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Minnesota local GOP figures amplify rhetoric, persist in comparing Biden to Hitler

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Minnesota local GOP figures amplify rhetoric, persist in comparing Biden to Hitler


Rep. Walter Hudson delivers speech to the Republican Seniors of Minnesota on June 13, 2023. 

After the state GOP condemned a Facebook post from the Scott County GOP comparing President Joe Biden to the most notorious dictators of the 20th Century this week, other figures within the party rallied to defend the original post, and more inflammatory rhetoric from a state rep has emerged.

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The June 10 post from the Scott County GOP showed the phrase “Leaders who have their political opponents arrested” above images of Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, and Mao Zedong, with a photo of Biden added to the lower right of the grid. Both state parties condemned the post, and it was briefly taken down only to reappear again later the same day.

The post came in response to the June 8 indictment of Trump, who pleaded not guilty on Monday to federal charges that he kept classified documents containing crucial military secrets and plotted to obstruct government efforts to recover them.

The condemnation was not universal. As first reported by the Minnesota Reformer, Sen. Nathan Wesenberg, R-Little Falls, quickly voiced his support for the Scott County post, sharing the same meme with the text “Some people have problems with facts.” Two other county chapters — Rice County and Kittson County — also voiced their support on social media for the Scott County post.

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Increased tensions; renewed scrutiny

The spat comes at a time of increased scrutiny on political rhetoric following the Trump indictment, when experts warned that some of Trump’s defenders used language that could be seen as inciting violence.

As the New York Times reported, one of the prominent examples came from Kari Lake, a Trump supporter who unsuccessfully ran for governor in Arizona in 2022.

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“If you want to get to President Trump, you are going to have go through me, and you are going to have to go through 75 million Americans just like me. And I’m going to tell you, most of us are card-carrying members of the N.R.A,” she said.

Speaking five days after Trump was indicted by a grand jury in Miami, Minnesota GOP Rep. Walter Hudson used militaristic rhetoric to describe Democrats in a speech to the Republican Seniors of Minnesota.

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While making no reference to Trump, Hudson, who has a background in conservative talk radio and is known for his bombastic style, referred to Democrats as “unAmerican” and accused them of engaging in “demonic behavior.”

“You’re dealing with a party that has declared war upon you. The goal of modern Democrats is to conquer you. What do I mean by that? Conquer you? Think about what’s entailed in conquering a people. You’re physically displacing them, get out, go somewhere else,” he said.

Shorter afterwards, he added:

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“What is it to say that an institution or a community or a state or nation is too white? What’s the implication there? Well, we should have less white people. Well, how exactly you going to go about doing that? When has that type of talk, that thought ever gone to a positive, moral righteous place? And so the reason why I’m dwelling so long on this point is because it should set the stage in our heads to recognize that this is no longer politics as usual. This is no longer the Norman Rockwell painting of a guy standing up at a town hall meeting and speaking his mind to a room full of interested citizens who are engaged in good faith. This is war. It’s war, and it has been war for a very long time.”

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While Hudson invoked war, he did not call for violence, but instead for a “commitment to go out there and find the ballots and get them in boxes, legally.”

Professor Larry Jacobs, the Director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance in the Hubert H. Humphrey School at the University of Minnesota, said he was concerned about Hudson’s rhetoric, and said it could play on people’s fears.

“I think that kind of rhetoric is alarming. Democrats or Republicans certainly disagree on the direction of the country, they sharply disagree about regulation and taxes. These are real policy differences. It matters who’s in power, period. But Democrats are not an invading force. They’re not displacing people,” he said. “This kind of threat just leads people to panic, and to feel that they are vulnerable… and that concerns me.”

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FOX 9 has reached out to Hudson for comment. 



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Minnesota Vikings Week 9 playbook: What to know ahead of Colts matchup

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Minnesota Vikings Week 9 playbook: What to know ahead of Colts matchup


The Vikings have lost back-to-back games after starting 5-0. Now they will turn to Cam Robinson, 29, to help protect quarterback Sam Darnold’s blindside after losing standout LT Christian Darrisaw to a torn ACL and MCL. Can they get a win this week against a Colts team that has benched Anthony Richardson in favor of Joe Flacco?

Week 9 vs. Indianapolis Colts, Sunday at 7:20 p.m. CT (NBC)

Catch up on what you need to know from this week on the Vikings:

Vikings trade for Jaguars LT Cam Robinson
The Vikings addressed their massive void at left tackle by trading for Jaguars offensive lineman Cam Robinson.

Vikings not sweating rookie’s quiet start
“I think Dallas (Turner) is going to be just fine. I think everybody wants everything right now, and he does, too. We’ll get him out there.”

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Meet the former Vikings visionary known as the grandfather of NFL analytics
Retired analyst Mike Eayrs was “so far ahead of the curve” that he is credited with popularizing data science in the NFL in the 1980s.

What Christian Darrisaw’s injury means
Losing their talented left tackle will make it harder for an inconsistent Vikings offense that has already had trouble sustaining drives.

• 📈Power Rankings: Vikings at No. 8
The No. 17 pick in this year’s draft has one sack and three quarterback pressures through seven games.

Scouting the Colts

Joe Flacco will be Colts starting QB ‘going forward’
The decision to bench Anthony Richardson and start Joe Flacco at quarterback is not a temporary one, coach Shane Steichen said.

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Anthony Richardson has hard lesson to learn from the bench
Richardson’s time in Indianapolis may not be over, but his path back to being the Colts starting QB will be a big challenge.

NFL execs debate Colts benching Richardson
“He hasn’t had many live reps in his football career. This season should have been presented as that development and growth across the board.”

Richardson’s benching goes far beyond his play
“What a fascinating management dilemma to be in,” a former executive from one of the Colts’ division rivals said.

Colts GM Chris Ballard has failed to live up to bold promises
Technically, Ballard still has personnel control in Indy, but the chances of him fulfilling the promise proclaimed by his owner are dwindling by the day.

How good are the Vikings?

Check out Austin Mock’s 2024 NFL projections, where you will find each team’s probability of conquering its division, advancing through the playoffs and winning the Super Bowl. The projections are based on 100,000 simulations of the remainder of the season, which factors in each team’s projected strength, current health as well as its remaining schedule.

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(Photo of Justin Jefferson: Harry How / Getty Images)





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Minneapolis man charged in shooting near Minnesota State Fairgrounds on Labor Day

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Minneapolis man charged in shooting near Minnesota State Fairgrounds on Labor Day


FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. —  A 19-year-old Minneapolis man has been charged in the shooting of three teens near the Minnesota State Fairgrounds on Labor Day.

The man is charged with three counts of attempted second-degree murder and two counts of drive-by shooting toward a person, according to the criminal complaint filed in Ramsey County on Oct. 23.

At 10:20 p.m. on Sept. 2, officers were called to Dugsi Academy at 1085 Snelling Avenue North in St. Paul on reports of a shooting.

Upon arrival, officers found a teen boy suffering from a gunshot wound to his leg. He told police he had been walking to a friend’s car in the parking lot when he heard gunshots. He said he ran toward the train tracks to escape the gunfire and thought he had blown out his knee, but he quickly learned a bullet had struck him.

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The boy told police he did not see who was shooting and had been at the nearby Minnesota State Fair shortly before.

Officers later learned two more teens had been shot and were transported to different area hospitals. The criminal complaint says both victims told police they did not have any issues with anyone and were unsure who would have shot them.

A total of 53 spent casings were found beneath the Snelling Avenue bridge to the east of Dugsi Academy, charges say. An analysis found the casings came from three different guns.

Surveillance video allegedly shows several people exiting a blue sedan before firing their guns from the street and gravel area by nearby train tracks. The suspects then get back into the sedan before leaving the area.

A few hours later, deputies were called to a gas station in Little Canada for a drive-by shooting. Charges say surveillance video showed a blue sedan go out of view shortly before shots rang out. Five more casings from two different guns were recovered from the gas station. Further analysis revealed the casings matched that of those recovered from the shooting near the fairgrounds.

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Investigators learned the blue sedan had been involved in a weapons incident on Aug. 27 where three men pulled a gun on security in Minneapolis. The sedan is owned by the man facing charges in the shooting.

Using license plate readers and phone location data, police were able to place the suspect in the area of both shootings around the time they occurred.

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After a perfect October, Minnesota visits No. 24 Illinois looking for fourth straight win

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After a perfect October, Minnesota visits No. 24 Illinois looking for fourth straight win


Minnesota (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten) at No. 24 Illinois (6-2, 3-2), Saturday, noon ET (FS1)

BetMGM College Football Odds: Minnesota by 3.

Series record: Minnesota leads 40-33-2.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

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After losing 38-9 last week to No. 1 Oregon, the Illini risk dropping out of the AP Top 25 with a home loss to Minnesota. The Gophers had a perfect October, beating then-No. 11 Southern California, UCLA and Maryland, and will become bowl eligible with a win over Illinois. Minnesota hasn’t beaten two Top 25 teams during the regular season since 2000.

KEY MATCHUP

Illinois QB Luke Altmyer vs. the Minnesota secondary. Altmyer is seventh in the Big Ten in passing yardage (1,667), seventh in passing efficiency (143.9), fourth in TD passes (15) and tied for first for fewest interceptions (3). He’ll be tested by the Gophers, who have allowed just five passing TDs this season. CBs Justin Walley and Ethan Robinson shut down Maryland’s dangerous passing attack last week.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Illinois: DB Xavier Scott. Named this week one of 15 semifinalists for the Jim Thorpe Award that honors the nation’s best defensive back, Scott is tied for third in the Big Ten with three interceptions and has 29 tackles, two tackles for losses, a sack, two pass breakups and a forced fumble.

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Minnesota: WR Elijah Spencer. In his second season with the Gophers after transferring from Charlotte, Spencer finally had a breakout game against Maryland last week with six catches for 99 yards and two touchdowns. He gives the Gophers another downfield threat in addition to Daniel Jackson, who had nine catches for 117 yards and TDs vs. Maryland after a career-high 10 catches two weeks earlier against UCLA.

FACTS & FIGURES

Illinois has been ranked for seven consecutive weeks, the most since the 2001 Big Ten championship team was ranked for 10 straight weeks … The Illini are the only Big Ten team with three wins over ranked teams this season. Their only losses are to No. 1 Oregon and No. 3 Penn State. … The Gophers beat Maryland 48-23 last week. It was the most points they’d scored in a conference game since 2019, when they beat Maryland 52-10. The 25-point margin of victory was their largest in a Big Ten game since a 31-3 win over Northwestern in 2022. … Minnesota safety Koi Perich leads the Big Ten and is No. 2 in the nation with five interceptions. The freshman also leads the conference with an average of 14.2 yards per punt return. … The Gophers last had a four-game Big Ten winning streak in 2021 — a streak ended by the Illini with a 14-6 win at Minnesota.

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Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

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Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.



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