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Second Minnesota election judge faces criminal charges, adding to concerning day at the polls

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Second Minnesota election judge faces criminal charges, adding to concerning day at the polls


Two election judges from different parts of the state now face criminal charges for their conduct on Election Day, adding to a list of concerning incidents that occurred when voters went to the polls in Minnesota.

Two months later, state officials are still dealing with the fallout as the nation prepares to swear in the next president. 

While there are no allegations of widespread voter fraud or misconduct, problems did surface, including missing ballots, unregistered voters and election judge violations.

“The unintended rippling effect may be feeding into false narratives… that perhaps there’s rampant voting fraud in the state of Minnesota when we all know that’s not the case,” said Annastacia Belladonna-Carrera, executive director of Common Cause Minnesota, a nonpartisan group working to ensure safe, secure and fair elections. 

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Family matters in Ceylon

5 INVESTIGATES uncovered one incident in the small town of Ceylon, Minn., minutes from the Iowa border.

Mary Muller, the city clerk, was charged with a misdemeanor after serving as head election judge in the same precinct where her husband was on the ballot, a violation of state law.

Terry Muller ran for city council and won the seat. 

“Part of this whole situation is election integrity matters,” said John Gibeau, the longtime mayor of Ceylon who lost his reelection bid in November.

5 INVESTIGATES traveled to the remote southwest Minnesota town where Ms. Muller continues to serve as clerk.

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Mary Muller is charged with serving as an election judge in the same precinct where her husband was on the ballot.

“I’m not talking to you,” she said as she gathered her things and started to walk out of city hall. “Get out of my office. Get out of my office.”

As Muller got in her car, she said, “It’s all a f–king joke” before leaving.

“At the end of the day, just the implication that somebody might have done something wrong or made a mistake, it gives the impression that maybe things are not on the up and up,” Gibeau said. “If one person thinks that and then doesn’t vote, that’s a big fail as a democracy.”

High-profile cases

There is no allegation that what happened in Ceylon changed the outcome of the election, but the people who work to ensure fairness say the problems should be a wake-up call.

“It chips away at our democracy,” Belladonna-Carrera said, calling the issues this election day “unusual.”

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Case in point: Scott County.

A recount in the extremely close race between incumbent DFL Rep. Brad Tabke and Republican challenger Aaron Paul revealed that 20 ballots disappeared and were likely tossed in the trash. 

This week, a judge denied the Republican’s request for a special election, but not before the state House started its session in chaos.

It’s also not the only high-profile Election Day controversy. Days before the election, the State Supreme Court found Hennepin County broke the law in how it picked election judges – something it managed to fix before Election Day.

County clerk faces felonies

Almost 200 miles away, Hubbard County prosecutors charged election judge Tim Scouton with two felonies – saying he allowed 11 people to vote who were not registered.

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Charging documents suggest confusion inside the precinct that day over where the voter registration forms were located.

Tim Scouton, who served as an election judge in Badoura Township, is accused of allowing 11 people to vote who were not registered.

5 INVESTIGATES also made the trip to Hubbard County for a recent Badoura Township meeting, where Scouton continues to serve as clerk.

“Goodbye,” he said as 5 INVESTIGATES approached with a camera and microphone. Scouton left and never returned for the meeting.

Fellow board members said they still felt confident with Scouton serving as clerk, but said they only knew what they read in the news.

“We don’t know what happened. We were totally out of it,” said Theora Goodrich, board supervisor.

Election worker training

Belladonna-Carrera says that while these issues may seem minor, they collectively represent a broader problem.

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“I think what this signals is perhaps a need to revisit the training aspect of these folks that are out there,” she said.

The Secretary of State’s office said the training of election judges is the responsibility of the individual counties and cities that hire them. However, the office does provide training guides, manuals, and even videos.

“Our office goes above and beyond what is legally required to ensure localities are supported in training their election judges,” said Cassondra Knudson, spokesperson for the SOS office.

Knudson said it’s extremely rare, but “occasionally errors or intentional violations of election laws do occur,” adding that redundancies in place ensure they’re caught quickly.

Belladonna-Carrera plans to address the issue before the next election cycle.

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“I have no doubt that we have safe, secure elections. But I also don’t think that we should sort of sweep it to the side and say, well, it just happens to be in one instance or the other instance,” Belladonna-Carrera said. “All of our voters are owed a level of confidence.”



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Caribou Coffee in Minnesota launches value menu

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Caribou Coffee in Minnesota launches value menu


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  • Caribou Coffee has launched a new value menu, with items priced as low as $2.
  • The coffee chain made the change to expand the options for customers and create more flexibility, a company officer said.
  • Check the list for Caribou Coffee locations in central Minnesota.

Caribou Coffee, a coffeehouse known for its handcrafted beverages made with real ingredients, is rolling out a new value menu at participating locations nationwide. 

Beginning May 7, a company release stated, Caribou Coffee is serving Caribou Everyday Value Menu items, including to-go favorites and barista-made beverages. 

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The Everyday Value Menu features a curated lineup of Caribou classics now offered at prices starting at $2, the release stated. Guests will be able to enjoy signature items such as a small, specialty-grade brewed coffee, streusel-topped blueberry muffins and Caribou’s Cold Press, its version of cold-brewed coffee.

The value menu also introduces a new a bacon breakfast sandwich. It features crispy bacon, a cage-free scrambled egg patty and melted cheddar cheese layered on a toasted English muffin for $4. These prices are before tax.  

“For many of our guests, their daily coffee ritual is a meaningful part of their day, and we know how much it matters that it delivers on quality, convenience and value,” Matt Reiter, chief commercial and strategy officer for Caribou said in a release. “At Caribou, we’re committed to creating a consistent, high-quality experience every time someone walks into one of our coffeehouses, with a range of options that fit into their day. The Everyday Value Menu expands the ways we do that and creates even more flexibility and value for guests.”

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Caribou’s Everyday Value Menu includes:

  • $2 small brewed coffee: A rotating selection of regular and seasonal coffees, brewed every hour to ensure maximum freshness
  • $3 Blueberry Muffin: A blueberry muffin topped with streusel 
  • $3.50 small Cold Press coffee: Caribou’s cold brew coffee served over ice 
  • $4 Bacon Breakfast Sandwich: Crispy bacon, cage-free scrambled egg patty and melted cheddar cheese layered on a toasted English muffin

Caribou is also offering non-dairy customization at no extra charge, the release stated. Also, the Caribou Perks loyalty program allows guests to earn points with every Caribou purchase. These points are redeemable for free handcrafted beverages, bakery items and more. 

Guests can order items from the Everyday Value Menu in-store, at the drive-thru and through the Caribou Coffee app for pickup or delivery.

Caribou Coffee serves handcrafted beverages and food items in more than 800 coffeehouses worldwide. It opened its first location in 1992. Focused on smart growth, the coffee shop operates and franchises coffeehouses across 11 countries.

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Caribou Coffee locations in central Minnesota

  • 2423 Division Street West, St. Cloud
  • 4135 W. Division Street, St. Cloud
  • 2510 W. Division St., St. Cloud
  • 310 Lincoln Ave., St. Cloud
  • 900 Cooper Ave. S, St. Cloud
  • 201 Second Ave. S, Cold Spring
  • 18157 Carson Court, Elk River
  • 19425 Evans St. NW, Elk River
  • 324 Lowell Ave. NW, Elk River
  • 533 12th St. S, Sauk Centre
  • 701 Third Ave. NE, Buffalo
  • 800 Hwy 55 E, Buffalo
  • 630 Ryans Way, Buffalo
  • 110 First St. S, Sauk Rapids
  • 880 18th St. NW, Sauk Rapids
  • 2319 First St. S, Willmar
  • 620 First St. S, Willmar
  • 12495 Fifth Ave. N, Zimmerman
  • 703 Northland Drive, Princeton
  • 1500 Elm St. East, St. Joseph
  • 520 Jefferson Blvd. NW, Big Lake
  • 705 County Road 75 NW, Clearwater
  • 1725 Pine Cone Road S, Sartell
  • 113 S. Waite Ave., Waite Park



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3M faces new lawsuit over ‘forever chemicals’ pollution in Minnesota

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3M faces new lawsuit over ‘forever chemicals’ pollution in Minnesota


The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is taking 3M back to court, saying the company hasn’t done enough to stop PFAS pollution in local water.

Minnesota sues 3M for ongoing PFAS contamination

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What we know:

The MPCA filed the lawsuit May 1, alleging that 3M is responsible for ongoing groundwater and surface water contamination, including industrial and stormwater discharges into the Mississippi River near its Cottage Grove facility.

In its argument, the state says some locations tested for PFAS showed concentrations as high as 310,000 parts per trillion, far above the state standard. The agency claims that although the specific site “does not routinely discharge to surface waters,” a heavy rainfall could lead to contamination entering the river.

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The MPCA also alleges that 3M has not completed required cleanup work under a 2022 order and that its groundwater extraction system is not sufficient.

Minnesota previously sued 3M over PFAS, resulting in a 2018 settlement where the company paid $850 million to help clean up drinking water in the east metro. In 2024, 3M also agreed to pay $10.3 billion over 13 years to address PFAS in drinking water systems nationwide.

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Dig deeper:

In the lawsuit, the state is seeking civil penalties of up to $30,000 per violation per day, as well as increased cleanup efforts and compensation for damage to wildlife and natural resources.

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A full copy of the complaint can be found below:

3M responds to lawsuit

The other side:

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In its own court filing, 3M argues that some of the PFAS pollution came from testing firefighting foam made for the U.S. military, following Department of Defense requirements. The company says it warned the federal government about PFAS risks and should not be held responsible for contamination tied to military work.

3M wants the case moved from state to federal court, saying the environmental damage cited by the state is linked to its role as a government contractor.

The company stated it completed its planned exit from all PFAS manufacturing at the end of 2025.

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The Source: Information provided by Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and 3M court filings.

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Minnesota Senate approves bills to rein in ICE agents

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Minnesota Senate approves bills to rein in ICE agents


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  • The Minnesota Senate passed a package of bills in response to a large-scale ICE operation.
  • The bills would allow Minnesotans to sue federal agents for constitutional violations in state court.
  • The legislation also aims to ban federal immigration agents from schools and hospitals.

The Minnesota Senate on Monday approved a package of bills aimed at reining in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers after more than 3,000 federal agents descended on Minnesota for what the Department of Homeland Security called its largest immigration enforcement operation ever.

Swarming groups of federal agents racially profiled and arrested people in the streets during Operation Metro Surge, which ignited massive resistance and resulted in the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two U.S. Citizens.

“All we want are safe communities and the fair treatment under the law,” said Sen. Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park, and chief author of the bill package. “The way ICE agents and Border Patrol agents went about (immigration) enforcement was an absolute abuse of our Constitution. It contravened our constitutional principles. It was without warrants. It was stopping people without lawful basis. It was arresting people without probable cause. It just crossed so many constitutional lines.”

The Minnesota Senate is controlled by Democrats, who have made Operation Metro Surge recovery and accountability a top issue. The Minnesota House is deadlocked between Republicans and Democrats, and Republicans have largely opposed Operation Metro Surge-related bills this session. The legislative session ends on Sunday.

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The bill passed 34-33 in the Senate with no Republican votes.

The package includes a bill to allow Minnesotans to sue federal agents in state court if their constitutional rights are violated.

For much of American history, people have had the ability to sue federal agents, but the U.S. Supreme Court has rolled back that precedent. The high court has suggested that only Congress can authorize lawsuits seeking money from federal officials.

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Some legal scholars believe state legislatures, too, can authorize lawsuits against federal officials for violating the Constitution. The Illinois Legislature last year passed such a law, and the Trump administration promptly sued, arguing the Constitution’s supremacy clause limits states from enacting policies that conflict with federal law.

The Trump administration has said that federal agents have “absolute immunity” if they are conducting immigration enforcement. Legal experts say that immunity doesn’t extend to unreasonable or excessive use of force. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty charged one ICE officer with assault for allegedly brandishing a weapon and is weighing charges against the agents who killed Pretti and Good.

The package of bills also includes banning law enforcement from wearing face masks, and it creates a “civil right of action” in shootings in which a person can be held civilly liable if they shoot someone and fail to provide aid to the victim.

It also prohibits federal immigration agents from schools, hospitals, childcare centers and courthouses.

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Senate Republicans say the package would cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in potential litigation because the state will likely be sued. States cannot regulate immigration law, and Republicans argue the bill package does just that.

Minnesota Reformer is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.



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