My kids pulled this USA puzzle out of a closet at my in-laws and the state shapes are making me lose my grip on reality.

The Capitol electrolier used to only be turned on for the first day of the legislative session and on Statehood Day. One thing I remember from negotiations in 2023 was that the Speaker, Melissa Hortman, wanted a provision to light the electrolier every day the legislature was in session.

One year ago, Senator John Hoffman and his family survived the attack that claimed the lives of Melissa and Mark Hortman, and their beloved dog, Gilbert. When he returned to the Senate, Sen. Hoffman reflected on loss, resilience, and our shared responsibility to one another.

Today marks one year since Melissa and Mark Hortman were killed in a horrific act of political violence. Both of them, along with their dog Gilbert, lived lives defined by their service to others. They were the best of us. We miss them every day. May we all work to honor their legacy.

BlueSky just prompted me to invite friends to join and I gotta believe that it has something to do with the scaffolding and tarp party.

A weird thing about having gone to law school is that like a decade or so later, the people you used to go to the bar with become judges.

Gilbert failed out of service dog training...because he was too friendly. 😭 ❤️💔❤️

This has been a hard week already. We approaching the anniversary of June 14th and the loss of Melissa and Mark Hortman, and their dog Gilbert. We are sitting with the deep grief that comes with such a traumatic and shocking loss.

Truly one of the most revolting things I’ve ever seen.

This week alone: - started orthodontics for kid #1 - kid #2 got glasses - discovered I need new tires - got an eye popping quote for fallen tree removal - riding lawn mower died - paid for childcare (I always do that but it always sucks)

Today is Kari Dziedzic’s birthday, we miss her so much. There’s been a lot of hard times we wish we had her help to navigate, but a lot of happy times we wanted to share with her too. And some juicy gossip she would’ve enjoyed (but she always kept a secret)!

Looking for suggestions: I want to get a portable music player for my older kids (10 and 8) and I…don’t even know how it works these days 😂 No phones. I want it to work offline if at all possible but I don’t “own” a ton of digital music so not sure how to navigate that. Any ideas??

If for whatever reason you used to be a real piece of shit, and now you look back on that period of your life with regrets, that is good and laudable, and also, there might be some jobs that you shouldn't have. I do not find this to be especially complicated.

Just as the Scaramucci is the accepted unit of measure for brief time in office, the Engen may become the unit for popcorn-worthy candidate churn. A headline such as this is obsolete the next day. Doubly obsolete. He punted on Lt. Gov. as well as Auditor *and* subsequently punted on House (again).

My kids are starting up their summer program and I’m reminded of how much I hate packing a lunch every day. Shoutout to @heathergustafson.bsky.social for passing universal school meals so I don’t have to do this the other 9 months of the year.

Minnesota GOP Party Chair Alex Plechash defends MNGOP's moment of silence for Chauvin at their convention: "There are a lot of people I think that believe Derek Chauvin was improperly convicted & not treated well & those people wanted to have a moment of silence in recognition bc they felt that way"

peggy flanagan takes to the stage of the DFL convention with her husband tom weber and her daughter after winning the party’s endorsement for US senate from minnesota

I’ve seen some people asking for confirmation, so: yes, the Minnesota Republicans’ state convention did indeed hold a moment of silence for convicted murdered Derek Chauvin (who is not dead) (unless he is; we could be in a Schrödinger's Murderer situation). www.startribune.com/live-battle-...

THREAD 2: Senate Seats currently held by Republicans (or open from their retirements) that we can flip! ⬇️

At the Republican convention today they opened with a moment of silence for…. Derek Chauvin. No, seriously. That’s the party we’re up against. We cannot let them win any state races or take control of the House or Senate in November. They had a moment of silence for a convicted murderer. #mnleg

THREAD 1: State Senate seats we must hold to keep our DFL majority ⬇️

Minnesotans: One of the most important things we can do in November is protect (and expand) the one-seat DFL majority in the Senate, and take back a DFL majority in the House. I’m going to quote this post with threads of protect and flip seats and candidate info for you to check out. #mnleg

I made a mad lib version because it's already stupid

Other news in MNGOP is a mess: Auditor candidate Elliot Engen, the state Rep who skipped committee to go drink then spoke on the floor and got a DUI later that night, was not even put forward for endorsement tonight. Former Gov nominee Scott Jensen got smoked, 22.7% to Nate George’s 76.8%.

Minnesota Republicans just endorsed this guy for Senate.

Peaked over at the bad place and MN folks might enjoy knowing that Dustin Grage is absolutely crashing out over Tafoya being in a distant second to Schwarze in their Senate endorsement.

Ate at a top Minnesota restaurant* for dinner. *Costco food court

She’s right that most people don’t have time to go to a state convention. What she skips over is that for the last 4 months, DFLers have been meeting in our communities to elect neighbors who represent our values. My neighbors are there this Saturday to represent my community, and they matter.

subtle.

“All six of the candidates said they would welcome an endorsement from President Trump. In fact, when asked if there’s one or two Trump policies they disagree with, no one could name any area of disagreement.”

This is going to be a short concert. www.instagram.com/p/DY5s4J5qPR...

you might think Trump is too big for the Streisand Effect but I don’t think average folks know about Carroll and I look forward to everyone knowing

I will not fight with Angie Craig surrogates on Facebook I will not fight with Angie Craig surrogates on Facebook I will not fight with Angie Craig surrogates on Facebook I will not fight with Angie Craig surrogates on Facebook I will not fight with Angie Craig surrogates on Facebook I will not figh

There was a gigantic spider on the inside of my windshield for my entire drive home and I just need you all to know how brave I was for facing that.

Today, we learned that Congresswoman Craig would not be joining us at the DFL endorsing convention in Rochester. If you can’t face your own party, you’re not ready to face a Republican. I’ll still be working hard to earn your endorsement. I hope to see you there!

Another reminder: if there exists *any* class of people who don't have due process rights, then *nobody* actually has due process rights because the government can always just say you're in that class.

Camping, it’s 9:30pm, we’re all in bed and it’s finally quiet, and my 3 y/o sits up and goes, “Bubba [10y], you fart?”

My 4th grader had to empty his locker this week (school’s out) and he came home with a completely full backpack and THREE (3) full bags. I asked how he could possibly have fit it all in his locker and he shrugged and said “I used a second locker. There was an open one by me.” My little pack rat.

Abrego Garcia should apply for compensation from the weaponization fund

Donald Trump campaigned on the largest deportation program in history. The Laken Riley Act was the very first step of that agenda. Every Democrat in the Minnesota congressional delegation saw what was coming. Except for one - Congresswoman Angie Craig.

NESTERAK: President Trump has granted clemency to numerous individuals who have stolen hundreds of millions in Medicaid funds. Can we expect any of these folks to be shown the same mercy? McDONALD: I'll take a different question

their manifesto is out, the shooters were two men, they were accelerationists and yet you’re gonna see this lie spread:

It’s weird that Republicans and most of the media seem to have decided what Trump does on social media and what he says when he’s riffing in speeches just doesn’t count. None of it. Doesn’t count.

"One study found that increasing the number of people who receive SNAP benefits by 5 percent could have prevented nearly 32,000 suicides over 15 years. And a $1 increase in minimum wage has been linked to roughly 8,000 fewer suicide deaths over a decade."

Minnesota Republicans are more concerned with stopping people from blowing whistles than ICE murdering people in the streets. We know that the brave Minnesotans who were out in the streets are the reason we have evidence instead of DHS propaganda.

The DFL-controlled Senate last week passed a 46-page package that includes bans on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines, more funding for school security and mental health care, and several other provisions. But all significant gun control attempts in the House have failed to advance.

It’s giving Dwight Schrute.

🚨APPALLING: Minnesota Republicans are literally hiding legislation in a desk drawer to prevent it from coming up for a vote. One of Speaker Lisa Demuth's deputies just admitted that he was "instructed not to report" a bill banning assault weapons/high-capacity magazines the Senate already passed.

This Friday starting our very Monday-esque.