Whether President Trump is convicted of impeachment charges the Democrat-controlled U-S House passed yesterday (Wed) might not be known until after he leaves office.   Hamline University analyst David Schultz says comments by outgoing G-O-P Majority Leader Mitch McConnell indicated he could leave the decision to the incoming Democratic majority: "Depending on which direction the Republicans want to go in the U-S Senate, they may say that we really want to basically get the shadow of Donald Trump out of our party and they convict, and it becomes a sort of a basis for unity." ....or, Schultz says, the issue could divide [...]

After last week's riots at the U.S. Capitol, there has been a lot of reference to invoking the 25th Amendment and now there is some talk in Washington about the 14th Amendment. St. John's University Political Science Professor Phil Kronebusch says the 14th Amendment was passed after the Civil War: "And it includes a provision that was then designed to prevent anyone who sympathizes with the confederacy from ever holding public office. But the wording of that doesn't refer to the confederacy it says anyone who supported insurrection or provided aid or comfort to people who supported insurrection could be prohibited [...]

The first winter storm of the new year is expected to impact Minnesota over the next two days, dropping between six and nine inches in some places. National Weather Service Meteorologist Melissa Dye says an early wintry mix will change to snow later today. "We might pick up a quick inch or so Thursday depending on how quickly things change over Thursday morning, the snow doesn't really get started until later in the day Thursday through Friday." Dye says gusty winds will also be a factor in this storm, especially in Western Minnesota as top-end speeds could hit 45 miles an [...]

Minnesota's Congressional delegation voted along party lines on the 2nd impeachment of Donald Trump. GOP Congressman Jim Hagedorn voted "no." Regarding Trump, Hagedorn says anytime you host an event that gets out of hand, you bear some responsibility... "But for democrats to go around and say that he was directing an insurrection, that he was behind all this, that's just ridiculous." Democrat Congresswoman Angie Craig voted in favor of impeachment and says it's not a matter of Democrat vs Republican... "We cannot allow this level of lawlessness or criminal behavior in our country nor can we allow those who are complicit [...]

A state-level push for electric cars is being challenged in court. Minnesota car dealers are suing the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency over its proposed zero-emission vehicle mandate. MPCA pushing for a requirement to force dealers to sell electric cars. In the suit, the Minnesota Automobile Dealers Association claims the legislation is preempted by federal law. Minnesota Senate Republicans are also threatening to try to keep the Pollution Control Agency from being able to make rules. There is an open public comment period on the MPCA proposal running through march.

Mental health struggles... falling behind on assignments...feelings of failure...a "disconnect" with teachers -- all problems with distance learning that students told a Minnesota House committee. Kaycie Brookens, 11th-grader at Fairmont Junior/Senior High School: "One theme is unanimous throughout these times:   We as students are exhausted.   Young people across the state, regardless of their previous academic performance, are finding themselves unmotivated and struggling to keep up with coursework." Red Lake High School junior Karen Guise says before COVID they had a program for teenaged parents: "My friend just recently had her baby, and she doesn't know what to do, and [...]

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison says the state must be "very vigilant" and "defend democracy" as the F-B-I reports credible threats of violence Sunday at the State Capitol.   Governor Tim Walz is visiting historical monuments in Minnesota over the next three days, calling for calm, civility, and peace.   This afternoon (Tues) at the Minnesota History Center... ..."what happened last week, what is still happening today as you see state capitols being boarded up, you see fences going up, you see talk a presidential inauguration unlike any other." An FBI Minneapolis report says some followers of the violent Boogaloo group attended [...]

Governor Tim Walz warns the federal government's plan to make COVID vaccines available sooner to senior citizens will not work unless Washington provides more doses: "In the groups that the C-D-C put out, to follow those recommendations in the state of Minnesota, that's 1.61 million people. We're getting 60 thousand doses next week. I'll let you do the math. That's why they have to release these doses." State officials were preparing to announce the next phase of vaccinations that would include those age 75 or older, plus those deemed "essential workers." But Health Department officials say they will have to re-evaluate [...]

Minnesota House Democrats are expected to vote in favor of impeaching President Donald Trump for a second time. It comes in the wake of last week's siege of the U-S Capitol building by Trump supporters. Some Republicans argue that an impeachment vote will only further divide Americans, but Democratic U-S Congresswoman Angie Craig counters: "This is exactly what we need to do. we have to unite as a country around the truth and the truth is that this was a fair and free election, Joe Biden won it, that is the big lie that the president and many of my colleagues [...]

It's expected Governor Tim Walz will issue an order today (Wed) deploying the Minnesota National Guard to protect the State Capitol from potential violence before the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. That's after the F-B-I reported credible threats of violence, and the governor says state lawmakers are "rightfully concerned": "Legislators here, these are moms and dads and business owners and teachers and nurses and doctors who come to the Capitol to do the people's work for a couple of months out of the year.   These people are posting their names and their addresses on-line and threatening to go to their houses." [...]