Political Archives - Page 51 of 66

Dayton Vetoes tax Bill

Dayton Said the Bill Favored the Wealthy and Corporations

May 17, 2018

The Associated Press,

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Gov. Mark Dayton has vetoed a bill that would have aligned Minnesota’s state tax code with federal changes passed last year. The Democratic governor rejected the bill passed by the GOP-controlled Legislature with about 20 grade-school students standing behind him at a St. Paul school. Dayton said the bill tilted toward the wealthy and corporations….

Simon Asks Lawmakers to Free up Election Security Funds

May 16, 2018

The Associated Press,

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon and other elections officials are calling on the Legislature to free up federal funds for election security. The federal government has given Minnesota $6.6 million to bolster its election cybersecurity efforts. But the secretary of state’s office can’t spend that money until the Legislature passes an authorizing bill. Time…

GOP Expecting Veto on tax Bill as Dayton Seeks School aid

Legislators Have Until Sunday Night

May 16, 2018

The Associated Press,

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Republican Party leaders say they expect Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton to veto a tax bill squaring Minnesota’s tax code with sweeping federal changes. The House passed its bill Tuesday and the Senate was expected to vote on the bill Wednesday. But Dayton has said he won’t sign a so-called tax conformity bill unless lawmakers set…

Johnson Names Duluth’s Bergstrom to Governor Campaign

The Announcement was Made Monday

May 14, 2018

The Associated Press,

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Republican Jeff Johnson has chosen a running mate in his bid for governor. Johnson added Donna Bergstrom to his ticket in a Monday announcement. Bergstrom is a Republican activist and a retired lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve who lives in the Duluth area. Bergstrom ran and lost for a heavily Democratic Duluth state…

Minnesota House, Senate Strike Deal on tax Bill

The Plan Would cut Taxes for 2.2 Million Residents

May 14, 2018

The Associated Press,

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota Republican lawmakers have agreed on a plan they say would cut taxes for 2.2 million residents. The Star Tribune reports the deal reached Friday comes after the House and Senate reconciled differences between their two tax bills, which come in response to the federal tax overhaul. House members’ original plan reduced the tax rate…

Leah Vukmir Wins GOP Endorsement In U.S. Senate Race

May 13, 2018

Dan Hanger,

MILWAUKEE (AP) – Republican U.S. Senate candidate Leah Vukmir has won the state party’s endorsement giving her candidacy a boost against challenger Kevin Nicholson. Vukmir won 73 percent of the vote Saturday at the Wisconsin Republican Party convention. Nicholson got 27 percent. It took 60 percent to capture the endorsement. The win means Vukmir can tap into the state party’s resources,…

‘Hands-Free’ Bill Advances to House Floor for Vote

The Bill Will now Advance to the House Floor

May 10, 2018

The Associated Press,

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The debate continued at the Minnesota Capitol over a bill that would require drivers to put down their phones. The “hands-free” bill previously stalled in committees, but there is a new push to get the measure approved before the Senate ends. This morning the hands-free bill passed the House Ways and Means Committee and will now…

Bill Changing Abortion Ultrasound Rules Clears Legislature

The House Passed the Bill Thursday

May 10, 2018

The Associated Press,

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – A bill requiring doctors to give pregnant women the option to see an ultrasound before having an abortion has cleared the Minnesota Legislature. The House passed the bill Thursday by a 79-48 vote. A handful of Democrats joined Republicans to approve the measure, which the Senate passed earlier this month. Democrats argued it’s a veiled…

Summit is set: Trump-Kim to meet June 12 in Singapore

Summit in Singapore

May 10, 2018

The Associated Press,

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is envisioning “a very special moment for world peace” after announcing he will meet North Korea’s Kim Jong Un for summit talks in Singa pore on June 12. Trump revealed the highly anticipated setting and date after hosting a 3 a.m., made-for-TV welcome home for three Americans who had been held by Kim’s government….

Trump to get Millions From Sale of New York Housing Complex

Trump Received up to $5 Million in Income From his Ownership of the Complex

May 10, 2018

The Associated Press,

(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) NEW YORK (AP) — The nation’s largest subsidized affordable housing complex was just sold for hundreds of millions of dollars, with some of the money going to a prominent critic of government housing programs: President Donald Trump. Trump and other investors in Starrett City in Brooklyn have sold the 46-building complex to two real estate firms…

Pence Says One Detainee ‘Hadn’t Seen Daylight’

The Administrations is not Ignoring the North's Adbysmal Human Rights Record

May 10, 2018

The Associated Press,

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh) WASHINGTON (AP) – Vice President Mike Pence is revealing new details about the conditions of the three Americans freed by North Korea, saying one was evidently kept fr om the daylight. Pence tells ABC News that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told him that, during a refueling stop in Anchorage, “one of the detainees asked to go…

Fitger’s Brewhouse Owner Finds Way Around Law To Distribute Brewpub’s Beer

Rod Raymond Gives Brewhouse's Beer Recipe Rights To Son To Create 'Duluth Brewhouse'

May 9, 2018

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – It’s no secret the craft brewing industry is continuing to explode in the Twin Ports. Microbreweries, like Bent Paddle and Lake Superior Brewing can now be found everywhere — in liquor stores, bars and restaurants. But there’s a law still on the books in Minnesota preventing brewpubs like Fitger’s Brewhouse from doing the same. Brewpubs can only…

Trump to Greet North Korea Detainees Upon Return to U.S.

Summit Date and Place Will be Announced in Next Three Days

May 9, 2018

The Associated Press,

(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is set to greet three Americans who were detained in North Korea when they return to the U.S. early Thursday. Trump is promising “quite a scene” at a middle-of-the-night arrival ceremony outside Washington. Their release is the latest sign of improving relations between two longtime adversaries as they prepare for a historic…

A Look at Iran’s Nuclear Program Under 2015 Deal

Iran Denies Ever Seeking Atomic Weapons

May 8, 2018

The Associated Press,

(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)(AP) – President Donald Trump announced Tuesday he will withdraw the United States from a 2015 agreement with Iran and world powers under which Tehran agreed to limit its nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief. European countries and other proponents of the deal say it prevents Iran from quickly developing nuclear weapons. Critics of the deal, including…

World to Learn Fate of Iran Nuclear Pact Tuesday Afternoon

Trump Will Disclose his Decision at 2 p.m.

May 8, 2018

The Associated Press,

(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is preparing to tell the world whether he plans to follow through on his threat to pull out of the landmark nuclear accord with Iran and almost surely ensure its collapse. There are no signs that European allies enlisted to “fix” the deal have persuaded him to preserve it. In…

City Leaders Discuss the Proposed Affordable Housing Work Act

Duluth city leaders speaking out Wednesday believe the proposed bill would affect over 900 households in Duluth.

May 7, 2018

Lauren Leigh,

DULUTH, Minn.- Duluth city leaders gathered discussing how the Affordable Housing Work Act 2018 proposed bill could potentially affect the area if passed. The Trump administration’s making Affordable Housing Work Act 2018 proposal aims to increase the minimum rent paid by low–income households. It’s estimated over than two million people would be affected by the increase nationwide. The proposal still…

Pete Stauber Gets Republican Endorsement In 8th Dist.

May 6, 2018

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – 8th Congressional District candidate Pete Stauber has won the Republican endorsement. The announcement comes after the GOP district convention in Park Rapids, Minn., over the weekend. Stauber is a retired Duluth police officer and current St. Louis County Commissioner. The following statement was released to the media: “It is an honor to receive the endorsement of my…

Senate Approves tax Plan With Income tax cut

It Passed on a 34-32 Vote

May 3, 2018

The Associated Press,

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The Minnesota Senate has passed its plan to cut income taxes while matching new federal tax cuts. The bill passed Thursday would lower taxes on the first income bracket from 5.35 percent to 5.1 percent. It would also trigger future tax cuts when the state has a budget surplus and exempt estates worth up to…

Senate Poised to Vote on tax Plan With Income tax cut

A Final Vote is Expected Later Today

May 3, 2018

The Associated Press,

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The Minnesota Senate is preparing to vote on its plan to cut income tax rates while matching the federal tax overhaul. The Republican-controlled Senate’s proposal up for a vote Thursday would lower taxes on the first income bracket from 5.35 percent to 5.1 percent. It would also trigger future tax cuts when the state has…

GOP Lawmakers Offer gun Bills

Anderson Says They aim to Strengthen Current Laws

May 3, 2018

The Associated Press,

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Two Republican lawmakers from Minneapolis suburbs are proposing bills aimed at gun possession and ownership. One would give private sellers an incentive to verify a buyer has a legal right to own a gun before making a sale. The other involves several changes to the process by which guns can be taken from people after…

House GOP Proposes $825M in Public Construction

Much of the Bill's Money is for Repairs

May 3, 2018

The Associated Press,

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota House Republicans are proposing to spend $825 million on public works projects with a heavy focus on water infrastructure, roads and state building repairs. The House’s so-called bonding bill is roughly half the size of Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton’s $1.5 billion proposal. Republican legislative leaders had dismissed that plan as too large and promised…

Clinton Impeachment Lawyer to Represent Trump

Emmet Flood Joining Legal Team

May 2, 2018

The Associated Press,

(Marissa Rauch/Williams & Connolly LLP via AP)WASHINGTON (AP) – Veteran Washington, D.C., lawyer Emmet Flood, who represented President Bill Clinton during his impeachment process, is joining the White House to represent President Donald Trump in the special counsel’s Russia investigation. White House spokesman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement Wednesday that Flood would be joining the White House staff…

Charter Season Feeling Cramps With Seawall Reconstruction Delay

William A. Irvin Is 10 Feet Closer To Docks During Seawall Work

May 1, 2018

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – 12-hour work days, six days a week: That’s the new pace underway for the $6 million seawall reconstruction project in Duluth’s Minnesota Slip that the city says is scheduled to be completed by mid-June, with new bike lanes and sidewalks wrapping up in August. The delayed seawall project has the William A. Irvin pushed out about 10…

Following Explosion, UMD Researchers Interested in Black Carbon Levels in Lake Superior

April 30, 2018

William Seay,

DULUTH, Minn. — Less than a week since the refinery explosion in Superior, scientists from UMD’s Large Lakes Observatory are launching a research mission to study the waters of Lake Superior. Last Thursday, the Twin Ports watched as thick black smoke poured into the air from an explosion at Husky Energy’s Superior Refinery. The smoke plume was so massive it…

Welcome to the Partisan Fury, Michelle Wolf

Wolf is Facing Criticism and Praise After White House Correspondents Dinner

April 30, 2018

The Associated Press,

(Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK (AP) – White House Correspondents Association roaster Michelle Wolf joins a club with the likes of Kathy Griffin, Stormy Daniels and David Hogg – little-known or unknown figures who suddenly became surrogates for the hyper-partisan rhetorical warfare of the Trump era. President Donald Trump tweeted his disgust at Wolf’s routine Monday, she was a…

Critical Bill Matching State, Federal tax Codes Passes House

The Senate Plans to Release its own Proposal

April 30, 2018

The Associated Press,

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The Minnesota House has passed a bill matching the state’s tax code with new federal tax cuts. The GOP-backed proposal that cleared the House Monday includes modest income tax rate cuts for more than two million Minnesotans and a slight increase to the standard deduction. But it would also cause slight tax increases for some…

Senate Votes to Nullify Minnesota Wild Rice Water Standard

The Governor has not Said Whether he Will Sign or Veto

April 30, 2018

The Associated Press,

(AP) – The Minnesota Senate has voted 38-28 to nullify a water quality standard that’s meant to protect wild rice, a food central to the culture and diet of the region’s Ojibwe Indians. Senators voted Monday to add $500,000 for restoration work to the bill, which passed the House last week, so the legislation will have to go back to…

Prominent Trump Critic Painter Enters Minnesota Senate Race

Richard Painter Filed Paperwork Last Week

April 30, 2018

The Associated Press,

TwitterST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – A former Republican White House lawyer and prominent critic of President Donald Trump is running for former Sen. Al Franken’s seat. And he’s running as a Democrat. Richard Painter filed paperwork with the FEC late last week. Painter served as chief White House ethics lawyer to President George W. Bush but has emerged as a…

Special Report: The Fight Against Distracted Driving

Throughout Distracted Driving Awareness Month, 83 Citations Were Given to Distracted Drivers in the Duluth District

April 29, 2018

Brett Scott,

DULUTH, Minn. – According to the organization We Save Lives, millennials find distracted drivers scarier than public speaking, spiders, snakes and even death. It’s why local advocates and law enforcement are continuing to spread a strong message to drivers who chose to engage in other activities while behind the wheel. “When you’re driving, just concentrate on driving,” said Lt. Jason…

Aurora Mayor Announces DFL Candidacy for MN House 6B

April 29, 2018

Dan Hanger,

AURORA, Minn. (Press Release) — Aurora Mayor Dave Lislegard, an advocate for mining, healthy rural communities and “the Iron Range way of life,” hopes to bring his passion for jobs and a brighter economic future for the region to the Legislature in St. Paul. Lislegard, 45, has announced he will seek the DFL Party’s nomination for House 6B, a legislative…

City: Irvin Can Fit Through Slip Bridge; Seawall Construction Timeline Released

April 27, 2018

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – The city of Duluth has released new details to FOX 21’s Dan Hanger involving an updated construction timeline on the delayed seawall project in Canal Park, and also when and where the William A. Irvin could eventually open for the season. But first, the Minnesota Slip Bridge in Canal Park, also known as the “Blue Bridge,” is…

Kim Jong Un Steps Across Korean Border, Makes History

Historic Summit for North and South Korea

April 27, 2018

The Associated Press,

(Korea Summit Press Pool via AP)GOYANG, South Korea (AP) — In a historic summit more striking for its extraordinary images than its substance, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in set aside a year that saw them seemingly on the verge of war, grasped hands and strode together Friday across the cracked concrete marking the…

Embattled VA Nominee Withdraws

Trump Says There Will be Consequences

April 26, 2018

The Associated Press,

(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is praising Ronny Jackson, who has just announced he will withdraw from consideration as Veterans Affairs secretary. Trump says there will be consequences for the Democratic senator who led the charge against Jackson. In a phone interview with “Fox & Friends” Thursday, Trump says Jackson “would have done a…

Halted Duluth Seawall Project OK’d After Historic Preservation Concerns

April 25, 2018

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth’s multi-million dollar seawall reconstruction project has been given the green light to start work up again after questions were raised about the historical significance of the Minnesota Slip, according to the mayor’s office late Wednesday. This means the State Historical Preservation Office has completed its work and has concluded the seawall reconstruction will not cause adverse…

Former Kozy Owner Speaks Out About Lawsuit Against City

Eric Ringsred: City Not Doing Enough To Save Former Kozy Building

April 25, 2018

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – The former Kozy building owner, Eric Ringsred spoke out to FOX 21’s Dan Hanger Wednesday for the first time since filing a lawsuit against the city of Duluth last week claiming the city is not doing enough to preserve the historic structure that’s falling apart. The Kozy Bar and apartments on East First Street went up in…

Ronny Jackson Said to Have Crashed car While Drunk

Jackson Says he Never Wrecked a car

April 25, 2018

The Associated Press,

Photo: US NavyWASHINGTON (AP) – A summary of allegations against President Donald Trump’s pick to head the Department of Veterans Affairs says he recklessly prescribed drugs, had his own private stock of controlled substances and got drunk and crashed a government car. The summary was released by Democrats as the White House rallied behind Dr. Ronny Jackson. Based on conversations…

Senators Delay VA Confirmation Hearing Amid new Allegations

The Hearing has Been Postponed Indefinitely

April 24, 2018

The Associated Press,

(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)WASHINGTON (AP) – The leaders of a Senate panel say the confirmation hearing for Ronny Jackson, President Donald Trump’s pick to be Veterans Affairs secretary, is being postponed indefinitely. Sen. Johnny Isakson, the Republican chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, and Sen. Jon Tester, the top Democrat, cite “serious allegations” recently made against Jackson. They…

Former Kozy Building Owner Files Lawsuit Against City of Duluth, DEDA

April 23, 2018

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. — Eric Ringsred, the former owner of the condemned Kozy building in Duluth tells FOX 21 he has filed a lawsuit against the city with claims that the historical landmark building originally known as the Pastoret Terrace is not being preserved properly. Click here for the complaint that was provided to FOX 21 by Ringsred. The civil suit is…

GOP tax Bill Includes Small Income tax Rate cut

House Republicans are Proposing a Modest Income tax Rate cut

April 23, 2018

The Associated Press,

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – House Republicans are proposing a modest income tax rate cut as part of their effort to sync Minnesota’s tax code with federal breaks. The proposal released over the weekend is drastically different from Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton’s plan. The GOP’s plan would also increase the standard deduction $13,000 to $14,000 from and protect property tax…

Democratic Party Sues Russia, Trump Campaign and Wikileaks

The DNC Claims Conspiracy to win 2016 Presidential Election

April 20, 2018

The Associated Press,

(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)NEW YORK (AP) – The Democratic National Committee has sued President Donald Trump’s campaign, his son, his son-in-law, the Russian Federation and WikiLeaks, saying they conspired to help Trump win the 2016 presidential election. The DNC filed the lawsuit Friday in federal court in Manhattan. It seeks unspecified damages and an order to prevent further interference with DNC…

Rudy Giuliani to Join Trump Legal Team in Russia Probe

Guiliani Fills the Void Left by Attorney John Dowd

April 19, 2018

The Associated Press,

(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)WASHINGTON (AP) — Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is joining the legal team defending President Donald Trump in the special counsel’s Russia investigation, a Trump attorney said Thursday. With the addition of Giuliani, Trump gains an experienced litigator and former U.S. attorney in Manhattan. Trump is looking to bring his involvement with special counsel Robert…

Ten Days old, she Makes Senate History in her Pink cap

New Rule Made Maile the First Newborn to Appear in Senate

April 19, 2018

The Associated Press,

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)WASHINGTON (AP) — Tiny Maile Pearl made Senate history Thursday without making a sound. The tightly wrapped 10-day-old baby, brought to the well of the chamber by her mother, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, became the first newborn to appear there, just one day after the Senate approved a new rule permitting it. “It’s about time,” the Illinois Democrat and…

Trump Admin Starts Plan to Drill in Arctic Wildlife Refuge

A Longtime Republican Priority that Most Democrats Fiercely Oppose

April 19, 2018

The Associated Press,

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration is moving toward oil and gas drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. A notice being published Friday in the Federal Register starts a 60-day review to sell oil and gas leases in the remote region. Opening the refuge to oil and gas drilling is a longtime Republican priority that most Democrats fiercely oppose….

Diaz-Canel Replaces Raul Castro as Cuba’s President

The Government is in the Hands of Someone Outside the Castro Family for the First Time in Nearly six Decades

April 19, 2018

The Associated Press,

(Irene Perez/Cubadebate via AP)HAVANA (AP) – President Mario Diaz-Canel has made his first speech as Cuba’s new head of state with a pledge to continue the socialist revolution led by his predecessors Fidel and Raul Castro. Diaz-Canel says in the nationally televised speech before the National Assembly that his first thoughts upon taking office are for the “historic generation” that…

Phifer Exits Race for 8th Congressional District

Phifer Says she Will not Endorse a Candidate at This Time

April 18, 2018

Site Staff,

ISANTI, Minn. – Leah Phifer has decided to not move her candidacy forward into a DFL primary election. Phifer announced today, “My goal, since first declaring my candidacy in October 2017, has always been to win the DFL endorsement, bring new voices to the table and strengthen the party. A divisive primary season would only serve to weaken the party…

Dayton Appoints Democratic Rep. Thissen to Supreme Court

Thissen Replaces Justice David Stras

April 17, 2018

The Associated Press,

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Gov. Mark Dayton has appointed Democratic state Rep. Paul Thissen to the Minnesota Supreme Court. Tuesday’s announcement means Dayton has appointed five of the high court’s seven members. Thissen replaces Justice David Stras, a Republican judge who was confirmed to the federal bench earlier this year. Thissen will hop from one branch of government to…

8th Congressional District Candidate Calls for Code of Fair Campaign Practices

8th Congressional District Candidate Michelle Lee asks fellow candidates to sign the code.

April 16, 2018

Lauren Leigh,

DULUTH, Minn.- Despite receiving no endorsement at the DFL Convention this past weekend 8th Congressional District Candidate Michelle Lee announced she’s moving onto phase two of her campaign. On Monday Lee says there’s an opportunity gap in the district, which needs to be addressed through reform and change. Meanwhile, Lee is asking fellow democratic candidates to abide by the code…

No Candidate Endorsed By DFL in 8th District Congressional Race

After Ten Ballots, all Five DFL Candidates Failed to Reach Sixty Percent of the Vote

April 14, 2018

Mariah Janos,

DULUTH, Minn.- No DFL endorsement was given to any of the five congressional candidates at the endorsement convention Saturday in Duluth. The race will now come down to a primary election on August 14th. After ten ballots were counted, no candidate reached sixty percent of the vote needed for the endorsement. On the tenth ballot, Leah Phifer was leading the…

Trump says US Prepared to Sustain Syria Strikes

Trump says America does not seek "an indefinite presence” in Syria

April 13, 2018

The Associated Press,

WASHINGTON D.C. (AP) – President Donald Trump says he is “prepared to sustain” strikes against Syria until the use of chemical agents stops. The United States, along with assurance from France and the United Kingdom, launched a response Friday against the regime of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad days after his government allegedly used chemical weapons on its citizens. But Trump…

CD8 DFL Endorsing Convention to be Held Tomorrow

The Convention Will be Held at the Holiday Inn & Suites Downtown Duluth

April 13, 2018

Kelly Tekler,

DULUTH, Minn. – The 2018 Eighth Congressional District DFL Endorsing Convention will be held on Saturday with registration opening at 9 a.m. The convention is held to offer the Party’s endorsement of certain candidates for U.S. Congress. The convention will take place at the Holiday Inn & Suites in downtown Duluth. The candidates that are running for the CD8 DFL…