Fourteen tornadoes reported across Minnesota yesterday. FOX9: https://fluence-media.co/4kNgsAW
Rep. Melissa Hortman’s two children have released a family statement following the death of their parents. Their advice for honoring Hortman’s memory: Plant a tree, pet a dog, and stand up for what you believe in. READ: https://fluence-media.co/3FIwwVr
A fundraiser is ongoing for Sen. John Hoffman and his wife as they recover from their near-fatal injuries. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4e5cVvf
The Trump Administration has offered some details for how it would exert government control over U.S. Steel, but the workers’ union is raising concerns. AP: https://fluence-media.co/4jUTxlZ
Donald Trump is considering including 36 additional countries in his existing travel ban. FOX: https://fluence-media.co/4nmOVYX
Mike Lindell, founder of Chaska-based MyPillow, was found guilty of defamation for some of his claims about the 2020 election. AP: https://fluence-media.co/43Yfs5O
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TIPS: bloisolson@gmail.com
Today’s morning take with Vineeta Sawkar on WCCO Radio. LISTEN:https://fluence-media.co/4kEoo7q
Sunday Take was dedicated to the legacy of House DFL Leader Melissa Hortman following her tragic death. Rep. Jeff Witte and former Rep. John Lesch discussed her life, her career, and how her killing could change Minnesota politics forever. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4kL12x4
Sponsorships available – to reach over 25,000 readers per day on Fluence’s tip sheet and website www.TheDailyAgenda.com – email BloisOlson@gmail.com
SECURITY: via MPR, VERBATIM: “The security of lawmakers and security at the Capitol will no doubt be a front-and-center issue. In the special session that was only a week ago, lawmakers approved a bill that contains $2 million more for security upgrades on the multi-building Capitol complex. … Minnesota is among the rare states where visitors to the Capitol can come and go without metal detector screenings. … As for the security of lawmakers when they are away from the Capitol, lawmakers do not have publicly reimbursed security for their residence or other personal needs. They are allowed to use campaign funds, up to $3,000, on ‘detection-related security monitoring.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/44gZapU
MORE: Via Axios’ Torey Van Oot, Minnesota's Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board has removed home addresses from its website for “candidates, treasurers, and chairs of candidate committees, political committees, and party units,” at the request of Minnesota lawmakers. Several other states are doing the same for their legislators. TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/3HMiWkl
MORE: via statement from the Capitol Security Committee, VERBATIM: ““This horrific act of political violence highlights the vital importance of our continued diligence to ensure that members of the legislature, staff, those that work in State Government, and the public are safe within the walls of the State Capitol and around the Capitol complex. As members of the Advisory Committee on Capitol Area Security, we are committed to continue working alongside our law enforcement partners and our colleagues in both the House and Senate to ensure the safety of everybody participating in our democratic process in Saint Paul.”
MITCHELL: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “The upcoming trial of state Sen. Nicole Mitchell has been postponed due to the recent slaying of Melissa Hortman. … Court administration sent an email Sunday afternoon saying jury selection for Mitchell’s trial would not begin Monday morning as planned. Instead, there will be a remote court hearing on Monday.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43JymOV
PROTESTS: via FOX 9, VERBATIM: “The No Kings protest at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul drew tens of thousands of people despite law enforcement officials asking the public not to attend the rally following the shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers. Some [other] events were canceled out of caution. … The Minnesota State Patrol said there were about 25,000 people at the Minnesota State Capitol grounds. Meanwhile, organizers of the No Kings Coalition [said] 80,000 Minnesotans [attended]. … Attorney General Keith Ellison spoke about the lawmaker shootings during the rally, saying that Rep. [Melissa] Hortman ‘fought for her people.’ … Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was set to speak at the rally, but did not attend.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3FGJHWV
MISINFO: Minnesota Reformer’s J. Patrick Coolican has a rundown on the misinformation and conspiracy theories spreading online in the wake of the Minnesota shootings. Billionaire Elon Musk and U.S. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) both shared posts on social media related to these false conspiracies, as have many political influencers. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4n0WRyv
MORE: via FOX 9, VERBATIM: “CentraCare is addressing false rumors that one of its employees was connected to the shooting of Minnesota lawmakers. The company said the false information was shared by the X's AI assistant, ‘grok.’ The CentraCare physician and the suspect in the shootings have the same last name, but no other connection.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3ZytIkj
A photo last night by TPT’s Mary Lahammer of the memorial inside the Capitol to Speaker Emeritus Melissa Hortman.
CHARGED: via AP News, VERBATIM: “Federal prosecutors charged Vance Boelter, 57, with murder and stalking, which could result in a death sentence if convicted. He already faces state charges, including murder and attempted murder. At a federal court hearing Monday in St. Paul, Boelter said he could not afford an attorney. A federal public defender was appointed to represent him, and he was being held without bail pending a court appearance [June 27].” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3ZBQfge
Here is a copy of the affidavit of the Special Agent. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eq3XsR
MORE: Via a statement, Sen. Ann Rest (D-New Hope) confirmed that she was one of the additional lawmakers who was visited by Vance Boelter Saturday. REST: “I have been made aware that the shooting suspect was parked near my home early Saturday morning. I am so grateful for the heroic work of the New Hope Police Department and its officers. Their quick action saved my life.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nccnIf
MORE: KARE 11 reports that the final lawmaker whose home was visited by Vance Boelter was Rep. Kristin Bahner (D-Maple Grove). READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4n4WNOk
ACCOMPLICES: via WCCO Radio, VERBATIM: “Brooklyn Park's chief of police says it's not known if Vance Boelter has accomplices in the shooting of two Minnesota lawmakers. Chief Mark Bruley told WCCO's Vineeta Sawkar on the Morning News that he went through great lengths to avoid capture — and may have had help from others.” BRULEY: “There's certain things that took place that got him resources and other key moves that he made. … There was some help, [but] we don't believe that help was in relationship to the assassinations.” READ/LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/449ehAJ
TARGETS: Alpha News’ Liz Collin has publicly shared a document which she identified as a printed copy of Vance Boelter’s original “hit list” discovered by authorities Saturday. Collin said the copy of the list, which contains the names of over 60 Democratic officials, was created by law enforcement. Notably, Gov. Tim Walz and state Sen. John Hoffman do not appear in the copy of the list, contrary to previous reporting — it’s not publicly known if their names were present in Boelter’s original document. LIST: https://fluence-media.co/44j2WPE
MORE: via AP News, VERBATIM: “All of the politicians named in his writing were Democrats, including more than 45 state and federal officials in Minnesota. … Elected leaders in Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin said they, too, were mentioned in his writings.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3ZBQfge
ICYMI: Yesterday’s lunch take contains additional coverage of the latest developments in the targeted shootings. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4n9d3hy
IMPERSONATIONS: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “Authorities say Vance Boelter pretended to be a police officer while shooting two lawmakers and their spouses. The crime will likely create a debate at the Minnesota State Capitol on laws for impersonating a police officer. Currently, it’s a misdemeanor to impersonate a police officer in Minnesota. After this weekend’s violence, Jeff Potts, Executive Director at the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association, says that may change.” POTTS: “What we’ve seen in other states is that if you impersonate a police officer while committing another felony, [then] impersonating a police officer is also a felony. … We’ll be looking at that in the upcoming legislative session.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4jPZmkJ
TODAY: via States Newsroom, VERBATIM: “The U.S. Senate will gather behind closed doors Tuesday to hear from federal law enforcement officials about protection for lawmakers and the safety of their families.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3SPWOYK
INTERVIEWS: Gov. Tim Walz and Speaker Lisa Demuth spoke to MPR News for their first interviews after the death of Rep. Melissa Hortman Saturday. Walz said he is planning a memorial service for Hortman that could involve her and her husband lying in state at the Capitol. Demuth praised Hortman’s bipartisanship and called for toning down political rhetoric. WALZ: https://fluence-media.co/444888y DEMUTH: https://fluence-media.co/4448cVQ
MISINFO: via Axios, VERBATIM: “Utah Sen. Mike Lee is facing outrage and calls for his resignation over social media posts that baselessly claim the man charged with targeting Minnesota lawmakers in shootings during the weekend has ties to the political left. Prominent right-wing figures, including Elon Musk, Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) and former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, spread now-debunked claims that leftist politics motivated the shooting spree that left one Minnesota state representative dead and another wounded.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3SQD2wh
SMITH: Via Semafor’s Eleanor Mueller, Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) briefly left the Senate floor Monday and pulled Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) out of a private GOP meeting to speak with him for several minutes. As seen in yesterday’s morning take, Lee has shared social media posts related to false conspiracy theories about the killing of state Rep. Melissa Hortman. Via CNN’s Manu Raju, Smith told Lee he was being “cruel.” QUOTE: “I told him that I thought it was brutal and cruel. He should think about the implications of what he's saying and doing. It just further fuels this hatred and misinformation. I wanted him to hear from me directly how painful that was. … He seemed kind of surprised to be confronted.” TWEETS: https://fluence-media.co/4njAIMi https://fluence-media.co/3SUbu99
MORE: Sen. Tina Smith’s staff sent an email to Sen. Mike Lee’s staff Monday expressing criticism of Lee’s social media activity in the wake of the targeted shootings this weekend. EMAIL: https://fluence-media.co/4kDR9kE
MITCHELL: via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “The burglary trial against Minnesota Sen. Nicole Mitchell has been delayed. … During a virtual court hearing on Monday morning, a Becker County judge granted a motion made by Mitchell for a continuance of the trial, noting safety and security concerns in the wake of Saturday's shootings. … The trial is now scheduled to begin on July 14.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3SUuYuo
TREATMENT: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “At the end of the Minnesota Legislature’s regular session, Lewis Zeidner, CEO of EOSIS (formerly Meridian Behavioral Health) heard there was good financial news in the budget for the state’s addiction treatment providers, many of whom had said they’d likely shutter their programs if the state didn’t dramatically increase its Medicaid reimbursement rates. … [During] a 24-hour special session…state legislators gave Zeidner and other Minnesota addiction treatment providers most of what they were hoping for when they passed a Health and Human Services bill that will provide key increases to Medicaid reimbursement rates starting Jan. 1, 2026, and, for the first time, include an ‘escalator’ provision that will automatically increase those rates each year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jTIiKv
AI: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “2025 was another year that saw dozens of AI-related bills proposed, [but] none passed on their own. Only two mentions of AI were included in an omnibus that went to the governor. Other bills are back at the drawing board to be reevaluated by legislators [for 2026]. … Sen. Judy Seeberger, DFL-Afton, proposed SF1577, which aims to criminalize the creation, possession or distribution of AI-generated child sexual abuse material. … The first portion of the proposed SF1577 is tied into part of omnibus public safety legislation, [but] a second part of the bill that proposes to restrict the possession of child-like sex dolls is going through further drafting. … Other bills were proposed looking into AI disclosure requirements and prohibiting dynamically set or adjusted product prices. ” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3HL5MEg
CELEBRATING 70 YEARS: The Pine Bend refinery in Rosemount is a landmark like no other – the tall columns, bright lights and steam during cold winter days can be seen from miles away. Generations of workers have helped operate, maintain and transform the refinery, making it one of the nation’s most innovative and efficient energy facilities of its kind. This year, Flint Hills Resources celebrates 70 years of dedicated employees at the Pine Bend refinery who have produced the fuels that help move us forward. LEARN MORE: About the Pine Bend refinery (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources)
FEED FRAUD: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “State officials were right to disqualify Partners In Nutrition from federal food program participation last year as part of the $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud investigation, a Minnesota Appeals Court panel ruled Monday. Although none of the 70 people charged in the Feeding Our Future investigation worked directly for Partners In Nutrition, based in St. Paul, both nonprofits saw explosive growth in food reimbursement claims during the coronavirus pandemic, when state oversight was minimal. And some of the people who pleaded guilty to submitting fraudulent reimbursement claims were sponsored by Partners In Nutrition.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3SWjR4e
BWCAW: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Individual fees to travel into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness will more than double beginning in 2027 under a proposal unveiled Monday by the U.S. Forest Service. The agency said in a news release that more money is needed because ‘wilderness ranger staffing and maintenance costs for points of entry, portages and campsites have increased substantially.’ The fee for an adult would increase from $16 to $40 per trip; for a youth, from $8 to $20.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3TxAsvb
CD1: via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “Oliver Morlan, a Zumbro Falls native and member of a family-owned business, announced that he is running for Congress in the First Congressional District as an independent candidate. The seat is currently held by Rep. Brad Finstad, a Republican. ‘I’m running to increase independent representation,’ Morlan said. … ‘I just feel that the country is in need of desperate change.’ … Jake Johnson, a longtime teacher with Rochester Public Schools, is running for the DFL endorsement to challenge Finstad.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4n6yXlq
CD8: via Duluth News Tribune, VERBATIM: “Two Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party candidates have announced they are running for the 8th Congressional District seat. Cyle Cramer, 32, of Chisago City, and Emanuel Anastos, 25, of Tower, have each filed statements of organization with the Federal Election Commission establishing their campaign committees. U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber, a Republican from Hermantown who has held the seat since 2019, has also filed for reelection.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/442Cdp1
From yesterday’s Fluence newsletters:
LABOR BILLS: via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “Having lost control of the Legislature and confronting a looming budget deficit, Democrats were forced to abandon plans to advance pro-worker legislation and instead defend their gains from the historic 2023 legislative session. … Democrats introduced some labor-backed bills, laying out their agenda should they win back state government: a higher minimum wage, pay raises for teachers, staffing ratios for nurses and a path for Uber and Lyft drivers to unionize. None gained traction.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4e4YNSz
SUCCESSION: via Minneapolis-based U.S. Bank, VERBATIM: “U.S. Bank released its third Small Business Perspective survey report today, revealing how owners across the country are responding to an environment defined by rapid change. … With more than half of U.S. small business owners now over age 55, succession planning is becoming increasingly urgent. While many owners are not yet ready to step away – with only 54% having created a succession plan – new generations are preparing to take their place: more than one-third (36%) of Gen Z and Millennial owners say they plan to acquire a business from a retiring owner.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4e57Se7
AG BILL: via KRWC Radio, VERBATIM: “Fighting avian influenza, H5N1, and other livestock disease was a top priority for state lawmakers this year. Hunter Pederson, Public Policy Spokesperson for the Minnesota Farm Bureau, says the new two-year state budget will help make sure animals are healthy.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43MWP66
TODAY: Governor Tim Walz has no public events scheduled.
TODAY: via an ISAIAH advisory, VERBATIM: “From 5:15 - 6:30 p.m., community members and faith leaders will hold a vigil at the Government Center immediately before the Olmsted County Board meeting (6:00 p.m.). … We will ask local county, city, and school board leaders to use their power to speak up against the cuts that will harm their constituents and their budgets.”
TODAY: The MN Dept. of Commerce will announce new information on increases to proposed health insurance premiums for 2026. Proposed 2026 rates are available on their website and a virtual briefing with officials will be held at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.
TODAY: via a joint advisory, VERBATIM: “The Stillwater Runs Deep Coalition and Minnesota Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee (IWOC) invites you to the MRRA Community Town Hall on June 17 at New City Center. This event will raise awareness and inspire community dialogue around the MN Rehabilitation and Reinvestment Act and its implementation. … Local legislators will also be invited to attend.” The event is at 6:00 p.m. in Minneapolis.
JULY 12: Gov. Tim Walz will be the keynote speaker at the South Dakota Democratic Party’s annual McGovern Day dinner on July 12 in Sioux Falls, SD.
BDAYS: lobbyist Sarah Psick, marketing leader Maureen Bausch, retired and gardener Kim Isenberg
TIPS: How do we get the best news and most buzzed about stories? Send us your tips at BloisOlson@gmail.com
IN MEMORIAM: morning take from now to the future is in memory of Melissa Hortman her accessibility, leadership and commitment to public service.
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