Government and Politics

Minnesota lawmakers propose gun control legislation [VIDEO]

Two DFL legislators proposed a new bill this morning that would tighten Minnesota's gun laws for convicted felons and the mentally ill, including barring firearms from those convicted of felony-level domestic assault and making it illegal for felons to carry ammunition. SEE ALSO: Law enforcement w ... More >>

Pine County Sheriff's refusal to enforce new gun regulations has at least one legislative supporter

When Andy Parrish says he has "no intention of abiding" by President Obama's new proposed gun control measure, it's one thing. But a county sheriff? That's another.SEE ALSO: MN secession petition: Glenn Beck to be first president of 'Dumbf*ckistan,' Faux Nooz reports Yesterday, Pine County Sheriff R ... More >>

Norm Coleman praises Obama gun control speech that didn't use the word "guns"

Last night, President Obama traveled to Newtown, Connecticut, and gave a speech at a memorial service for the victims of Friday's school shooting.SEE ALSO:-- Al Franken didn't want to talk gun control on Friday; Betty McCollum did -- Andy Parrish's response to Newtown school shooting: Arm teachers H ... More >>

Klobuchar reminds Senate that "the stakes are high for Minnesota" with farm bill [VIDEO]

The farm bill expired at the end of September, but first the election and now the fiscal cliff have worked like a one-two punch to knock out chatter about it. Trust Amy Klobuchar, though, to try and get our attention back.Yesterday she took to the Senate floor to remind people just how many billions ... More >>

Mpls City Council committee passes Civilian Review Authority overhaul despite public outcry

See Also: Mpls City Council hosting hearing on Civilian Review Authority overhaul today Senate passes bill to limit Minneapolis Civilian Review Authority's power Despite near-unanimous criticism during a public hearing Wednesday afternoon, a Minneapolis City Council committee voted in favor of a ... More >>

Twin Cities life expectancy: Wealth matters [MAP]

Your zip code could be a measure of how long you're going to live. Last week, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation released a report with good health news for Twin Cities residents with some zip codes, and shakier news for others. The good: Twin Cities-dwellers are living longer t ... More >>

Gov't lobbying government: Local governments spent $8.3 million in 2011 to lobby legislators

The Vikings don't have to release information on how much money they spent lobbying Minnesota in 2011, but the state's local governments do. Their lobbying tab for last year comes in at $8.3 million, according to a 386-page report released Monday by the state auditor's office. That number's a 0.7 ... More >>

Brian Johnson, Pride Fest Bible hander-outer, files federal lawsuit over "no pride zone" policy [UPDATE]

A dispute that has been ongoing for years recently escalated: Notorious Bible hander-outer Brian Johnson filed a federal lawsuit against the Minneapolis Park Board, alleging that his constitutional rights are violated by the Twin Cities Pride Festival's "no pride zone" policy. That policy, endorsed ... More >>

Stillwater doesn't want another Lumberjack Days fiasco

​It sounds like Stillwater is still recovering from a Lumberjack Days hangover. At a City Council meeting Tuesday, local businessmen proposed an alternative to the now-defunct summer Lumberjack Days festival, which would be called "Stillwater River Days." But amid still-pending investigations in ... More >>

Rick Santorum glitterbombed in Blaine [VIDEO]

​The streets of Minnesota are running rainbow with glitter! In the waning hours before Tuesday night's caucus, the glitterati struck one last time at a Rick Santorum event in Blaine, showering the famously anti-gay former senator in sparkles. "I think he just felt the rainbow," glitterbomb inve ... More >>

Vikings stadium won't get a special session

This stadium will have to wait until the legislature's New Year's hangover wears off.​The Minnesota Vikings are, putting it kindly, not a very special football team right now. Fittingly, the team won't get a special session from the legislature to rule on its new stadium(s?), and will have to wait ... More >>

Michele Bachmann's five most regrettable expenses

​Michele Bachmann's campaign is fading fast. If you squint, it disappears completely.That's partly because Bachmann's poll numbers have moved from the basement to the underground bunker. And it doesn't help that her staffers are beginning to pack up and move away for greener, saner pastures. But, ... More >>

Minnesota shutdown is longest in state history, with no end in sight

The state's getting bad press.​Minnesota's state government shutdown is officially the longest in state history. But elected officials in the only state that hasn't finalized a budget aren't in a rush to end the gridlock. No meetings are scheduled between Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican leaders to ... More >>

Bachmann surges into second place

​Michele Bachmann left Tim Pawlenty in the dust in the wake of the New Hampshire Republican debate on Monday, not among Republicans in the Granite State, but also nationally, if you believe the polls. She's vaulted into second place behind Mitt Romney in both cases.

Farah Mohamed Beledi confirmed by FBI as Somali suicide bomber

Farah Mohamed Beledi fled the Twin Cities in 2009​The FBI is confirming that 27-year-old Farah Mohamed Beledi of St. Paul was one of two men who died in a Mogadishu suicide attack last week. He fled Minnesota in 2009 to join the al-Shabaab terrorist group. Beledi was one of 13 Twin Cities me ... More >>

Tim Pawlenty and Michele Bachmann will debate in New Hampshire

So friendly looking.​Will he call her a "pain in the ass" and threaten to "rip her lungs out" in person? Will she remember to look into the right camera and get her Revolutionary War history straight? Those questions and more may be answered when Michele Bachmann and Tim Pawlenty show up fo ... More >>

Bob Fletcher Terrorism Briefs

Ramsey County sheriff releases records to City Pages

Bachmann under scrutiny for $1.5 million in campaign donations

The tea party caucus chair hasn't accounted for $1.5 million in campaign contributions.​Michele Bachmann bragged in the last campaign cycle about the tens of thousands of small contributions she received from fans all over the country while building a $13 million war chest to defeat Tarryl Cla ... More >>

Michael Steele set to embarrass MN GOP in secret

GOP.comMichael Steele is in the heezy.​Michael Steele, the chairman of the National Republican Party famous for perpetually having a mouthful of his own foot, is rallying the faithful in Minneapolis this afternoon.The fund-raising lunch, being held at the Hilton at noon, is being hosted by the Ele ... More >>

Norm Coleman rumored for Michael Steele's job, but can he match the flubs?

Steele is always ready with a colorful quote. We review some of the best blips of Steele's short career:

Bachmann: I'm the "receptacle" of the Tea Party

Michele Bachmann is queen of the Tea Party.​Michele Bachmann's crazy Tea Party Caucus press conference surpassed all expectations and was even loonier than we could have imagined.The first thing the Tea Party did was trot out their new Uncle Toms. Apparently stung by the accusation that they're a ... More >>

Betty McCollum seeks resolution for Peter Erlinder's release

McCollum reminds the Rwandan government of U.S. generosity in foreign aid​Will this help? Rep. Betty McCollum has introduced, and Keith Ellison has cosponsored, a U.S. House resolution calling on the Rwandan government to release accused genocide denier William Mitchell law professor Peter Erl ... More >>

Shooting Straight: Letters to the Editor

Rodney Bernard Kvam threatens to gun down census worker

Rodney Bernard Kvam notwithstanding, Minnesota's response rate of 80 percent in the 2010 Census is second in the nation. Only Wisconsin ranks higher.​Rodney Bernard Kvam really didn't want to speak with that woman from the U.S. Census Bureau back in May when she visited his home near the Austi ... More >>

Testing Minnesota's gun show loophole

How easy is it to buy a firearm in the Twin Cities?

Peter Erlinder reportedly attempted suicide in Rwandan jail cell

Peter Erlinder is accused of denying the Rwandan genocide​The New York Times is reporting that William Mitchell College law professor Peter Erlinder attempted suicide in his Rwandan jail cell, where he is being held for allegedly denying that country's genocide. Police said they found Erlinde ... More >>

Tim Pawlenty and Legislature agree on Minnesota budget deal

House Majority Leader Tony Sertich promised a balanced budget by sunrise. Turns out, he was close​Ladies and gentlemen, it looks like we have a deal. The Minnesota House and Senate have both passed a compromise budget bill that Gov. Tim Pawlenty says he will sign. If he does, it heads off th ... More >>

Shane Bauer's illness draws new White House attention

​There was a flurry of press coverage and official U.S. government statements following Friday's news that Swiss diplomats were able to visit Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal in their Iranian prison cells recently. The latest concern: Bauer has a stomach ailment and Shourd has a serio ... More >>

Dave Bicking: How politics ousted the Civilian Review Authority's loudest member

Bicking is the first willing member of the CRA to not be reappointed.

Michele Bachmann's now an official 'Tea Party Hero'

Photo: Nick Vlcek​Surprised? Thought not. The Tea Party Express published its hit list today -- no Minnesotans are on it -- as well as its list of heroes. House Candidate And Incumbent Heroes Tom McClintock (R-CA) Tom Price (R-GA) Walt Minnick (D-ID) Mike Pence (R-IN) Michele Bachmann ... More >>

The Humane Society and big agriculture slug it out over animal rights

Tea Party Express: Who are these people?

Screengrab via Pargon/TeabonicsBehold the creative spelling​The tour buses of the Tea Party Express rolled into St. Paul for a rally this morning as part of a 48-stop 19-day cross country tour. So who are these guys?Last month Michele Bachmann complained that the media depicts Tea Partiers "as too ... More >>

Dave Bicking booted from Civilian Review Authority

Bicking says the council ousted him to silence his criticisms of the Minneapolis Police Department. A Councilmember says Bicking is too political for the position.

Michele Bachmann's campaign organization hit for shoddy bookkeeping by FEC

The FEC finds "one or more contributions that appear to exceed" limits on campaign donations, and other issues.

Al Franken's lightening up, Washington Post says; doggone it senators like him better

Fits of pique reinforced Franken's image as a champion of the liberal left, but now he plays squash with Republicans.

Farming for Federal Dollars

Meet the Minnesotans who receive subsidies for not growing anything

Michele Bachmann's "wean 'em off Social Security" speech prompts radio ad

A Washington, D.C. activist group is using her words against her, via radio ads that started running in her district today.

Rybak not backing civil rights director for reappointment

Michael Jordan is the only department head Rybak didn't nominate for reappointment.

Busted: Rybak used mayoral campaign funds for gubernatorial run

Rybak used mayoral campaign funds in May to conduct a poll about his strength to run for governor.

Robert Hawkins

Legal medical marijuana in Minnesota closer to becoming reality

Sick patients' loved ones hopeful for additional relaxation of the law

Will Potter

Voice to Vision

One Man's Story: Philip Agee, Cuba, and the CIA

Pushing Tin

Nestled in the middle of the Twin Cities, the tiny trailer-park city of Hilltop (pop. 766) has been getting shoved around since the day it was born

Table for Thirteen

The Mckinsey Report: Curtailing the power of the Minneapolis City Council

The Education of Sharon Sayles Belton

No party endorsement, a disastrous primary, and an opponent who attracts wealthy liberals: Can Minneapolis Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton revive her reelection campaign?

Foreign Affairs

Bill Clinton's Indonesian connection brought him campaign cash in exchange for influence--and continued inaction on the country's notorious human rights abuses.