Minnesota
Vice presidential campaign pulls Gov. Tim Walz away from Minnesota – Albert Lea Tribune
Vice presidential campaign pulls Gov. Tim Walz away from Minnesota
Published 5:50 am Thursday, August 15, 2024
- Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks at a campaign rally in Eau Claire, Wis., on Aug. 7. Kerem Yücel/MPR News
By Dana Ferguson, Minnesota Public Radio News
For the foreseeable future, Minnesota might be more of a layover than a home base for Gov. Tim Walz as he racks up the miles as the Democratic vice presidential candidate.
And that’s put some of his normal duties in the hands of others or required remote attention as he criss-crosses the country campaigning for and with Vice President Kamala Harris.
The official schedule put out by his office has become repetitive of late: “Governor Tim Walz has no public events scheduled.”
In the eight days since Walz was named as Harris’ running mate, Walz appeared at rallies and fundraisers in more than a half-dozen states. He’ll check off more before the week is up with stops in Rhode Island, Nebraska and New York on the docket. And that frenzied travel is not going to let up between now and November.
On Wednesday, members of the state Board of Land Exchange, Minnesota Executive Council and State Board of Investment gaveled in for back-to-back meetings after noting that a key player was missing.
Walz — who by law chairs the boards — was away.
That meant that other members, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and State Auditor Julie Blaha, ran the proceedings in his absence.
On the day after Walz was named as Harris’ running mate last week, Flanagan spoke on a panel at Farmfest, the annual agriculture trade show in Redwood County. The governor was marketed as a speaker at the event and usually enjoys the chance to mingle with farmers.
So far, there haven’t been any big emergencies — natural or otherwise — where his absence would hinder a state government response.
Last week, Flanagan said Walz won’t shirk his duties in Minnesota in the runup to Election Day.
“Tim Walz is still the governor. Minnesotans will continue to see him here in the state,” Flanagan said. “Of course, he’ll be on the campaign trail, but I think he can do two things at once.”
Flanagan has frequently appeared alongside Walz at news conferences and official events. But she could take on more solo speaking engagements or other duties in the next two months. She was set to headline an I-94 groundbreaking ceremony on Friday.
At Wednesday’s board meetings, people there to press the state to divest from investments in Israel noted the empty seat at the table.
“As Governor Tim Walz prepares to run for the second highest elected position in this country, his track record here will undoubtedly be watched on the national stage now, if he’s willing to say on CNN a few months ago that what’s happening in Gaza is intolerable, why then can he tolerate funding it?” said Emma Fletcher, a member of Minnesota Association of Professional Employees and the Democratic Socialists of America.
“As the governor of Minnesota who oversees our state investments. Sympathetic words are nice, but not enough,” Fletcher continued.
The board did not take up a motion to divest during its meeting yesterday and has fielded similar testimony in the past.
Walz has been back to Minnesota since being added to the ticket. He was spotted at a dog park on Sunday, and on Monday he held in-person interviews before selecting a new judge. He also voted in the primary election and jetted to California for events.
His staff said he’s been able to participate during his return trips to Minnesota or remotely. The rest his staff and colleagues in executive leadership can help with, aides said.
Republican political strategist and former state Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch said that Flanagan’s role co-hosting the events in the past could make Walz’s absence less apparent and streamline a potential transfer of power later.
“I do think it’s helpful that Lieutenant Governor Flanagan has been so involved, probably the most involved lieutenant governor that we’ve had as far as any history that I can remember, which may help,” Koch told MPR News’ Minnesota Now this week.
It could just be a taste of things to come: if Harris and Walz win, Flanagan would be promoted to governor once he officially gives up the post.
Minnesota
Shorthanded Clippers can’t keep pace with Anthony Edwards and Minnesota
Anthony Edwards scored 31 points, Donte DiVincenzo added 18 and the surging Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Clippers 94-88 on Thursday night.
Jaden McDaniels and Ayo Dosunmu each scored 12 points and Rudy Gobert had 13 rebounds to help the Timberwolves improve to 5-1 since Feb. 9 and 3-1 since the All-Star break.
Edwards, returning to the site of the All-Star Game, where he was the MVP, was 12 for 24 from the floor and sealed the victory with a step-back three-pointer over two defenders for a 92-88 lead with 42.9 seconds left.
Minnesota improved to 2-0 on a three-game trip.
Derrick Jones Jr. scored 18 points and Bennedict Mathurin added 14 for the Clippers, who struggled from the outset with a season-low 38 points in the first half. Kris Dunn had 11 points for the Clippers (27-31), who have lost three consecutive games for the first time since December.
The Clippers struggled on offense without star Kawhi Leonard, out because of ankle soreness. The Clippers shot 40.5% from the floor, including 18.2% (four for 22) in the second quarter. Minnesota shot 43.4% in the game.
The Timberwolves (37-23) scored just 15 points in the second quarter and still topped the Clippers, who had 11. Minnesota led 44-38 at halftime behind 12 points from DiVincenzo and 11 from Edwards.
The Clippers led by six in the third quarter and were up 68-63 heading into the fourth. Edwards’ drive and reverse layup put the Timberwolves up for good at 76-74 with 7:40 remaining.
The Clippers pulled within one three times in the last 2½ minutes, but Edwards answered each time. He scored the Timberwolves’ last nine points.
Up next for Clippers: vs. New Orleans on Sunday night.
Minnesota
Church congregant filed lawsuit against alleged Minnesota church protesters
A St. Paul church member has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that a group of individuals, including journalist Don Lemon and activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, unlawfully disrupted service last month as part of a coordinated political demonstration.
The complaint, filed by Ann Doucette in the U.S. District Court of Minnesota, alleges that a Jan. 18 demonstration at Cities Church interfered with her ability to worship and caused her to suffer damages, including emotional distress and trauma.
In addition to the former CNN anchor and Armstrong, the complaint names journalist Georgia Fort and activists Will Kelly, Jerome Richardson, Trahern Crews and Jamael Lundy. It also names St. Paul school board member Chauntyll Allen.
Doucette and seven of the defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Doucette filed the complaint without the representation of an attorney. In an emailed statement to NBC News, Crews denied the lawsuit’s allegations “with empathy and compassion.”
The lawsuit accuses the group of civil conspiracy, aiding and abetting, intentional infliction of emotional distress, interference with religious exercise and trespassing.
“As a result of Defendants’ actions, the worship service was disrupted, congregants experienced fear and distress, and Plaintiff’s ability to freely exercise her religion in a private place of worship was unlawfully interfered with,” the lawsuit states.
All eight defendants are also facing federal charges for conspiracy against the rights of religious freedom at a place of worship and for interfering with the exercise of the right of religious freedom. Lemon has pleaded not guilty to all charges, saying outside the court, “I wanted to say this isn’t just about me, this is about all journalists, especially in the United States.”
Fort, Crews and Lundy were released on bond and entered not guilty pleas, according to The Associated Press.
This is the latest legal action tied to protests in the Twin Cities, where tensions remain over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
According to the lawsuit, the demonstrators engaged in “coordinated conduct” by organizing meetings ahead of the “Operation Pullup” protest and promoting it on social media.
The lawsuit alleges that on the morning of Jan. 18, a coordinated group of individuals entered Cities Church, halting the worship service, and chanting “‘ICE Out!’ and ‘Hands Up, Don’t Shoot!’” while obstructing aisles. Protesters could allegedly be seen “confronting the pastor and congregants in a menacing manner,” the lawsuit says, noting that their chanting and “aggressive gestures” caused “severe emotional distress, fear, anxiety, and trauma” and caused children “terror.”
Demonstrators gathered at the church because they said its pastor, David Easterwood, was the acting director of an ICE field office in the city, the lawsuit says.
Lemon was arrested in January in California and accused of violating federal civil rights law after covering the protest on Jan. 18. He was released on a personal recognizance bond before a federal grand jury in Minnesota returned the indictment against Lemon and eight co-defendants, all of whom are also named in Doucette’s lawsuit.
In the lawsuit, Doucette alleges that Lemon specifically livestreamed the protest, “noting congregants’ fear and distress, and appeared to take satisfaction in the disruption.”
Levy Armstrong, a Minneapolis-based civil rights attorney and activist, was also arrested for her participation in the St. Paul protest. Her arrest drew national attention after the White House shared on social media doctored photos where she appeared to be crying.
Minnesota
Man arrested, charged with threatening to kill a state senator
A Hubbard County man was arrested and charged after threatening to kill a Minnesota state senator on Facebook.
Court documents filed on Wednesday state the Minnesota State Patrol were investigating a threat posted by John Tobias saying that he would “kill every one of you treasonous [expletive] immediately” if he did not get money back that he claims he lost during the 2020 COVID shutdown.
Court documents go on to say that Tobias then called the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office asking for something to be done about “Minnesota Governor Tim Walz ‘unconstitutionally’ shutting down the state due to COVID-19.
The Minnesota State Patrol contacted Hubbard County deputies regarding Tobias. Court documents state Hubbard County investigators were already familiar with Tobais after speaking with him regarding similar threats he made in Jan.
The charging documents state that investigators searched Tobias’ residence on Tuesday and found an arsenal of guns and 45 boxes of ammunition.
Tobias was taken into custody. During an interview with law enforcement, Tobias admitted to making the threat on Facebook. He also told investigators that “he did not have any intention of killing anyone, but admitted he was trying to get people’s attention,” according to court records.
In late 2025, Lt. Col. Jeremy Geiger of the Minnesota State Patrol, who oversees Capitol security, told a panel of lawmakers that threats to lawmakers had doubled between 2024 and 2025.
Tobias made his first court appearance Wednesday morning and is expected back in court early next month.
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