Midwest

RNC blasts Walz admin's nonanswer on how noncitizens made it onto Minnesota voter rolls: 'No hypothetical'

Published

2 years ago

September 6, 2024

Press Room

RNC blasts Walz admin's nonanswer on how noncitizens made it onto Minnesota voter rolls: 'No hypothetical'

Join Fox News for access to this content

You have reached your maximum number of articles. Log in or create an account FREE of charge to continue reading.

By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive.

Please enter a valid email address.

The administration of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, has not explained how noncitizens made it onto the state’s voter rolls, according to the Republican National Committee (RNC) and the Minnesota GOP, which penned a letter to the state’s Department of Public Safety.

Kevin Cline, election integrity counsel for the Republican National Committee, and David Hann, chairman of the Minnesota Republican Party, first wrote to the Walz administration last month flagging how a noncitizen, legally living in the state and fearful of jeopardizing his status, came forward to report receiving a primary ballot without having registered to vote.

Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson wrote back to Cline and Hann earlier this week.

His letter explained that the Department of Public Safety Driver and Vehicle Services Division (DVS) “takes many steps to ensure that only U.S. citizens’ information is forwarded to the Office of the Secretary of State.” That includes reviewing only a list of certain documents that qualify as proof of citizenship to determine if an applicant is a U.S. citizen. Procedures include a second review upon issuance of the applicant’s documents to verify their classification in the system.

MINNESOTA GOP DEMANDS PROBE AFTER NONCITIZEN CLAIMS RECEIVING PRIMARY BALLOT WITHOUT REGISTERING TO VOTE

If DVS finds a document has been classified incorrectly as valid proof of citizenship, DVS fixes the classification and does not send the record to the Office of the Secretary of State for automatic voter registration, Jacobson wrote. He added that DVS is also conducting “a thorough, manual review” of all records that have been identified as eligible for AVR since the law went into effect in 2023 “to ensure a fair and secure election this fall.”

Kamala Harris listens to her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, speak during a visit with members of the marching band at Liberty County High School in Hinesville, Ga., Aug. 28, 2024. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

This response did not satisfy Cline nor Hann, who noted in a new letter sent Thursday how Walz in March 2023 signed a bill into law allowing illegal noncitizens to receive driver’s licenses, also known as “Driver License for All.” Less than two months after signing that bill into law, Walz signed the “Democracy for the People Act,” permitting automatic voter registration through DVS, Cline and Hann said.

“While we appreciate your explanation of how the Driver and Vehicle Services Division (“DVS”) is supposed to function to ensure each applicant is a U.S. citizen, your response failed to explain how noncitizens made it through that process and ultimately made it onto Minnesota’s voter rolls,” Cline and Hann wrote Thursday, according to the letter obtained by Fox News Digital.

“This is no hypothetical; lawfully present noncitizens were registered to vote through your department, and Minnesota voters deserve transparency from your department to understand how this failure occurred and how it is being addressed.

“This issue is especially concerning since the chain of events leading to implementation of Minnesota’s AVR system, put in place by Governor and Vice-Presidential Candidate Tim Walz, gives the impression it was put in place to facilitate registration of noncitizens,” the letter says. “Minnesota’s voter registration system is clearly vulnerable to illegal voter registrations in its current form.”

Cline and Hann said it is “worrisome that your department is only now conducting a review of voter records identified as eligible for automatic voter registration (‘AVR’).

Gov. Tim Walz poses with his wife Gwen and daughter Hope after voting at Linwood Community Recreation Center Nov. 8, 2022, in St. Paul, Minn. (David Joles/Star Tribune via Getty Images)

HARRIS VP PICK MINNESOTA GOV TIM WALZ LAVISHED ILLEGAL MIGRANTS WITH TAXPAYER-FUNDED ‘BLANKET OF BENEVOLENCE’

“This type of review should have been completed multiple times on a consistent schedule since AVR’s implementation,” they told Jacobson. “That your department is only now beginning the review process suggests it is being done because our previous letter exposed the flaws in the AVR system and highlighted noncitizens on the rolls.”

“Walz is completely aligned with Kamala’s radical agenda, opening the invasion at the border and giving illegal aliens free health care, free tuition and drivers licenses,” RNC Chairman Michael Whatley said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “This is a clear plan by the Democrats, as they continually put non-citizens first and Americans last. We are holding Walz and his administration accountable and demand a full review and removal of the non-citizens they have allowed on the voter rolls. Minnesotans, and Americans, deserve much better than the cancelation of their votes by Kamala and Walz.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety for comment, but it did not immediately respond.

Cline and Hann demanded Jacobson provide “full and in-depth answers” as to “when were the citizenship checks outlined in your September 3, 2024, letter put into place,” “when will your ‘thorough, manual review’ begin, what will that review consist of, and when will it be completed,” and “will you share the results of this manual review with the public?”

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks during a campaign rally at the Liacouras Center at Temple University Aug. 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

The letter also seeks details on how Jacobson has been reporting to the OSS under 201.145, including how often a report is sent to the secretary of state, how many reports have been sent since the implementation of AVR and whether those reports include noncitizens who are not lawfully present in Minnesota. Jacobson was asked if he ever compared the reported individuals under 201.145 against his own AVR records, how many noncitizens have been issued a driver’s license and were also sent to OSS since the implementation of AVR and how many individuals have been sent to the secretary of state since the implementation of AVR.

“Has there been any pressure from the Governor’s Office or elsewhere to fast-track the registration process?” Cline and Hann asked.

“Minnesota voters should not have their votes diluted because your department failed to filter out noncitizens from the automatic voter registration system,” they concluded. “Mistakes have clearly been made in the design and/or implementation of the AVR system, but it is not too late to provide transparency and to address the issues before the election this November.”

Read the full article from Here

North Dakota

Pembina bridge closure, causing headaches for community members, close to short-term solution

Published

4 minutes ago

July 3, 2026

Press Room

PEMBINA, N.D. — The closure of the Stutsman Street bridge has put some residents in Pembina out of reach of certain recreation spots. Timelines for bridge construction remain unclear as proposals for temporary fixes have been denied by the North Dakota Department of Transportation, but a Wednesday, July 1, meeting has brought some clarity to the issue.

The bridge has been out since early June. Mainly, the Pembina Golf Course has seen its business suffer due to children and local members being unable to access the course. John Feldman, treasurer of the Pembina Golf Course, calls the bridge a “lifeline to part of the city,” and its complete closure has been causing problems.

“All of our young kids that we’re trying to groom into golfers are not golfing anymore. Our locals that used to drive their golf carts across the bridge can’t do that anymore. So, business is down immensely,” Feldman said.

Feldman is part of a committee formed to work to get the bridge opened temporarily to pedestrians and carts. The committee has expressed its concerns with the city and city leaders are hoping to meet with NDDOT to address those concerns.

The Pembina City Council has been discussing the bridge and has made efforts to get in contact with NDDOT. Council President Connor Snitker told the Herald the NDDOT reached out to the city and a special council session took place Wednesday night with NDDOT present.

In an effort to find a temporary solution, city engineers had previously inspected the bridge to confirm the original findings and put forth a proposal to open the north half of the bridge to a weight-bearing capacity of one ton or less. That proposal, along with an alternative, was originally denied by NDDOT, but at Wednesday’s meeting, NDDOT said it would review federal regulations to find a temporary solution for pedestrians.

“We’re still running down every alternative path we can right now, trying to figure out if there’s a way to reclassify the bridge or do something that would allow us to have flexibility to at least have it operating at our temporary capacity,” Snitker said.

The DOT says the critical issues with the bridge make a temporary solution for pedestrians a challenge, but language in those regulations will be reviewed. A solution could be found as soon as this weekend.

“Late Tuesday night we received word from the Federal Highway Administration that there was an option we could pass along to the city and I think that went over well,” engineer Derek Pfeifer said. “We’ve been working really hard to find a short-term solution for them to at least allow pedestrians to cross the bridge.”

A load analysis was expected to be done Thursday to assess whether pedestrians would be able to cross. NDDOT remains adamant that only pedestrians would be allowed access with a temporary solution, and golf carts would still be unable to access the bridge.

“As long as the bridge meets a certain standard, it could open to pedestrians,” Snitker said. “It’s a step in the right direction.”

Main issues with the bridge are spalling — or flaking of surface materials — found under the load bearings, stress cracks and splitting in some of the pedestals above the columns. At the east end of the bridge, there has been five inches of movement toward the south. As the bridge moved, it sheared the anchor rods.

Before the bridge’s closure, children would regularly play the course. Easy bridge access allowed for some to even come to the course twice in a day. Now, a six-mile detour has seen that business go away.

The detour makes its way through gravel roads, which is prohibitive to golf carts and those who were walking to the course.

“We need the bridge open, not just for the golf course, but for the kids to come and play in the playground over there to play baseball,” Feldman said. “It’s really a livelihood over there for the kids and for adults.”

Looking ahead to a permanent resolution to the bridge, Pfeifer and NDDOT are looking to the city and county to come to a decision in order for them to determine the next steps.

“Do they want to fix it? Do they want to replace it?” he said. “A structural engineer will need to do an analysis of those findings that were there and what kind of effort it’s going to take to fix it. So at this point, it’s up to the city and county to determine how they want to move forward.”

Digital Content Producer and Sports Reporter at the Grand Forks Herald since December of 2020. Maxwell can be contacted at mmarko@gfherald.com.

Source link

Ohio

Where and when to see fireworks in Central Ohio

Published

9 minutes ago

July 3, 2026

Press Room

Where and when to see fireworks in Central Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Friday, July 3

Downtown Columbus: Billed as the Midwest’s largest fireworks show, Red, White & BOOM! takes place along the Scioto Mile. The fireworks show starts at 10:00 p.m. More information can be found on the event’s website.

Bexley: Festivities at Capital University begin at 6:00 p.m., with a fireworks display starting at 10:00 p.m.

Buckeye Lake: The Buckeye Lake Area Star Spangled Tradition (BLASST) fireworks display will take place at approximately 10:00 p.m. The primary viewing area is at Fairfield Beach, Lake Shore Drive NE, Thornville.

Canal Winchester: First Friday at Loose Rail Brewing will feature a fireworks show at approximately 9:00 p.m. The brewery will also show Red, White & BOOM! on big screens.

Gahanna: Activities start at 5:00 p.m. at the Gahanna Municipal Golf Course and the fireworks show is at 10:00 p.m.

Newark: Central Ohio Technical College and Ohio State Newark campus will host festivities with live music and food trucks at the Martha Grace Reese Amphitheatre, culminating with a fireworks display at dusk (approximately 10:00 p.m.).

Pickerington: The city’s fireworks show starts at 10:00 p.m.

Reynoldsburg: Festivities begin at 6:00 p.m. at Civic Park, with fireworks starting at 9:45 p.m.

Saturday, July 4

Chillicothe: Fireworks are scheduled to begin at approximately 9:45 PM from the Yoctangee Park Annex.

Circleville: AMVETS Post 2256 will host food trucks, live music, and a fireworks display after dark.

Clintonville: Whetstone Park of Roses hosts a live music event followed by fireworks at 9:45 p.m.

Delaware: Fireworks will launch from the city’s Cherry Street property at 10:00 p.m.

Dublin: Independence Day Celebration activities wrap up with fireworks at 9:50 p.m. at Dublin Coffman High School.

Grove City: Fireworks will launch from Murfin Fields at 9:45 p.m.

Hilliard: Freedom Fest takes place at Roger Reynolds Municipal Park with fireworks starting around 9:45 p.m.

Lancaster: A full day of celebrations culminates with fireworks at dusk at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds.

Marysville: Fireworks at approximately 9:00 p.m. at the Union County Fairgrounds.

New Albany: The July 4th Festival ends with fireworks at 10:00 p.m. at New Albany High School.

Upper Arlington: The annual Party in the Park begins at 5:00 p.m. at Northam Park, followed by fireworks at 10:00 p.m.

Westerville: Evening festivities and food trucks can be found at the Westerville Sports Complex until the fireworks show begins at 10:00 p.m.

Worthington: The city’s celebration concludes with fireworks launched from Thomas Worthington High School at 10:00 p.m.

Source link

South Dakota

Trump at Mount Rushmore: Speech time, how to watch live

Published

39 minutes ago

July 3, 2026

Press Room

Trump at Mount Rushmore: Speech time, how to watch live

President Donald Trump will kick off Independence Day weekend with a speech at Mount Rushmore beneath busts of four of his predecessors.

As part of a day of festivities tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary, the president will address visitors to the South Dakota landmark in a keynote address on Friday, July 3. at approximately 8:30 p.m. MT/10:30 p.m. ET according to the schedule released by the White House.

After the president’s remarks, the night will end with a massive fireworks display. It will be Mount Rushmore’s first time hosting a July 3 fireworks display since 2020, which Trump also attended during his first term in office.

Earlier in the day, there will be a slew of activities and programming on site for visitors before the evening festivities. The National Park Service and the state are coordinating the celebration, and a ticket lottery to attend has already closed.

Here’s what to know about the timing of the Mount Rushmore celebrations and how to tune in.

What will be at the Mount Rushmore July 3 event?

The event on July Fourth eve will feature myriad exhibits, reenactors and interactive experiences throughout the day, according to Freedom 250, the group working with Trump’s administration to coordinate the weekend’s events.

At night, it will transition into a tribute to the Armed Forces, including military bands, aviation flyovers and precision drill demonstrations, the group said.

After, South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum will take the stage to introduce Trump.

Following the president’s remarks, the event will conclude with the fireworks show.

What time is Trump speaking at Mount Rushmore? See schedule

Trump is expected to deliver his Mount Rushmore address at 8:30 p.m. MT (10:30 p.m. ET), according to the White House, though organizers have not yet released a detailed event schedule.

However, the day’s programming is set to run from 4-10 p.m. local time, according to the National Park Service.

The fireworks, which will close out the event, are expected to begin around 9:30 p.m. local time, according to the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, part of the USA TODAY Network.