WASHINGTON — Congress returned from its long summer break this week, but little has changed.There is the specter of a government shutdown, once again, as the U.S. House stumbled this week on passing legislation that would fund all federal government agencies past Sept. 30, the end of the federal fiscal year.The problem is that Donald Trump insists the SAVE Act be attached to the spending package. That’s legislation that would require anyone registering to vote in federal elections to provide documentary proof of citizenship.
Supporters say the SAVE Act is needed to keep undocumented immigrants from voting, something that is already against the law. But there is no evidence that such illegal voting has happened in any kind of substantial way, and states typically have safeguards in place to prevent non-citizens from casting a vote. So, the SAVE Act is a poison pill for Democrats, who say that many voters, especially those with low-incomes and minorities, may not have the documents the legislation would require. They say the SAVE Act is just a GOP effort to suppress votes.Meanwhile a small group of conservative Republicans won’t vote to keep the federal government open because they are opposed to the short-term bill for other reasons. Also this week, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., indicated he’s teeing up a bill that would force Senate Republicans to vote on legislation that mirrors a Trump proposal that would mandate insurance coverage of in-vitro fertility treatments. Trump endorsed universal coverage for IVF treatments earlier this month, but Republican senators are sure to kill the bill.
More on that debateSome Minnesota Republicans in Washington were quick to react to President Joe Biden’s poor performance in June. Rep. Tom Emmer, R-6th District, for instance, said the president “killed himself” in that faceoff with Donald Trump.But they were largely silent on this week’s debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.In the latest debate, the former president refused to admit that he lost the 2020 election, would not say he wants Ukraine to win its war against Russia and accused Haitian immigrants of eating pets in Springfield, Ohio. When asked about his plan for replacing the Affordable Care Act after nine years of bashing the health law, Trump said he has “concepts of a plan.”There were plenty of other stumbles.
And Trump also said some incorrect things concerning Minnesota. For instance, he said Minneapolis burned to the ground in the civil unrest provoked by the killing of George Floyd in 2020. That is obviously not true.And Trump attacked Tim Walz, saying the governor supported killing babies.“And her vice-presidential pick, which I think is a horrible pick, by the way, for our country, because he is really out of it. But her vice-presidential pick says abortion in the ninth month is absolutely fine. He also says execution after birth, it’s execution, no longer abortion, because the baby is born, is OK. And that’s not OK with me … ,” Trump said.After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Walz did sign a bill that loosened restrictions on abortions in the state. But most of those restrictions had already been struck down by courts, including the state’s viability standards. So late-term abortions are possible in Minnesota, though they are very rare, and Walz has never said an abortion in the ninth month “is absolutely fine.”
Now there’s a debate over future debates. Some Harris supporters want another matchup with Trump so she can again make a pitch to voters based on her position on issues during this abbreviated campaign season. But other Harris supporters say she should not do anything to divert attention from Trump’s performance at this week’s debate.Trump backers are also of two minds as to whether to allow him back on a debate stage with Harris, though the candidate himself said Thursday on Truth Social that he won’t debate Harris again.A payout for Minnesotans who forfeited propertyBeginning this week, Minnesotans who had their properties seized for back taxes or other liens can begin filing claims in a $109 million settlement.That settlement is a result of a U.S. Supreme Court decision that determined the state’s forfeiture law was unconstitutional.
The lead plaintiff in the case that made its way to the nation’s highest court was Geraldine Tyler, a woman in her 90s whose property was seized by Hennepin County because she failed to pay $15,000 in back taxes and fees. The county sold her property — a condo — for $40,000. Instead of returning the $25,000 difference between the sales price and what she owed, the county pocketed the balance, something state law allowed it to do.But the Supreme Court ruled that law was unconstitutional and the state’s forfeiture law was changed by the Legislature this year. The Legislature also approved $109 million to settle claims by Tyler and hundreds of other property owners, or their heirs, who were subject to a forfeiture law that is no longer on the books.It is estimated that about 6,000 properties in Minnesota were seized in a manner the Supreme Court has determined to be unjust.Tax foreclosures occurred throughout the state, but Hennepin and St. Louis Counties recorded the largest amount of the seizures.Under the settlement, property owners may receive 90% of the surplus value of their properties, plus interest that would begin to accrue on the date of forfeiture. Claims can be filed through MNtaxforfeituresettlement.com.“It’s really important for anyone who lost their property because of a tax forfeiture to file a claim,” said Teske Vildan, an attorney who represents Tyler and other class action claimants.While the Ramsey County District Court opened the door to the claims process this week, a final hearing on the settlement will be held on Dec. 16.Walz watchGov. Tim Walz was deployed again to fundraisers and campaign hotspots this week, fueled perhaps by the milkshakes and smoothies he likes to drink.At a fundraiser in Dallas, he urged Texas voters to unseat Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. “My God, just do it for all of America: replace Ted,” Walz said. He also ridiculed Donald Trump for saying he supports free IVF procedures.“Now he’s in the stages like, you know, ‘free baby for you, free baby for you’,” Walz said.The governor then traveled to Reno, Nevada, where he met with firefighters and first responders battling wildfires. Then on to a fundraiser in Las Vegas and to Tempe, Arizona, where he delivered brief remarks at a Students for Harris-Walz event. Then it was on to Phoenix, where Walz spoke at a volunteer appreciation event.As he has on his other campaign tours, Walz was accompanied by his daughter Hope.In other news:▪️There’s a quiet but important race for a rare open congressional seat in the Twin Cities suburbs. While the tone is cordial, the candidates for the 3rd District seat, Democratic former state Sen. Kelly Morrison and former Judge Tad Jude, a Republican, offer two very different views of governing.▪️There’s another race that is much more in your face that also encompasses a congressional district that includes the suburbs. Rep. Angie Craig, D-2nd District, is in another hot race to keep her seat, this time from challenger Joe Teirab.▪️Back in Minnesota, meanwhile, two state House races in the St. Cloud area are being tightly contested and could factor into the balance of power in the Legislature.This and thatA reader said she was impressed with the way in which Gov. Tim Walz’s handled the very key interview he had along with Vice President Kamala Harris before he was chosen to be her running mate.“Something I was told recently really resonated with me, as a longtime supporter of the Governor (though don’t know who said it in the first place),” the reader wrote. “Supposedly when Gov Josh Shapiro had his VP interview with the Vice President, his first question to her was: “What would my job responsibilities be?”Governor Walz’ first question: “How can I help you?”I don’t know if this is true, but he certainly got the job!Please keep your comments, and any questions, coming. I’ll try my best to respond. I can be reached at aradelat@minnpost.com
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