Minnesota
Rep. Zack Stephenson reflects on new role as Minn. House DFL leader after loss of friend and mentor Melissa Hortman
For House DFL Leader Zack Stephenson, his new role brings with it mixed emotions.
It’s an honor, he says, to be chosen by his peers. But it’s a reminder of why he is even in this position in the first place.
“I would give anything to not have this job and have Melissa Hortman back doing this job,” Stephenson, who represents Anoka and parts of Coon Rapids, said in an interview Wednesday, less than 48 hours after his caucus elected him to steer their members going forward.
The moment is bittersweet and was emotional for Democrats who are still mourning Hortman, their longtime and beloved leader who was assassinated in her home along with her husband Mark in June. State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were also shot and wounded.
“One of the difficulties about having this job right now these last 48 hours is I can’t count the amount of times I wanted to reach for my phone and call her and ask her for advice because she would know what to do, right? She was the person who I would turn to for a lot of stuff,” he said.
Stephenson, 41, was an ally of Hortman, whom he met at 17 and soon worked as her campaign manager in 2004, the year she was first elected to the Minnesota House after trying twice before. He called her both a mentor and friend, and served as pallbearer at her funeral.
He said her leadership will shape how he steps into this role succeeding her.
“There’s a lot of things that we talked about that I watched her do that can still guide me today. Her kids have talked a lot about her focus on the golden rule and treating everyone with respect and trying to listen,” he explained. “That first campaign, we had a motto: ‘It’s not about you, it’s about the voter’— trying to keep the vote focus on the people that you serve, not on yourself. Those are things that I’ll keep with me.”
There is little time to settle into the job. The day after his caucus chose him in a closed-door meeting, he was inside Gov. Tim Walz’s cabinet room for a discussion with other legislative leaders about an imminent special session.
Walz wants lawmakers back in St. Paul to take action on gun policies in wake of the Annunciation Catholic Church shooting two weeks ago that left two children dead and injured 21 more.
Democrats want to ban assault weapons while Republicans are floating proposals like increased funding for mental health beds and grants for school security. No matter what they do, legislation will need bipartisan support to advance in the closely divided capitol and it’s unclear what would have the requisite number of votes to pass.
In 2023, when Democrats controlled both chambers, they approved expanding background checks and a “red flag” law that enables a judge to temporarily suspend someone’s access to firearms if determined to be a harm to themselves or others.
Additional proposals like a safe storage law and reporting of missing or stolen firearms to law enforcement passed the House, but failed to clear the DFL-led Senate.
Legislative leaders are meeting to find some agreement, though Walz said he would call a special session regardless of if they set the parameters ahead of time.
“As a prosecutor, as a representative, I just fundamentally believe in accountability. If you have the view that there should be weapons of war on the streets of Minnesota and you want to take that vote then do it. Then stand behind it. Say that to the public if that’s what you believe.”
The Portland Trail Blazers tamed the Minnesota Timberwolves Monday night, 111-84, in NBA Summer League action. Center Yang Hansen made a heroic return after missing the last game due to an illness, while two-way guard Chris Youngblood turned in a much needed all-around performance to pace Portland. With the Blazers 0-2 in summer league, the team came out with a sense of urgency to put a complete game together and grab their first win in Las Vegas.
After a slow start against Minnesota, Yang really took command in the second half, imposing his will on both ends of the floor. He finished the game with 18 points on 7-8 shooting, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 turnovers (3 in the first half). He still has a ways to go, but when he gets into a comfortable rhythm, good things happen. Youngblood poured in 20 points on an efficient 5-11 shooting, to go with 5 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Donovan Williams led Minnesota with 21 points. Center Rocco Zikarsky finished with 18 and 6 rebounds. G league point guard Zyon Pullin scored 16 and dished out 10 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals. He was the only Minnesota starter with a positive plus/minus.
Yang got off to both a good and bad start, recording 2 points, 2 fouls, 2 turnovers, a rebound, and an assist in the first 3 minutes of the game. That sent him to the bench early. His center counterpart for the T-Wolves, 7’3”, 20-year-old Australian Rocco Zikarsky came out on fire. He scored 10 points in the first quarter, including two shots behind the arc. Youngblood provided a much needed good shooting start, while newly signed former lottery pick point guard Kira Lewis Jr. came off the bench with instant offense – 5 points in 4 minutes. The Blazers ended the first quarter up 24-17.
Youngblood, one of the Blazers on a two-way contract, has a reputation as a sharpshooter. However, coming into tonight’s game he was 1/13 from three through the first two games. He put together another solid run in the second quarter to lead Portland with 17 points, while helping double their lead at the half, 58-44.
The Blazers continued to dominate the third quarter. Yang punished Minnesota when they went to a smaller lineup. When Yang gets comfortable in the flow of a game, his confidence level rises. You can see the wheels turning in real time when he makes plays. He tries to parlay that into as much production as possible. He even impressed with his ability to bring the ball across half court a few times. He feasted in the paint and on the boards, registering 10 points in the third quarter alone. Blazers guard Quincy Olivari heated up with 9 points in the quarter.
The fourth quarter started with the Yang Hansen Show. He made a couple of impressive passes and drove the lane for a rim-rocking dunk! He was gassed after stuffing the stat sheet in the second half. He was subbed out with 6 minutes left and began pounding the Gatorade on the bench. After a tough start, Yang regrouped to play a very disciplined game.
The Blazers (1-2) get a couple days off, then return to action on Thursday when they take on the Denver Nuggets at 7 p.m. PDT. That game will be available Prime Video, BlazerVision and KUNP.
(FOX 9) – Minnesota is joining a legal challenge targeting the largest media merger in history, arguing that it would ultimately be a bad deal for customers.
AG Ellison joins lawsuit to block Warner Bros.-Paramount merger
What we know:
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has joined a coalition of 11 other attorneys general, filing a lawsuit to stop the $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount Skydance Corporation.
The suit alleges the merger would violate antitrust laws by creating a media conglomerate that would control nearly one-third of all U.S.-based theatrical movies.
The combined company would control about 27% of the market for wide-release theatrical films and basic cable channels. Only three distributors would control 75% of wide-release films, and four — including Disney, Universal, and Sony — would control 86%, the lawsuit alleges.
The lawsuit also points out that Warner Bros. is currently the second largest and Paramount the third largest in licensing basic cable channels, and together they would control 27% of that market. The merger would combine two of Hollywood’s five major film distributors and two of the five major basic cable companies, eliminating competition and harming movie theaters, cable distributors and consumers.
What they’re saying:
“Minnesotans deserve a fair and competitive marketplace, not one where a handful of giant corporations control what we watch, what we pay, and what choices we have,” AG Ellison said in a statement. “This would be the largest merger in media and entertainment history. It will raise prices, limit innovation, and reduce the variety of voices in media and entertainment. I’m taking action because this goes too far in consolidating power with a few at the expense of the public.”
What’s next:
The coalition has asked Warner Bros. and Paramount not to close the merger until after the judicial process concludes. If the companies refuse, the attorneys general plan to file a temporary restraining order to halt the deal.
The Source: Information provided in a statement from the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.
WASHINGTON (7News) — The debate over the National Guard presence in the nation’s capital is intensifying after the Pentagon told 7News the Guard mission connected to President Donald Trump’s crime initiative could continue through Inauguration Day 2029 unless it is ended sooner by the president.
The development comes as one governor has decided to withdraw troops from Washington, while D.C. leaders are urging other states to do the same.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is pulling his state’s National Guard members out of the District earlier than originally planned.
Walz’s office says its mission to support America 250 celebrations has concluded. The decision follows concerns about whether some Guard members were being used beyond the security mission tied to those events.
RELATED | Pentagon to keep National Guard activated in D.C. through Inauguration Day 2029
The D.C. Council is also pressing other states to reconsider their deployments.
All 13 councilmembers signed letters to the governors of Michigan and the U.S. Virgin Islands asking them to withdraw their National Guard troops from the District. Council leaders argue those service members were deployed to support the nation’s 250th anniversary events—not a broader federal public safety mission.
“They’re just doing their job, but it still hurts the city. It hurts our image. It creates resentment,” D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said.
SEE ALSO | 13-year-old boy shot and killed in Northeast DC home
“The letters were sent to two states that we were surprised when they decided to send the guard. Now, they sent the guard, as I understand it, to support the America 250 events. So it would be nice if they just kind of go back home,” Mendelson added.
According to the Joint Task Force overseeing the deployment, more than 5,100 National Guard members are currently assigned to the District, including troops supporting Freedom 250 events and other summer activities.
While Minnesota is ending its deployment, governors in states including Georgia and Mississippi have said their Guard members will remain in Washington to support the president’s mission.
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