Nov 5, 2024
National & Minnesota Report In 1990, Checks & Balances publisher Shawn Towle, was a DFL Activist and called a Walking Subcaucus called Uncommitted Suburban Issues. This group was dubbed by some Labor Leaders as anti-Union, and others a quite appropriate in an...
Nov 5, 2024
Minnesota Report We have received what are probably the last totals of early voting for the 2024 election from the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office. The numbers are high, but once again not as high during the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic. People appear to have forgone...
Nov 4, 2024
National & Minnesota Report As the 2024 election is less than 24-hours away and we hear the closing words of Vice-President Kamala Harris (D) they sound similar to simple ideas shared in the New Testament. As she calls for us to embrace the goodness in our hearts...
Nov 4, 2024
National & Minnesota Report Our concern for the US Supreme Court exist as citizens of this nation and as amateur Constitutional scholars. The Internet is a fine repository of Constitutional works and means we do not need to dig through old boxes for our...
Nov 4, 2024
Minnesota Report Statewide Counts Applications submitted (11/1/24): 1,185,640 Accepted ballots (11/1/24): 989,807 This means of the Voters Registered at 7AM: 3,603,347 as of 08/19/24 3:37 PM at least 27.47%* Since, the number of registered voters, which can increase...
Oct 29, 2024
National & Minnesota Report Today, before Vice-President Kamala Harris (D) stands at the Ellipse, a park, 500 feet from the Oval Office, the exact spot where in 2020 Donald J Trump (R) started the insurrection against our nation, we all should reflect on what this...
Oct 29, 2024
Minnesota Report Everyone who follows Minnesota politics and is concerned about our state of affairs follows the legislative races. In the State Senate because of the vacation of Sen Kelly Morrison (DFL-MN) in Senate District 45 to vie for the open Congressional seat...
Oct 25, 2024
National Report & Minnesota Report The amount of negative information fostered from Donald J Trump’s (R) own mouth is a regular occurrence. If his mouth is moving he is lying and if you standing around him you want to be upwind. Why, because Trump stinks. He...
Oct 25, 2024
Minnesota Report So far in this election, as reported by the Secretary of State’s Office, we have seen 47.69% of the 2020 absentee ballot election results we saw in 2020. Statewide Counts Applications submitted (10/24/24): 864,385 Accepted ballots (10/24/24):...
Oct 18, 2024
National & Minnesota Report It has a been a tradition since 1945, the year after the death of former New York City Mayor Al Smith, a Catholic, and past presidential nominee, to hold a roast of virtually any person in the room, but every four years, largely the two...
Oct 18, 2024
Minnesota Report The Secretary of State’s website shows the total of requested and accepted ballots. Statewide Counts Applications submitted (10/17/24): 706,344 Accepted ballots (10/17/24): 337,633
Oct 18, 2024
Minnesota Report It is often a melancholy time in late October for those who recall the tragic death of US Senator Paul Wellstone (D-MN) his wife Sheila, daughter Marcia, DFL Party Associate Chair Mary McEvoy, staffer Will McLaughlin and pilot Tom Lapic. There will be...
Oct 11, 2024
Minnesota Report With twenty-five days until the November 5th 2024, General Election, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon’s (DFL) office released the figures accumulated to date for early voting. There were 609,239 applications submitted and 220,006 ballots...
Oct 2, 2024
National Report The debate scored points with the electorate by being a civil engagement between two professional politicians. There nearly genial exchange was not as billed or as expected because of the tenor and tone of the conversation was not a series of personal...
Oct 2, 2024
National Report In 1998, the Department of Justice (DOJ) during the Clinton Administration sued Microsoft for Antitrust violations, and in 2000, Justice Thomas Penfield Jackson found them to be guilty in a number of ways....
Sep 27, 2024
Minnesota Report Here are the financial resources available to the two major political parties and their respective Legislative Caucuses. In this election a key race to watch which will determine the legislative majority is the open seat, Special Election in Senate...
Sep 27, 2024
Minnesota Report In December of 2005, the MN Supreme Court Ruled House Candidate Sue Ek (R-MN) ineligible as a candidate for the House seat 15B, do to her failure to reside in the district 60-days prior to the filing period. This means the highest court in our state,...
Sep 11, 2024
National & Minnesota Report The pain never leaves, the visual of the United Airlines Flight 175 banking left and careening into the South Tower of the World Trade Center will never be forgotten. It played like a movie, but the problem is it was real. On September...
Sep 11, 2024
National & Minnesota Report In our story, prior to the Vice-President Kamala Harris (D) and Donald J Trump (R) debate we knew it would be a telling event, and it was. As we said, Harris needed to establish she had Presidential Chops, and she did. In boxing terms,...
Sep 10, 2024
National & Minnesota Report When Checks & Balances started in 1995, our focus was on the Swing Voter. We decided, in this Presidential Election, based on the constant barrage of news reports of the closeness outcome, and the prognostication, it was worth...
Sep 10, 2024
Minnesota Report There is a drug cultural expression gaining acceptance that must be stopped. It is being circulated among Fentanyl Users called living the “Fet Life.” This drug unlike others is a facet in creating a lost generation, which is racially diverse, and...
Sep 4, 2024
National & Minnesota Politics If Donald J Trump (R) wasn’t a candidate for President, he wouldn’t have gone to Arlington Cemetery in the first place. His disdain for people who served in the military and made the ultimate sacrifice, as a malignant narcissist,...
Sep 4, 2024
Minnesota Report Here are some telling images from the Minnesota State Fair political booths. DFL Party Booth Recent report from the haul taken in is, the DFL sold more than three times the amount of merchandise than ever before. Republican Party Booth Libertarian...
Sep 4, 2024
National & Minnesota Report Here are some pictures from the Chicago DNC Convention. Palestine Protest This was far smaller than anticipated. Protestors Media Covering the Protest Police Response The police response was far larger than necessary. . DNC Convention...
Aug 26, 2024
Minnesota Report Minnesota Senate 2024 State Fair Poll Demographics Question I What area best describes where you live? ( ) Minneapolis/St. Paul ( ) Rural Suburban Regional hub of at least 40,000 people (Rochester, Duluth, St. Cloud, Mankato, Moorhead) ( )...
Aug 26, 2024
Minnesota Report Our tradition of publishing the legislative State Fair Polls, House and Senate, continues in 2024. Historically, we have found the questions asked often become legislation. Minnesota House of Representatives 2021 State Fair Poll Question 1. Should...
Aug 15, 2024
National & Minnesota Report In July, after President Joe Biden (D) announced his decision not to seek reelection, the financial flow gates opened for Vice-President Kamala Harris (D). If fundraising is the first poll in an electoral contest then, she secured $310...
Aug 15, 2024
National & Minnesota Report When you are a political publication, even an electronic one, and the first in your state, people who read you want you to have things they have acquired. Ask, Aaron Brown. In 1998, we had secured a trophy from the President of...
Aug 7, 2024
National Report Many of you may not know, but there still is a constant flood of illegal, flavored vape pens and solutions saturating the US market from China. This reality calls for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take decisive action against these...
Aug 7, 2024
National & Minnesota Report Tundra, is a word one would normally hear on a nature show about Alaska or the Article Circle. Project Tundra employs technology to capture and store carbon in an effort to reduce the carbon footprint of the coal-fired Milton R Young...
Aug 6, 2024
National & Minnesota Report We thought we would check Wikipedia and were interested to see the information of what has been written about Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) includes the selection as Vice-Presidential running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris...
Aug 6, 2024
National & Minnesota Politics The selection of Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) as the Vice-Presidential choice by Vice-President Kamala Harris (D) will be quite significant on the campaign trail. Walz stock seemed to rise last week, when he associated Sen JD Vance...
Jul 30, 2024
National & Minnesota Report In May of 2019, in the midst of the COVID 19 Pandemic, we were an early voice for Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) for President, should President Joe Biden (D) decide not o see reelection. Biden in his campaign had offered himself as a...
Jul 30, 2024
National & Minnesota Report We’ve seen a ton of news over the past few weeks centered on our politicians, with the race for President sucking up all the oxygen. But we’d like to call attention to something getting less attention than it should be, and it’s...
Jul 15, 2024
National & Minnesota Report This just in, the 40 charges in the documents case, was just dismissed by Donald J Trump appointed Judge Aileen Cannon. She used her justification to be the position taken by US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in the Presidential...
Jul 15, 2024
National & Minnesota Report To many people, who disagree with Donald J Trump (R), upon hearing the failed assassination attempt, the knee jerk reaction was, too bad they missed, but this is something unseemly to say out loud. A good person doesn’t say things like...
Jul 15, 2024
National & Minnesota Report On July 10th, US Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) introduced legislation that is a longtime coming and far overdue. She is calling for the end of veterans homelessness as a national obligation or as we believe it should be, a fundamental...
Jul 15, 2024
Minnesota Report Checks & Balances was Live on Patrol #512 with Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher On Friday, our esteemed Publisher Shawn Towle was leaving Saint Paul and headed to Minneapolis when he found himself without a ride on the Light Rail Train. The...
Jul 2, 2024
National & Minnesota Report In an unprecedented, and clear threat to out democracy, the US Supreme Court ruling on TRUMP v. UNITED STATES, which by title, is a clear and succinct declaration of what the case really means, it’s Donald J Trump against the United...
Jul 2, 2024
National & Minnesota Report If Joe Biden (D) wants to save our democracy and be reelected to the Presidency then he must preform a bold act, its the utilization of the full power of the Presidency and disband the cabal of the six Republican members of the US...
Jul 2, 2024
National & Minnesota Report The closeness of the US Senate and the House is what is impinging our nation. The need for full recognition of our nations citizens in an unrepresented political subdivision has existed far too long and it’s time for full recognition...
Jul 2, 2024
National & Minnesota Report Steve Bannon of Breitbart News entered a federal prison in Connecticut yesterday on the same day as the US Supreme Court Ruled to relatively allow for a seated President to have unfettered immunity. The reason for his incarnation is the...
Jul 2, 2024
National & Minnesota Report The slack jawed, deer in the headlights performance in Thursday’s debate by President Joe Biden (D) is a matter for great concern. The question over whether he has the capacity to fulfill duties of the office are legitimate. In order to...
Jun 26, 2024
National & Minnesota Report Yesterday, three of the high profiles candidates in federal races endorsed Donald J Trump (R) loss in their primary contests Colorado, Nevada and South Carolina. The most notable was in the US Senate race to succeed Sen Mitt Romney (R)...
Jun 26, 2024
Minnesota Report The Minnesota State House Districts which both legislative caucuses are targeting and in play this election and not that hard to figure out. The factors used for determining where resources are applied stem from specific retirements if applicable and...
Jun 26, 2024
National & Minnesota Report There is a simple set of things President Joe Biden (D) needs to say that will set the tone for the 2024 Presidential Election against Donald J Trump (R), and if we were advising him, it would be a simple clear and declarative sentence....
Jun 7, 2024
National & Minnesota Report Sen Kelly Morrison (DFL-45, Deephaven) one of the three Doctor Senators in the MN Senate, is vying for the Congressional seat being vacated by her childhood friend Congressman Dean Phillips (D-MN03) after his abysmal, largely...
Jun 7, 2024
Minnesota Report Governor Tim Walz (DFL) accepted and signed all 44 pieces of the legislation passed during the 2024 legislative session making it 127 pieces in the biennial session. Last year, he only vetoed the Uber/Lyft bill. This means the communication between...
May 31, 2024
National Report In the 34 count felony indictments it was complete surprise to hear all of the charges resulting in conviction. Even one was a surprise and simultaneously a sever disappointment, because it shows directly how Donald J Trump (R) manipulated electorate...
May 31, 2024
If the standard in our country is innocent until proven guilty, then its the standard, but in politics which plays by different rules, its a public relations game based on the art shaping perception. Right now, Sen Nicole Mitchell (DFL-47, Woodbury) is faces...
May 31, 2024
Minnesota Report There are a number of unseen variables in Minnesota legislative special election contests and many assumptions are included in the mix of races. The Secretary of State’s Election Results only show elections dating back to 1992, and so we will use this...
May 13, 2024
National Report & Minnesota Report The summer of 2024 will be a long one for President Joe Biden (D). This will literally be the longest Presidential Campaign in modern history, because the competitors are known so early in the nomination process. It is common...
May 13, 2024
Minnesota Report To date, there have been 24 bills presented to Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) and all have been signed into law. https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/current/ The question remains whether or not any proposed Constitutional Amendments will be on the November...
May 13, 2024
Minnesota Report On Friday, the MN State Supreme Court released its ruling on the case brought by DFL Party Chair Ken Martin against Secretary of State Steve Simon (DFL-MN) and the Legal Marijuana Now Party over their major party status. The court ruled Legal...
May 8, 2024
Minnesota Report The Senate Ethic Committee convened yesterday later than anticipated, but did address two complaints. One against Sen. Nicole Mitchell (DFL-57, Woodbury) for her alleged felony burglary of her stepmother’s home and another for Sen Glenn Grunehagen...
May 8, 2024
Minnesota Report We have heard people broaching questions about the allowable activity on the last day of the legislative session. This starts from a question of two correlated constitutional sections, listed below. What is at issue is can the legislature pass any...
Apr 29, 2024
National & Minnesota Report Many people wish for this to be true, but no one should wish death on anyone, no matter whom it is. Now, a trial for treason and a public hanging or shooting by firing squad is a different question. Truly, the question posed in the...
Apr 29, 2024
Minnesota Report This legal parlance is getting a serious dosage of a challenge. On Sunday, a decision was reached regarding one aspect of the fate of Sen Nicole Mitchell (DFL-57, Woodbury). Her legislative responsibilities have been curtailed, not to the nth degree,...
Apr 29, 2024
National & Minnesota Report On Saturday, the delegates to the 7th Congressional District endorsing convention collectively chose to deny 2nd term incumbent Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach (R-MN07) their endorsement for reelection. Instead they tacitly chose to...
Apr 25, 2024
Minnesota Report The arrest and felony burglary charge on Sen Nicole Mitchell (DFL-47, Woodbury) has been come the titillating twist and scintillating subject matter saturating the entirety of the conversations through the Minnesota political establishment. All...
Apr 18, 2024
Minnesota Report The pre-Primary filings for the different parties and caucuses are in and as it is our tradition we compile them for your perusal. DFL Party (MN DFL Central Committee) Beginning Cash 948,697.73 Total Receipts 1,416,185.26 Total Expenditures and...
Apr 18, 2024
Minnesota Report In 2023, FairVoteMN spent over a million dollars ($1,040,000.00) pushing their agenda for Ranked Choice Voting (RCV). This expenditure wasn’t very fruitful, in spite of the fact they had a phalanx of 14 lobbyists, since the legislation failed to...
Apr 18, 2024
Minnesota Report It was interesting to see a quite familiar face, but somewhat out of context, though he was a regular often on the weekend political shows. Former Congressman Richard “Dick” Gephardt(D-MO) past Majority Leader 1989-2005, and Minority Leader from 1995...
Apr 9, 2024
Minnesota Report The Minneapolis City Council is preparing to reconsider their vote and subsequent veto override of Mayor Jacob Frey (DFL-Mpls). This about face is in response to political pressure being applied by ride share commuters, who are unwilling to wait for a...
Apr 9, 2024
Minnesota Report April 29th will be the last day the Legislative Reference Library is open on the 6th floor of the State Office Building. The administrative offices will be moved over to the Centennial Building and the Reading Room will become a feature of the Picture...
Apr 9, 2024
Minnesota Report As the excavation is underway on the State Office Building built in 1931 and renovated shortly there after, and the numerous dump trucks pull in empty and leave with earth, we have expected to learn of some unearthed discovery and we were correct in...
Apr 9, 2024
Minnesota Report When the Minnesota Racing Commission passed the ability for the state’s two horse tracks Canterbury Downs and Running Aces to provide a video game which allows betting on races already run, but with an added feature to randomize the outcome, they...
Apr 9, 2024
Minnesota Report Because the Minnesota State Capitol is such a grandiose building people come in regularly in wedding dresses and tuxedos to have their pictures taken to capture the moment for posterity. As the legislature, was in session on a Thursday, prior to the...
Mar 29, 2024
National & Minnesota Report The vain, egomaniacal, narcissistic, and self-absorbed sophistry spouted by Donald J Trump is revolting .Its clear and evident that nationally, the Republican Party is no longer the GOP (Grand Old Party) it’s now the party of one,...
Mar 29, 2024
National Report We have always appreciated a double entendre (double intender) approach. This is the beauty of puns, but the problem is when spelled out a pun loses it’s punch. This morning when hearing the released moments from the epic President Joe Biden Reelection...
Mar 29, 2024
Minnesota Report It’s a math question. The answer is $2.74 billion. Since Alex Rodrigues, Marc Lore and their partners have been associated with the Minnesota Timberwolves the value of the team has risen appreciably. In 2021, Forbes valued the franchise at $199...
Mar 27, 2024
Minnesota Report Last night’s 2024 State of the State Address by Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN), was his sixth and due to the COVID pandemic was not his first outside of the House legislative chamber. In 2020, the address was made from the Governor’s Residence, and in...
Mar 19, 2024
Minnesota Report In his announcement to increase state spending in specific areas Governor Tim Walz (D) accounted for $226 million in additional spending. The list of changes is widely varied and for its full explanation required a 39-page document. 2024...
Mar 19, 2024
Minnesota Report The Office of the Legislative Auditor released an Evaluation Report on Worker Misclassification on March 14th, which interestingly cfollows shortly after the press conference we attended on March 6th with Attorney General Keith Ellison (DFL-MN),...
Mar 12, 2024
Minnesota Report The long duration debate over the School Resource Officer bill (SRO) yesterday in the Senate was one of those common occurrences in the legislation process, which is the debate on the floor was not what the real issue was about. While, discussing...
Mar 11, 2024
National & Minnesota Report Start of the 2024 Presidential Campaign Today, marks the unofficial start of the 20024 Presidential Campaign, which will make this the longest campaign in modern day history. The rematch between President Joe Biden (D) and Donald J...
Mar 11, 2024
National & Minnesota Report As Republicans work to entwine crime and immigration by using the death of Laken Riley as the prime example of the failure of the Biden Administration’s immigration policies. They are merely being opportunists and exploiting a tragedy...
Mar 11, 2024
Minnesota Report We have said repeatedly, the legislature should pass Sport’s Book, and legalize a practice which is an ongoing issue. When inclusion of the Native American casino’s was first proposed we wondered why? Then later it became evident, Tribal Casions have...
Mar 7, 2024
National & Minnesota Report Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico have an existing Joint Cooperation Agreement (JCA), established in 2015. The purpose is to provide a cooperative agreement between the two companies which is mutually beneficial to both parties....
Mar 6, 2024
National & Minnesota Report Last night’s results are not as clear as people might think. Yesterday, we sought information on the National Delegate selection from the MNGOP.org website, but it was curiously not functional until today. We had learned prior, a...
Mar 6, 2024
Minnesota Report With the Presidential Primary occurring a week after the Precinct Caucuses, there have been numerous questions about the viability of the Caucus System itself. We have been having these discussions all week. One would think this issue will be...
Mar 6, 2024
Minnesota Report On Monday, Attorney General Keith Ellison (DFL-MN), Rep Emma Greenman (DFL-63B, Minneapolis), Sen. Clare Oumou Verbeten (DFL-66, St Paul) and Department of Labor and Industry Commissioner Nicole Blissenbach held a press conference about employer...
Mar 6, 2024
Minnesota Report While strolling down University Avenue, near Hamline we saw the following Wanted poster affixed to a Metro Transit Bus Shelter and thought it warranted attention. The organization calling for this is the Anti-War Committee, which is identifying the...
Mar 1, 2024
Minnesota Report The numbers of the 2024 February Revenue Forecast provide a favorable outcome for the Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) Administration. As stated in the summary on the MMB website, “Minnesota’s budget and economic outlook has improved since November. The...
Feb 27, 2024
Minnesota Report Thursday at 8:30 am, the media will learn the final amount projected for the remainder of the 2024-25 Budget. Back on December 6th, the amount projected was $2.4 billion, which was up $808 million from the end-of-session estimate, hence a surplus. The...
Feb 27, 2024
Minnesota Report Yesterday, the State Capitol saw a descent of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers and Future Farmers of America (FFA) students. The issues in the EMS community are quite significant and the pressures on the system especially in Greater...
Feb 27, 2024
Minnesota Report In 2020, when US Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced the securing of money for rural broadband, the future of life in greater Minnesota looked more promising, and relates to the story above regard the various service needs...
Feb 27, 2024
Minnesota Report We are not surprised to hear about the continuing problems in compensation with drivers for Uber/Lyft, especially when that legislation was the only piece vetoed by Governor Tim Walz in 2023. In 2019, our publisher Shawn Towle was involved with a...
Feb 27, 2024
Minnesota Report It is interesting to learn about Minneapolis City Council Member Aisha Chughtai (Socialist, Mpls-W10) and Saint Paul City Council Member Mitra Jalali (Socialist, Ward-04) are calling for attendees to the DFL Caucuses to vote Uncommitted, rather than...
Feb 27, 2024
Minnesota Report One issue Checks & Balances played a pivotal role in was the legislation entitled “A Safe Place for Newborns”. As the legislation, met with fits and starts in the final instance what we said we thought was logical and worthwhile was what the...
Feb 12, 2024
Minnesota Report We would like to note as the legislative session opens, Minnesota’s first digital political magazine, Checks & Balances enters its 34 legislative session and is experiencing its 35th year of existence. Our site is the location of the first paid...
Feb 12, 2024
Minnesota Report In 2013, the DFL held Majority in both bodies of the legislature and in 2014, the voters punished them and set the House to the Minority. House members like to say it was caused by the building of the state Senate Office Building, but no you’re wrong....
Feb 12, 2024
Minnesota Report Now, everyone likes to get out of the cold in the winter, but is this really even winter? The idea of getting on a warm train or bus is always sought, but not to smoke your shit. To us its clear, the Fentanyl problem in the urban setting case be...
Feb 12, 2024
Minnesota Report Looking out a north facing window in the Minnesota State Office Building is like watching construction video. In addition to the earth moving for the foundation for the extension, we also saw the removal of the old Ford Building, which also is an...
Dec 6, 2023
Dominican Republic Report on Minnesota Well, not being in Minnesota for the Revenue Forecast might seem like a problem, but since it’s only a numerical report, which is available online, no biggie. I would have a replacement in Elize Bierbaum, if she would learn...
Nov 7, 2023
Minnesota Report If you view this article as anti-DFL you are sorely mistaken. We used to have a section called Words of Wisdom and this seems appropos. The Democratic Socialists (Democratic Socialists of America or Democratic Socialist Caucus endorsees) of any stripe...
Nov 7, 2023
Minnesota Report St Paul Ward 7 candidate Alexander Bourne, yes, he is the same guy who ran in Ward 6 last election, receiving a pittance of 276 or 4.84%, and is once again going nowhere today, has thrown down the gauntlet with incumbent Senator Foung Hawj (DFL-67, St...
Nov 7, 2023
Minnesota Report With the municipal elections happening today, we thought the early voting numbers were worth viewing. Ward Early Vote Minneapolis Ward 1 616 Minneapolis Ward 2 282 Minneapolis Ward 3 1482 Minneapolis Ward 4 339 Minneapolis Ward 5 559 Minneapolis Ward...
Nov 7, 2023
National, Virginia & New Jersey Report With the mid-term election occurring in the Commonwealth of Virginia for its House of Delegates and Senate, along with the General Assembly and Senate elections in New Jersey, we will witness the impact of Donald J Trump (R)....
Oct 31, 2023
National & Minnesota Report The announcement on Friday by Congressman Dean Phillips (D-MN03) was mostly a non-event in many eyes except the media because they often create a story out of wholesale cloth. Why because they used to need to sell papers, and now it is...
Oct 31, 2023
Minnesota Report Was former House Majority Leader Op/Ed on August 10th Ryan Winkler: Skeptics like Dean Phillips should count on Joe Biden telegraphing of his own bid for Congressman Dean Phillip’s third district seat? Winkler the godfather of Marijuana Legalization...
Oct 31, 2023
National Report Taylor Swift could decide this election one of two ways, one, endorse Joe Biden (D) or run as a third-party. The reason we say this is her fortune, and the troops of Swifties. Not just the 14-year-olds, but every day the 17-year-olds turn 18, and they...
Oct 3, 2023
National & Minnesota Report Moments ago, House Resolution 747 was offered by Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL01) to declare the Speaker’s position vacant. On a vote of 216 to 210 Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA20) was ousted. This is the first time in our...
Sep 19, 2023
National & Minnesota Report In 2006, current US Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) defeated three-term Congressman Mark Kennedy (R-06MN) by a sizable margin to fill the seat vacated by US Senator Mark Dayton (D-MN). Party Candidate Vote Total % Republican MARK KENNEDY...
Sep 8, 2023
Minnesota Report Yesterday, Secretary of State Steve Simon (DFL) released the following statement regarding applying the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution here in Minnesota. We also will remind you, dedicated readers, about our article on this same topic which is...
Sep 8, 2023
Minnesota Report Here are the results from the Senate State Fair Poll. 2023 Senate State Fair Poll
Sep 8, 2023
Minnesota Report For more than 25 years Checks & Balances has published the questions asked and the answers provided from Minnesota State Fairgoers who completed the State Fair Poll at the legislative booths in the Education Building. Here are the results. 2023...
Aug 29, 2023
National & Minnesota Report The question over Donald J Trump’s (R) ballot access might be the ultimate determiner of the 2023 election. Since the focus of a presidential race is always the Electoral College and the ability to get 270 votes if enough states bar...
Aug 29, 2023
National & Minnesota Report Because Minnesota became a state just prior to the Civil War (April 12, 1861 – April 9, 1865) and the adoption of its constitution on October 13, 1857, and includes Article I Bill of Rights Sec. 9. Treason defined. Treason against the...
Aug 29, 2023
Minnesota Report We were on hand to witness and even suggested this picture of US Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and the different firefighter calendar models at the Great-Minnesota-Get-Together. Since this picture was taken on opening day, US Senator Tina Smith (D-MN)...
Aug 29, 2023
Minnesota Report Each year we publish two (nonscientific) polls from the state legislative booths at the fair. Upon completion of the 12-Day August event, the legislative information offices release the results. Historically, we have found issues included in the...
Aug 15, 2023
National, Georgia Report If the indictment of Donald J Trump (R) results in results in a RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) conviction then he should then be referred to as The Diapered Don. This is due to his wearing adult diapers before The...
Aug 15, 2023
Minnesota Report One aspect of HF2310, Omnibus Environment, Climate, and Energy appropriations is its economic boost. Because of the provisions to extend the use of crossbows to all archery hunting options for people below 60, crossbow sales and accessories are having...
Aug 1, 2023
Minnesota Report Celebrate, Celebrate, Dance to the Music. It’s official people can now, legally smoke their own homegrown weed, which will likely become more of a social ill like cigarette smoking soon after it starts. The legal use of cannabis comes with its...
Aug 1, 2023
Minnesota Report The diatribe from law enforcement trying to establish irrational fears over our highways and streets being overrun by more people Driving While High, is utter BS. We believe there will be no significant increase in this statistic because the people...
Aug 1, 2023
Minnesota & National Report In 2016, when US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) challenged Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (D) the was a significant distinction between the two she was a legitimate Democratic candidate and he was a construction of a made-up term...
Jul 19, 2023
Minnesota Report As people start to speculate on the impact of the 2023 legislative session on the 2024 State House Elections the questions about what became law will mainly be shaped by where people reside and whether they received a direct benefit. On balance, if a...
Jul 19, 2023
Minnesota Report As Congress, Legislators, and Regulators discuss the impact of the variety of industries and applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI), we believe an important question is over the politics of origination. Being able to track where something comes...
Jul 19, 2023
Minnesota Report We sought to access the voter registration data after the passage of legislation to restore voting rights to approximately 55,000 voters and have found little in the way of early adoption. Only 7303 people are new registrants since June 1st. As...
Jun 26, 2023
National & Minnesota Report On Wednesday, the Wagner Group which is headed by Yevgeny Prigozhin, nicknamed the chef because he served Vladimir Putin, and in turn, bit the hand that feeds him and attacked the Russian Industrial Complex. Prior to Prigozhin’s change...
Jun 26, 2023
National & Minnesota Report Vladimir Putin’s War in Ukraine is an affront to all Western democracies and a threat to their very existence. The support for Ukraine, neither a member of NATO nor the European Union is significant because of the proximity to both with...
Jun 26, 2023
Minnesota & Montana Report Two weeks ago, it was hard to breathe for everyone here in Minnesota the Canadian wildfires were wreaking havoc on the lungs of one and all. It affected those with lung conditions worst, but nearly everyone had a cough and a sore throat....
Jun 26, 2023
Minnesota Report Announcement of an agreement between the state of Minnesota and its public employee unions AFSCME Council 5 and MAPE was announced yesterday, with new contracts resulting in raises of 5.5 percent this summer and 4.5 percent next year. This differs...
Jun 14, 2023
National & Minnesota Report Since Thursday’s announcement of the 37 count Federal Indictment of Donald J Trump in Miami all nearly all news outlets—including Fox News, and NewsMax—blogs, and social media sites have been abuzz with a variety of articles, analyses,...
Jun 14, 2023
National & Minnesota Report What is most evident in the Donald J Trump (R) Mega Movement and the counterclaims offered up and attacked by the Trumpers such as the agendas presented by the left from Climate Change Environmentalism, Occupy Wall Street, Black Lives...
Jun 14, 2023
Minnesota Report Minnesota will be the final stop on the journey to the Olympic Games Paris 2024 when it hosts the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Gymnastics, USA Gymnastics and Minnesota Sports and Events announced Tuesday. Highlighted by the Olympic Trials,...
May 22, 2023
National and Minnesota Report The rights found in the 14th Amendment grow more, important in our minds every time it is invoked. We have argued repeatedly, the use of Ranked Choice Voting is a violation of bother the Equal Protection and the Due Process Clause, and...
May 22, 2023
National and Minnesota Report Since US Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) along with Senators Corey Booker (D-NJ) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) have called for REAL Political Ads Act, we believe she should push further and provide a requirement for all Artificial Intelligence...
May 22, 2023
National and Minnesota Report As we listen to US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA20) rationales for limiting the National Debt, we wonder where was his pushback against Donald J Trump (R). His constant critique is disingenuous and warrants specific context. Trump...
May 22, 2023
Minnesota Report As we have learned, yesterday at 1:40 am Senate Republicans ascended to the political reality, if they want to have any of their projects funded this legislative session, they had to play ball and vote for a Bonding Bill. This borrowed money component...
May 22, 2023
Minnesota Report The bill is headed to Governor Tim Walz’ (DFL-MN) to be signed and our state will join 22 others in ending Refer Madness. Prior to the consortium orchestrated attack on the smokable product—the likes of William Randolph Hearst, due to his publishing...
May 22, 2023
Minnesota Report As people grow older, they often are treated similarly as they were when they were children. In this reality, people are experiencing greater burdens on their family finances, at the beginning and the later stages of life, so why not have a facility...
May 19, 2023
Minnesota Report A state-paid family and medical leave program and tighter gun control legislation are headed to Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) for his signature. Walz has signed 40 pieces of legislation to arrive on his desk. Governor Approval (40) It will be a working...
May 19, 2023
Minnesota Report As things move forward in the Transportation Conference Committee on HF2887/SF3157, a delivery fee is again in the crosshairs. Because it is a flat fee, it will impact large and small operations differently. During the debate, testimony was offered by...
May 19, 2023
Minnesota Report The legislation named Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act of 2023 HF1700/SF1561 is now a stand-alone bill and will be negotiated separately from any omnibus bill. In a press conference prior to the conference committee set to meet to reconcile the two...
May 12, 2023
Minnesota Report The political reality for Republicans in the state legislature is hard to accept, but when you are in the Minority you are out of power except for voting for a Bonding Bill. The DFL Trifecta as long as it remains intact, is virtually unstoppable. The...
May 12, 2023
Minnesota Report We spoke with Gun Owner’s Caucus Chair Rob Doar yesterday at the Capitol and asked him about his thoughts on the Red Flag law and he said, “I’m surprised they didn’t go further. He also expressed concern over the lack of due...
May 11, 2023
National & Minnesota Report Last night, former President Donald J Trump (R) returned to New Hampshire for a town hall forum hosted at Saint Anselm College and moderated by CNN Reporter Kaitlan Collins. The event commenced with a question from Collins, asked if he...
May 11, 2023
Minnesota Report As we keep you apprised of the volume of issues being acted on in the legislature and then signed by Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) we will note he has signed all thirty-five pieces of legislation to arrive on his desk and has yet to veto a single piece....
May 9, 2023
Minnesota Report On Thursday, May 11th, Minnesota turns 165 years of age, and the chandelier at the top of the Capitol Rotunda will be switched on. This is the only time this occurs and it will burn for 24 hours. This week is dubbed Statehood Week and various...
May 9, 2023
National Report Today, President Joe Biden (D) met with the bipartisan Congressional leadership on House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-20, Bakersfield), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies (D-08, NYC), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Senate Minority...
May 9, 2023
Minnesota Report The vote result was a Senate commonplace 34-33. The debate was robust, Republican opposition very vocal, but none of their amendments passed. At one point, Sen Steve Drazkowski (R-20, Mazeppa) really poked the bear, invoking the words of Governor Ron...
May 3, 2023
Minnesota Report On Monday, the legislature met in a joint session to advance four persons to serve as members of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents from the 2nd, 3rd, and 8th Congressional Districts along with one at-large member, all for a term of six...
May 3, 2023
Minnesota Report If a person unfamiliar with the political landscape of Minnesota were to try and understand our political make-up and were to use the spate of legislation passing this session, they might believe Minnesota to be a hard left-leaning state. Now, there...
Apr 27, 2023
Minnesota Report This just in. Attorney Marshall Tannick has filed a suit against MN is Ready and Crested River Cannabis, Shawn Weber, and XYZ Corporation on behalf of Nothing But Hemp LLC, Noble Brands Inc, Steven Brown, and Glenn McElfresh Nothing But Hemp Summons...
Apr 25, 2023
Minnesota Report As expected, President Joe Biden (D) has officially entered the fray to keep his hand on the tiller of our nation on the course he has charted. In 1980, when Ronald Reagan (R) then, the oldest Presidential Candidate to date, asked “Are you better...
Apr 25, 2023
Minnesota Report HF100 Omnibus cannabis bill ran out-of-procedural time last night, due to a desire in the House chamber to not legislate after 12:00 pm out of consideration for member’s safety. The body adjourned shortly after the witching hour to return today at...
Apr 25, 2023
Minnesota Report Last night during the debate on HF100 Omnibus cannabis bill Rep Jim Nash (R-48A, Waconia) brought forward an amendment on Local Control, with the crux being local communities could if passed be able to state where or not they would allow the sale of...
Apr 25, 2023
Minnesota & Texas Report When 911 happened our nation came together, when Donald J Trump (R) was elected our nation was rent asunder. When January 6th happened, our nation descended into a depth of despair and as the daily incidents of gun violence occur on our...
Apr 20, 2023
Minnesota Report Last night, Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) returned to the House Legislative Chamber to deliver his State of the State address. It was clear from the tenor of the speech, the highlights of accomplishments were far greater with DFL control of the...
Apr 20, 2023
Minnesota Report In spite of recuperating at home, and referenced in the speech by Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN), Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic (DFL-60, Minneapolis) released the following statement in response to the Governor’s State of the State Address...
Apr 20, 2023
Minnesota Report GPS Technology is the tool Uber and Lyft use to determine their costs for a pick-up for ride shares. Door Dash uses the same for deliveries and UPS makes all of its delivery routes as right turn only to determine the fewest stops for drivers. Instead...
Apr 20, 2023
Minnesota Report Today, the Department of Employment and Economic Development released the Unemployment Rate and Labor Force Participation Rate report for March 2023. Unemployment Rate Down; Labor Force Participation Rate Remains the Same Minnesota lost 5,700 jobs in...
Apr 11, 2023
National & Tennessee Report Upon learning about the brewing controversy over the three Tennessee Democratic Assembly members, who voiced their collective opposition to the lack of responsible gun laws, in the aftermath of the March 27, 2023, Covenant School...
Apr 11, 2023
National, Minnesota, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida Report The US Supreme Court may be facilitating the failure of our nation and the demise of our democratic experiment, by its divisive decisions on issues of importance to the entirety of our population and not just...
Apr 11, 2023
National Report On Friday, in Northern Texas, 5th US District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk’s decision to suspend the Food and Drug Administration approval of the drug mifepristone, over twenty years after its first approval, 9th US District Judge Thomas Rice in the...
Apr 3, 2023
Minnesota Report In the 1980s, the Fridley plant President Joe Biden (D) will visit was called Cummings Diesel, but now it is called Cummings Power Generation Facility. Soon after Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, Cummings announced it would commence...
Apr 3, 2023
Minnesota Report The question about Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) is not a settled public policy matter. Despite the DFL now holding the governorship and both branches of the legislature, this issue does not have universal acceptance, especially with Republicans and...
Apr 3, 2023
Minnesota Report As Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) is challenged as a viable voting system, this does not mean there is a lack of need for electoral reform. If claims of voting integrity can be voiced, and proven, then they should be addressed. Minnesota has a solid...
Mar 27, 2023
Minnesota Report In 2006, Xcel Energy sought and received an extension of its lease on the Monticello Nuclear Power Plant from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which was set to expire in 2010, allowing it to continue operation until 2030. This federal decision...
Mar 27, 2023
National & Minnesota Report When Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) announced his 2024-25 he declared his goal for Minnesota to be the best place to raise a kid. As time has moved forward, he has elevated his profile in the national media by criticizing Florida Governor...
Mar 27, 2023
National & Minnesota Report On October 20, 2020, the DOD Approves $87 Million for Newest Bioindustrial Manufacturing Innovation Institute headquartered at the University of Minnesota, St Paul Campus with a satellite office in Berkeley, CA. This federal funding...
Mar 27, 2023
Minnesota Report So far the law enforcement response to the rampant drug use on the Light Rail System is minimal at best because the perpetrators know the cops are coming. Any regular rider who is plagued by the people who are sleeping on the train, jumping on for a...
Mar 27, 2023
Minnesota Report Last week, we crossed paths with Former US Ambassador Samuel Kaplan, Chair of the Compensation Council and he informed us of the actions by the last meeting of the body and its decisions regarding the increase in compensation for Constitutional...
Mar 22, 2023
Minnesota Report On Tuesday, Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL-34B, Brooklyn Park) and filling in for the recovering Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic (DFL-60, Minneapolis) Senate President Bobby Jo Champion (DFL-59, Minneapolis) all...
Mar 22, 2023
National & Minnesota Report Recent reports of a large seaweed blob transcending to Florida are the focus of local broadcasts, on CNN, MarketWatch, and Scientific American. The dimensions of the encroaching incursion are shown to be larger than the size of the...
Mar 22, 2023
Minnesota Report Listening to the discussion over the need for water mitigation in rural communities is a direct result of herbicides, pesticides, and chemical fertilizer usage. As we learn more about this issue, we are surprised by the absence of any discussion about...
Mar 22, 2023
Minnesota Report A running total of 3,082 have been introduced in the House and 3,102 in the Senate, which is the most authored in any year of a biennium legislative session. To date, 18 have been signed into law. In the Senate, Sen John Hoffman (DFL-34, Champlin)...
Mar 15, 2023
Minnesota Report Last evening, via press release, Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic (DFL-60, Minneapolis) announced a cancer diagnosis, first detected in December. This personal challenge is also a political one because of the close 34-33 DFL Majority and shows the...
Mar 15, 2023
National & Minnesota Report Last week, the Daily Beast ran the following article Minnesota’s Gov. Tim Walz Is the Anti-DeSantis. Dems Should Take Note. This follows well after our story from May 19, 2022, Tim Walz for President. Its glad to see like minds, sharing...
Mar 15, 2023
National & Texas Report In a case in Amarillo, TX, which is an example of “judge shopping” may impinge the the ability for women to secure the pills used for medical abortions, which is the principle means the procedure is administered nationwide....
Mar 13, 2023
Minnesota Report Observing the Senate Capital Investment Committee on Thursday, provided some interesting information when trying to glean an understanding of the potential for a Bonding Bill. A number of Republican Senators sat flanked by the respective mayors, city...
Mar 13, 2023
Minnesota Report The Legislative Salary Council voted unanimously to increase legislative salaries 7.25% from $51,750 to $55,501. The salaries were increased last in 2021.The main factor in the decision is to account for the dramatic increase in inflation. The change...
Mar 13, 2023
Minnesota Report Prior to today’s session, 2826 have been introduced in the House and 2,938 in the Senate. To date, only 13 have been signed into law. In the Senate, Sen John Hoffman (DFL-34, Champlin) retains the lead with 104, Sen Mary Kunesh (DFL-39, New...
Mar 9, 2023
Minnesota Report The passage of HF670 on Monday on a vote of 91 to 43 may bolster some who envision the possibilities for passage of a bill for the first time in three years, but because of the realities in the Senate, its not likely. As we scrutinize the 21...
Mar 9, 2023
Minnesota Report Capitol observers might be familiar with the fact, Dean Urdahl (R-16A, Grove City) is a writer of historical fiction based on the Civil War era. The first book in his Uprising Saga series, Uprising is set to be on the small screen offered by one of...
Mar 8, 2023
Minnesota Report When members of the legislature first come to St Paul, their lives change dramatically. They now have staff people at their beck and call, people they have never met before seek meetings with them to share compelling stories and ask for assistance,...
Mar 8, 2023
Minnesota Report This week we have been a little remiss, and not provided our Monday offering of bill introductions. For context, we thought it to be worthy to look at the two past regular legislative sessions and the number bill introductions not accounting for the...
Feb 27, 2023
Minnesota Report We have just learned from the Office of Management and Budget website, the 2023 February Revenue Forecast fell a single percentage point down to $17.5 billion. These are now true numbers Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) and the legislature will use for...
Feb 27, 2023
Minnesota Report In our fourth Monday installment, we continue to call attention to the number of bills introductions in each body, and which members are setting the pace, with full recognition the numbers will continue to change. The new running totals are: 2173...
Feb 27, 2023
National & Minnesota Report As the US Supreme Court hears the case against the Biden administration student debt program to forgive up to $20,000 for recipients of Pell Grants, it creates an aspect of generational equity with the Millennials of Generation X and...
Feb 20, 2023
Minnesota Report For the third Monday in a row, we are calling attention to the number of bills introductions in each body, and which members are leading. This is a process and the number are merely a snapshot, because the totals will continue to change. Our...
Feb 20, 2023
National and Minnesota Report Anyone who has listened to Fox News Hosts or contributors Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham, Maria Bartiromo, Sean Hannity, Lou Dobbs, Jeanine Pirro, or Sidney Powell have always known this is nothing more than propaganda. While, its...
Feb 17, 2023
Minnesota Report With the heightened focus on the partisan nature of the 2023 legislature and recognition of this fact in recent legislative sessions, we thought a direct look at the legislation passed and signed into law, to be warranted. Here is a breakdown of the...
Feb 17, 2023
Minnesota Report With the number of associations and organizations ascending to the legislature this week, offered a feeling of things getting back to an aspect of “normal.” This is a reflection of institutional changes, mainly the House opening its doors in the State...
Feb 13, 2023
Minnesota Report For the last two Mondays, we have been calling attention to the number of bills introduced in each body, and the respective top three authors to provide some semblance of insight into the ongoing activity. Again, because we are doing this prior to the...
Feb 10, 2023
Minnesota Report Yesterday, SF 0073 (Cannabis provisions modification) authored by Sen Lindsey Port (DFL-55, Burnsville) made its fifth stop in the Committee on Environment, Climate, and Legacy Committee. During the proceedings, former Gov Jesse Ventura (IP-MN)...
Feb 10, 2023
National & Minnesota Report Sen Amy Klobuchar’s (D-MN) work in the Senate Judiciary Committee delving into the business practices of Ticketmaster have already uncovered some significant consumer protection issues. It is becoming evident that Ticketmaster has a...
Feb 10, 2023
Minnesota Report Checks & Balances is Minnesota’s first digital political publication, and site of the first paid political advertisement. Our digital fingerprint began December 8, 1995 and with the exception of 2015, we been underway ever since. We are asking for...
Feb 7, 2023
Minnesota Report One facet of the reason for the rapid advancement of legislation is due to the large amount of legislation, which had previously passed in the DFL Controlled House, but was stymied by the Republican controlled Senate. Now, with the often pronounced...
Feb 7, 2023
Minnesota Report Yesterday, on the House floor the DFL Majority passed funding for the Attorney General’s Office to add seven criminal prosecutors to their component. As we understand this is a return to the yesteryears of Hubert “Skip” Humphrey III days. On a 73-55...
Feb 7, 2023
Minnesota Report Yesterday in the Senate Agriculture, Broadband and Rural Development Committee SF0073 received its fourth hearing and passed on a 5-4 party line vote. The bulk of the opposition, which we believe will be a consistent posture for the Republican...
Feb 7, 2023
Minnesota Report The idea of reviving the train route from the Twin Cities to Duluth is a high dosage of nostalgia for those yearning for a passage back to another era. The sights of the porters loading the bags and the conductors punching the tickets in their long...
Feb 6, 2023
Minnesota Report We are hearing House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL-37B, Brooklyn Park) is seeking to curtail the volume of legislation being drafted and wants only members not lobbyists putting bills in the Hopper. As of today, prior to the start of the today’s...
Feb 6, 2023
National & Minnesota Report On Friday, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) voted to approve the Rules Committee approved Primary Calendar. Which was determined on December 22, 2022, when the DNC’s Rules Committee voted to approve a proposal reorganizing the...
Feb 3, 2023
Minnesota Report Last week, any visitors to senate offices encountered locked corridor doors, which we learned, were due to a preemptive response to the PRO Act legislation, which Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) signed yesterday. Additionally, yesterday, in the Capitol...
Feb 3, 2023
Minnesota Report In the first late night session, the senate passed HF0007, on a party line vote 34-33, compared to the House passage last week of 70-60, which also reflected strong party influence. Now, the bill heads to Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) which he has...
Feb 3, 2023
Minnesota Report The End-of-the-Year Campaign Finance Reports are available and these show the total contributions and expenditures for the 2022 election granted it is well after the fact, but does show what is reported and an insight into what actually occurred. We...
Jan 30, 2023
Minnesota Report By all accounts, the amount of early action by the two legislative bodies is setting an aggressive pace and the items being considered are quite substantial. The total number of bills introductions posted on the respective websites this morning, show...
Jan 27, 2023
Minnesota Report Yesterday, at the St Paul Regional Water Services facility in Roseville, backed with strong and visible support from our state’s labor unions, Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) presented his $3,274,319 billion Capital Budget, which includes, funding for the...
Jan 27, 2023
Minnesota Report We have the opportunity to tour the 1900 Rice Street location to the St Paul Regionally Water Services and learned that the process from providing water without, color, taste, or smell is a very involved process, but also fairly rudimentary. They draw...
Jan 25, 2023
Minnesota Report Yesterday, Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) and Lt Governor Peggy Flanagan (DFL-MN) presented their budget recommendations for public and legislative scrutiny. During the course of the event, the emphasis was clearly on doing dramatic things at an...
Jan 25, 2023
Minnesota Report As we left the State Revenue Building and caught the Light Rail Transit back to the State Capitol, we were once again shocked at the unmitigated chaos on the train. As soon as we boarded, which we will point out was only the fourth stop on the line...
Jan 25, 2023
Minnesota Report The State Office Building, finally opened its doors on Monday. Now, things are back to nearly a semblance of regular order. The Senate Office Building was opened up last legislative session under Republican control and remained so this legislative...
Jan 25, 2023
Minnesota Report Because of the speed in which the legislature is moving, the Legislative Committee Deadlines might not be overly significant, but still worth noting. Announced on January 12, they are: Committee Deadlines 1st deadline – March 10, 2023. 2nd...
Jan 5, 2023
Minnesota Report We were fairly confident sparks were set to fly on the floor of the Senate yesterday and right we were. The proceedings took eight hours and the major bones of contention were offered up by former GOP House members who now have the luxury of a...
Jan 5, 2023
Minnesota Report Another Issue of concern is something we became accustomed to during the pandemic, which is remote session participation. During the discussion, Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic (DFL-60, Minneapolis) talked about female members who had born...
Jan 5, 2023
Minnesota Report We are hearing about the possibility of joint action on certain pieces of legislation in order to expedite their passage. In the legislative vernacular, these are call Pre-Conferred Bill. It has been a longtime since a piece of legislation, except a...
Jan 5, 2023
Minnesota Report On Tuesday, entrants into the State Office Building were disappointed to find the doors to the legislative floors still closed to the public. This is directly opposite of the Senate, which remains as it was under Republican control open and accessible...
Jan 4, 2023
National and Minnesota Report As we are watching the the Speaker’s election in Washington DC, and the problems Congressman Kevin McCarthy (R-20, CA) is having, we think an open speculation about the possibility of Congressman Tom Emmer (R-6, MN) being a...
Jan 4, 2023
Minnesota Report We understand there will be lots of bluster and opposition occurring today on the floor of the state Senate over the various policies, procedures and committee positions from the Senate Republicans. One factor is likely the number of seats the...
Jan 4, 2023
Minnesota Report It shouldn’t be a surprise to any Capitol observer, that the Senate runs on it own schedule and speed. We have noticed there are still some vacancies to be filled, specifically Legislative Assistants for a couple of members. Some voicemails are still...
Jan 3, 2023
Minnesota Report Yesterday, at the Fitzgerald Theater, all five DFL Constitutional Officers were sworn in and made their remarks to represent themselves to the state of Minnesota. The entirety of the event can be seen here Inaugural Remarks courtesy of Minnesota...
Jan 3, 2023
Minnesota Report House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL-34B, Brooklyn Park) and Senate President Bobby Jo Champion (DFL-59, Minneapolis) will gavel in the two most diverse chambers in our state’s history. 37.81% of the members of both bodies are women, with 52 of the 134...
Dec 19, 2022
Minnesota Report This evening the state senate released its committee membership lists as did the house late last week. We have attempted to flesh out each list in a little more logical fashion, which makes the most sense to us. You will note, the meeting day(s) and...
Dec 7, 2022
Minnesota Report During yesterday’s press conference, we carried a single note, and asked Governor TIm Walz (DFL-MN) House Majority Leader-elect Jamie Long (DFL-61B, Minneapolis) and Senate Majority Leader-elect Kari Dziedzic (DFL-60, Minneapolis) about the lack...
Dec 7, 2022
National and Minnesota Report After Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) finished his press conference on the November Budget Forecast, we caught him in the hall and asked him if he was considering exiting Twitter with the entrance of Elon Musk. We mentioned his nearly 205,000...
Dec 6, 2022
Minnesota Report Today, at 11:45 am, MN Management and Budget Commissioner Jim Schowalter, and State Economist Dr Laura Kalambokidis will be announcing the preliminary projected budget figure leading into the 2023 legislative session. In February, the actual budget...
Nov 19, 2022
Minnesota Report We received the new legislative committee names and selected chairs for both the House and Senate late yesterday afternoon, and noticed some interesting realities. In the House, incoming third term member Rep Aisha Gomez (DFL-62A, Minneapolis) is the...
Nov 19, 2022
Minnesota Report One of the biggest fears we have had with our support for the DFL retaking the Senate Majority was the advancement of the idea of Instant Run-off Voting for all elections, federal, constitutional and legislative. The selection of Sen Jim Carlson...
Nov 19, 2022
Minnesota Report Since there is no legislative activity until next year, we will reference the new legislative district numbers in our articles from this point forward. Unless of course we are writing about a non-returning member.
Nov 14, 2022
Minnesota Report Its interesting to see how the shifting populations in our state voted this election. You may or may not remember the 7-County Metropolitan area accounts for 55.43% of our state and the 11-County Metropolitan area accounts for 58.85%. In the electoral...
Nov 14, 2022
Minnesota Report We looked for the legislative election directories today and only found the newly elected members of the House. https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hinfo/leginfo/elecdir22.pdf We called the Senate and we informed, in spite of it being half the size of...
Nov 11, 2022
Minnesota Report The DFL Senate Caucus met yesterday and the Carpenter’s Union Hall in St Paul to select their new leadership team. The wisely picked a pragmatic, thoughtful and seasoned veteran in Sen Kari Dziedzic (DFL-60, Minneapolis). We understand this was a one...
Nov 10, 2022
National and Minnesota Report Nationally, the momentum of the Red Wave across the nation did materialize and it only resulted in a Red Ripple. Donald J Trump (R) and his Election Deniers (sounds Like a band) lost their elections from top to bottom in US Senate and...
Nov 10, 2022
Minnesota Report 2,510,693 people voted for Governor; this was 70.64% of the eligible voters and no third-party candidate achieved 5% which means neither the Grassroots – Legalize Cannabis nor the Legal Marijuana Now will be considered a major party. We also...
Nov 10, 2022
Minnesota Report House The DFL House Caucus will meet today and select a new Majority Leader. The names of the candidates we are hearing it will be a contest between Reps Jamie Long (DFL-61B, Minneapolis) and Kaohly Vang Her (DFL-64A, St Paul), are in their second...
Nov 10, 2022
Minnesota Report Yes, there were some significant loses in Tuesday’s returns in Reps Mary Murphy (DFL-03B, Hermantown) and Rod Eklund (DFL-03A, International Falls), but one reprieve might be the pending recounts. The reelection of Governor Tim Walz and Lt Governor...
Nov 10, 2022
Minnesota Report When Republicans under the leadership of Jeremy Miller (R-28, Winona) decided against a compromise on spending the 9.235 billion surplus with Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) and House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL-36B, Brooklyn Park) they likely assured no...
Nov 9, 2022
Minnesota Report House HD3A: Challenger Roger Skraba (R-03A, Ely) defeated incumbent Rep Rob Ecklund (DFL-03A, International Falls) a difference of 15 votes. The results were 10,868 or 49.98% to 10,853 to 49.91%. There were 22 write-in votes, and this race will be an...
Nov 1, 2022
Minnesota Report The Eastside of St Paul has a rich history of immigrants and refugees’ communities, but also one adverse factor, its poor performance at the polls. The Eastside Senate District 67 is not only the last district by number it is also determined by...
Nov 1, 2022
Minnesota Report Last week when Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher sent out his call to our state’s leaders was nominally responded to, at best. Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller (R-28, Winona) made the expected political response saying their bill they advance...
Nov 1, 2022
Minnesota Report Yes, we know this might be trite, a bit sophomoric, but when you are trying to get hits and boost your visibility a cheap shot is worth its weight in gold. We have been looking at so many distortionistic ads by the Jim Schultz (R-MN) for Attorney...
Nov 1, 2022
Minnesota Report The September Campaign Finance Reports are in and they provide an interesting perspective on the the status of the various campaigns and the political parties. Governor Tim Walz (DFL) & Peggy Flanagan Beginning Cash 3,626,393.33 Total Receipts...
Oct 26, 2022
MInnesota Report The number of cars driving by with increased noise due to the loss of a catalytic converter is a common occurrence on St Paul’s Eastside. On any given day, nearly at any given time, if you see a group of people all getting on the light rail and moving...
Oct 26, 2022
Minnesota Report Today, Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher sent out the following four-page letter to the state legislature, calling for them to act on the rampant crime occuring in our state. He calls on all elected leaders to respond....
Oct 21, 2022
Minnesota Report Crime is often an issue Republicans deploy to unsettle the electorate and instill fear as a factor in an election. The latest commercial by the Scott Jensen (R-MN) campaign has sunk to a new low in Minnesota campaign advertising. The ad entitled...
Oct 21, 2022
Minnesota Report No one likes to take their medicine, which is why they added flavors to it. As we listen to the broad debate around whether Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) exceeded his authority through the use of his Executive Powers during the pandemic and blaming him...
Oct 21, 2022
Minnesota Report The Scott Jensen (R-MN) campaign Twitter account is guilty of spreading a false narrative tying Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN05) to the Defund the Police movement, with a photoshopped sign in a picture. At a recent event, with Congresswoman Praymila...
Oct 6, 2022
Minnesota Report The rematch between Congresswoman Angie Craig (D-06, MN) and Tyler Kistner (R-06, MN) is a sequel election with a bizarre twist, in the second contest where the Legalize Marijuana Now candidate died during the campaign. In 2020 it was Adam Charles...
Oct 6, 2022
Minnesota Report Attorney General Keith Ellison (DFL-MN) took a bold step and brought suit against Wisconsin-based Fleet Farm for allowing straw purchases of firearms tot occur. In his release, they lay-out the rationale for the suit. Click here to read: Attorney...
Oct 6, 2022
Minnesota Report We have received a couple of images from a Checks & Balances supporter who sent us their letter from Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN). In spite of these no longer being called Walz Checks, this letter makes them appear to be. The small amount of $487 is...
Sep 28, 2022
Minnesota Report The September Campaign Finance Reports are in and they provide an interesting perspective on the the status of the various campaigns and the political parties. Governor Tim Walz (DFL) & Peggy Flanagan Beginning Cash 3,626,393.33 Total Receipts...
Sep 26, 2022
Minnesota Report The stage is set for a notable moment in Minnesota history. In the Ramsey County Commissioner District 6, the two candidates are both women of Hmong descent. The contest is fraught with charges of racism, calls for one side to abandon the race,...
Sep 21, 2022
National and Minnesota Report On August 13, 1973, Governor Wendell Anderson (DFL-MN) graced the cover of Time Magazine hoisting a Northern Pike and the Headline read the “Good Life in Minnesota”. He helped draw attention to positive steps taking place in our state....
Sep 21, 2022
Minnesota Report When KSTP/SurveyUSA Poll came out showing Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) leading Dr Scott Jensen (R-MN) by 18-points it created quite a stir, because the race appeared insurmountable. Other polls are now showing the race a bit closer, but still an...
Sep 21, 2022
Minnesota Report The price tag starts with a $250 million floor and is expected to rise significantly. US Attorney Andrew Luger is pursing a case against Feeding Our Future, which secured federal funding to provide 125 million meals and failed to deliver. Earlier...
Sep 14, 2022
Minnesota Report Today, is the last day of the called 3-day nurse’s strike, 15,000 nurses strong. We are still awaiting information of the two sides returning to the bargaining table. We were on-hand on the first day at St Paul Gillette’s Children’s Hospital and...
Sep 14, 2022
National and Minnesota Report President Joe Biden (D) has summoned the Railroad Executives and union leadership to come to Washington DC to forgo a potential strike set for Friday. If this were to occur the impact on the supply chain and the economy will be felt...
Sep 14, 2022
Minnesota Report Whether there is an agreement or not, we believe Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) will call the legislature back in Special Session, in order to highlight the fact, he wants to provide tax relief, rebate checks tot tax payers and potentially a large number of...
Sep 14, 2022
Minnesota Report Republicans have not won a statewide race since 2010, and then only through a plurality. x The best way to view this is through the election results of the past four elections. FYI, in his two elections, Mark Dayton (DFL-MN) also won election by...
Sep 7, 2022
There is an interesting Twitter War between former Republican Party Deputy Chair Michael Brodkorb aka https://twitter.com/mbrodkorb and Republican Lt Governor candidate Matt Birk aka https://twitter.com/BirkMatt playing out on social media. Brodkorb, who used to be...
Aug 26, 2022
Minnesota Report Every year for nearly the last 40, in which the Minnesota State Fair has been open, the state legislative booths in the back of the Educational Building have two polls of which, citizens are asked to proved their opinion and via a scanning system,...
Aug 24, 2022
National and Minnesota Report First off, we will state unequivocally, no one election is like another. These are unique events, regionally and politically. Pundits are always trying to read the tea leaves from one election to gauge the electorate in a larger capacity....
Aug 24, 2022
National and Minnesota Report President Joe Biden (D) is set to fulfill what many think was a campaign pledge, by announcing $10,000 loan forgiveness for people who make less than $125,000 annually and an additional $10,000 for Pell Grant recipients by executive...
Aug 24, 2022
National and Minnesota Report When Hillary Clinton (D) blurted out and called Donald J Trump (R) supporters as a Basket of Deplorables, she may have personalized and galvanized the Trump base. Because this was a slight to blue-collar voters it likely resulted in...
Aug 24, 2022
Minnesota Report Today, the MN GOP is celebrating the opening of a Somali Community Center in Minneapolis. It is clear, the most recent immigrant communities of Somali and Hmong, and their diaspora, are not politically monolithic. In the 4th Congressional District,...
Aug 16, 2022
Minnesota Report It is not surprising to us here at Checks & Balances to learn the 15,000 members of the Minnesota Nurses Association voted to strike. This extends from Twin Cities Hospital up to the Twin Ports. On August 2nd, while in attendance at the rally...
Aug 11, 2022
Minnesota Report The Special Election to fill the balance of the seat left vacant with the death of Congressman Jim Hagedorn (R-MN01) elected former Rep Brad Finstad (R-MN01) to the seat. He will fill out the balance of the tern until January, while simultaneously...
Aug 11, 2022
Minnesota Repor All of the DFLers cruised to victory in their Primary elections. Governor (x) Tim Walz and Peggy Flanagan 416,920 votes for 96.53% Ole Savior and Julia M Parker 14,982 votes for 3.47% Secretary of State (x)...
Aug 11, 2022
Minnesota Report Senate District 01 Republicans (x) Mark Johnson (Incumbent) Dave Hughes 6,312 votes for 85.77% 1,047 votes for 14.27% Senate District 03 Republicans (x) Andrea Zupancich Kelsey Johnson 5,762...
Aug 11, 2022
Minnesota Report House 03A Republicans (x) Roger J. Skraba Blain Johnson 3,030 votes for 66.73% 1,511 votes for 33.27% House 05B Republicans (x) Mike Wiener Sheldon Monson 2,099 votes for 50.48% 2,059 votes for 49.52%...
Aug 3, 2022
Minnesota Report In our mind, Metro Transit Police Chief Rick Grates is guilty of dereliction of duty. Rampant drug use in plain sight on metro transit system. We have seen it first-hand. Sure, video cameras on the Light Rail and buses, but police present is spotty at...
Aug 3, 2022
Minnesota Report Yesterday, at the University of Minnesota, on the street corner outside of the McNamara Alumni Center the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) rallied to protest the current state of contract negotiations with a number of Healthcare Nonprofit...
Aug 3, 2022
Minnesota Report On the grass, behind the location of the MNA rally, is located a manhole cover for the street sewer. After competition of the rally, as we watched the nurse disburse to the three entrances to engage the participants at the Carlson School of...
Aug 3, 2022
National and Minnesota Report The campaign of Amane Badhasso (DSA) is a systemic challenge to Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN04) and the DFL establishment. The efforts of Take Action MN i.e. Take Credit MN in a combined literature piece position Badhasso along with...
Aug 3, 2022
Minnesota Report The Office of Management and Budget, discussed the pending increase in Capital Investment Bonds based on the two responses by the Federal Reserve to increase the interest rate basis points. This means through the sale of Capital Investment Bonds, the...
Jul 27, 2022
Minnesota Report Today, Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) announce a plan for our state to advance economically. Minnesota outperforms all states in the region and consistently out paces most other states in areas of unemployment, job creation and profitability. The report...
Jul 27, 2022
Minnesota Report Minnesota House Primary Races Republican House District 03A Blain Johnson Beginning Cash 0.00 Total Receipts 2000.00 Total Expenditures and Disbursements 692.60 Ending Cash Balance 1307.40 Total Debt of Committee 0.00 Roger J Skraba Beginning Cash...
Jul 27, 2022
Minnesota Report Minnesota Senate Primary Races Republican Senate District 02 Steve Green Beginning Cash 0.00 Total Receipts 25,203.29 Total Expenditures and Disbursements 18,350.59 Ending Cash Balance 8,552.70 Total Debt of Committee 1,700.00 Edward...
Jul 27, 2022
Minnesota Report Governor Tim Walz (DFL) & Peggy Flanagan Beginning Cash 3,626,393.33 Total Receipts 2,668,489.21 Total Expenditures and Disbursements 1,314,101.61 Ending Cash Balance 4,980,780.93 Total Debt of Committee 0.00 Walz campaign has opted out of...
Jul 19, 2022
Minnesota Report Attorney General Candidate Doug Wardlow (R-MN) is facing a significant problem with the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board in a complaint from former Deputy Secretary of State Kent Kaiser. H/T Michael Brodkorb. Here is the complaint...
Jul 19, 2022
Minnesota and National Report When Xcel Energy goes to the Public Utilities Commission, their rate increases always pass. When Comcast, increases their rates, but fails to adequately provide Universal Broadband service at a reasonable rate, or sets an entry rate and...
Jul 19, 2022
Minnesota Report Why is it mostly men, who make decisions on women’s rights? In the 1990’s the DFL Party had to make a significant decision, which is whether or not they wanted to be a party of pockets of pro-choice places across the state, or if they were going...
Jul 15, 2022
Minnesota Report There are only two DFL Primary contests which pit incumbent Houses members against their colleagues and one where the incumbent is trying to recapture the label of DFL, when he has been clearly rejected by the DFL House Caucus. Rep John Thompson...
Jul 15, 2022
Minnesota Report On Wednesday, Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) appointed Tad Johnson to the University of Minnesota Board of Regents. He is filing out the term of David McMillan, who resigned to become the interim Chancellor for the University of Minnesota-Duluth....
Jul 15, 2022
Minnesota Report Yesterday, Congressman Pete Stauber (R-MN08), who we have taken to calling the Toxic Avenger, once again, put out a press release criticizing the House Democratic Majority for seeking to prevent significant environmental degradation....
Jul 15, 2022
Minnesota Report We received the following message from the Diversity Council out of Rochester, MN, which we are sharing so that people know there is shared concern in all areas of the state for the radical action by the US Supreme Court and not just in the...
Jun 29, 2022
Minnesota Report The term is odd, Cash Bonding Bill actually is just an appropriation from the General Fund, but this is legislative parlance. We have had discussions with members of the Republican Senate Majority Caucus about the idea a $2-3 billion dollar...
Jun 29, 2022
National and Minnesota Report The use of social media and technology, could be used to spy on women in anti-choice states. There are now even greater reasons for privacy laws at the state level, and customers should be arguing for these protections in their End User...
Jun 29, 2022
Minnesota Report The DFL Party Chair Ken Martin, Lt Governor Peggy Flanagan (DFL-MN), Attorney General Keith Ellison (DFL-MN), Secretary of State Steve Simon (DFL-MN) all meet with the Democratic National Committee and proposed an earlier Primary Date for Minnesota....
Jun 21, 2022
Minnesota Report A significant factor which is in play in the Republican Senate regarding a Special Session is the five Primary contests against Incumbents. Senate District 05 Incumbent Sen Paul Utke (R-SD05, Park Rapids) v Dale A P Anderson and Bret Bussman Senate...
Jun 21, 2022
Minnesota Report The framework agreement which occurred at the end of the legislative session is effectively dead. As we see the various pieces floating like an aftermath of a shipwreck, we observe a few retrievable pieces. The House DFL will not support any permanent...
Jun 20, 2022
Minnesota Report On Saturday, during a district wide door knock and canvas DFL activists, allies, friends and supporters met at the Martin Luther King Center to cover the district like a blanket. Many notable politicos we in attendance for the effort organized around...
Jun 20, 2022
Minnesota Report On Friday, on Almanac a question was asked of the members of the couch about future plans for US Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), who is not up for election until 2026, as to whether or not she will be seeking reelection. We spoke with her over the weekend...
Jun 17, 2022
Minnesota Report Nicknames in political contests maybe fleeting, but other times they are apropos. Because Republican Gubernatorial nominee, former Senator Dr Scott Jensen (R-MN) has opted out of any COVID-19 vaccinations some have taken to referring to him as Dr...
Jun 17, 2022
Minnesota Report The incumbent DFL Constitutional Officers do not have any major challengers, on the Republican side the race for Attorney General is where the purity of the party will be best measured. Governor Tim Walz (DFL) & Peggy Flanagan Beginning Cash...
Jun 10, 2022
National Report Normally, our Thursday evening are influenced by the day’s news, and the PBS News Hour . Last night, the open hearing for the January 6th, Capitol Insurrection commenced and the tag team of Congressman Bennie Thompson (D-02MS) and Congresswoman Liz...
Jun 10, 2022
Minnesota Report Discussions we are having with the members of the Republican Senate Majority, which we see as the essential element, to whether a Special Session occurs, are split. We are hearing assessments of 50/50, but largely contingent of whether the three...
Jun 2, 2022
National Report In 2010, the Dodd-Frank Act passed, and it originally was intended to protect consumers from the wild speculative nature banks had been pursuing. The underregulated banking industry was operating very cavalier in its loan practices, and was not...
Jun 1, 2022
Minnesota Report Well, its June 1st, and yesterday was the last day to file for office in 2022, and the significance is now, no one can file against an incumbent and they are free to make decisions which will impact the state, openly and honestly. Yes, the is an...
Jun 1, 2022
Minnesota Report Well, the political play-offs begin in earnest today. We know the cast of characters set to take the field. The vast number of legislative retirements, 55, is not the largest ever seen, but quite significant, when including staff retirements, the...
May 26, 2022
National & Minnesota Report There is quite a lot of buzz circulating about S 2992- American Innovation and Choice Online Act US authored by Sen Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). The pushback seems to be a multi-headed hydra and crops up over a variety of issues. First, there...
May 26, 2022
National & Minnesota The results of Tuesday’s Special Primary in the 1st Congressional District, finally solidified on the Republican side later Wednesday. With former state Rep. Brad Finstad (R-MN01) carrying the day with 13,695 for 38.12% over current State Rep...
May 22, 2022
Minnesota Report It’s the last day of the legislative session, and a pallor of a cloudy sky sets the stage for the day. Few of the Capitol observers believe there will be a compromise and this legislation session will end and if there is to be any tangible...
May 19, 2022
National & Minnesota Report Is it too early to start talking about Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) for President? We think not and had speculated this concept when the former Congressman was first elected. Since our state is the only one with a divided legislature and...
May 19, 2022
Minnesota Report We have confirmed, the DFL Legislators intend to stay in St Paul, doing the people’s work and will not be in Rochester to endorse Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN), Lt Governor Peggy Flanagan (DFL-MN), Attorney General Keith Ellison (DFL-MN) or State...
May 18, 2022
Minnesota Report With the legislative session in its last days, and the DFL State Convention happening in Rochester. We wonder if the DFL members of the state legislature will be in attendance. The DFL Party allows legislators to be automatic delegates to the...
May 18, 2022
Minnesota Report We have a one-page .pdf which sows the signed Budget Framework. It doesn’t really help explain what the structure of the deal really is. Those details are still being worked out. But Here is what we know. 2022 Framework...
May 17, 2022
Minnesota Report Yesterday, we received the following press release from Governor Tim Walz’ (DFL-MN) office. Upon viewing the House Legislative Session, later in the day we learned House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL-36B, Brooklyn Park) was working remotely....
May 14, 2022
Minnesota Report Hennepin and Ramsey County also held their conventions today. All of the incumbents were endorsed and in Ramsey retiring State Rep Rena Moran (DFL-65A, St Paul) secured the endorsement on the first ballot. Her success was directly attributable to her...
May 14, 2022
Minnesota Report The balloting for Governor has commenced. Ballot results 1st Ballot Candidate Raw # % Dr Scott Jensen 555 29.48% Kendall Qualls 484 23.12% Mike Murphy 392 18.73% Neil...
May 13, 2022
Minnesota Report With House Speaker Melissa Hortman’s (DFL-36B, Brooklyn Park) Wednesday announcement on Twitter of a positive COVID test, House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler’s (DFL-46A, Golden Valley) endorsement contest for Hennepin County Attorney on Saturday, the...
May 13, 2022
Minnesota Report We asked, the MN Office of Management and Budget to clarify an important question, which is how much of the $9.253 billion surplus was generated from Personal Income Tax. We will be clear, we thought this was a simple question, only to find out it was...
May 9, 2022
Minnesota Report On Saturday, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN05) easily fended an endorsement challenge from former Minneapolis Schoolboard and City Council Member Don Samuels (DFL). The contest was over quickly since Omar secured 59% on the first ballot. Leading into...
May 9, 2022
National & Minnesota Report On Friday, Congressman Pete Stauber (R-MN08) transcended on the MN State Capitol to criticize the visit by Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland came to Minneapolis to highlight the regions use of parks as a public asset. Why because he...
May 4, 2022
Minnesota Report Yesterday, we spoke with Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller (R-14, Winona) and asked if there was going to be cash in their Bonding Bill. He said, “No there’s not going to be any cash.” We then said Senator David Senjem (R-25, Rochester)...
May 4, 2022
Minnesota Report The tally for loss of legislative years, being kept by League of Cities Intergovernmental Relations Director Gary Carlson has hit 547 years, with the announced retirement of Sen Carrie Ruud (R-10, Breezy Point). We expect there will be more...
May 2, 2022
Minnesota Report On Sunday, President Joe Biden (D), US Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Presidential Historian Jon Meacham, University of Minnesota President Joan Gable, and Professor Larry Jacobs and others, all spoke about qualities and impact...
May 2, 2022
Minnesota Report If you read our piece Shawn Towle Exposes His Past, you learned about Contained Solutions a nonprofit seeking funding to construct housing, fourplexes across the state, in mainly the core cities and regional centers. As the Capital Investment...
May 2, 2022
Minnesota Report On the Republican side of the aisle in the Minnesota legislature, there is a growing call for intensive investigation into nonprofits especially, in light of the FBI raid in January of the office of Feeding Our Future. The alleged abuse of federal and...
May 2, 2022
Minnesota Report Clubs, Last week, friends gathered at the Lilliedale Pool and Yacht Club and to remember Cort Holten. During the remembrances, people referred to his work creating the Sentencing Guidelines Commission and the creation of card clubs at the race...
Apr 7, 2022
National and Minnesota Report America was not as divided of a nation before the inception of Fox News, and as it was said by Bill Murray in Stripes in 1982, “That’s a fact, Jack.” Comments by President Joe Biden (D) recently revealed his description of Rupert Murdoch...
Apr 7, 2022
Minnesota Report Legislators will take an extended break after this week and return to their respective districts across the state, away from the Capitol. Historically, this is a common time that results in a level of course correction, or reality check. When this...
Apr 4, 2022
Federal and Minnesota Report On Friday, the US House of Representatives passed a bill for cannabis decriminalization on a mostly party line vote 228-164. We argue this is probably the most impactful vote of the entire legislative session, politically. This removes...
Apr 4, 2022
Minnesota Report We spoke with a seasoned veteran lobbyist Bill Amberg who has a law firm and runs his own shop, about how he sees the legislative session playing out. He is often a political source with a good read of the tea leaves. Amberg said, he envisions a...
Apr 4, 2022
Minnesota Report The announcement last week that Enbridge pipeline Number 3 pierced the watershed, three different times, comes as no surprise to us. The fact it occurred and was actually report, well reported well after the occurrence, isn’t a surprise either. The...
Apr 4, 2022
Minnesota Report The idea of a Gas Tax Holiday this summer is a worthwhile concept. If a short-term fix to soaring gas prices is what Republicans want, then extract a large amount in response Governor Tim Walz (D-MN). In exchange demand the largest Bonding Bill in...
Apr 4, 2022
Minnesota Report On Saturday, at a small gathering of friends and supporters, Checks & Balances Publisher Shawn Towle, got humble and discussed his recent history of living three years on a friends couch and another six months in another friend eldest son’s...
Mar 25, 2022
Minnesota Report On Monday, 4th term Rep Jennifer Schultz (DFL-7A, Duluth) will announce her desire to retain the title Representative, but this time it will be at the federal level in Virginia. She announced she would not be seeking reelection earlier in the...
Mar 25, 2022
Minnesota Report We recently had a conversation with former DFL Minority/Majority now Independent Sen Tom Bakk (I-MN) about the possibilities of a run for governor. He said, he had an email from someone who would write a check for the first $1000 just that day. He...
Mar 25, 2022
Minnesota Report While watching the tally board on SF3372, a bill inspired by Sen David Tomassoni (I-06, Chisholm), to fund ALS research, commonly known as Lou Gherig Disease, and economic support for families yesterday on the House Floor, we were perplexed when we...
Mar 25, 2022
International and Minnesota Report Yesterday, on House Floor the body moved to divest from Russia and Belarus, of which we were the first to call for state divestiture from Russia in February with the Budget Forecast announcement. On a vote of 126-0 the House passed...
Mar 10, 2022
Minnesota Report We plan on providing you a general feeling index of what is happening in the halls of the State Capitol. This will be our aggregate assessment of progress and reconciliation between the House DFL Majority, the Republican Senate Majority and Governor...
Mar 10, 2022
Minnesota Report We wrote a story a few weeks back entitled, Have Republicans Forgotten to Listen to Their Mothers? Which begs the question of Republican candidates for Governor on how they would have responded to the COVID Pandemic and be “Better Safe Than Sorry.”...
Mar 10, 2022
International, National and Minnesota Report Long, Live Ukraine! Isn’t it ironic, isn’t he a peach, Vladimir Putin seeks to return to the glory days of the Soviet Union and the buffer zone, Moldova, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,...
Mar 10, 2022
National and Minnesota Report Checks & Balances has always been opposed to structural monopolies, whether they be a municipal electric utility with a franchise agreement, a cable company through a franchise agreement or a railroad. Now, with family connections...
Mar 4, 2022
International, National and Minnesota Report On Tuesday, Checks & Balances was the only media outlet to broach the topic of the Russian War with Ukraine during the Revenue Forecast press conference. We asked the following question of Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN):...
Mar 2, 2022
Minnesota Report We spoke with Sen Rich Draheim (R-20, Madison Lake) regarding activity in his Housing Finance and Policy Committee, and learned a interesting piece of information. The Chair does not support Housing Infrastructure Bonds (HIB) for passage because of...
Mar 2, 2022
Minnesota Report Last night, at the Carpenter’s Union Hall, at the same time as President Joe Biden’s (D) State of the Union Address a bipartisan gathering of people came to commemorate and support Sen David Tomassoni (I-06, Chisholm) and contribute to the MN ALS...
Mar 1, 2022
Minnesota Report Listening to Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN), Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller (R-28 Winona), House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt (R-31A, Crown), House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL036B, Brooklyn Park and Senate Minority Leader Melisa Lopez Franzen...
Feb 24, 2022
Minnesota Report Yesterday’s, retirement announcement by Senate Minority Leader Melisa Lopez Franzen (DFL-49, Edina), the first person of color to hold the top leadership spot in a senate caucus, to retire rather than challenge Sen Ron Latz (DFL-46, St Louis Park),...
Feb 24, 2022
Minnesota Report As we look at the DFL Senate Minority, we see a functional problem after the legislative session, which is it functional leaderless situation, post Senate Minority Leader Melisa Lopez Franzen (DFL-49, Edina) retirement announcement. Now, its not a...
Feb 24, 2022
Minnesota Report Sen Jerry Newton (DFL-37, Coon Rapids) a retired US Army Sergeant Major was first elected to the House in a Special Election in 2009, lost reelection in 2010, only to comeback in 2013. He then successfully ran for the Senate in 2016 and announced his...
Feb 22, 2022
Minnesota Report When new legislative districts are announced the spate of choices are limited for legislators drawn together with another member or for those drawn out of the districts they currently represent. Those choices are, run in the district you are drawn...
Feb 22, 2022
Minnesota Report In the FAQ’s, for the MN State Legislature, the following information is provided. Representatives and Senators must be qualified voters of the state, be 21 years of age, and must have resided one year in the state. In addition, legislators must have...
Feb 16, 2022
Minnesota Report Senate Seats Number of Incumbents Paired: 22 Number of Open Seats: 12 DFL v. DFL: 2 Republican v. Republican: 4 DFL v. Republican: r=t Recent announcements are, Sen Mary Kiffmeyer (R-30, Big Lake) is retiring, Rep Eric Lucero (R-30B, Dayton) is...
Feb 15, 2022
Minnesota Report We know, every political is looking at the maps and determining how it affects them. The first two elements of the Congressional Map, which stand out are the 2nd Congressional District loses Goodhue and Wabasha counties, and due to their conservative...
Feb 15, 2022
National and Minnesota Report We thought one aspect of the pandemic worth-noting would be the corporate greed evident from the hospitals. As we wrote prior about the Mayo Clinic, which offered a pittance to its nurses and staff. Read our prior article Nurses Great...
Feb 15, 2022
National and Minnesota Report Former Minneapolis City Council, School Board member and staunch critic of the Reform the Police Charter Amendment aka Defund the Police, Don Samuels, is preparing to challenge Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN05) for the 5th Congressional...
Feb 15, 2022
Minnesota Report We, like every other political person, will be paying close attention to the State Redistricting Panels website, as they release the Congressional and State Legislative Maps today at 12:00 pm. https://www.mncourts.gov/2021redistrictingpanel The impact...
Feb 9, 2022
Minnesota Report On Monday, while leaving the House floor at the end of the session, House Speaker Melissa Hortman while speaking with her Press Secretary Ted Modrich pondered out loud in a manner intended to be overhead, whether the need for masks in the House would...
Feb 9, 2022
Minnesota Report The execution of Amir Locke, which all can clearly see on video, maybe the catalyst which brings about an end to No-Knock Warrants. Statements from the Gun Rights Owners Caucus and the BIPOC community, Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) and other legislative...
Feb 9, 2022
Minnesota Report In spite of the dramatic changes brought about by Donald J Trump (R) in the Republican Party, moving from a national defense posture against Russia, not placating North Korea and active engagement with China, some core values, like law and order, tax...
Feb 7, 2022
Minnesota Report Because we have a divided legislature, are in the midst of an off-year election with new forthcoming legislative districts, and unless there are incentives for all sides to compromise, the status quo will prevail. Meaning, if there isn’t an agreement...
Feb 7, 2022
Minnesota Report The erosion in the base-funding for Minnesota’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund started in 2016. Critics argue House Speaker Kurt Daudt (R-31A, Crown) held Iron Range Unemployment hostage to get the reductions in the fund payments from employers....
Feb 7, 2022
National and Minnesota Report As Minnesota’s first digital political publication, we have carried opinion from outside voices throughout our history dating back to 1995. Here is a submission on an issue which is currently under attack in across the nation in...
Feb 3, 2022
Minnesota Report We participated in a Zoom call with Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) and the legislative leadership, Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller (R-28, Winona), Senate Minority Leader Melisa Lopez Franzen (DFL-49, Edina), House Minority Leader Ryan Winkler...
Feb 2, 2022
Minnesota Report Last night, the Republican Party of Minnesota held, in-person caucuses, again, this is the GOP response across the board, as we discussed yesterday in the MN State Senate Office Building in our article Two Different Worlds in the State Senate Office...
Feb 2, 2022
Minnesota Report On Monday, Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) said what he expected could pass early was Frontline Worker Pay and Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund replenishment and now there is a bill. HF3007 Authored by Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (DFL-46A, Golden...
Feb 2, 2022
Minnesota Report Years ago, Checks & Balances asked for the regular report from the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board to be provided as an Excel Spreadsheet, and thanks to Gary Bauer our request has been fulfilled each time since. Here are the End of...
Feb 2, 2022
Minnesota Report Former Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek (R-MN) announced his candidacy yesterday and released this campaign ad. Stanek for Governor. He enters a wide field, but believes public safety will be his edge on the competition. His entrance was met by...
Feb 2, 2022
National & Minnesota Report If Congressman Tom Emmer (R-MN06) wants to mainstream cryptocurrency, there is a simple method. The federal government would need to accept Bitcoin, Ethereum, Doge, non-fungible tokens (NFT) or any other blockchain protected money...
Feb 1, 2022
Minnesota Report In his talk with reporters, a fully-masked Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) and similarly so, Lt Governor Peggy Flannagan (DFL-MN) talked with reporters after dispensing lemon bars and chocolate covered Rice Krispy bars, to the House said, he thought...
Feb 1, 2022
Minnesota Report If you can make you way in the Senate Office Building, you must first stop at the Senate Clerks Desk, have an appointment or contact a specific senate office and wait to be escorted up. If you go to the 1st floor, where the main hearing rooms are,...
Feb 1, 2022
Minnesota Report We asked the following question of Senate Minority Leader Melissa Lopez Franzen (DFL-49, Edina) C&B: You have conceded the fact that you are not setting the agenda for this legislative session. So, with the fact that this is going to be a session...
Jan 31, 2022
National Report If we learned anything from Donald J Trump (R) it is the value of hyperbole and overselling. This is why we have been left with the Big Lie, and the stamp of his Presidency and its greasy stain. If President Joe Biden (D) wants to save his Build Back...
Jan 31, 2022
Minnesota Report As the 2022 Legislative Session commences today, we see an opportunity for a compromise on taxes would be mutually beneficial to both political parties, but would take a Herculean Lift to pass. In the light of a $7.7 billion surplus, which we have...
Jan 28, 2022
International and Minnesota Report As the Biden Administration is focused on the Russian build-up surrounding Ukraine, we wonder as the attention is fixated on this region, what is happening elsewhere around the globe. In the case of Vladmir Putin, are his designs on...
Jan 28, 2022
Minnesota Report My mother often said, the adage, “Better safe than sorry.” Which then begs the question “Beware the unintended consequences.” In the contest for the Governorship, the Republican candidates will be constantly fighting uphill against Governor Tim Walz...
Jan 28, 2022
Minnesota Report The announcement by Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman (DFL-36B, Brooklyn Park) and Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller (R-28, Winona) are set. The first deadline of the 2022 is 25th, the 2nd April 1st (No Fooling) and the 3rd on April 8th. Another...
Jan 28, 2022
Minnesota Report Nick Muhammad, Executive Director of the Black Civic Network is preparing to announce his candidacy for Ramsey County Commissioner in the 6th District. He has been active in the local political scene helping St Paul Mayor Melvin Carter III (DFL-St...
Jan 23, 2022
Minnesota Report Rep Rena Moran’s (DFL-65A, St Paul) name is now added to the list of those not seeking reelection. She will be a candidate for the Ramsey County Board seat being vacated by Toni Carter (DFL). Moran the current House Ways and Means Chair, will...
Jan 21, 2022
Minnesota Report Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) proposal to allot $700.000 million and provide to single tax-filers under $164,000, $175 and joint filers $350 is receiving a traditional response from Republicans, who are calling it a gimmick and in turn calling for...
Jan 21, 2022
Minnesota Report A letter was sent from Peter Wattson and Joe Mansky to the chairs of the House and Senate Redistricting Committees, as we had said prior there being a possibility of agreement on a Congressional Map because the two offered by the Wattson and the...
Jan 21, 2022
Minnesota Report We spoke with Concordia College-St Paul Professor Bruce Corrie about the Redistricting Plan that carries his name. We referred to this plan like a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) at the United Nations, because their principles were not tied to any...
Jan 21, 2022
Minnesota Report Last evening, we had the privilege to have a conversation with Sen Tom Bakk (I-03, Cook). The first question we asked, was are you running for reelection, to which he said, “I might run for Governor, but I haven’t decided.” We followed, but what about...
Jan 21, 2022
Minnesota Report We have said for years, the commuter parking lots for bus riders should have solar panels to collect energy and not just be parking lots but power stations. Now, with the Metropolitan Council rolling out E-Buses and cities starting to place e-charging...
Jan 21, 2022
Minnesota Report There is a great deal of talk about the nursing shortage, but also the failed responses being made by the healthcare institutions is an issue as well. At the Mayo Clinic, nurses are leaving in droves and the clinics response isn’t being met with much...
Jan 21, 2022
Minnesota Report The announcement of Ramsey County Commissioner Toni Carter (DFL) not to seek reelection, leads to a scenario we refer to as Dominoes. The reason being how it effects other people, especially other currently serving elected officials. The different...
Jan 20, 2022
Minnesota Report Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) is pulling a play out of the Governor Jesse Ventura (IP-MN) playbook and proposes to return a portion of the surplus in the form of “Walz Checks.” We expect Ventura will be quick to remind us, too. This is...
Jan 18, 2022
Minnesota Report As this is released, Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) is holding small site visits to announce different aspects of his Capital Budget request he is presenting to the state legislature. The information is currently available on the Office of Management and...
Jan 10, 2022
Minnesota Report On year after January 6, 2020, we are still a divided nation, state and family. Misguided places like the Crow Wing County Board are still calling for an audit of the 2020 election more than a year after-the-fact. The lunacy of Donald J Trump...
Jan 10, 2022
Minnesota Report With the normal tenacious nature of our publisher Shawn Towle calling for the State Five-Judge Panel to release all information presented to the court and prevent any type of Ex Partee communication from occurring, the website now has the oral...
Jan 10, 2022
Minnesota Report On a 4-1 vote, the Crow Wing County Board voted to call for an election audit, in spite of the fact Donald J Trump carried the vote 63.91% over Joe Biden 34.17%. When all but Commissioner Steve Barrows (District 3) voted in favor we then ask if former...
Jan 10, 2022
National and Minnesota Report The crux of the debate is the result and whether of not, your person won. This is not democracy, it’s a foregone conclusion and a foist of one perspective on a voting population. On Friday, New York Times Columnist David Brooks said on...
Jan 10, 2022
Minnesota Report During the debate over a new Viking’s Stadium in the 2012 session, in which a bill finally passed, we had broadly discussed the idea of using Sports Book gambling as a funding source, prior to the US Supreme Court’s decision Murphy v. National...
Jan 4, 2022
Minnesota Report Shortly, the oral arguments being made by the plaintiffs in the Wattson v. Simon case along with the intervenors, Peter Wattson, the lead is former Senate Counsel with significant involvement in past redistricting efforts); the Anderson Plaintiffs...
Dec 30, 2021
National and Minnesota Report As the ongoing dispute with Sen Joe Manchin (D-WV) continues over President Joe Biden’s (D) Build Back Better Plan continues we view the negotiations in a similar light as negotiation with members of the Iron Range Delegation were. Some...
Dec 30, 2021
Minnesota Report Webster’s defines ignorance as a lack of knowledge, understanding, or education. In politics, all are part of the process and each are achieved over the course of time. Those who argue for a big tent in the Democratic Party may be doing so for a...
Dec 30, 2021
Minnesota Report Income tax is the problem at the federal level and the reason is every dollar is not treated the same. Investment income is tax at a different rate than waged income and when Warren Buffett decries the fact, he pays less in taxable income than his...
Dec 30, 2021
Minnesota Report When you come with the title of Doctor then trust is baked into the formula. So, it is why, when the negotiations over Insulin was placed in Dr Scott Jensen’s (R-47, Chaska) people deferred to the doctor and believed when he said, if Minnesota struck...
Dec 10, 2021
Minnesota Report The reality is, if the state legislature acts and the Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) signs, a redistricting plan goes into effect. At this time, the legislature is at odds over what plans it will put forward. Because of the partisan divide, the House DFL...
Dec 10, 2021
Minnesota Report Earlier this week, the DFL Party State Executive Committee considered and firmly rejected to the formation of a constituency caucus called Democratic Socialists. Now, yes, it is clear, there are hard-left leaning politicians and individuals that...
Dec 8, 2021
Minnesota Report Historically, when the Revenue Forecast is released, we are at the press conference and ask a standard question of the Office of Management and Budget Commissioner, which is what tis the state’s Debt Capacity. This year, as I was last year, we...
Dec 7, 2021
Minnesota Report Today, the Office of Management and Budget released the November Revenue Forecast. The amount being a surplus of $7.7 billion. The Minnesota economy, jobs numbers and unemployment rates all surpass the federal figures. The outlook is clear and bright...
Nov 29, 2021
National Report Today, another salvo was fired in the battle between Rep Lauren Boebert (R-CO05) and Rep Ilhan Omar (D-MN05). This escalating War of Words, Tweets and floor statements is a sharp example of the culture wars playing out on the floor of the House of...
Nov 29, 2021
Minnesota Report When we considered the number of retirements surrounding redistricting elections, our snap judgment was there were greater number of incumbents who bowed out in redistricting years rather than in a normal election cycle. After a review of he election...
Nov 11, 2021
Minnesota Report Yesterday, Management and Budget Commissioner Jim Schowalter announced the October Revenue Figures and once again our state is collecting more money than was forecast in February....
Nov 11, 2021
Minnesota Report As the 2021 United Nations COP26 Climate Change Conference is coming to a close, its clear the efforts being agreed to by world governments, political leaders and environmental organizations will result in change, but also it will be woefully...
Nov 11, 2021
National Report For the entirety of our political involvement, we have felt there is a political matrix. Our thoughts were based on the political polarities of left, right and center. Additionally, those three categories having their own divisions of left, right and...
Oct 28, 2021
Minnesota Report We received this message in our email last evening conveyed from the DFL Senate District 66 Chair Ryan Lee. Please see the below message from Representative Alice Hausman of House District 66A: Dear friends in District 66, I am sharing the...
Oct 27, 2021
Minnesota Report The fact, our nation continues to be divided on the issue of Abortion should come as no surprise, and the fact, state legislatures are dominated by paternalistic men who are quite comfortable dictating to women what they do with their bodies should...
Oct 27, 2021
Minnesota Report Focus: Minneapolis With an eye on Minneapolis and its municipal elections, we thought a view of the early turnout numbers compared to 2017 worth visiting. In 2017, 105,928 voters cast ballots from the 259,060 registered voters, with 9,762 registering...
Oct 27, 2021
Minnesota Report Minnesota, as is the rest of the country, is experiencing a political upheaval. The sides are being drawn on mask mandates, vaccine efficacy and government response to the pandemic. As the debate rages, many people fail to see the forest through the...
Oct 26, 2021
Minnesota Report Focus: Municipal Elections Friday’s Minneapolis Mayoral Debate on Almanac, was clearly more of a discussion, and a situation where the three other candidates in the race Sheila Nezhad (DFL-Minneapolis), Kate Knuth (DFL-Minneapolis), and AJ Awed...
Oct 25, 2021
Minnesota Report Focus: Municipal Elections There is a different campaign effort underway in Bloomington and Minnetonka for the voters who cast ballots in their municipal elections to take a picture of the single vote they cast in the voting booth. This is intended...
Oct 25, 2021
Minnesota Report Focus: Municipal Elections Next week voters in both Twin Cities will decide on the person to run their city and whether or not to institute a Rent Control measure in their respective communities. In St Paul, Mayor Melvin Carter III has not taken a...
Oct 25, 2021
Minnesota Report The insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6th was nothing short of Treason. Now, because we are a country of laws and not of men, we have a United States Constitution, which allows for innocence before guilt and a trial in a court of law rather...
Oct 25, 2021
National Report It is clear, Donald J Trump (R) is deluded but since he has appeared in movies and on television and event hosted a program, started a couple of casinos and bankrupted them, owned a football team in the USFL, and rose to the highest office in the land,...
Oct 19, 2021
Minnesota Report Today, Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) flanked by Lt Governor Peggy Flanagan (DFL-MN) in a video on a football field announced their reelection for 2022. The just over two-minute spot, entitled, Goal Line Stand, clearly a commercial on the front-end, which...
Oct 19, 2021
Minnesota Report Yesterday afternoon, Congresswoman Ihan Omar (D-05, Minneapolis) held a press event to announce her selections for Minneapolis Mayor. In some circles this could be seen as an edict from the Queen, as we understand, this was her moniker from her...
Oct 15, 2021
Minnesota Report Webster’s Dictionary has two definitions of Scapegoat. 2a: one that bears the blame for others b: one that is the object of irrational hostility Both oddly enough, seem to appropriately fit the threat looming from the Republican Majority Controlled...
Oct 15, 2021
Minnesota Report We received the following release signed by a number of members of the Minneapolis Legislative Delegation. The purpose of the release is to support someone for Minneapolis Mayor other than Jacob Frey. Absent from the list are: Sens Bobby Jo Champion...
Oct 15, 2021
Minnesota Report Yesterday’s article in MinnPost by Walker Orenstein, entitled What the report on Democrats’ troubles in ‘factory towns’ means for Minnesota, offers an insight to the shifting political changes on the Iron Range and other communities in Greater...
Oct 15, 2021
Minnesota Report First candidate announces for the DFL endorsement to replace retiring Sen Chuck Wiger (DFL-43, Maplewood). Lienemann announces run for Minnesota Senate Leslie Lienemann has announced she will seek the DFL endorsement for the current Senate District...
Oct 15, 2021
Minnesota Report Sen David Osmek (R-33, Mound) has been selected by his colleagues in the Senate Republican Caucus to suceed Jeremy Miller (R-28, Winona) as the President of the Senate. He receipt of the gavel will occur the next the body convenes.
Oct 7, 2021
Federal and Minnesota Report We will start with this, Congressman Dean Phillips (D-MN03, Deephaven); you’re wrong. Dead wrong. You should really talk to someone who knows what they are talking about, not Jeanne Massey. If you really are as you say you are a proud...
Oct 7, 2021
Federal, Minnesota, Maine and Colorado Report Voter Choice Act Provides $40 Million to Help State and Local Governments that Choose to Adopt Ranked Choice Voting Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN), along with Sens. Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Angus King (I-ME), reintroduced the...
Oct 1, 2021
Federal Report As we see Haitians at the Southwestern border gathering under the Del Rio Bridge and then being forced onto plane destined for return to Haiti and her calls of Racism, we are not surprised. American immigration policies have never favored migration from...
Oct 1, 2021
Federal and State Report Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-06-MN) is a very vocal element in the Congressional group called the Squad. We dubbed her with the superheroine moniker Word awhile back. As The House debates the two key bills the $1.2 Trillion Bipartisan backed...
Oct 1, 2021
Federal Report Today, on CNN, famed Washington Post Reporter Carl Bernstein called it as he sees it and clearly identified Republican Donald J Trump (R), akin to civil war secessionists and identifies their mere existence as a threat to democracy. Now, this is not the...
Oct 1, 2021
Minnesota Report Federal dollars usually come with a string attached and that is a state match. On Tuesday, MNDOT Commissioner Margaret Anderson Kelliher identified $1 billion in need for bridge repair, in the land of the 35W Bridge collapse. If this is the starting...
Sep 23, 2021
Minnesota Report Minnesota State Statue Article 206 is entitled Voting Systems. Article 206.80 states: 206.80 ELECTRONIC VOTING SYSTEMS. (a) An electronic voting system may not be employed unless it: (1) permits every voter to vote in secret; (2) permits every voter...
Sep 23, 2021
Minnesota Report In Minneapolis, if you fail to select a candidate, who is not one of the final two finishers your ballot is deemed “Exhausted,” and you have been functionally disenfranchised. We thought this was an egregious issue on its own, but not we understand,...
Sep 23, 2021
Minnesota Report We have conceived of a novel idea, which we have always attributed to Eric Eskola of WCCO Radio and TPT Almanac fame, who posed the question of a 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 budget solution of 1999 at a gubernatorial press conference. When Reform Party Governor...
Sep 14, 2021
Minnesota Report Last night the Senate DFL met to choose a successor for Senate Minority Leader Susan Kent (DFL-53, Woodbury) who had announced her resignation earlier this month. As we expected, he 31 member caucus selected Sen Melisa Franzen (DFL-49, Edina). The...
Sep 9, 2021
Minnesota Report The Republican Senate Majority Caucus advanced Senate President Jeremy Miller (R-28, Winona) from the podium to the floor last night in an election to fill the vacancy created by Sen Paul Gazelka’s (R-09-Nisswa) resignation as Majority...
Sep 9, 2021
Minnesota Report It is good to see the Mill City is on one-hand seeking to follow the governance structure of the Capitol City and empower the mayor. On the other, the language of the proposed Minneapolis Charter Amendment on Police Reform in Minneapolis is still an...
Sep 7, 2021
Minnesota Report First off, in order to find all of the contributions Anton “Tony” Lazarro made to candidates, party units and PAC’s you will need to look under a number of names. This is significant because as of now, state law only allows active political campaigns...
Sep 7, 2021
Minnesota Report Today, former Senate Counsel Peter Wattson along with former Ramsey County Election Director Joe Masky, have put forward a redistricting plan in support of their case before the five-Judge Redistricting Panel. The plan accounts for three rural...
Sep 7, 2021
Minnesota Report A press release from the MN-ACLU, provides a very disturbing view of a potential cover-up by the Minnesota State Patrol’s use of excessive use of force during the George Floyd protests. If the alleged email and text purge occurred then holding the...
Aug 26, 2021
We at Checks & Balances are continuing our tradition of publishing the State Fair Polls found at the State Fair booths in the Education Building. Again, as we have said before, these provide an insight into the mindset and the issues of interest of the legislative...
Aug 23, 2021
Minnesota Report When local a ballot measure is put before voters either by petition or by the will of the city council, the definition of “what is, is,” comes to play. Because referenda is a change of course the interpretation of what the course correction is, is...
Aug 23, 2021
Minnesota Report We find great interest to hear the words of the embattled MNGOP Chair Jennifer Carnahan say she is being subjected to #MeToo and Cancel Culture, when #MeToo is about men and their power over women and not women and their power over other women and...
Aug 23, 2021
National and Minnesota Report Just as we did in 1990, 2000, and 2020, if Minnesota receives an infusion of new Afghan refugees and over the next decade, they solidify their connection to our state by raising families we will see a similar effect as we did when the...
Aug 20, 2021
Minnesota Report The recent attention on Republican Party Chair Jennifer Carnahan accomplishes one fact it made her the focus of the gamut of political coverage and not Rep John Thompson (DFL-67A, St Paul). Here is an example of where a salacious story with a sexual...
Aug 20, 2021
Minnesota Report Anyone concerned with the future of the Republican Party of Minnesota should call for a cyber forensic audit of all of the emails and wire transfers that have occurred during the tenure of Jennifer Carnahan if they want to get to the full scope of...
Aug 20, 2021
Minnesota Report As of now, there will be two different referendums on the ballot in Minneapolis that effectively have cross purposes. One, proposed by the Minneapolis Charter Commission, would change the city structure to giving the more power to the mayor amending...
Aug 18, 2021
Minnesota Report Last Thursday, the Decennial 2020 Census Bloc Data was released by the US Census Department and it provides the information necessary for our state to decide what our political subdivisions will look like for the next decade. This will be, by...
Jul 12, 2021
Minnesota Report The attention of the moment after the end of the legislative Special Session has been about the July 4th stop of Rep John Thompson (DFL-67A, St Paul), his lack of a Minnesota Driver’s License and later questions about his residency in his...
Jun 30, 2021
Minnesota Report As the legislature prepares to complete it’s work, the House is working on the Tax Bill, making sure it covers the costs of what was spent and needs to be paid for, but interesting the Tax Bill doesn’t actually need to be signed. The...
Jun 29, 2021
The likelihood of a Capital Investment Bill is a truly up in the air question. On the first-hand Republicans have been quite hostile to Bonding Bills in the odd-number years, because this is off cycle. Secondly, with Sen Tom Bakk (I-03, Cook), former DFL...
Jun 29, 2021
Minnesota Report When the issue first raised its ugly head, Minnesota was a divided legislature and the state House was controlled by Republicans, while the Senate was controlled by the DFL, and private insurers were leaving the MNSure program in droves. The question...
Jun 29, 2021
Minnesota Report As the last day of the Special Session looms, there are key items for consideration including Senate concurrent with the House on the E-12 Education Bill in the Senate, a Tax Bill to line up the revenues and cuts and possibly a Bonding Bill. The...
Jun 25, 2021
Minnesota and National Report The existence and mainstreaming of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Dogecoin and Ethereum begs the question when will these alternative financial currencies become the coin of the realm in politics? We ask this question, because unlike...
Jun 25, 2021
Minnesota and National Report It is clear, many people will be tuning in to hear the sentence imposed on Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd. As justice is served to Chauvin the three other officers, J Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao will pay close...
Jun 25, 2021
Minnesota Report As the world’s eye’s turn their attention to Minneapolis and the sentencing of convicted former police officer Derek Chauvin, the Judiciary & Public Safety Bill is still in a holding pattern because the two sides cannot find a suitable...
Jun 24, 2021
Minnesota Report When supporters of Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV) declare the system produces majority winners they’re grossly misrepresent the truth. A majority victory (50%+1) has happened here in Minnesota less than 42% of the time when a reallocation of votes occurs....
Jun 24, 2021
Minnesota Report We thought a chart or a scorecard was a simple way to follow the current situation at the state legislature. We believe, this session is not anything front-of-mind for many Minnesotans, and the issue of concern might be important to many, they are not...
Jun 18, 2021
Minnesota Report Yesterday, the MN House of Representatives was set to consider four Budget Bills, HF0013 Legacy Fund Budget Omnibus author Rep Leon Lillie (DFL-43B, North St Paul), HF0008 Agriculture Budget Omnibus Author Mike Sundin (DFL-11A, Esko), HF0007 Higher...
Jun 18, 2021
Minnesota Report Yesterday, the US Supreme Court on a 7-2 decision dismissed the case CALIFORNIA ET Al. v TEXAS ET Al. brought by a number of Republican State Attorney’s Generals in in opposition to the Affordable Care Act, (ACA) aka Obama Care, saying the plaintiffs...
Jun 15, 2021
Minnesota Report The House and Senate both met at 12:00 pm yesterday. The House took up the issue of the Governor’s Executive Powers and again the DFL House Majority supported Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN). We understand the Senate is planning to do so at the end of the...
Jun 15, 2021
Minnesota Report Ramsey County Commissioner Jim McDonough (DFL) announced on Facebook last week his decision not to seek reelection. Prior, to this announcement Mai Chong Xiong, Legislative Aide to St Paul City Council Member Dai Thao had announce her intention to...
Jun 2, 2021
National and Minnesota Report If you haven’t heard the lasted Donald J Trump (R) pipe dream, he will be reinstalled as President by August. The latest cyberattack on JBS, a multinational Brazilian owned company, hits America right where it hurts just as grilling...
Jun 2, 2021
Minnesota Report Our conversations with different sides on negotiations for completing their work on the State Budget for 2021-2022 is that Higher Education, Commerce, Agriculture and the Legacy are close to being completed and all other committees are far apart. The...
Jun 2, 2021
Minnesota Report Today, St Paul Mayor Melvin Carter III made the Capitol City a freer place to live, work and breath. In the following statement he called for an end to the city’s mask mandate. Here is the complete release. Today, Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter signed...
Jun 2, 2021
Minnesota Report We attended the 6:30 am wreath laying ceremony at Fort Snelling on Monday. In attendance were Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) and US Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN). The solemn ceremony was highlighted by a beautiful rendition of two...
May 28, 2021
Minnesota Report On the last day of session, Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN), House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL-36B, Brooklyn Park) and Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-09, Nisswa) were all smiles at the press conference when they announced their Budget Agreement....
May 28, 2021
Minnesota Report The DFL House Majority and its respective committee chair are suffering from a dosage of fear factor and it stems from the failure of the majority to pass State Aid For Emergencies (SAFE) HF0445 back in February. The fact six member of the DFL Caucus...
May 28, 2021
Minnesota and National Report It is rather pathetic to know that 368 days after the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis Police Officer no significant police reform language has passed with the US Congress or the Minnesota Legislature. The failure to...
May 21, 2021
National and Minnesota Report The only Democrats who voted against the Emergency Security Supplemental funding for US Capitol security were three members of the Squad. Here is the press release from Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN05) on her vote. Reps. Bush, Omar,...
May 21, 2021
Minnesota Report As we understand it the State of Minnesota is still awaiting direction from the US Treasury Department on how it can use the American Rescue Plan Act funds. The question is how the money will be applied by the Office of Management and Budget....
May 21, 2021
Minnesota Report Republicans as the anti-government party, may have seemed to cave at the last minute for no apparent reason, but on Sunday night as we were looking at the end of the legislative session we thought if the current situation continued, they put...
May 21, 2021
Minnesota Report We understand an interesting thing happened when the three sides finally met prior to the final agreement on May 16th. In a meeting just before Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman (DFL-36B, Brooklyn Park) said to Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) and his...
May 7, 2021
National and Minnesota Report Since the Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) has experience with Capital Bonding as Lt Governor, she should propose through legislation the formation of a Federal Capital Budget. This is an idea Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-09, CA) has previously...
May 7, 2021
Minnesota Report Anyone who has read Checks & Balances for the last decade knows our Publisher Shawn Towle is a staunch opponent of Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) and he will be testifying before the State Government Finance Conference Committee on HF1952. The Senate...
May 7, 2021
Minnesota Report As people are watching the Conference Committee on S.F. 970 – Omnibus judiciary and public safety finance and policy bill they are seeing a process of going through the motions. It doesn’t make good television and is a series of talking heads many...
May 7, 2021
Minnesota Report The fact Minnesota retained it 8 Congressional Districts in 2010 and 2020 is do to the two immigrant populations of Somalis and Hmong who came to our state in the 1970-80’s. If it weren’t for this in migration, we would have lost our federal...
Apr 27, 2021
Minnesota Report The early report of the state population totals by the US Census Bureau carried pleasant news for our state yesterday. The decennial counting of heads is always a time of winners and losers and once again we snuck past New York by 89 people to retain...
Apr 27, 2021
Minnesota and National Report An interesting position has been brought to our attention from political people who identify as Hispanic, they believe the term Latinex cost Democratic votes in states like Arizona, California, Florida, New Mexico and Texas. The reason...
Apr 21, 2021
Minnesota, and National Report It’s sad that our state is the focal point for so much consternation in this nation. We have now justifiably convicted two police officers for killing people while in uniform, Mohamed Noor and now Derek Chauvin. The key evidence in both...
Apr 21, 2021
Minnesota and National Report The announcement of the death of former Vice-President Walter Fritz Mondale hit hard. Checks & Balances Publisher Shawn Towle had the opportunity to talk with him on numerous occasions especially their shared distain for Ranked Choice...
Apr 21, 2021
Minnesota Report When something is freely available to the public a private company should not be able to charge you for its use. This is blatantly wrong. The cable television business is doing this by charging nearly $20.00 a month for the use of local television...
Mar 15, 2021
National and Minnesota Report As the influence of Donald J Trump (R) continues to affect the Republican parties at both federal and state levels, as is the case in Minnesota, the push for legislation to tighten voting standards and processes, like Photo ID continue....
Mar 15, 2021
National and Minnesota Report President Joe Biden’s (D) Executive Order on Promoting Access to Voting is a direct response to what is happening across the nation as Republican controlled legislative bodies work to suppress future electoral opportunities for...
Mar 15, 2021
Minnesota Report At the start of the 2021 legislative session when House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL-36B, Brooklyn Park) decried the end result of the 2020 saying, “We won’t let is happen again,” she was being a bit Pollyannish. The want for the same not to occur is...
Mar 15, 2021
Minnesota Report Republicans breathed a sense of relief when Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) announce a greatly anticipated turning of the dial on Friday. Granted, they do not think it has gone far enough and continue to weigh-in on stripping the Executive Powers from him,...
Feb 16, 2021
National Report In Washington, DC politics, the concept of entitlement comes into play often, but instead of being about what is a just do from the government as a social program, which fiscal conservatives look askance at, a different well used political statement is...
Feb 16, 2021
Minnesota Report When word came through that we will not receive the report on Census data until September of this year, it means something significant to the legislative process for redistricting which will not actually do much substantial without actual numbers....
Feb 16, 2021
Minnesota Report We spoke we a number of lobbyists on how they are plying their trade during COVID and learned they are able to exercise their established connections with experienced legislators, but it the freshmen they are having troubles connecting with. Zoom...
Feb 4, 2021
National Report When we learned the average education level of a Trump voter was below a high school diploma we were not surprised. The simplistic message that brought about his election was repetitive and sounded like an infomercial for a product you really didn’t...
Feb 4, 2021
Minnesota and National Report Last night, newly elected Congresswoman and former Lt Governor and state Senator Michelle Fischbach (R-MN07) seemed to defend Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA14) under the sneaky issue of “precedent.” Fischbach may use this as...
Feb 4, 2021
Minnesota Report Yesterday, Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) held a press conference and his office put out the following release, calling for $35 million to be budgeted for extraordinary circumstances of public need. During which he was joined by Department of Public...
Feb 4, 2021
Minnesota Report While Republicans Challenge the Premise of One Minnesota, that we’re all in on boat concept of the 2018 Tim Walz for Governor Campaign, we see signs of a seething hostility that exists between Greater Minnesota and the Twin Cities. This has been...
Feb 4, 2021
Minnesota Report ICYMI: The New York Times has an excellent Election Map showing the results by precinct 2016 and 2020. The color scheme shows clearly the changes when you flip back and forth the different areas of the state. Yes, former Vice-President Joe Biden (D)...
Feb 3, 2021
Minnesota Report The following are the End of the Year Reports for all of the Constitutional Officers, major political parties, and the legislative caucuses. One additional interesting item is the height of the coffers for Sen Tom Bakk’s (I-03, Cook)...
Feb 3, 2021
National Report As Donald J Trump’s (R) second impeachment trial is set to get underway, we reflect back on the rhetoric he espoused in 2016, which was based on the premise of “If We Lose,” in which he had an excuse delivered prior to the...
Jan 26, 2021
Minnesota Report Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) held a press conference to introduce his proposed budget for 2021-22. To view the press conference click here. One feature of the proposal which prior to the event, drew criticism from the Republican side, is the proposed...
Jan 26, 2021
Minnesota Report When government commenced the idea of bidding out government contracts to the lowest bidder and effectively privatized the system, they play into the Republican mantra of government being inefficient and ineffective. When systems like MNLARS and the...
Jan 26, 2021
Minnesota Report In the aftermath of the US Capitol insurrection, while watching a news story about State Capitol Security we witnessed a disturbing picture. The fence surrounding the building is linked together with a set of standard handcuffs. Now, this may seem to...
Jan 15, 2021
Minnesota and National Report As Republican officeholders backpedal and try to distance themselves from twice Impeached and the disgraced Donald J Trump (R) they think people suffer from amnesia. The support for Trump was a support for racism, bigotry, anti-Semitism,...
Jan 15, 2021
Minnesota and National Report When Republicans continue to criticize election procedures they do so with a common thought, which is some wrong happened, they know it but just can’t prove it. When asked about changes to election law, House Speaker Melisa Hortman...
Jan 12, 2021
Minnesota Report Yesterday, Dana Ferguson hosted the 2021 Forum Conversation with the Legislators. This is an annual event where the Governor and the legislative leaders field questions from the states’ leadership. During, this conversation there was a brightly...
Jan 4, 2021
National Report With the onset of the Civil War, in 1861, General Ulysses S Grant said, “There are but two parties now: traitors and patriots. And I want hereafter to be ranked with the latter and, I trust, the stronger party.” When you listen to the phone call from...
Jan 4, 2021
National Report We haven’t heard of anyone writing a song with this phrase but it seems like an obvious lyric. As we look to the Peach State and reflect upon the November election. The races of US Senators David Perdue (R-GA) and Kelly Loeffler were far different....
Jan 4, 2021
Minnesota Report Tomorrow, the MN House and Senate will open the 2021-2022 legislative session, swear-in their new and reelected members have the 2nd legislative session under COVID rules. You can watch the proceedings either on Channel 17 on each body’s website....
Dec 22, 2020
Minnesota Report Yesterday, Senate Republicans released their list of 2021-22 committee assignments. The list includes both Independent members of their caucus, both Sens Tom Bakk (I-03, Cook) and David Tomassoni (I-06, Chisholm), who have actively participated in...
Dec 1, 2020
Minnesota Report Today, Management and Budget Commissioner Jim Schowalter and Revenue Commissioner Robert Doty along with State Economist Laura Kalambokidis will release the November Forecast to provide some light on the state’s financial picture. Revenues have...
Dec 1, 2020
Minnesota Report Yesterday, the DFL House Caucus announced it list of committee chairs for the forthcoming legislative session. There are a number of 2nd term members who have received a gavel, and a notable placement of a woman of color, Rep Rena Moran...
Dec 1, 2020
Minnesota Report Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman announced the appointment of Rep. Rena Moran (DFL – Saint Paul) as the next chair of the House Ways and Means Committee. Rep. Moran expressed gratitude for the opportunity to chair the committee, which has broad...
Nov 25, 2020
Minnesota Report Yesterday, the Senate Republican Majority announced the Committee Chairs for 2021-22. As expected, Senators Tom Bakk (DFL-03, Cook) and David Tomassoni (DFL-06, Chisholm) were rewarded for their departure from the DFL Caucus with the Capitol...
Nov 25, 2020
Minnesota Report We did it again, 1st in the nation in voter participation. We just missed the elusive 80% mark by .05% while setting the nations standard for voting participation, but it is our best performance by raw votes in state history. Yesterday, Secretary of...
Nov 15, 2020
Minnesota Report Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-09, Nisswa) released the following statement. “Today I received confirmation of my positive covid test. I have been in quarantine since experiencing symptoms last Monday and will remain in quarantine as long as...
Nov 13, 2020
National and Minnesota Report There are reports out of the White House that Donald J Trump (R) is evolving to a position where he is acknowledging his lose and sees the specter of indictments looming on the horizon. He is soliciting money from supporters to assist in...
Nov 13, 2020
Minnesota Report Yesterday’s selection of Sen David Tomassoni (DFL-06, Chisholm) as the Senate President, the first time a minority member has held the position since partisan elections began in 1972, could have been done for all the right reasons, like reducing the...
Nov 13, 2020
Minnesota and National Report One of the reasons certain voters, read Trump supporters, are legitimate is their distrust of the news media, is because of the polls they continue to report. The reason news organizations do polling is to manufacture a story or a series...
Nov 6, 2020
Minnesota Report People tracking the 2020 election returns all know the impact of the Absentee Ballots this election. The weight of those votes is not something visible on the Secretary of State’s website, but the information is available from many Counties if...
Nov 5, 2020
Minnesota Report Just as is occurring nationally, here in Minnesota the Absentee Ballot counting has a possible impact on close elections in the legislature. Already in Senate District 14, Aric Putnam (DFL-14, St Cloud) has moved past incumbent Sen Jerry Relph (R-14,...
Nov 5, 2020
Minnesota Report One factor is clear and DFLers should take notice, as anticipated the Pot Parties only affected DFL candidates even though only the Legal Marijuana Now party fielded any candidates this election. Now, ignorant voices are being raised and calling for...
Nov 3, 2020
Minnesota Report We had the privilege to interview Secretary of State Steve Simon (DFL). Additionally, we will be on a Zoom Press Conference with him at 4:00 pm and report what we learned then as well. Stay tuned keep coming back through out the night to see what more...
Nov 3, 2020
Minnesota Report If you have missed us over the last week and a half, its because Checks & Balances was hacked and being used to send out SPAM. It took awhile to address the problem and required us to takedown the site, scrub the information and repost the...
Nov 3, 2020
Minnesota Report Last night the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office sent out an email to the counties providing more information on the 8th Circuit’s opinion. Court of Appeals Opinion Because we are getting a lot of questions about the U.S. Court of...
Nov 3, 2020
Minnesota Report The number of Absentee Ballot requests at the start of Election Day, is nearly three times the amount in 2016. As expected, the largest amount is coming from Hennepin, Ramsey and Dakota Counties. The seven-county metropolitan area accounts for...
Oct 19, 2020
Minnesota Report In 1994, US House Minority Leader Newt Gingrich (R-GA) put forward the Contract With America, which opponents labeled as the Contract on America. Today, the Republican Senate Majority led by Sen. Paul Gazelka (R-09, Nisswa) and Republican House...
Oct 16, 2020
Minnesota Report If any of the legislator’s who did not vote for the Bonding BIll show up at any of the ribbon cutting ceremonies they should be respectfully asked to leave. Too often, people who don’t vote for something do show up and take the credit for...
Oct 16, 2020
Minnesota Report Pheasant Hunting: A Tradition Continues in a Time of Uncertainty By Governor Tim Walz Like many Minnesotans, I grew up pheasant hunting, walking the fields on my family’s farm. It was, and is, a tradition passed from one generation to the next....
Oct 16, 2020
Minnesota Report During this pandemic, the number of Absentee Ballot requests, which ended on Tuesday, is up over twice the amount in 2016. As expected, the largest mount is coming from Hennepin, Ramsey and Dakota Counties. The seven-county metropolitan area accounts...
Oct 16, 2020
Minnesota and National Report Today, on MPR Congressman Jim Hagedorn (R-MN08) and DFL Endorsed Candidate Dan Feehan (D-MN08) faced-off. Shortly, after the completion we received the following Fact Checks from the Feehan Campaign and thought they were worth noting. In...
Oct 14, 2020
National and Minnesota Report The wordsmithing and creationist approach to interpreting the US Constitution is clearly evident in the Judge Amy Coney Barrett hearing in the US Senate Judiciary hearing. As a acolyte of Justice Antonin Scalia she sets off on the wrong...
Oct 14, 2020
Minnesota Report We spoke with Sen David Senjem (R-25, Rochester) regarding HF1 Omnibus bonding bill and inquired as to the likelihood of a passage during the 5th Special Session. He explained how he had initiated talks two weeks back with both the Senate Leadership...
Oct 14, 2020
Minnesota Report During this pandemic, the number of Absentee Ballot requests, which ended yesterday, is up nearly twice the amount in 2016. As expected, the largest mount is coming from Hennepin, Ramsey and Dakota Counties. The seven-county metropolitan area accounts...
Oct 6, 2020
National Report Last night, the national evening news watched the return to the White House of our nations leader, a malevolent narcissist, Donald J Trump (R) and it lasted the entirety of the 30-minute timeslot. After he ascended up the steps, walked over to the...
Oct 6, 2020
National and Minnesota Report Three major questions that are not being answered by Donald J Trump (R), the White House or his doctors. When was his last negative test? This is significant because it will clarify if he was contagious on Tuesday Night, during the...
Oct 6, 2020
Minnesota Report During this pandemic, the number of Absentee Ballot requests, which are still ongoing, is up nearly twice the amount in 2016. As expected, the largest mount is coming from Hennepin, Ramsey and Dakota Counties. The seven-county metropolitan area...
Oct 2, 2020
National Report Donald J Trump and first lady Melania, have both contracted COVID-19/Corona virus. They are now quarantined and in isolation. Yesterday morning, news reports starting with Bloomberg, confirmed Presidential advisor Hope Hicks, who had been on Air Force...
Sep 28, 2020
Minnesota and National Report Today, Congresswoman Angie Craig (D-MN02) a suit to over turn the action by Secretary of State Steve Simon (DFL-MN). Article I of the US Constitution states “The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and...
Sep 25, 2020
Minnesota and National Report The announcement by Secretary of State Steve Simon (DFL-MN) of the death of 2nd Congressional District Legal Marijuana Now Party candidate Adam Weeks creates an interesting set of circumstances. Because of the changes in Minnesota Law in...
Sep 25, 2020
National and Minnesota Report At the same moment Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg lies in state as the first woman, and first Jewish woman, to do so we contemplate what brought us to this situation. While generations of women commonly combine their affection...
Sep 25, 2020
Minnesota and National Report Attention is being given to Republican candidates who are showing a sympathy to QAnon. This should not be a surprise since Donald J Trump (R) has spoken favorably about the movement because, “They like me very much.” This radical fringe...
Sep 18, 2020
Minnesota and Wisconsin Report It’s usually hard for someone from Minnesota to say anything good about Wisconsin, but this year the electoral results of the Badger State are very significant. If Donald J Trump loses in the state to our east, he will likely lose...
Sep 18, 2020
National and Minnesota Report When former President Joe Biden (D) lands in Duluth later today he will be in friendly territory, but if he is going to have any impact, he needs to go elsewhere in the state. In Duluth, Hillary Clinton (D) carried the city handily...
Sep 18, 2020
Minneasota and National Report Yesterday, FBI Director Charles Wray, testified before the House Homeland Security Committee and confirmed the Russian is playing an active role in trying to influence our elections. The Russian Trolls and spoofed websites are continuing...
Sep 18, 2020
Minnesota and National Report In this election, every race is not about the actual competitors, it’s about Donald J Trump (R) .Since the 1st Congressional District is home to the prestigious Mayo Clinic, and because of the significance of it in the region both...
Sep 18, 2020
Minnesota Report Since, former Majority Leader Tom Bakk (DFL-03, Cook) and Sen David Tomassoni (DFL-06, Chisholm) were the two DFL votes against the confirmation of Commerce Commissioner Steve Kelley, which resulted in a 33-31 vote, because as we inferred, Sen Jim...
Sep 18, 2020
Minnesota Report On Monday, we were passed by a Ramsey County Sheriff’s SUV painted black, but without the white side panels clearly displaying what it was. Instead the entire vehicle was painted black and the identification was in a slightly lighter variation or...
Sep 18, 2020
Minnesota Report The impact of climate change is felt broadly throughout our society and the animal industry is a large contributor to methane gas. This significant in our state because of the poultry, bovine, swine, equine, and other ruminants, but there maybe a...
Sep 10, 2020
Minnesota Report This information was taken from a press release. Yesterday, Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) announced that he will convene the 4th special legislative session on September 11, 2020. He intends to extend the COVID-19 peacetime emergency by another 30 days,...
Sep 10, 2020
Minnesota Report There is trouble brewing in River City, or in this case, St Paul regarding various Commissioners appointments by Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN). We have had direct conversations with members of the Senate Republican Caucus, and believe Senate Majority...
Sep 10, 2020
National and Minnesota Report Bob Woodward may once again have taken down a President with his book Rage. In the early news accounts, he has also released some taped interviews with Donald J Trump (R) which clearly show he had full knowledge of the impact of the...
Sep 10, 2020
Minnesota Report On Sunday, the employees of Surly Brewing Company held an informational picket against the company stating the shutdown was a response to their unionization effort and not due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We said as much and believe it to be true. Our...
Sep 10, 2020
Minnesota Report Another distortion piece hit our mailbox yesterday. It again follows the Trump campaign line and put out by the Republican Party of Minnesota. They, like the Trump campaign nationally, are wasting their money trying to target inner city voters to move...
Sep 10, 2020
Have You Subscribed Yet? If you find what you are reading to be unique, thoughtful and informative, we ask you to subscribe to Checks & Balances. Since our inception on December 8, 1995, we have regularly scooped the Mainstream Media, we have provided...
Sep 3, 2020
National and Minnesota Report During the COVID-19 stay at home period, Minnesota held a venerable position of 1st place in self-directed Census completions, either by completing the forms online or by mail. With this pace we were likely to retain our eight...
Sep 3, 2020
Minnesota Report We received a mailing from the Republican Party of Minnesota sent out the registered voters list, which clearly shows along with the television commercials that have begun running, what the Donald J Trump (R) campaign intends to convey. They are...
Sep 3, 2020
Minnesota Report When the Surly Law was signed by Governor Mark Dayton (DFL-MN) on May 24, 2011 it posed the the greatest challenge to the three tier system of Minnesota’s alcohol laws since they were set up after the Prohibition Era. It allowed something people...
Aug 28, 2020
National Report Now that both political conventions have ended, we have two competing scenarios to reflect upon. Donald J Trump (R) poses a Doom & Gloom scenario of a Vice-President Joe Biden (D) Presidency. Trump attempted to invoke a Camelot moment on the White...
Aug 28, 2020
National Report When former Vice-President Joe Biden (D) and Donald J Trump (R) are set to debate and US Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Vice-President Mike Pence (R) have their respective debates. We envision two opportunities for Biden to unsettle Trump and Harris...
Aug 26, 2020
National Report When Donald J Trump (R) won the Electoral College Vote 304 to 227, we stated our nation was going to become Bizarro World, a Superman reference, where everything is opposite of what it is in reality. Just as a “Reality TV Show” isn’t reality at all...
Aug 26, 2020
Minnesota & National Report Since, Kanye West successfully has filed as a Presidential candidate, the question will be how much harder will people have to organize in North Minneapolis to turnout the vote? Or will the citizens of the Mill City and other areas be...
Aug 19, 2020
Minnesota Report There is little the Senate Republican Caucus can do in divided government to restrict the Executive Branch, but once again they are preparing to dismantle the Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) administration one person at a time by voting not to confirm his...
Aug 19, 2020
National and Minnesota Report At 1:14:57 on this YouTube Channel, the Minnesota Delegation Votes of 60 for former Vice-President Joe Biden (D) and 31 for US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) were jointly announced last night by US Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and St Paul...
Aug 13, 2020
Minnesota Report It’s likely to have been due to his gender, but of the 40 Primary contests 23 in the House and 17 in the Senate and of the three contested House Primaries with DFL endorsed Incumbents, Rep John Lesch (DFL-66B, St Paul) was the only liability losing to...
Aug 13, 2020
Minnesota and National Report We will be the first to say now, and again, if Republicans are so misguided as to believe Minnesota remains in the same place in 2020 as it was in 2016 it is a bet worth taking. Voter turnout fell by 1.7% from 2012, as did overall...
Aug 13, 2020
Minnesota Report Management and Budget Office Commissioner Myron Frans announced yesterday his departure for a Vice President position at the University of Minnesota. He will be replaced by former MMB Commissioner Jim Schowalter who returns after a stint as CEO of the...
Aug 6, 2020
National and Minnesota Report Stuart Stevens, as a Republican operative, is accepting responsibility for Donald J Trump (R) and is broadcasting the fact, the GOP is steeped in racism and bigotry. Last night, in an interview on the Newshour, based on his recently...
Aug 6, 2020
National and Minnesota Report At the onset, we will state we believe Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN05) will prevail because it is hard to unseat an incumbent in a Primary, but if it is to occur it’s most likely in the first reelection contest. In 2016, Omar received...
Aug 6, 2020
Minnesota Report When the legislature returns for its third Special Session We expect the rhetoric will not have changed very much and House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt (R-31A, Crown) will continue with his diatribe of seeking to strip Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) of his...
Jul 29, 2020
Minnesota Report Speaking with Representative Rena Moran Chair of the Health and Human Services Policy Committee. C&B: Madam Chair. Can you discuss the murder of George Floyd and the effect of his death and that of Philando Castile and others have had on you, and...
Jul 29, 2020
Minnesota Report As an alternative viewpoint and giving undue credit to Senator Warren Limmer (R-34, Maple Grove), Republicans put out the following in a press release. Amid the continued drama surrounding this year’s legislative session that endured a COVID-19...
Jul 29, 2020
Minnesota Report The pre-Primary filings for the different parties and caucuses are in and as it is our tradition we compile them for your perusal. DFL Party (MN DFL Central Committee) Beginning Cash 100,389.43 Total Receipts 3,857,220.93 Total Expenditures and...
Jul 29, 2020
Minnesota Report The pre-Primary filings for the different parties and caucuses are in and as it is our tradition we compile them for your perusal. House Seats House District 1A (Open) Republican Contest Candidate John Burkel (GOP Endorsed) Beginning Cash 0.00 Total...
Jul 13, 2020
Minnesota Report With Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) constitutional requirement to call a Special Session in order to reconstitute his executive powers, it only forces a date to reconvene the legislature, but doesn’t ensure any significant pressure to bring about a...
Jul 13, 2020
Minnesota Report There isn’t much progress to report, but we have learned Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-09, Nisswa) has been in discussion with Rep Carlos Mariani (DFL-65B, St Paul) Chair of the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Policy and Finance...
Jul 13, 2020
Minnesota Report Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-09, Nisswa) opened his press conference with the following statement, which clearly sets the stage for where his side of the aisle starts “The first thing we will do is vote to remove the Governor’s emergency...
Jul 1, 2020
Minnesota Report (Part Two) C&B: Former Representative Charlie Weaver, head of the Business Partnership has expressed interest in trying to broker something. What do you anticipate there? CM: Well, I think it will be a good faith effort on his part, my former...
Jun 30, 2020
Minnesota Report Yesterday, we had the opportunity to interview Rep Carlos Mariani (DFL-65B, St Paul) Chair, Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Finance and Policy Division on proposed changes to the criminal justice system affecting police accountability,...
Jun 26, 2020
National and Minnesota Report Yesterday, articles in the New York Times and the Washington Post spelled good news for the former Vice-President Joe Biden’s campaign (D). https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/25/upshot/poll-2020-biden-battlegrounds.html...
Jun 26, 2020
Minnesota Report Yesterday, Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) put forward his administrations plan for distribution of the latest COVID-19 funds for cities and counties across the state. Because there wasn’t any agreement between the Senate Republicans and House...
Jun 26, 2020
Minnesota Report When Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-09 Nisswa) adjourned Sine Die on Friday, we said he did so because the DFL overreached and asked for too much in their proposals for police accountability, which leaves the matter unresolved. The pressures...
Jun 26, 2020
National and Minnesota Report On Wednesday, Attorney General Keith Ellison (DFL-MN) has taken a bold move in his pursuit to hold oil companies and the Petroleum Institute accountable for the impact of climate change. He joins other states and localities like...
Jun 17, 2020
Minnesota Report The debate on the State Senate floor yesterday, on a series of bills, SF 1 Sen Warren Limmer (R-34, Maple Grove) law enforcement training funding, SF 3 Sen Bill Ingebrigsten (R-08, Alexandria) Use of force reporting to the BCA, SF 104 (Limmer) Use of...
Jun 17, 2020
Minnesota Report The Q1 filings for the different parties and caucuses are in and as it is our tradition we compile them for your perusal. DFL Party (MN DFL Central Committee) Total Receipts 2,976,063.50 Total Expenditures and Disbursements 1,979,557.88 Ending Cash...
Jun 12, 2020
Minnesota Report Today, both the House and Senate have taken up a Concurrent Resolution SC1 to end Governor Ttim Walz’s (DFL-MN) Peacetime Emergency Order. The issue is being debated on the floor of the House at this moment and it passed the senate on a 38-29...
Jun 12, 2020
Minnesota Report We went to the site of the Christopher Columbus statue and saw an individual squatting in his place. Doug Schiedel sat “Indian Style” atop the pedestal where Columbus once stood and was allowed to stay there by Capitol Police. He was asked by a State...
Jun 11, 2020
Minnesota Report Yesterday, Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) put forward his expectations for the Special Session tomorrow. He has extended the peacetime emergency, which fosters the need for a Special Session call, but also a number of issues remain unresolved with the...
Jun 11, 2020
Minnesota Report Change is coming. The statute of Christopher Columbus on the northeast corner of the Capitol Complex across from the Judiciary Center always seemed oddly placed. Granted, when placed, St Paul was highly influenced by the Roman Catholic Church and St...
Jun 11, 2020
National Report The outrage Donald J Trump (R), the self-declared Stable Genius, started when he twittered away about Martin Gugino being a “setup,” after the 75-year-old peace protester was shoved backwards by two Buffalo police officers and his head struck the...
Jun 11, 2020
Minnesota Report When early reports from Mayor Melvin Carter III (DFL-St Paul) stated the protesters and rioters arrested were mainly from out-of-town it seemed like a narrative was being set, which was later proven false.Our discussions with anyone associated with...
Jun 11, 2020
Minnesota Report With cries to defund or dismantle the police, and declarations to do so, especially when coming from the Minneapolis City Council, Democrats are giving energy to Donald J Trump (R) and the Republicans. Stoking fears in surrounding communities of...
Jun 11, 2020
Minnesota Report Sen Linda Runbeck (R-53, Circle Pines) left the legislature the first time to run for Congress against Rep Betty McCollum (DFL-55A, North St Paul) and lost by 18-points with 30.89% to McCollum’s 48.04% and it could have been greater since former...
Jun 1, 2020
Minnesota Report George Floyd died a week ago today at 9:25 pm. He was killed by Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on his neck, and held down while handcuffed by, while held to the ground by Thomas Lane and J Alexander Kueng, while Tou Thao, Chauvin’s...
Jun 1, 2020
Minnesota Report Today, Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) announced a different time for the curfew from 10:00 pm tonight to 4 am tomorrow. This will allow for people to gather again at the site of George Floyd’s death, which occurred at 9:25 pm. The fact only one fire was...
May 28, 2020
Minnesota Report Governor Walz Signs Executive Order Activating National Guard to Protect the People of Minnesota Order will help maintain safety in wake of George Floyd’s death [ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today signed Executive Order 20-65, activating the...
May 28, 2020
Minnesota Report The intersection of East Lake Street and Minnehaha Avenue is the outer edge of the Longfellow neighborhood, and is now a war zone in the aftermath of the suffocation killing of George Floyd by Police Officer Derek Chauvin who knelt on his neck while...
May 21, 2020
Minnesota Report In spite of not having fourteen days of a consistent downward trend on the number of cases, currently there have been 18,200 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 809 deaths, nor do we have a process for contract tracing in place, yesterday Governor Tim Walz...
May 21, 2020
Minnesota Report When the Senate Republicans passed the State Employee Contract, they did so with an amendment to only agree to the increase or the first year of the contract, but the interpretation of Office of Management and Budget Commissioner Myron Frans is they...
May 21, 2020
Minnesota Report We have looked at the thirteen house districts in which the incumbent is retiring and have seen an interesting picture. There are nine DFLers, two are freshmen, and four Republicans. Each of the Republican seats are in rural districts and are...
May 15, 2020
Minnesota Report Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) announces his first appointment to the Minnesota Supreme Court Judge Gordon Moore as the replacement for retiring Justice David Lillehaug. Judge Gordon Moore currently serves as a judge in the Fifth Judicial District...
May 13, 2020
Minnesota Report Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) has extended the peacetime emergency put forward new provisions to all the opening of some businesses, to 50% of their capacity, when safety protocols are in place. He sent the following letter to legislative leaders. after...
May 13, 2020
Minnesota Politics Tonight, much of Minnesota is likely to tune into listen what Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) intends regarding the peacetime state of emergency. At 6:00 pm, he is expected to extend it for the third and final time, without legislative approval, but with...
May 13, 2020
Minnesota Politics When people lose a DFL endorsement fight they often make claims against the process, shenanigans, or inappropriate actions by their opponents to propel them into a primary contest, especially incumbents. On Friday, Senate Assistant Majority Leader...
May 6, 2020
Minnesota Report In his release following the $2.5 billion deficit through 2021 announcement the following is attributed to Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN). “Today’s budget outlook confirms what we suspected: COVID-19 will badly damage Minnesota’s economy.” “As I said...
May 6, 2020
Minnesota Report Here is information on the release for restart of elective surgeries. Governor Tim Walz today signed Executive Order 20-51, providing a roadmap for safely restarting elective surgeries. Starting next week, doctors, dentists, and veterinarians who...
May 6, 2020
Minnesota Report In politics, it is frequently the case where some word, phrase or acronym is created to short handedly refer to a department, program or event. Sen Mary Kiffmeyer (R-30, Big Lake) has taken to calling different times BC, AC and MC. BC=before COVID,...
May 5, 2020
Minnesota Report The following was posted on the MN Management & Budget website. May Interim Budget Projection Minnesota’s budget and economic outlook has significantly worsened since the coronavirus pandemic. A deficit of $2.426 billion is now projected for the...
Apr 30, 2020
Minnesota Report We received the following release from NFIB State Director Mike Hickey in response to Governor Tim Walz’ (DFL-MN) partial opening of retail business establishing curbside pick-up and delivery. Minnesota’s leading small business group, the...
Apr 30, 2020
Minnesota Report Today, at 2:00 pm Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) will announce his decisions regarding the extension or ending of the stay-at-home order. Walz has announced the Stay-at-Home order is extended and bars and restaurants will remain closed until May18th,...
Apr 30, 2020
National and Minnesota Report If this is a sign of things to come, the Donald J Trump (R) reelection campaign will clearly cultivate its supporters and alienate its detractors. The volume of emails we have seen in the course of two weeks is significant and they are...
Apr 30, 2020
National and Minnesota Politics Congressman Collin Peterson (D-MN07) Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee is not sitting idly by during the COVID-19 Pandemic. He joined Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) and Congressman Jim Hagedorn (R-MN01) at the JBS Pork Plant in...
Apr 30, 2020
National and Minnesota Report A new study by the Pew Charitable Research Center published on Tuesday Two-Thirds of Americans Expect Presidential Election Will Be Disrupted by COVID-19: Sizable majority favors option of voting by mail significantly shows a majority of...
Apr 27, 2020
Minnesota Report The beginning of a pushback from Senate Republicans on things remaining as is, is fulmenting in regards to state employees. In a release on Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-09, Nisswa) put out the following statement. Today Senate...
Apr 27, 2020
National and Minnesota Report On Saturday, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN05) put out a press release about intimidations and suppression activities by the Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency against press entities in Somalia. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN)...
Apr 23, 2020
National and Minnesota Report In 1942, when the nation’s manufacturing industry was focused on production for the war effort the Advertising Council, Inc was formed then renamed The War Advertising Council, Inc and it initially produced advertising on enlistment into...
Apr 23, 2020
National Report This is unconscionable, the Department of Veteran Affairs has released preliminary results of it trial of Hydroxychloroquine and Erythromycin on patients in the VA and it shows a higher mortality rate. Outcomes of hydroxychloroquine usage in United...
Apr 23, 2020
Minnesota Report One way to wade out of this COVID-19 pandemic is to utilize our domestic resources. Yesterday, Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) announced a partnership between the University of Minnesota, the Mayo Clinic and the Minnesota Department of Health on COVID-19...
Apr 23, 2020
Minnesota Report By all appearances Minnesota schools will not be reopened for the 2020 school year. Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) is expected to announce this later today. This will extend his Stay at Home Order past May 4th and provide additional anxiety to...
Apr 21, 2020
National and Minnesota Report It used to be in politics, the best way to get something done–when you lacked true power—was to let someone else co-opt your idea. This is because good public service doesn’t require the accolades, but rather the actual...
Apr 21, 2020
Minnesota Report Prior to the start of the stay at home order, Checks & Balances Publisher Shawn Towle was set to have a face-to-face meeting, which became a conference call and then a cancellation with MN Housing and Finance Commissioner Jennifer Leimaile Ho.The...
Apr 16, 2020
Minnesota Report Usually, when people think about our region it consists of the five state area including IA, ND, SD and WI. The release we just received from the Governor Tim Walz and Lt Governor Peggy Flanagan (DFL-MN) administration–does not includes our...
Apr 16, 2020
Federal Report The reports for federal candidates show an interesting picture in Q1 of the election cycle. We have list all candidates who have filed. US Senate name office_full party_full state receipts disbursements cash_on_hand_end_period debts_owed_by_committee...
Apr 16, 2020
Minnesota Report The End of the Year filings for the different parties and caucuses are in and as it is our tradition we compile them for your perusal. DFL Party (MN DFL Central Committee) Total Receipts 1,725,519.94 Total Expenditures and Disbursements 1,304,739.19...
Feb 28, 2020
Minnesota Report We spoke with State Government Finance and Policy and Elections Committee Chair Mary Kiffmeyer (R-30, Big Lake) and learned she will be revisiting Sen Mark Koran’s (R-32, North Branch) bill SF3385 Ranked-choice voting local government adoption...
Feb 27, 2020
Minnesota Report We are expecting a February Budget Forecast to be largely inline with the November Forecast. The quarterly report released by Minnesota Management & Budget Office showed a slight improvement on receipts, but some corporate figures are expected in...
Feb 27, 2020
Minnesota Report Last night, the Minnesota House passed two bills, HF3100 establishing an Emergency Insulin program 75-52 and HF3068 regulating the Presidential Primary results 72-55. Both set up a conflict with the Senate. In regards to Insulin the DFL wants the...
Feb 27, 2020
Minnesota Report Since 2002, under the Administration of Governor Jesse Ventura (I-MN) Budget Forecasts have not included inflation and have largely been a misrepresentations of the true cost of of Minnesota government. In her bill, HF150 Rep Jennifer...
Feb 24, 2020
Minnesota Report On Wednesday 50 Somali Interpreters and their supporters will stage a protest outside the UCARE Corporate Offices on Stinson Blvd, Minneapolis. They will not be there to get on the multi-seat bicycle, but rather to decry the companies...
Feb 24, 2020
Minnesota Report The US Navy saw fit to name only one of its 33 Los Angeles-class submarines after two cities when commissioning the USS Minneapolis-St Paul (SSN-708). Submarines get attention. This one is a unique symbol and should be saved. But “The Mighty MSP” is...
Feb 24, 2020
Minnesota Report On Wednesday February 26th, from 5-7:30 pm the St Paul Legislative delegation is hosting a reception in the Stadium Club at Allianz Field for the rest of the legislature and the political community. This is one of the premier social events during the...
Feb 21, 2020
National and Minnesota Report When the 14 states hold their presidential primaries, only Minnesota and Massachusetts will have a favorite daughter in the mix. US Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) will be under dual scrutiny both nationally and...
Feb 21, 2020
Minnesota and National Report In spite of not being a candidate for consideration in tomorrow’s caucuses in Nevada Michael Bloomberg (D-NY) attended the debate moderated by NBC Nightly News and Dateline NBC anchor Lester Holt, Meet the Press moderator and NBC News...
Feb 18, 2020
National Report In 1994, when Amy Klobuchar (DFL) ran for Hennepin County Attorney against Sheryl Ramstad Hvass (R) for Hennepin County Attorney she came up against the likes of Roger Stone and Paul Manafort who were consultants for the sister of Congressman Jim...
Feb 18, 2020
Minnesota Report The call for Ambassadors on the Light Rail lines seems weak and a term that conveys niceties rather than someone in charge. We suggest implementing Conductors rather than glad-handing Ambassadors. A Conductor is defined as “a person in charge of a...
Feb 18, 2020
Minnesota Report The return of John Pollard to the DFL Senate as the Minority Chief of Staff is not to only change in staffing throughout the legislature, there are numerous staff changes in both bodies and on both sides of the aisle. An update to contact lists and...
Feb 12, 2020
Minnesota Report Yesterday, the DNR put out the following press release DNR seeks review of Court of Appeals decision on PolyMet permits Today the Department of Natural Resources submitted a petition to the Minnesota Supreme Court seeking review of the Minnesota Court...
Feb 12, 2020
National Report US Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) finished a strong third with 19.8% of the vote, last night in the New Hampshire Primary coming 17,361 votes behind first place finisher US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT). He surge is attributed to her performance in last...
Feb 12, 2020
Minnesota Report Normally, the opening of the legislative session is mostly ceremonial and functional. New bills are given their first reading, in this case two new legislators, Rep-elects Sydney Jordan (DFL-60B, Minneapolis) and Paul Novotny (R-30A, Elk River) were...
Feb 12, 2020
Minnesota Report One of the finest and most helpful institutions is the Legislative Reference Library and it will be celebrating is 50th year of existence tomorrow February 13, 2020. The will be cake and light refreshments from 1:30-3:00 pm. We spend a great deal of...
Feb 12, 2020
Minnesota Report After the Jobs for Minnesotans press conference we had the opportunity to speak with former Minority Leader Tom Bakk (DFL-03 Cook). In our conversation we learned the following, no he is not changing parties and yes he will be running for reelection....
Feb 12, 2020
Minnesota Report We attended a press conference hosted by Jobs for Minnesotans and witnessed a coalition of the Chamber of Commerce, Organized Labor and legislative Leadership on both sides of the aisle and in both legislative bodies. The group came together to...
Feb 6, 2020
Minnesota Report It might sound redundant, but it’s not. Prior to the start of each legislative session, the Forum News Service hosted a forum of the governor and legislative leadership. In this instance, Dana Ferguson of the Frum News Service moderated and it...
Feb 5, 2020
Minnesota Report Yesterday, two Special Elections were held to fill the vacancies created by the death of Rep Diane Loeffler (DFL-60A, Minneapolis) and the early retirement of Rep Nick Zerwas (R-30A, Elk River). In Minneapolis, Sydney Jordan (DFL-60A, Minneapolis)...
Feb 5, 2020
Minnesota Report Two days after the Iowa Caucuses we are still waiting for the final results. As of now, there are still only 71% of the precincts reported. The most up-to-date site is from the IA Democratic Party https://results.thecaucuses.org/ and other entities...
Feb 5, 2020
Minnesota Report On Tuesday, while watching the IA Caucus coverage were surprised to see a number of commercials run by Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-MN04) Chair of the Interior-Environment Subcommittee of Appropriations. The ads were in the tradition of her...
Feb 4, 2020
National Report (IA) The lack of the Iowa Caucus results is not due to the Caucus System but rather the reporting method. As we have now learned, the problem was with the app used to report the results developed by Shadow Inc, a company founded by Gerard...
Feb 3, 2020
Republicans have just posted a statement from Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-09, Nisswa) in response to the defeat of Sen Tom Bakk (DFL-03, Cook) by new Senate Minority Leader Susan Kent (DFL-53, Woodbury)....
Feb 3, 2020
Minnesota Report US Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) House Speaker Melissa Hortman Senate Minority Leader Susan Kent There will be a distinct visual change on the DFL side in 2020. US Senator Tina Smith...
Feb 3, 2020
Minnesota Report The annual filings for the different parties and caucuses were due last week and as it is our tradition we compile them for your perusal. DFL Party (MN DFL Central Committee) Total Receipts 3,555,902.52 Total Expenditures and Disbursements...
Jan 31, 2020
National Politics With the vote pending on the calling of witnesses in the Impeachment Trial of Donald J Trump (R), and an expectation the call will fail due to the Republican Majority control we believe this constitutes the codification of the Imperial Presidency as...
Jan 31, 2020
National Politics The US v Them mentality in US Politics has been labeled as Tribalism. The concept of there being a Blue Brain and a Red Brain was first voiced in a 1994 survey in England, and later it was documented in a study in 1997. It was again the focus of...
Jan 31, 2020
Minnesota Politics On Saturday, the DFL Senate Minority Caucus will meet and discuss whether or not they will hold a vote on their leadership moving now, or wait for the normal vote after the election. The contest is a challenge by current Assistant Minority Leader...
Jan 27, 2020
National Politics The religious statement one often hears when someone thought to be a religious person is found to have committed some transgression of the law, is “Love the sinner, but not the sin.” This seems to be a constant task for Republicans regarding Donald J...
Jan 27, 2020
National Politics In spite of being stuck in Washington, DC due to the impeachment trial, while the non-Senators campaign across Iowa, US Senator Amy Klobuchar’s (D-MN) Presidential Campaign did well on the political talk show circuit on Sunday and also received...
Jan 27, 2020
Minnesota Report Until the rise of Donald J Trump (R) the fear of others knowing how one votes was a minor consideration. But now, when we regularly hear the vitriol and lies spouted from the podium of the President the fear factor becomes far more real. First off,...
Jan 27, 2020
National Report Much has been discussed about the devolution into tribalism in the American Electorate. In 2003, http://tribe.net was born and it was an attempt to gather together likeminded people with similar interests. This form of tribalism in the social media...
Jan 14, 2020
Minnesota Report Yesterday’s, press conference by the Republican Senate majority discussed much of what they had done in the past legislative session and more what they would like to do during the 2020 session. The issues and initiatives advanced by Senate Majority...
Jan 14, 2020
Minnesota Report Face it, roads, bridges, transit and all forms of transportation fixes and improvements all cost significant amounts of money. Republicans are calling for the use of some cash for projects rather than creating long-term obligations through state...
Jan 9, 2020
National Elections Early reports about US Senator Amy Klobuchar’s (D-MN) Presidential fundraising numbers at $11.4 million. We thought these warranted a bit of scrutiny to see how well she faired from within Minnesota compared to the rest of the nation. Overall, her...
Jan 9, 2020
Minnesota Report With 2020 being a Census Year, and at the forefront of a “Stub Election” our term for the two-year state senate elections at the end of the decade, due to redistricting Minnesota has the chance to determine its own political fate. Currently, all that...
Jan 9, 2020
Minnesota Report We attended the visitation for former Deputy Secretary of State Elaine (Voldness) Voss last evening. Today, at 11:00 AM services are taking place at Peace Lutheran Church in Coon Rapids. We had the opportunity to listen to great stories from Former...
Jan 9, 2020
Minnesota Report Former Secretary of State Joan Anderson Growe (DFL-MN) 1975-1999, the second woman to hold the position, and former Star Tribune Columnist Lori Strudevant are crafting a book for the Minnesota Historical Society due out in August. We are expecting an...
Dec 9, 2019
Minnesota Report VS The DFL Senate Caucus had a meeting set for tomorrow, which was postponed by Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk (DFL-03, Cook) after an email announcement by Senate Assistant Minority Leader Susan Kent (DFL-53, Woodbury) of her intent to...
Dec 5, 2019
Minnesota Report The Office of Management and Budget released the Revenue Forecast today showing a $1.332 billion surplus. When the legislature reconvenes on February 11th, they will wait for the February Forecast to set their legislative priorities....
Nov 18, 2019
Minnesota & National Report The second week of Impeachment Hearings will continue to dominate our television stations, resulting in many conversations amongst pundits and continue to expose the political divides in our society. The series of testimonies from the...
Nov 18, 2019
Minnesota Report Now that the 2019 elections are over in St Paul, we sought information from interim Elections Director David Triplett on what actually transpired and received the following answers to our questions. Additionally, we have a spreadsheet of all of the...
Nov 5, 2019
As Election Day in St Paul commences and the Capitol City has the largest number of candidates on the ballot, we wanted to once again weigh-in with our utter disdain for the and opposition to the Ranked Choice Voting Process. This campaign is a hard slough because...
Nov 4, 2019
Minnesota Report We were shocked to hear to the boldness of a proposal to ship our water out-of-the state to western states. This resource, a climate change continues to rise, will make water an ever-increasingly demanded commodity, but the exploitation and exporting...
Nov 4, 2019
Minnesota Report C&B: All right, I’m interviewing Terry Thao for Ward 6 and Terry, can you tell me when did you move to St. Paul? Thao: Um, I was seven years old, um, so it was ’87, ‘86 with my family. We were part of the secondary migration of the Hmong...
Nov 4, 2019
Minnesota Report Jim DeMay will be watching election returns tomorrow night and watching for his own name in the tabulation. The Pfizer Lobbyist is a candidate for School Board in ISD #621 in the communities of Moundsview and North Oaks. DeMay is a known Democrat...
Oct 31, 2019
Rep Collin Peterson (D-07MN) was one of two votes against the impeachment of Donald J Trump. This maintains his consistency on the issue since he has been vocally against the position since the conversation began. Because his district is very conservative this makes...
Oct 30, 2019
Minnesota Report When Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) began his campaign for governor he advanced the theme of One Minnesota. Now, as a concept this is a worthy effort, it presupposes a similar theme of the University of Minnesota football team’s Row the Boat idea of the...
Sep 27, 2019
Minnesota Report In 2010, Wisconsin finished first in the nation and outpaced Minnesota in second by 1 percentage point in completion of the Census forms. The Badger state showed an 82% completion rate compared to our own of 81%. In 2000, the results were the same...
May 9, 2019
Minnesota Report Today, at noon, both houses of the legislature will meet in joint session for selection of four the University of Minnesota Regents. The positions are the Student Regent, 5th Congressional District Regent, and two At-Large Regents. Since the positions...
May 7, 2019
Minnesota Report Today, on the House floor House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (DFL-46A, Golden Valley) announced there will be a joint convention between the House and Senate for the selection of University of Minnesota Regents. The selection will include the student...
Apr 25, 2019
National Report During the CNN town hall, when US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) stated his support for a universal reenfranchisement of the voting rights for felons including the Boston Marathon Bombers (Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and Tamerlan Tsarnaev) and sexual offenders...
Apr 8, 2019
Minnesota Report As we listen to the debate of whether the state should continue the Health Care Providers Tax, we keep hearing the argument because there is nothing else. This is not true. We have discussed the idea of a tax on sugar on high fructose-based products....
Mar 19, 2019
Minnesota Report Because of the tariffs imposed on China by Donald J Trump (R), Minnesota needs to change is Agricultural mix. The mono-cultural growing of corn and beans (soybeans) will not be as productive since China was the largest consumer of soybeans and because...
Mar 6, 2019
Minnesota Report Yesterday, during the Responsible on Cannabis press conference we coined a new term DW High. We asked the following questions of Rep Carlos Mariani Rosa (DFL-65A, St Paul). Also present were Health and Human Services Chair Rena Moran DFL-65B, St...
Feb 21, 2019
When we saw a picture of Rep Steve Elkins (DFL-49B, Bloomington) sitting next to Jeanne Massey from FairVoteMN introducing HF983, we had our normal response, “What is he doing?” We know Elkins is a freshman and that may account for his naivete, but as a resident of...
Feb 21, 2019
If you are reading Checks & Balances, it is clear you find value in it and so we ask for your support. This endeavor started in 1995, has remained at the forefront of political reporting, regularly scooping other media sources and providing an insider’s...
Oct 10, 2018
There were a number of firsts that occurred in the 1998 Governor’s race besides the My Three Sons Primary and the election of third-party candidate Jesse Ventura, In 1997, the Ted Mondale for Governor campaign took out, what is known as the First Paid Political...
Sep 21, 2018
We have said time-after-time this election will be largely based on support/opposition to Donald J Trump and this will be most evident in the Attorney General’s race. We are hearing reports from homes of traditional DFLers that women are having problems voting for...
May 29, 2018
The NPR show 1A ran a program on Ranked Choice Voting today, and Checks & Balances Publisher Shawn Towle sought a spot on the panel. When called back by producer Andi McDaniel he was informed the panel was full but could submit a comment through the voicemail...
Apr 4, 2018
Minnesota Report In politics, the old adage is “Follow the Money.” If you are concerned about the effects of the Citizen’s United decision and the Koch Brothers influences on politics, then this story merits attention. Originally, we thought the John and Laura Arnold...
