An arrest after threats against state government leaders, a push to keep dairy farmers afloat, Governor Tim Walz says a federal Medicaid funding freeze targets Minnesota’s most vulnerable — not fraud.
Transcript
I’M XAN HOLSTON WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE.
AN ARREST AFTER THREATS AGAINST STATE GOVERNMENT LEADERS …
AND A PUSH TO KEEP DAIRY FARMERS AFLOAT.
BUT FIRST … GOVERNOR TIM WALZ SAYS A FEDERAL MEDICAID FUNDING FREEZE TARGETS MINNESOTA’S MOST VULNERABLE — NOT FRAUD.
--WALZ FRAUD PRESSER--
[TIM WALZ: HOW DOES TAKING AND PUNISHING CHILDREN AND ELDERLY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH FIGHTING FRAUD WHEN THAT'S NOT WHERE THIS ISSUE IS TAKING PLACE?]
WALZ TOOK AIM AT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S PLAN TO WITHHOLD NEARLY 260-MILLION DOLLARS IN MEDICAID FUNDS — CALLING THE MOVE “TOTALLY ILLEGAL AND UNPRECEDENTED.”
DURING A TRIP THROUGH MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN, VICE PRESIDENT J.D. VANCE ANNOUNCED THE FREEZE WEDNESDAY — SAYING THE MONEY WON’T BE RELEASED UNTIL MINNESOTA SUBMITS…
[J.D. VANCE: A COMPREHENSIVE CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN.]
[SOUND WITH VANCE]
WITHHOLDING THE MONEY COULD FORCE TOUGH BUDGET DECISIONS — OR EVEN PUT SOME SERVICES AT RISK IF THE FUNDING DOESN’T RETURN, ACCORDING TO STATE OFFICIALS.
WALZ SAYS THE STATE IS ALREADY CRACKING DOWN ON FRAUD — AND ROLLED OUT AN 18-POINT PLAN TO EXPAND INVESTIGATIONS, INCREASE OVERSIGHT AND CREATE AN INSPECTOR GENERAL’S OFFICE.
[TIM WALZ: THE WHITE HOUSE SOLUTION TO THIS IS TO TAKE HEALTH CARE FROM POOR PEOPLE. OUR SOLUTION IS TO CATCH THESE PEOPLE BEFORE THEY DO IT AND LOCK THEM AWAY FOR A LONG TIME.]
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS MINNESOTA MAY CHALLENGE THE FREEZE IN COURT — AS LAWMAKERS BRACE FOR ITS IMPACT ON THE STATE BUDGET.
--CAPITOL THREATS ARREST--
IN NORTH-CENTRAL MINNESOTA, INVESTIGATORS ARRESTED A MAN FOR THREATENING STATE LAWMAKERS AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE.
58-YEAR-OLD JOHN TOBIAS WAS ARRESTED IN PARK RAPIDS, IN HUBBARD COUNTY. TOBIAS IS ACCUSED OF POSTING ONLINE THREATS TO KILL A STATE SENATOR — AND CALLING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE AND THREATENING TO EXECUTE PEOPLE AT THE CAPITOL.
HE FACES TWO FELONY COUNTS OF MAKING TERRORISTIC THREATS.
--CITIES CHURCH LAWSUIT--
[NAT SOUND OFF TOP]
A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH WHERE A PROTEST ERUPTED DURING A SUNDAY SERVICE IS SUING OVER INTERFERENCE WITH RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
THE ST. PAUL CHURCH MEMBER FILED A FEDERAL CIVIL SUIT, ALLEGING THE SURPRISE INTERRUPTION OF HER CHURCH SERVICE CAUSED FEAR, ANXIETY AND EMOTIONAL TRAUMA.
THE SUIT NAMES EIGHT PEOPLE — INCLUDING CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY NEKIMA LEVY ARMSTRONG, JOURNALIST GEORGIA FORT AND FORMER CNN HOST DON LEMON.
IT ALSO INCLUDES 25 UNNAMED DEFENDANTS — ACCUSING THEM OF COORDINATING A DEMONSTRATION AT THE CHURCH.
FEDERAL PROSECUTORS HAVE FILED CRIMINAL CHARGES RELATED TO THE PROTEST — SEPARATE FROM THE CIVIL SUIT.
--GFS BUSINESS LAWSUIT--
THE MINNESOTA COURT OF APPEALS RULED THAT THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS DOESN’T HAVE TO PAY BUSINESSES FOR LOSSES CAUSED BY ROAD BARRIERS AND CLOSURES NEAR THE INTERSECTION WHERE GEORGE FLOYD WAS KILLED.
BUSINESSES AT THE LOCATION OF FLOYD’S DEATH SUED THE CITY, SAYING THE STREET BARRICADES HURT BUSINESS — AND AMOUNTED TO TAKING THEIR PROPERTY.
JUDGES REJECTED THAT ARGUMENT — SAYING CUSTOMERS COULD STILL REACH THE BUSINESSES AND THE CHANGES WERE TEMPORARY PUBLIC-SAFETY MEASURES.
--DAIRY FARMER LOANS--
[NAT SOUND OFF TOP: MOO]
MINNESOTA’S DAIRY INDUSTRY SAYS SMALL FARMS NEED HELP.
[GARRETT LUTHENS: EVERY TIME A COW IS MILKED IN MINNESOTA, IT CREATES A RIPPLE EFFECT…]
GARRETT LUTHENS — PRESIDENT OF MINNESOTA MILK — TESTIFIED AT THE CAPITOL IN SUPPORT OF EXPANDING A 2020 PROGRAM TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL RELIEF TO MORE MINNESOTA DAIRY FARMERS.
THE PROPOSAL WOULD UPDATE THE STATE’S DAIRY PROGRAM SO NEWER OPERATIONS CAN ALSO QUALIFY FOR PAYMENTS.
SUPPORTERS SAY IT’S A TARGETED FIX FOR ONE OF THE STATE’S KEY INDUSTRIES — AND WOULD HELP SMALL AND MID-SIZED DAIRIES PAY THEIR BILLS.
[GARRETT LUTHENS: THE DAIRY SECTOR IS DRIVING 27-BILLION DOLLARS IN TOTAL ECONOMIC IMPACT.]
OFFICIALS SAY THE EXPANSION COULD HELP ABOUT 30 TO 40 ADDITIONAL DAIRY FARMS.
--HOTELS JANUARY BOOST--
TWIN CITIES HOTELS REPORT THEIR STRONGEST JANUARY PROFITS IN YEARS — DRIVEN IN PART BY THE FEDERAL IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN.
ACCORDING TO THE MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL BUSINESS JOURNAL, HOTEL OCCUPANCY ROSE TO NEARLY 46 PERCENT LAST MONTH — ABOUT SIX POINTS HIGHER THAN A YEAR AGO.
THE INCREASE IS CREDITED TO OPERATION METRO SURGE BRINGING THOUSANDS OF FEDERAL AGENTS, MEDIA WORKERS AND PROTESTERS TO THE REGION.
HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY LEADERS SAY THE BOOST IS LIKELY TEMPORARY — AND THE OPERATION COULD HURT LONG-TERM TOURISM.
--MAYO WINS AGAIN--
THE MAYO CLINIC IS THE BEST HOSPITAL IN THE WORLD FOR THE EIGHTH YEAR RUNNING — ACCORDING TO NEWSWEEK’S ANNUAL WORLD’S BEST HOSPITALS LIST.
THE MAGAZINE’S RANKING IS BASED ON SURVEYS OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS — AS WELL AS QUALITY-OF-CARE AND PATIENT-SAFETY SCORES.
--GRUMPY OLD MEN FEST--
AND LASTLY …
[JACK LEMMON: HELLO, MORON.]
[WALTER MATTHAU: WHAT ARE YOU…]
[JACK LEMMON: NEVER MIND, NEVER MIND. JUST MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS, WILL YA?]
BREAK OUT YOUR FINEST PENDLETONS AND RUGGEDEST SORELS — IT’S TIME FOR THE 33RD GRUMPY OLD MEN FESTIVAL IN WABASHA.
[WALTER MATTHAU: MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS, WILL YA? MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS. WHY DON’T YOU TIE YOUR SHOELACE? YOU’LL FALL ON YOUR STUPID HEAD.]
HIT A HOTDISH LUNCHEON, ICE FISH OR JUST CATCH THE FILM AT ONE OF SEVERAL SHOWINGS FRIDAY OR SATURDAY.
MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT WABASHA M-N DOT ORG.
[MUSIC: WE’RE HAVIN’ A HEAT WAVE HERE. HAVIN’ A HEAT WAVE, HAVIN’ A HEAT WAVE…]
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.