WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration threw the burgeoning movement to legalize marijuana into uncertainty Thursday as it lifted an Obama-era policy that kept federal authorities from cracking down on the pot trade in states where the drug is legal. Attorney General Jeff Sessions will now leave it up to federal prosecutors to decide what to do when state rules…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota’s new Republican lieutenant governor says she’ll reject the job’s higher salary as she plans to maintain her seat in the state Senate. GOP Sen. Michele Fischbach was in line to join Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton’s administration after Tina Smith resigned the job to join the U.S. Senate. Fischbach confirmed in a Wednesday statement she…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) _ One-time Republican presidential contender and former U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann says she’s considering a run for Sen. Al Franken’s seat. Franken resigned Tuesday after a cloud of sexual misconduct allegations starting in November. His replacement, Lt. Gov. Tina Smith, will be sworn in Wednesday and plans to run for the seat in a November election….
(KMSP) – There are five new laws going into effect Jan. 1, including one that honors fallen officers. According to the Minnesota House of Representatives, the new law allows for special license plates that honor fallen officers. Drivers can purchase a memorial plate for $10 and donate $25 to the Minnesota Law Enforcement Memorial Association. The law is sponsored by…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – After a crazy year in Minnesota politics, 2018 will start with Democrats and Republicans squabbling over the next lieutenant governor and what it means for control of the Senate. Republican Sen. Michelle Fischbach is poised to become lieutenant governor after Lt. Gov. Tina Smith is sworn into the U.S. Senate this week. But Fischbach plans…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Sen. Al Franken is meeting with supporters and friends in Minnesota before he officially resigns. The Democrat planned to attend an event Thursday night in Minneapolis to thank supporters and friends after his eight years in the Senate. Media outlets were expected to be allowed to attend part of the event. Franken announced his plans to resign…
WASHINGTON-President Donald Trump has signed into law a $1.5 trillion tax overhaul package. Trump touted the size of the tax cut, declaring to reporters in the Oval Office before he signed it Friday that “the numbers will speak.” The president said he was going to wait to sign it until after Jan. 1 but changed his mind. The legislation provides…
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-led House narrowly passed a temporary spending bill to avert a government shutdown Thursday, doing the bare minimum in a sprint toward the holidays and punting disputes on immigration, health care and national security to next year. The vote was 231-188 with Democrats criticizing Republicans’ inability to complete the dozen spending bills for the current fiscal…
U.S. Ambassador to the United States Nikki Haley speaks at the UN General Assembly, Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017, at UN headquarters. (AP) UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Thursday to denounce President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, largely ignoring Trump’s threats to cut off aid to any country that went against him. The…
WASHINGTON – Senator Al Franken’s last day in the U.S. Senate will be January 2, 2018, according to his office. Senator Designate Tina Smith will be sworn in the following day on, Jan. 3. Franken made the announcement of his resignation on Dec. 7 after multiple sexual misconduct allegations. Categories: Minnesota, News, News – Latest News, Political
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci) WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional Republicans delivered an epic overhaul of U.S. tax laws to President Donald Trump on Wednesday, bringing generous tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest Americans while providing smaller cuts for middle- and low-income families. In a re-vote due to a last-minute hiccup, the House passed the massive $1.5 trillion tax package that affects…
Sen. Karin Housley (MN Senate) ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The first Republican candidate has announced a bid for Democratic Sen. Al Franken’s seat in 2018. State Sen. Karin Housley launched her campaign Tuesday for the special election to complete Franken’s term, which ends in 2020. Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton’s pick to hold the seat until the special election, Lt….
4:50 p.m. Democrats say three provisions in the Republican $1.5 trillion tax bill violate Senate rules and will likely be removed before that chamber votes on the measure. The House approved the legislation Tuesday. But this means the House will have to vote again on the legislation once it’s been amended and approved by the Senate. Senate passage was expected…
(Fox News) SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A prominent U.S. appeals court judge announced his retirement Monday days after women alleged he subjected them to inappropriate sexual conduct or comments. Judge Alex Kozinski of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said in a statement that a battle over the accusations would not be good for the judiciary. He said he’ll…
NEW YORK (AP) — “Net neutrality” regulations, designed to prevent internet service providers like Verizon, AT&T, Comcast and Charter from favoring some sites and apps over others, are on the chopping block. On Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission plans to vote on a proposal that would not only undo the Obama-era rules that have been in place since 2015, but…
NEW YORK (AP) — As the federal government prepares to unravel sweeping net-neutrality rules that guaranteed equal access to the internet, advocates of the regulations are bracing for a long fight. The Thursday vote scheduled at the Federal Communications Commission could usher in big changes in how Americans use the internet, a radical departure from more than a decade of…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Confident congressional Republicans forged an agreement Wednesday on a major overhaul of the nation’s tax laws that would provide generous tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest Americans — Donald Trump among them — and deliver the first major legislative accomplishment to the GOP president. Middle- and low-income families would get smaller tax cuts, though Trump and…
WASHINGTON (Fox News) – “Apprentice” star turned White House official Omarosa Manigault Newman will leave the Trump administration next month, according to the White House. “Omarosa Manigault Newman resigned yesterday to pursue other opportunities,” White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement. “Her departure will not be effective until January 2018. We wish her the best in future…
Courtesy of Minnesota Governor’s Office ST. PAUL, Minn. – Gov. Mark Dayton announced Wednesday during a press conference at the Minnesota State Capitol, that he will appoint Lt. Gov. Tina Smith to serve as United States Senator for Minnesota. Smith will be appointed to serve a one-year term in the Senate, concluding in January 2019. Minnesotans will chose a U.S….
From WikipediaMONTGOMERY, Ala.-Democrat Doug Jones has won a stunning victory in Alabama’s Senate election, beating back history, an embattled Republican opponent and President Donald Trump. It was the first Democratic Senate victory in a quarter-century in Alabama, one of the reddest of red states, and proved anew that party loyalty is anything but certain in the age of Trump. The…
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed into law a sweeping defense policy bill that authorizes a $700 billion budget for the military, including additional spending on missile defense programs to counter North Korea’s growing nuclear weapons threat. But there’s a catch. The $700 billion budget won’t become reality until lawmakers agree to roll back a 2011 law…
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci) WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump, pushing back against women accusing him of sexual misconduct, insisted Tuesday he’s the target of “false accusations and fabricated stories of women who I don’t know and/or have never met.” Trump lashed out on Twitter a day after three women who previously accused him of sexual harassment shared their stories on…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Governor Mark Dayton will announce his appointment to fill resigning U.S. Senator Al Franken’s seat at 10 a.m. Wednesday during a press conference at the state capitol. On Thursday, Dec. 7, Franken announced he would be resigning from the U.S. Senate following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct. The senator has currently been accused by eight women….
President Donald Trump holds up a policy directive to send American astronauts back to the moon, and eventually Mars, in the Roosevelt Room of th eWhite House, Monday, Dec. 11, 2017. (AP) WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump wants to send man back to the moon — and on to Mars. Trump signed a policy directive Monday instructing the National…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A bill circulating in the Legislature would create a new state-certified Wisconsin beer label. To get the special designation, the beer would have to include a certain percentage of hops grown in Wisconsin. The measure comes from Republican Rep. Scott Krug, of Nekoosa. He says in a memo seeking co-sponsors that the bill is in recognition…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The deep partisan divide over the secret investigation into Gov. Scott Walker’s recall has reignited in the face of an investigatory report released this week. The report from Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel recommends that those behind seizing personal emails from scores of Republicans across the state and not keeping them secure be held in contempt….
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty says he’s considering running for Sen. Al Franken’s U.S. Senate seat. The Republican governor and one-time presidential candidate insisted Friday that he’s still “politically retired.” But Pawlenty would be a prized recruit in 2018 for Republicans hoping to captialize on Franken’s resignation amid a cloud of sexual misconduct allegations. Pawlenty…
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump has signed a spending bill to avoid a government shutdown and keep the federal government running through Dec. 22. The president signed the two-week spending bill at the White House after the House and Senate acted to prevent a government shutdown this weekend. The White House and congressional leaders are negotiating a longer-term agreement….
HERMANTOWN, Minn.-Congressional candidate Pete Stauber has some new digs in Hermantown. The republican, who’s trying to unseat Rep. Rick Nolan, had a grand opening for his campaign headquarters today at 4690 Miller Trunk Highway in Suite 700. The candidate told Fox 21 that he wants his campaign to focus on the issues, rather than what’s been going on in Washington…
WASHINGTON – Senator Al Franken has announced his resignation from the United States Senate. During a scheduled speech on the senate floor, Senator Al Franken announced he will be leaving the United States Senate in the coming weeks amid multiple sexual misconduct allegations. Gov. Mark Dayton must now appoint someone to take Franken’s seat during the Nov. 2018 election….
WASHINGTON-Minnesota Democrat Al Franken, facing fresh allegations of sexual misconduct and vanishing support from fellow Democrats, appears to be on the brink of resigning from the Senate. Franken scheduled an announcement for Thursday at 10:45 a.m. which will be aired on Fox 21 and live streamed on our Facebook page. His office did tweet Wednesday evening that he had not…
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci) WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump warned Wednesday that a government shutdown was possible this weekend because Democrats were demanding to have “illegal immigrants pouring into our country,” tossing incendiary rhetoric onto a partisan showdown that had been showing signs of easing. Trump’s comments risked roiling a White House meeting with congressional leaders of both parties planned…
Palestinians burn a poser of President Donald Trump during a protest in Bethlehem, West Bank, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2017. President Trump forged ahead Tuesday with plans to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital despite intense Arab, Muslim, and European opposition to ma move that would upend decades of U.S. policy and risk potentially violent protests. (AP) WASHINGTON (AP) —…
UPDATE: Amid calls for resignation from fellow Democrats, Franken will be making an announcement tomorrow, according to his office. (KMSP) – At least seven Democratic women in the U.S. Senate are calling on Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota to resign after the latest allegation of sexual misconduct was published Wednesday morning. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Sen. Mazie Hirono of…
UPDATE: Several female Democratic senators unite in calling for Sen. Al Franken to resign amid sexual misconduct allegations. In Facebook posts and Tweets, the women said the two-term senator should step aside after a fresh allegation that he forcibly tried to kiss a woman in 2006. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand wrote on Facebook that while Franken is entitled to have the Ethics…
DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth City Council has passed Mayor Emily Larson’s controversial 2018 budget proposal. The budget includes a $1 million increase to the street maintenance fund, a slight property tax increase, and about $2 million in cuts to city spending. City Council President Joel Sipress tells us the cuts mean a “significant” reduction to city staff, including the…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) – Minnesota is facing a $188 million deficit, according to the latest projection from the state budget office. Last year at this time, Minnesota Management and Budget officials had a projected budget surplus of a $1.4 billion – a surplus that grew to $1.65 billion in the March projection. The deficit is expected to grow to $586 million in the next…
Sen. Dan SchoenST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) – State Senator Daniel Schoen submitted his official resignation to Governor Mark Dayton Monday afternoon after multiple allegations of sexual misconduct. Accusations of misconduct were first reported by MinnPost last month. Rep. Erin Maye Quade also told Fox 9 she received a series of inappropriate text messages from Schoen. About two weeks ago, Schoen’s attorney confirmed he would resign from his…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is moving ahead with his plans to require able-bodied adults who receive food stamps to be screened for illegal drugs, even through questions remain over whether it’s allowed under federal law. The plan was approved by Republican-controlled Legislation more than two years ago, but it languished because it conflicts with federal rules….
Roy Moore (AP) WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump endorsed embattled Republican Roy Moore in the Alabama Senate race on Monday, looking past sexual misconduct allegations against the GOP candidate to argue that his vote is needed in Congress. Trump tweeted early Monday that “Democrats refusal to give even one vote for massive Tax Cuts is why we need Republican…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans used a burst of eleventh-hour horse-trading Friday to edge to the brink of Senate passage of a $1.4 trillion tax bill, as a party starved all year for a major legislative triumph took a giant step toward giving President Donald Trump one of his top priorities by Christmas. “We have the votes,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Gov. Scott Walker has just made it harder to ask for an election recount in Wisconsin. Walker on Thursday signed into law a bill introduced in reaction to Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein’s 2016 recount request in Wisconsin after she finished a distant fourth. Under the new law, only candidates who trail the winner by…
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (AP) WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is discussing a plan to oust Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and replace him with CIA Director Mike Pompeo in a major shake-up of President Donald Trump’s national security team, administration officials said Thursday. The move would put Pompeo, a former congressman who has grown close to Trump…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Republican and Democratic leaders in the state Senate say sexual harassment complaints in their chamber should remain secret. The Assembly and Senate chief clerks refused to release complaints their offices have received over the last decade, saying releasing them would discourage reporting. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said Thursday that he and Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling…
WASHINGTON, D.C.-An Army veteran has accused Minnesota Sen. Al Franken of inappropriately touching her more than a decade ago while she was on a military deployment to Kuwait She’s identified in CNN’s Thursday report as Stephanie Kemplin, 41, of Maineville, Ohio. She is the fifth woman in the last two weeks to accuse the embattled Franken of sexual harassment allegations….
DULUTH, Minn. – Duluthians gave their input as to how the city should spend $2.8 million in federal funding to help low and moderate income people. The Community Development Committee got more than sixty written and verbal comments as to how the money should be spent. The suggestions ranged from increased funding to low income housing, to the Keen Creek…
(AP) WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress’ top Democratic leaders abruptly pulled out of a planned meeting Tuesday with President Donald Trump after he attacked them on Twitter, casting doubt on the prospects for a quick agreement to avert a government shutdown at the end of next week. Trump tweeted early Tuesday that “I don’t see a deal!” with Senate Minority Leader…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Assembly leaders say complaints about sexual harassment or misconduct by legislators or their staffers shouldn’t be released to the public. Republican Speaker Robin Vos and Democratic Minority Leader Gordon Hintz said during a news conference Tuesday that there have been complaints filed in the past but they shouldn’t be released to protect people’s privacy. Vos added…
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans moved forward on legislation to expand gun owners’ rights, the first gun-related measure since mass shootings in Las Vegas and Texas killed more than 80 people. The Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote Wednesday on a National Rifle Association-supported bill that would allow a gun owner with a state-issued concealed carry permit to carry a…
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci) WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump and Senate Republicans scramble Monday to make changes to a Republican tax bill in an effort to win over holdout GOP senators and pass a tax package by the end of the year. In a morning tweet, the president said, “With just a few changes, some mathematical, the middle class and…
