Mayor Frey shows up to the debate by the Downtown Council but did not show up the People’s Forum in South Minneapolis about housing, working people, immigrant and marginalized communities.

Thought that was a solid rent stabilization answer from Fateh.

Hey Jacob. You campaigned on ending homelessness in 2017. And it’s worse now. I’m not even sure what numbers you are referencing because none I have seen say it’s down 30% or whatever.

What is Blois problem? He’s completely misconstruing Davis’s argument on the question.

All the challengers really getting after Frey on this encampments question. Good.

Frey is lying about the usage of the Medical Mobile Unit. I believe @jchavezmpls.bsky.social referenced this in his proposals that the mayor could enact after the last encampment.

Frey just referred to encampments as a “nuisance” did I hear that right?

davis points out we are spending millions on police misconduct while we are talking about where we can make cuts

They’re letting him say “I can’t tell you” for basically any concrete policy question while pushing the challengers for a higher level answer.

Moderators are really pushing Fateh for concrete policy statements while they let Frey speak in platitudes. A constant refrain of “I can’t tell you” from him with no pushback. Thought Fateh’s proposals and answers were strong and didn’t take the bait.

Do we really have to talk about this weirdo documentary.

Davis rips Frey for cutting out opponents & county in favor of donors and well-heeled pals. (This is a major Frey failing which gets little coverage.) Fateh notes Frey has no county or legislator endorsements.

Hey, so did Minneapolis PD ever get around to finding the guy who shot up a homeless encampment whose image and car they had on camera? Or do they not know that they're allowed to solve more than one case a year?

Frey gaslighting about needing civility as if he’s not at least half the problem at City Hall. Breathtaking.

Jazz shouting out the Lynx. Love it!!

“Do you believe the city council has always been fair to the mayor?” Who is this moderator? Frey going into the need for civility politics. Of course that only seems to work one way for him.

Both Davis & Fateh pushed back on Blois’s contention that Mpls residents put hands on law enforcement, Davis noting he was there, law enforcement roughing up citizens first.

Did the moderator just imply that protestors were assaulting officers on Lake and Bloomington? To the face of 3 people who were there? Yuck. I mean I expected this to be “pro police” but yeesh. Kudos to Davis and Fateh for making sure to push back on that.

The problem here that Mayor Frey seems to conveniently ignore is that they didn’t disseminate any of this information.

Frey trying to get a jab in at Fateh over “strawman arguments” is hilarious. When the argument in question was that he paints anyone for more police accountability as “anti public safety”. Which is true. He does that all the time. More “defund” accusations too which is actually a strawman.

can someone please ask Frey that if the state doesn’t pass an assault weapon/large mag ban; will he do it himself? Symbolic or no. If you keep beating the drum on this. And then accept whatever half measure comes from the state. He sounds strong on this issue and then points to inability to act.

“Suburbanites are afraid to come into the city!” Oh give me a break!

Frey clinging to 5 yr old “defund” rhetoric and I’m glad Fateh is getting the chance to demystify this. Mods trying to get someone to say “less police” when it’s clear the Charter is the one dictating these officer counts. Fateh acknowledges this and that the budget has only gone up since 2021.

Mayor Frey talking about “you have to do the hard work of leading” in response to a question on how downtown can bounce back. He has been the mayor for 8 yrs. Acting as if someone else hasn’t fixed the problem while he’s been the mayor this whole time.

Already don’t like how this question was centered around how important it is that people are coming back to the office.

In Brian Strahan’s opening statement he says the City Council has lost its way so much that council members can move out of the state and still serve. Meanwhile he has spent his whole campaign lying about his residency. The definition of hypocrisy.

I’m asking Republicans to hold a public vote on banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, because that’s what the majority of Minnesotans want to see.

To be clear, I should’ve been on the credentials committee challenging Wall’s credentials for living in Wayzata, not Ward 2, instead of him challenging me for indicating support for Robin Wonsley.

the media shouldn’t need to be tagged, it really doesn’t count if they only pick it up now. they didn’t send anyone there. i was the only person there reporting on it. i don’t make effort like this for paid media to swoop in once a story has legs, its a deeply frustrating pattern

Cant imagine how you could say I’m not letting you into the apartments I own for political reasons. I’ve only maxed out donations to your opponents, a mayor who doesn’t like you, and said on recorded meetings I’d like to deny you access if I could. Then doing it anyway after being told it’s illegal.

Apparently being “bullied” means “held accountable for my illegal campaign actions in more than one scenario”

suitor asking about john wall’s role on credentials committee at ward 2 where robin wonsley supporting delegates were ejected this means that wall, who has just admitted his primary residence is in wayzata, is telling us how he meddled in our minneapolis elections

Seems like this should be a pretty big deal. @dfl.org @startribune.com @racketmn.com @minnesotareformer.com @mprnews.org

So the defense is:

Good, glad they’re covering this. Rep Hortman was killed and Sen Hoffman shot just 3 months ago. Yet another MN mosque suffered an arson attack last week. This is serious.

This is the best distillation I have seen of this phenomena. I hear it all the time knocking doors. In wealthier neighborhoods especially.

This is unacceptable! Hate has no place in Minneapolis

Every Instagram reel I get about “hot new twin cities restaurant!” Then you watch it and it’s in Eden Prairie.

An Update: I received an email canceling my contract as a columnist at @startribune.com after sharing this story publicly. (I had written columns past the one-year contract already + been asked to continue on in July).

The power of framing

we love mpls were fined $4k by the campaign finance board for failing to disclosure donor information regarding a minneapolis downtown council contribution of $35,000 and a contribution of $72,585 from the minnesota multi housing association taylordahlin.com/f/we-love-mi...

One of my favorite quirks of Minneapolis is how nervous people get when you park remotely close to another car. Doesn’t even have to be theirs!

Talking about "doing the work" is not doing any work.

This is the kind of response corporations send out when their executives are caught having affairs at a Coldplay concert. Hide behind “trainings” and “internal processes”. Investigate yourselves and find no wrongdoing. What a complete and utter failure to meet the moment from Richard Carlbom.

I am unfathomably disappointed in the @dfl.org Solidarity with our trans community is more important now than it ever has been. We should be wrapping our arms around the community. DFL seems intent on pushing them away. As I was told “It’s a big tent but there’s still an outside!” Ringing true rn!

So all the pundits like @ezraklein.bsky.social and @jonfavs.bsky.social who take issue when people try and point out our country’s long history of political violence towards dissenters and minorities; will you guys be publishing think-pieces about this political violence? Where’s the line?

She's right, and there is zero upside to Dems who voted for it. They won't get kudos from GOP voters, they won't suddenly get cooperation from GOP reps, they'll just demoralize their base even more—an unforced error the GOP rarely makes, hence constantly winning in our polarized electorate.

HARDEST PHOTO OF 2025 JUST DROPPED

Someone should tell all the Minneapolis Moderates that clutch their pearls about homelessness: the leaders doing the real work to actually help people are progressives and DSA. But I’m sure they’ll just keep fear mongering and blaming “far left” council 🙄