ANOTHER MONDAY
We start the week in a fog, with anger and frustration again. There’s still week left in a month that has enough news for a year.
The distracting conversation will be about Sam Darnold today. Wolves lose.
The parents of ICU nurse Alex Pretti issued a statement after his death Saturday. BMTN: https://fluence-media.co/4rdaFra
Thanks for some who have sent critiques and feedback to the coverage – I am committed to keeping my center and focus on covering the events and tragedies, through the lens of what it means for Minnesota politics, our economy and the “Mood of Minnesota”. That means that condemnation, protests and using the language of activists isn’t likely to be said or written from me.
How legislators choose to spend their time and use their voices is a telling - state of activists vs. lawmakers – a theme to watch for 2026.
We had some good feedback and fixed some link issues in the Fluence Election Tracker that was launched on Friday – check it out: www.FluenceElectionTracker.com
With Michele Tafoya’s entrance into the US Senate race, the latest MNSider analysis for premium subscribers came out Friday. HERE: https://fluence-media.co/3NEy8Di
YouGov finds that 58% of Americans think ICE is “too forceful” following Alex Pretti’s killing. From Renee Good’s death to now, approval for ICE dropped 2 points (37%) and approval for protesters is up 4 points (48%). POLL: https://fluence-media.co/4sZo1cg
Sunday Take covered the impact of Alex Pretti’s killing and ICE activity in Greater Minnesota with Rep. Dave Baker (R-Willmar). LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3Zxvvpi
Happy National Bubble Wrap Day.
Blois - tips: bloisolson@gmail.com
Wordle in 2.
morning take, on WCCO Radio this morning with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4pXpIEk
Last week, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer shared thoughts on ICE, midterm elections and the state of Congress with Sunday Take. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4sLFN2v
In a must listen, Legislative Auditor Judy Randall joined Sunday Take to discuss fraud in state programs. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3YTziND
Want to manage your subscription to TheDailyAgenda.com ? HERE: https://fluence-media.co/managesubscription
The latest insight from Fluence Advisory on the loss of institutional knowledge from the Minnesota Legislature. READ: https://fluence-advisory.com/insights/
WHAT TO WATCH
· Overnight, a group of 30-50 more violent destructive and aggressive protestors damaged a hotel near the University requiring Minneapolis police to intervene. Video will allow right-wing “influencers” suggest that Minneapolis is out of control, while one hotel does not reflect the peace and calm in the rest of the city.
· Today’s court hearing and a weekend injunction from Federal Judge Eric Tostrud could create the pause that no one has been able to negotiate the past few weeks.
· Law enforcement through multiple organizations are engaging calling for a meeting with President Trump and a “Summit” between federal and local officials.
· Online, some right of center sources have posted the Signal chats of the organizers against ICE/DHS. Several of these chats and “watch groups” are being led by DFL elected officials in their communities.
· There seems to be some updated messaging come from President Trump about federal officials leaving Minneapolis.
· The showdown in Minnesota will head to Washington this week and could lead to a partial government shutdown over Homeland Security funding.
ALL THE ANGLES
TODAY: U.S. District Court hearings will continue today in the case to end Operation Metro Surge, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Via MPR News, witness accounts from Saturday’s fatal shooting are now part of the state’s case against the federal government. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pXyr9C
CHIEFS: via news release last night, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association (MCPA) recognizes that communities across our state are experiencing heightened stress and uncertainty, placing significant demands on our communities and the public safety agencies that serve them. Law enforcement professionals are being asked to operate in complex, high-pressure environments while communities seek reassurance, clarity, and stability…In light of these challenges, the MCPA has requested a meeting with President Trump to discuss these issues directly and to share the perspectives of Minnesota’s law enforcement leaders. This dialogue would be constructive and timely.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/49UjHlH
SUMMIT: via LELS, STATEMENT: “Law Enforcement Labor Services, Minnesota’s largest public safety labor union, is calling on federal, state, and local officials to convene an emergency summit to establish clear, coordinated policies for immigration enforcement and detainers in Minnesota. … LELS is calling for immediate action to establish a unified framework that clearly defines federal, state, and local public safety roles. … LELS believes a federal–state summit is long overdue and necessary to restore consistency, community safety and public trust.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3NGCHwI
INVESTIGATION: via CBS News, VERBATIM: “U.S. District Court Judge Eric Tostrud granted a temporary restraining order against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Saturday, barring the department from altering or destroying evidence connected to [Alex] Pretti’s killing. … The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said DHS representatives blocked them from accessing the scene of the shooting, even though the bureau had obtained a judge’s signed search warrant. … Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said that the state investigative agency had returned to the scene [yesterday] at his request, ‘canvassing for additional witnesses and evidence.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49WSkYv
MORE: GOP Rep. Marion Rarick called for federal cooperation with the state’s investigation into the death of Alex Pretti. Via Facebook, RARICK: “I implore the federal officials (DHS, ICE, HSI), please work with [Drew Evans] and the BCA to investigate this horrific tragic shooting. Honor federal search warrants. Bring peace to the chaos of our state. Bring full transparency.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qhL1AR
MORE: via Axios, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said Saturday that the state will conduct its own investigation into the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis man by federal immigration agents. … Walz said he told the White House Saturday morning that the state’s justice system ‘must have the last word.’” WALZ: “The federal government cannot be trusted to handle the investigation. … They are not law enforcement. We have [local] law enforcement who do an incredible job.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3NC57bf
MORE: MPD Chief Brian O’Hara told CBS “Face the Nation” that the federal government is not cooperating on investigating Alex Pretti’s death. O’HARA: “We don’t have any official information from federal law enforcement about what has happened. Even when our officers initially responded to the scene, our watch commander was not given even the most basic information that is typical in a law enforcement-involved shooting.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4bQNCxK
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HUMAN EYES
SPLIT SCREEN: via Axios, VERBATIM: “The shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretti, a Minneapolis resident and U.S. citizen, further inflamed tensions over the Trump Administration’s immigration crackdown. … Homeland Security Sec. Kristi Noem called Pretti’s actions ‘domestic terrorism.’ [Gov. Tim] Walz called DHS’s account of the deadly encounter ‘lies’ and ‘nonsense.’ … DHS said Pretti was armed with a gun, [but] videos circulating so far do not appear to show him reaching for or brandishing the firearm. … Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara [said] Pretti was a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry. The officer who shot the man was an 8-year Border Patrol veteran.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49UoPXb
MORE: via Politico, VERBATIM: “In the wake of another fatal shooting involving immigration agents, Trump Administration and Minnesota officials are locked in a heated dispute over what exactly transpired and who’s to blame. … And they don’t just disagree in their interpretation of the events — they fundamentally differ on what exactly took place and what triggered it [despite] video footage. … Just as in the aftermath of [Renee] Good’s shooting, federal and state officials disagree about who bears responsibility — and how to manage the fallout.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49GgffR
VIDEO: The New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal analyzed footage of Saturday’s shooting and all concluded that Alex Pretti was grounded and disarmed by federal agents before he was killed by officers firing at least 10 rounds. Pretti first approached the agents holding a cell phone and could not be seen touching his gun. The Wall Street Journal said the videos “contradict” the federal government’s initial account of the incident. NYT: https://fluence-media.co/3LyFhV3 WAPO: https://fluence-media.co/4r5jKlQ WSJ: https://fluence-media.co/4rdaL1N
MORE: GOP Rep. Walter Hudson argued with local reporters on X regarding video footage from Alex Pretti’s killing. Hudson claimed that Pretti “brandished a gun,” but KARE 11’s A.J. Lagoe asked Hudson to “please point me to a single piece of video where he brandishes a gun.” Hudson responded: “We don’t need a video.” TWEETS: https://fluence-media.co/4qFPgqA
GOP SPLIT: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “At least one state legislator said Operation Metro Surge must end. ‘It’s clear that Operation Metro Surge is causing more harm than good,’ Rep. Nolan West, a Republican from Blaine, said. … West said part of the split-screen response from Republicans and Democrats is due to geography that divides them from a shared experience. Democrats ‘feel this incredibly deeply because it’s literally in their neighborhood,’ he said. … Several of the legislators speaking out represent metro-area districts that could be swing seats in November’s midterm elections. It’s a sign that some in the GOP may view the current crackdown as a political problem. ‘I’m calling on all sides to de-escalate,’ state Sen. Julia Coleman, R-Waconia, said.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qz1Jwi
MORE: via AP News, VERBATIM: “A growing number of Republicans are pressing for a deeper investigation into federal immigration tactics in Minnesota. … [Six] congressional Republicans [have] pressed for more information. Their statements, in addition to concern expressed from several Republican governors, reflected a party struggling with how to respond to Saturday’s fatal shooting of Alex Pretti. … The killing has raised uncomfortable questions about the GOP’s core positions on issues ranging from gun ownership to states’ rights.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bfixDT
SHOWDOWN + REACTION
SHUTDOWN: via AP News, VERBATIM: “Democratic senators are vowing to oppose a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security, [which] increases the prospect of a partial government shutdown by the end of the week. … Democratic senators were scheduled to participate in a conference call Sunday evening to discuss the next steps. House Democrats held their own caucus call in the morning with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and the state’s attorney general, Keith Ellison. … Democrats are pushing for policy changes [to] force ICE agents to use warrants for immigration arrests, mandate strengthened training, require agents to identify themselves and have Border Patrol agents stay on the border.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4sXGUvZ
MORE: Sen. Amy Klobuchar said she will not support the Senate’s funding bill for ICE on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” KLOBUCHAR: “No, I am not voting for this funding. And what could we do to overhaul them? Oh, let me start. New leadership, stopping these surges across the country — not just in my state — training them like they were supposed to be trained…[with] mandatory body cameras, stopping ramming into people’s houses without a judicial warrant. And I could go on.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3NBPJM1
MORE: Sen. Tina Smith also confirmed on social media that she is opposed to the current funding bill for ICE. SMITH: “For those asking where we go from here: Not voting to fund ICE is a great place for us to start.” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/3NDZlWI
REACTIONS: Here is a sample of the many reactions from federal and state officials.
Via Sec. Pete Hegseth, a Minnesota native, HEGSETH: “Thank God for the patriots of [ICE] — we have your back 100%. You are SAVING the country. Shame on the leadership of Minnesota — and the lunatics in the street. ICE > MN.” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/4k9957l
Via a joint statement from Minnesota’s Democratic delegation, STATEMENT: “The presence of masked, militarized federal agents is not making our communities safer — it is making them less safe. It is leading to increased danger and violence. We call on Republicans to speak up for the safety of all Minnesotans. Silence is complicity.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rj4thr
Via a joint statement from major Minnesota CEOs, STATEMENT: “We are calling for an immediate deescalation of tensions and for state, local and federal officials to work together to find real solutions. … We call for peace and focused cooperation among local, state and federal leaders to achieve a swift and durable solution.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49LoqpK
(DISCLOSURE: Minnesota Business Partnership is a client of Fluence Advisory)
Via the MN Hospital Association, STATEMENT: “ As healthcare organizations, our mission is to heal—to provide safe, calm, and equitable care for everyone who needs it. Violence has no place in our communities or in healthcare…We urge community leaders and elected officials at all levels of government to take immediate steps to deescalate harmful rhetoric and violence, and to use their influence to promote peace, safety, and constructive dialogue.
Via Main Street Action, STATEMENT: “The killing of Alex Pretti near businesses owned and operated by Main Street Action members is a devastating turning point. This violent escalation makes clear that DHS and ICE operations in Minnesota cannot continue as they are. When federal actions lead to lethal force in the middle of commercial corridors and neighborhood business districts, it signals a breakdown in the basic conditions that allow communities and small businesses to function.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4a08DDL
Via Minnesota Nurses Association, STATEMENT: “The MNA Board of Directors reaffirm our stance that communities cannot remain healthy when people are afraid to leave their homes or seek medical care. We call on federal elected officials and federal leadership to immediately end tactics and actions that put Minnesotans at risk. We demand justice for members of our community killed or injured as a result of federal enforcement actions.”
CLEAN | RELIABLE | AFFORDABLE: via Xcel Energy, VERBATIM: “We’re powering the Upper Midwest with clean, reliable, and affordable nuclear energy. For more than 50 years, our Prairie Island Nuclear Plant, located near Red Wing, MN, has been a workhorse of reliable, carbon-free energy. With two pressurized water reactors producing about 1,100 megawatts, Prairie Island generates enough electricity to power 1.5 million homes across the Upper Midwest. Unlike sources that depend on weather, nuclear energy delivers 24/7 reliability — providing the power we need today while protecting the environment for tomorrow.” LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4oCHdK9 (SPONSORED: Xcel Energy)
LAW AND ORDER?
AGENTS: Via CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Customs and Border Patrol officials said the federal agents involved in the shooting of Alex Pretti are still on duty, but they were moved to a different city “for their safety.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bdy4nD
AG LETTER: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “5 EYEWITNESS NEWS has obtained a letter from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to Governor Tim Walz requesting access to state records and asking the governor to repeal [unspecified] ‘sanctuary policies.’ The letter [was] sent the same day that federal agents shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti. … Bondi’s letter requests that Walz [fulfill] three requests, including sharing Minnesota’s records on Medicaid and Food Nutrition Service programs…’repeal sanctuary policies’ in Minnesota…[and] give the Department of Justice (DOJ) access to voter rolls. … The letter does not state, however, that following these requests would result in ICE operations leaving Minnesota.” READ/LETTER: https://fluence-media.co/4bhZKrB
RESPONSE: via Sec. Steve Simon statement, SIMON: “The answer to Attorney General [Pam] Bondi’s request is no. Her letter is an outrageous attempt to coerce Minnesota into giving the federal government private data on millions of U.S. Citizens. … It is deeply disturbing that the U.S. Attorney General would make this unlawful request [as] part of an apparent ransom to pay for our state’s peace and security.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4sWNEdG
NATL GUARD: Via KARE 11, the Minnesota National Guard was deployed to Minneapolis following the shooting of Alex Pretti, but they have “left the scene after a peaceful night in the area.” The Minneapolis Police Department said “there were no arrests or reports of burglaries or fires” during weekend protests. READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4jWsicg
OTHER NEWS
SENATE RACE: via Politico, VERBATIM: “Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan leads Rep. Angie Craig by 12 percentage points in a Public Policy Polling survey of the Democratic primary commissioned by a pro-Flanagan group, Clear Voice Minnesota. … Nearly a third of likely voters [are] undecided. Flanagan is at 40 percent to 28 percent for Craig. The poll also shows immigration enforcement becoming a key issue in the race…with 70 percent of respondents saying ICE has ‘gone too far and should be abolished.’” POLL: https://fluence-media.co/49Q0emk
MEDICAID: via DHS advisory, VERBATIM: “New federal data released by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) shows the overall rate of improper payment in Minnesota’s Medicaid program is far below national averages. … CMS found an error rate of slightly over 2.1%, compared to a national average of 6.1%.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4t086dC
SHAKOPEE: via Rep. Angie Craig release, VERBATIM: “U.S. Representative Angie Craig pressed the Trump Administration about recent reports that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to open a detention center in Shakopee, MN. In a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, Rep. Craig opposed the proposed detention center and demanded answers from DHS officials about the impetus and plans for establishing a new ICE facility in Minnesota.” LETTER: https://fluence-media.co/4rduZsv
AHEAD
TOMORROW: Special elections will be held in House Districts 47A and 64A on Tuesday, Jan. 27.
TOMORROW: Rep. Ilhan Omar will host an in-person town hall in north Minneapolis on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m.
THURSDAY: The Senate subcommittee on federal impacts will hold a hearing discussing “the impacts of ICE actions on Minnesotans” at 10:00 a.m.
FRIDAY: via DEED advisory, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Trade Office (MTO) is delighted to invite you to join Governor Tim Walz, Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Matt Varilek and Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen at a luncheon event to honor this year’s recipients of the Governor’s International Trade Awards.”
FEB 3: Precinct caucuses to decide on party-endorsed candidates will begin Tuesday, Feb. 3.
BDAYS: fmr. Gov. Mark Dayton, fmr. Rep. Todd Lippert, marketer Madeline O’Phelan
SPEAKER: If you’re looking for a speaker about the “Signal vs. Noise” dynamic of today’s politics and the 2026 election. EMAIL: BloisOlson@gmail.com.
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IN MEMORIAM: morning take is dedicated in memory of Melissa Hortman.