the first time in at least 30 years, a candidate for council in Superior is being challenged by another candidate over his nomination papers for reelection. The candidate in question is incumbent Brent Fennessey — current president of the council. And now the Wisconsin Elections Commission is reviewing whether Fennessey should be allowed on the ballot…

Watch Live: Dems’ Impeachment Challenge: Making a Case With No New Facts

WASHINGTON (AP) – House Democrats prosecuting President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial are heading into the second day of arguments facing a big challenge. They’re trying to win over not just fidgety senators but an American public deeply divided by the Republican president’s actions. Prosecutors are relying on the same loops of videotaped testimony after Trump’s allies in the Republican-controlled Senate…

LIVE: The U.S. Senate Begins the Impeachment Trial of President Donald Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) – Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell abruptly changed his proposed rules for President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial after senators objected. He is now offering three days, rather than two, for opening arguments from each side. Democrats objected strongly to rules proposed by the Republican leader for compressed arguments and a speedy trial. Chief Justice John Roberts gaveled in…

Longtime Democratic State Senator Won’t Seek Re-Election

He Has Served in the Senate Since 2001

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Another longtime Democratic Wisconsin state senator says he won’t seek re-election this fall. Mark Miller of Monona announced on the Senate floor Tuesday that he won’t run again this November. Miller is a former fighter pilot who has served in the Senate since 2004. He told his colleagues Tuesday that a winner-take-all culture has come to…

Trump Impeachment Trial to Begin With Rules Fight, Long Days

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial is set to unfold at the Capitol. On the eve of the trial, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell proposed a condensed, two-day calendar for each side’s opening arguments. The rules package will be one of the first orders of business when senators convene about midday Tuesday. Trump’s lawyers are seeking swift acquittal….

Chief Justice Arrives at Capitol for Impeachment Trial

The Full Trial Will Begin Next Week

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Chief justice of the United States has arrived at the U.S. Senate to preside over President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. He will be swearing in the senators with an oath to ensure “impartial justice” as jurors for only the third such proceeding in U.S. history. Earlier, Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, stood…