Minnesota
2023 NFL Week 14: Minnesota Vikings at Las Vegas Raiders
It’s a five-game sprint for the postseason for the Minnesota Vikings (and 31 other NFL teams, too, we suppose) and it starts at the Giant Roomba in the Desert. . .aka Allegiant Stadium. . .as the purple head out west to take on the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Raiders, like the Vikings, are coming off of their bye week and have been pretty feisty since they fired Josh McDaniels as their head coach and installed former NFL linebacker Antonio Pierce in the lead spot. They’ve gone 2-2 since Pierce took over with victories over the two New York teams followed by losses to Miami and Kansas City before the bye week. They still have some playoff hopes to cling to but it’s going to be difficult for them in a loaded AFC.
The Vikings had an opportunity to salt away a playoff spot heading into the bye week, but instead lost games to Denver and Chicago by a combined three points and watched their offense turn the ball over seven times in those two games. Turnovers plagued the Vikings earlier in the season and they appear to be hitting the team hard again. They need to have that problem solved if they want their postseason aspirations to continue.
The betting lines for this one have officially opened, with the DraftKings Sportsbook installing the Vikings as a 2.5-point favorite in early betting. The over/under for this one has started at 40.5 points.
Minnesota is currently riding a two-game winning streak over the Raiders, defeating them in Oakland in 2015 and at U.S. Bank Stadium in 2019. This is the first time that they’ve faced the Raiders in the regular season since their move to Las Vegas.
Kickoff for this one is slated for 3:05 PM Central time on Sunday afternoon, and the game will be carried by FOX affiliates around the country.
Minnesota
Family of Minnesota woman sentenced for drug trafficking says she got caught up with cartel after getting stuck in Mexico
ST. CLOUD, Minn. — Several events in Minnesota have had ties to the Sinaloa Cartel, including a Minnesota woman who was sentenced to more than 26 years in prison.
“Obviously, she messed up… but she does not deserve to sit that much time,” said Tanja Tilleskjor, mother of Macalla Knot.
Friends and family of Knott, or “Calla,” say she’s not what you think after Knott pleaded guilty to distributing nearly $10 million worth of drugs from Mexico to the upper Midwest.
“I understand there are consequences for her actions, but I have seen people’s lives transformed,” Ashley Schlichting, a longtime friend of Knot, said.
Knott moved south of the border in March 2020 after being laid off. Her family says she tried to come back but didn’t have a passport to do so.
“I think it went dark really fast, went downhill very quickly and was stuck in a situation she couldn’t get out of,” Schlichting said.
Former CIA Agent Jack Rice explained how this can happen.
“Imagine what happens when somebody says, ‘How would you like $100,000?Look how easy this will be. It’s a couple of hours work. It’s nothing.’” Rice said.
Knott’s sentencing happened just days before three were charged in a Cartel-related kidnapping in St. Paul.
“They are much more difficult to actually control than smaller organizations in the Twin Cities and elsewhere. These are powerful multi-national operations with huge resources” Rice said. “The cartel is here to make money. The cartel is here to make profit.”
Minnesota
‘Attempted coup’: Chaos reigns in half-empty Minnesota House
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – Minnesota appears to be in a constitutional crisis on day one of the legislative session.
Constitutional crisis
What we know:
The war over control of the House saw its first air strikes on Tuesday, with Democrats staying away and Republicans seizing control.
A half empty House greeted Secretary of State Steve Simon as he launched the 2025 session.
But after a roll call, Simon said there weren’t enough members to do any business.
“There being 67 members present, there is no quorum as required by the Constitution of the state of Minnesota,” the Secretary of State said. “The House may not conduct any further business and the House of Representatives is adjourned.”
“The House is not adjourned,” interjected Rep. Harry Niska, (R-Ramsey). “You do not have authority over the House of Representatives.”
‘Attempted coup’
Dig deeper:
As Simon walked away, Republicans took over and ran the day’s session as if nothing had happened.
They cast a unanimous vote for Rep. Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring) as Speaker of the House, which would make her the state’s first person of color in the role.
The DFL caucus watched it happen from 30 miles away.
“What we saw today was an attempted coup,” said Rep. Jamie Long (DFL-Minneapolis).
Dozens of members made Shakopee headquarters for the day.
They called the Republican session a sham, but they recognize people across the state may have strong feelings when they see video of their empty seats.
“I would imagine that Minnesotans are irritated with both of us,” said Rep. Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park). “I would imagine that they’re irritated with us for not being there. And I would imagine they’re irritated with Republicans for wanting to throw out a duly elected member, especially on the day that the courts ruled that he clearly won.”
Room for agreement?
Big picture view:
Democrats have offered to give Republicans majority control until they’re no longer a majority, likely in February, instead of for a full two years.
Republicans say every offer they’ve heard is unreasonable.
“What we are offering is to come in,” said Rep. Demuth. “I am the Speaker of the House, and we look forward to working with them over the next two years in a reasonable way.”
What’s next:
Republicans say they intend to come every day and go about House business.
Democrats started their day in Shakopee with a judge ruling in favor of Rep. Brad Tabke.
Despite the ruling, Republicans are still threatening to vote not to seat Rep. Tabke.
Democrats will now go to the Supreme Court to stop Republicans from blocking Rep. Tabke and from ruling the House while they’re not around.
They’re hoping a ruling could come within a couple of weeks.
Minnesota
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