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Cheers to Hortman tributes
Leaders offered fond remembrances of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman during the opening of the 2026 session. Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, recalled how, when she became the minority leader in 2023, Hortman immediately called to set up weekly meetings between the two, something she didn’t need to do. “Melissa’s brand of leadership brought people in instead of shutting them out,” Demuth said. Gov. Tim Walz read a note Hortman wrote him when he took office that encouraged him to “find win-wins together and the humanity in each other.” House DFL Leader Zack Stephenson talked about Hortman’s love of trees and referenced a Greek proverb about how a “society grows great when old men and women plant trees knowing that they will never get to sit under their shade.” The moments were terribly sad but also moving — a strong sign that Hortman’s legacy will endure.
Jeers to a blacked-out fraud report
The third-party review by Optum of Minnesota’s still-festering social services fraud came heavily redacted. State Rep. Steve Elkins, DFL-Bloomington, was disappointed with the extensive redactions. “They’re identifying, in the parts that you can read, that there are a combination of technical issues and policy issues,” Elkins said. “So if a lot of it is policy-related, there’s probably things in state law that need to be corrected.” But black boxes obscured the most instructive portions of the review, including details on why certain programs are vulnerable to fraud. Rep. Patti Anderson, R-Dellwood, described the report as useless. The state Department of Human Services claims trade secrets prevent the full release, which raises the question: trade secrets to what? A road map to ransack the state’s social services programs? This is a no-brainer; Gov. Tim Walz should insist DHS release the review to lawmakers so they can do their jobs and protect the public purse.
Cheers to seeking justice for Pretti, Good
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty and Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) Superintendent Drew Evans are continuing to investigate the fatal shootings by federal agents of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Despite the federal government’s refusal to conduct a joint investigation, Moriarty said her office has gathered enough evidence to consider charges in both deaths. Moriarty credited the BCA for continuing to investigate despite federal stonewalling. “There’s plenty of information out there. We’ve gotten over a thousand submissions to our portals, and the BCA has also been interviewing witnesses,” she said. Moriarty is also considering suing the federal government for access to withheld evidence. Bravo! She can and most likely will use every tool at her disposal. Isn’t it great to see our state and county officials judiciously using their power and refusing to allow federal power to go unchecked?
Jeers to Trumpian immigration enforcement
Federal immigration actions are causing a labor shortage on Minnesota farms. You didn’t think immigration enforcement would affect only the worst of the worst, did you? It’s now affecting some of the hardest-working, most important labor forces in our state, and we will all pay a steep price eventually. An extra loud jeer for the conditions in which some of these workers still live. A plea to the farmers still lucky enough to have immigrant labor doing the heavy lifting on their farms: Please do right by them. At the barest minimum, the workers deserve running water and help obtaining groceries. An untold number of them are hungry, cold and continuing to live in fear, as evidenced by the brave undocumented man who spoke to my Strib colleagues.
Cheers to Quinn Hughes
The Minnesota Wild player scored the winning goal for the U.S. Olympic team in overtime against Sweden, sending the U.S. team to the medal round. Hughes was already getting a cheer before that goal Wednesday for gamely going along with the internet buzz that he’s haunted by Victorian ghosts. Hughes is a star for his ridiculous speed and alacrity with the puck, but in NHL internet fandom he’s also known for his slack, serious facial expression. In an interview from Italy, Hughes addressed the topic with the Boston Globe, saying that he’s usually “pretty zoned in on what’s going on with myself and trying to get ready to do what I need to do.” The guy’s default setting is deadly serious. He rarely cracks a smile, and that’s OK. Don’t go changing, Hughes, just stay healthy and keep bedeviling opponents.
Jeers to Alex Plechash
The state GOP chairman kicked off the 2026 legislative session by pressing for a repeal of the Minnesota’s 2023 trans-refuge law. So much for setting a bipartisan tone. Plechash wanted to embarrass DFLers and specifically called out Sen. Amy Klobuchar, the front-running gubernatorial candidate. Plechash knows that the DFL is unlikely to take up his suggestion. As Minnesota emerges from months of tumult, it’s a pity Plechash didn’t use his platform to pitch a solution to, well, anything. The trans-refuge law is divisive but it’s hardly top of mind for most Minnesotans. As Plechash knows, there’s zero doubt Republicans will bring a repeal up for a vote again this year, and it will be unsuccessful. That means Plechash was simply pirouetting himself into a grandstand, while pointlessly punching down. Is this the best the GOP can do?
