The Daily Digest (former Bachmann aide to testify, gun control defeated)

Good morning, it's been quite a week and there's one day left. Please feel free to send any tips and comments to bneely AT mpr.org or follow me on Twitter at @brettneely.

Boston/Poison Letters

Cable news was all over the arrest of the alleged Boston bomber yesterday...until it turned out there was no arrest and no suspect.

But authorities did arrest a man in connection with a series of poison-laced letters sent to Senators and President Obama.

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In Minnesota

The Senate passed a higher-education bill. Here's what's in it.

Depositions begin in the Michael Brodkorb case.

A big welcome back to MPR's Poligrapher, Catharine Richert, who shines her powerful fact-checking apparatus on a claim about whether Minnesota could have the second highest tax rate in the nation if the DFL's tax plans are enacted.

From the sequester files: Federal courts in Minnesota are grappling with a 16 percent budget cut while workloads remain the same.

Rerouting Highway 53 riles some in the Iron Range.

Washington/National Politics

Michele Bachmann's former chief of staff, GOP operative Andy Parrish, will testify that Bachmann's presidential campaign made improper payments to an Iowa state senator, reports the Star Tribune. Parrish was extremely close to Bachmann for many years.

Gun control legislation was blocked in the Senate.

Minnesota's senators both voted for expanded background checks.

Wednesday's vote could mean that the Bloomberg-backed gun control groups will become players in next year's congressional elections. If so, look for them to run ads against Republican Congressmen John Kline and Erik Paulsen.

Conservatives are organizing to try to defeat the newly-introduced immigration bill.

National Republicans pull their support from former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford's comeback congressional campaign.

It's been a rough week and it's only Thursday. Here are some pictures and GIFs of politicians looking silly (including R.T. Rybak)