The Daily Digest (MN United again fundraising…and more)
Welcome to the Friday edition of The Daily Digest.
On the state level, Minnesotans United appears to be making good on its promise to support lawmakers who supported legalizing same-sex marriage. And Minneapolis mayoral candidates spar on the issue of police accountability, following a recent overhaul of how the city responds to alleged police misconduct.
Rep. Michele Bachmann may not be pursuing another term, but that doesn't mean she's done with politics. She chimed in on the Senate immigration proposal on Glenn Beck's show, arguing that the conservatives are "losing badly" on the issue.
Minnesota
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PAC makes appeal for lawmakers who backed same-sex marriage (MPR News) The group that helped pass a state law legalizing same-sex marriage is throwing its fundraising weight behind 15 candidates who supported the bill. Many of those lawmakers come from districts where a majority of voters cast their ballots in favor of a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage last year.
Minneapolis mayoral candidates disagree on police response to brutality charges (MPR News) In the wake of a shooting death of a 22-year-old man in an Uptown Minneapolis basement, mayoral candidates weighed in on recent changes to how misconduct is investigated at the Minneapolis Police Department. The city has paid out almost $14 million in settlements for alleged police misconduct since 2006.
Q&A with CD6 candidate Rhonda Sivarajah (MPR News) Newly declared 6th Congressional District GOP candidate Rhonda Sivarajah spoke on MPR’s daily Policast about the reasons she decided to run for the seat.
Southwest LRT: Residents discuss how light rail can co-exist with freight lines (MPR News) Some residents in the western suburbs are upset that current rail tracks may need to be moved in order to accommodate light rail. The Metropolitan Council has identified eight alternatives, some of which include elevated light rail or underground tunnels.
Minn. tax coming on digital books, ringtones (Associated Press) Some digital purchase will be taxed in Minnesota starting on July 1. Books, songs and ringtones will be subject to a 6.875 percent tax. The state is expected to haul in less than $5 million in new revenue in each of the first years of the expanded tax.
Support starts at the top: A Q&A with Gov. Mark Dayton (Star Tribune) Outdoors columnist Dennis Anderson spoke with Dayton about conservation, Legacy funding and the Dayton family cabin on Lake Vermilion.
National
A Promise of Changes for Access to Secrets (New York Times) Senator Dianne Feinstein, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Congress will take steps to limit private contractors’ access to national security programs. But it won’t be an easy job. As of last October, almost half a million private contractors had Top Secret clearances.
Secret Court Ruling Put Tech Companies in Data Bind (New York Times) Some tech companies have pushed back against broad government data collection, although to little avail. The legal challenges have mostly been in secret, as are most proceedings of the court created under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
Conservatives Urged to Back Immigration Overhaul (New York Times) As an immigration compromise proposal is debated in the Senate, two prominent Republicans argue that immigrants are essential for economic growth. That argument is meant to sway conservatives, many of whom have been hostile to the proposed immigration overhaul.
Michele Bachmann: Far right ‘losing badly’ (Politico) Appearing on Glenn Beck’s TheBlaze TV, Bachmann said conservatives had only a very short time to “kill” the immigration overhaul bill. She urged viewers to “melt the phone lines” of their political representatives on Capitol Hill in opposition to the immigration bill.
Hillary Clinton Takes the Stage, and the Speculation Heats Up (New York Times) The appearance of Hillary Clinton at the annual convention of the newly renamed Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation sparked speculation that she is gearing up for a presidential run in 2016.
Obama under pressure on gay rights (Washington Post) If the Supreme Court strikes down a ban on providing federal benefits to same-sex couples, the president will need to decide how broadly the federal government should recognize the same-sex marriages of citizens in states that ban it.
The Many Different Faces Of Marijuana In America (NPR News) Marijuana is seen as a relatively benign drug in popular culture. And American attitudes have shifted towards support for marijuana legalization. But marijuana arrests still account for a high proportion of drug arrests, and young, black men especially bear the brunt of prosecutions.