By J. Patrick Coolican | Editor-in-chief
Good morning, Reformers,
My new favorite Minnesota athlete might be Olivia Miles, the Lynx first round draft pick, who became the third player in WNBA history to have at least 10 points and 5 assists in their first three games of their career, Bring Me The News informs. My 9-year old got to stay up late and watch the Lynx beat Dallas and Paige Bueckers.
T-Wolves fighting for survival tonight, Game 6 at home against San Antonio.
We’re in the final 60 hours or so of the legislative session, and the wheels came off last night after House Democrats tried and failed to get a floor vote on their gun control measures, with lots of shouting and vitriol. Parents of Annunciation children were in the gallery.
Dems are holding a sit-in on the House floor over the gun issue. House Speaker Lisa Demuth, who is also a leading GOP candidate for governor, says the bills failed to pass committee so they get no floor vote.
Madison McVan will be covering the Capitol for us on Saturday. Send her tips.
Michelle Griffith has today off but will be there until the bitter end Sunday. Send her tips.
Even though there’s a deal on a county hospital bailout, an infrastructure bill and some limited property tax and car tab relief, they still need to get it all done by 11:59 Sunday night.
More on the session in today’s Reformer:
The Minnesota State Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer)
By Michelle Griffith
A little-discussed provision in a housing bill that passed the Minnesota Legislature Wednesday includes a $40 million infusion for a longstanding housing assistance program to help Minnesotans who are struggling to pay their rent or mortgage.
Gov. Tim Walz’s office on Thursday said the money fulfills a months-long goal to help people who lost wages during Operation Metro Surge. House DFL leader Zack Stephenson, DFL-Coon Rapids, also said the money will provide relief for families hit by the immigration enforcement surge.
Rep. Mike Howard, DFL-Richfield and a co-chief author of housing legislation, said that the funding is not specifically intended to assist people impacted by the recent immigration enforcement operation, however, and denied any effort to sneak Operation Metro Surge relief into a bipartisan bill.
Me: If it walks like a duck….
By Michelle Griffith
Hospitals and drug companies are engaged in an expensive influence battle at the State Capitol this year over an obscure provision known as 340B, with each side lining up an army of dark-suited lobbyists, and Big Pharma even spending on billboards in rural Minnesota, as well as TV and Instagram ads.
The high-priced battle is over a bill at the Legislature to strengthen and extend 340B, which lets hospitals that treat low-income patients buy drugs at a discount and keep the savings.
With days remaining in the 2026 session, 340B advocates are worried the bipartisan bill, which hospitals say they need to survive, will fail to make it to the governor’s desk.
By Joshua Thoreson
A local writer argues there’s reason to bring charges:
“If federal officials were confident this shooting was justified, the natural response would have been cooperation, disclosure and a clean evidentiary record. Instead, Minnesota has had to fight for access. Transparency is not a courtesy here. It is the minimum condition of legitimacy.
Minnesotans should continue to demand the full record. But on the facts now known, prosecutors have ample reason to bring this case into court.”
IN OTHER NEWS
US House rejects constraint on Trump action in Iran, one day after Senate | Reformer via States Newsroom
Ex-Sen. Justin Eichorn pleads guilty to lesser child pornography charge | Reformer via KAXE
The redistricting frenzy is scrambling the midterm elections. Here’s where things stand now. | Reformer via States Newsroom
OH BY THE WAY
The hubbub on the Minnesota House floor last night makes this a good time to remind ourselves that even now, during one of the most polarized and violent times in recent political history, we’ve got nothing on the 19th century.
As historian John Ganz points out:
“The 19th century was a vast bloodbath, even if you discount the Civil War or the genocidal campaigns against the Indians. Two presidents were killed within its bounds, and a third barely outside of it. You couldn’t have an election without a city rioting for days, and many of the candidates being bludgeoned before they could take office. Theatrical performances were beset by angry crowds intent on disposing of actors they didn’t like. Mobs pulled preachers from their pulpits for saying maybe we ought not to keep other men in chains. Feuding families picked off each other’s cousins. Irishmen of opposing sorts would turn any parade into an occasion for bloodshed. A southern representative nearly beat a U.S. senator to death on the floor of the Senate chamber. Not to mention the daily horrors inflicted on slaves for the purposes of keeping them in that condition.”
Song of the day is a live rendition of “Green Onions.”
Correspond: [email protected]
Have a great weekend all! JPC
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