>> Mary: IT'S BEEN A BUSY WEEK.

WE'RE ONLY HALFWAY THROUGH IT.

POLITICAL REPORTERS HAVE BEEN RUNNING.

CAROLINE COUPLINGS IS WITH US FROM WCCO TV AND DANA FERGUSON FROM MPR.

CUMMINGS.

WHAT A WEEK BUT NOTHING SIGNIFICANT REALLY HAPPENED SO FAR?

>> YEAH, WELL, THAT SEEMS TO BE THE THEME OF THE SESSION.

A LOT OF -- DANA IS LAUGHING AT ME.

BUT IT'S TRUE.

IN TERMS OF MAJOR PRIORITIES THAT EACH SIDE HAS, RIGHT?

THEY AREN'T PASSING THOSE BILLS OFF THE FLOOR, ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE TIED MINNESOTA HOUSE.

THERE'S A LOT OF EFFORTS O SUSPEND THE RULES, BRING BILLS UP DECLARING AN URGENCY, TO TRY TO PASS THE PARTISAN PRIORITIES.

BUT THE REALITY IS THAT THEY AREN'T -- THEY ARE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT OUT OF THIS CHAMBER GIVEN THE POLITICAL REALITY OF THIS BUILDING.

>> Mary: YEAH, THE HOUSE IS HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING UNSTUCK.

>> THEY'RE HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING UNSTUCK, AND I THINK FOR A LOT OF FOLKS, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF RESIDUAL TRAUMA FROM THE SUMMER, FROM THE WINTER, JUST SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED TO THE FOLKS IN THIS BUILDING, BUT ALSO THE WHOLE STATE OF MINNESOTA, AND, SO, TRYING TO GRAPPLE WITH THAT AND HAVING REALLY DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDINGS, DEPENDING WHERE FOLKS COME FROM, ABOUT WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE AND THE BEST WAY TO RESOLVE THEM HAS BEEN REALLY DIFFICULT AND AS WE SAW IN YOUR PACKAGE, YOU KNOW, JUST A LOT OF DUSTUP, A LOT OF CONFLICT OVER WHAT THAT MEANS FOR FOLKS AND THE EST WAY TO GO FORWARD.

>> Mary: FORMER LAWMAKERS LAST WEEK SAID THEY'RE NOT OKAY AND THEY'RE NOT SAYING THEY'RE NOT OKAY YET.

AND THEY REALLY SAW THIS AS AN UNDERLYING, HE GRIEVING, THE STRESS, ALL F THAT HAVING AN IMPACT.

WE DID GET A BILL SIGNED INTO LAW THIS WEEK.

>> YEAH.

>> Mary: IN MELISSA HORTMAN'S NAME.

SO THAT WAS SOMETHING POSITIVE.

>> AND A BIPARTISAN BRIGHT SPOT, FOR SURE, UNANIMOUS SUPPORT.

>> Mary: THE SOLAR GARDENS, THERE ARE A LOT OF EFFORTS TO HONOR HER.

>> THERE ARE EFFORTS FOR CREATING A NEW STATUE, GARDEN OVER AT THE STATE OFFICE BUILDING, RENAMING A HIGHWAY THAT IS THROUGH HER DISTRICT THAT SHE WORKED ON, COUPLE OTHER PROPOSALS TO CREATE A PARK, OTHER THINGS.

SO, I THINK THAT IS ONE AREA WHERE THERE IS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.

THERE IS A STRONG DESIRE FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL AISLE TO REMEMBER HER AND TO HONOR HER MEMORY.

BUT ON MANY, IF NOT MOST OTHER THINGS, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF DIVISION.

>> Mary: MAYBE THE IMMIGRATION ISSUE AND SOME COMPENSATION FOR BUSINESSES, WE SAW REPUBLICAN FROM WILLMAR, DAVE BAKER, SPEAK UP.

WE DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A YES VOTE.

BUT THAT MIGHT BE BIPARTISAN.

>> WELL, THAT SEEMS TO BE THE CORE THING THAT'S UP FOR DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW.

THAT IS MOVING -- THE RELIEF PACKAGE FOR BUSINESSES IS MOVING THROUGH THE DFL-LED SENATE RIGHT NOW.

OF COURSE, ANOTHER PRIORITY FOR DEMOCRATS IS THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE PACKAGE, PROVIDING RELIEF FOR PEOPLE WHO STAYED HOME DURING OPERATION METRO SURGE OUT OF FEAR AND ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY MAKING THEIR RENT.

YOU NOW, EVERYTHING IS UP FOR NEGOTIATION, I LIKE TO SAY, AROUND HERE.

WHEN YOU PASS DEADLINES, ONCE THEY GET INTO THE CLOSED-DOOR NEGOTIATIONS ABOUT WHAT THEY CAN FIGURE OUT, I MEAN, IT'S ALWAYS A GIVE AND TAKE.

REPUBLICANS ARE GOING TO GET THINGS THAT THEY WANT, DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO GET THINGS THAT THEY WANT, AND THE OTHER SIDE IS MAYBE NOT GOING TO LIKE THE OTHER THING THAT THE OTHER PARTY GOT.

SO WE'LL HAVE TO SEE HOW THAT SHAKES OUT IN THE FINAL WEEKS HERE.

>> Mary: RENTAL RELIEF WAS ACTUALLY A BIPARTISAN VOTE IN THE SENATE.

>> YEAH.

>> Mary: BUT NOT YET HERE.

>> AND IT'S UP IN WORKFORCE COMMITTEE IN THE HOUSE TOMORROW.

WE HEARD REPRESENTATIVE BAKER MAKE THOSE COMMENTS ABOUT THE RECOGNITION FOR SOME OF THE NEED, BUT HE ALSO SAID THERE ARE A LOT OF REGULATIONS THAT SMALL BUSINESSES ARE FACING THAT HE ALSO WANTS TO TAMP DOWN ON.

SO WE COULD SEE SOME SORT OF LAST-MINUTE EFFORT TO DO CHANGES TO PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE THAT COMES AS PART OF THIS RENT RELIEF.

>> Mary: IN IS COMMENTS -- [ OVERLAPPING CONVERSATION ] >> Mary: WITH THE IMMIGRATION.

>> AND THAT ILLUSTRATES THE GIVE AND TAKE, RIGHT.

I'LL OFFER MY SUPPORT FOR THIS THING IF YOU OFFER YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS MY THING.

AND I THINK IN THE HOUSE, WHAT I FIND REALLY INTERESTING, IT DOES SOMETIMES GIVE RANK-AND-FILE MEMBERS A LOT MORE POWER THAN MAYBE THEY OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE, BECAUSE OF THE NATURE YOU JUST NEED ONE TO COME TO YOUR SIDE TO GET SOMETHING DONE.

>> Mary: REALLY GOOD.

WHAT ELSE ARE WE SEEING BIPARTISANSHIP ON, ARE YOU SEEING ANYTHING ELSE?

>> TODAY THERE WAS AN EFFORT TO TALK ABOUT LEGISLATOR AND COURT SAFETY, AND I THINK THERE'S A REAL SENSE AFTER THE EVENTS OF LAST SUMMER THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO IMPLEMENT ORE SECURITY, WE'VE SEEN MORE IN THE BUILDING, BUT OUTSIDE OF THIS BUILDING FOR LAWMAKERS AND JUDGES WHEN THEY GO HOME, SOME SORT OF EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT PUBLIC SAFETY CAN GET THERE AND RESPOND TO THREATS, WHICH ARE MOUNTING AT TRULY A WILD LEVEL.

[ OVERLAPPING CONVERSATION ] >> Mary: IT'S A DIFFERENT LANDSCAPE.

>> AND IT TOUCHES BOTH SIDES, YOU KNOW.

I MEAN, THE HORTMAN ASSASSINATION LAST SUMMER, WE KNOW THE ACCUSED SASS ANYONE HAD A -- SASS SAN HAD A LIST OF DEMOCRATS IN THAT INCIDENT, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN THREATS LODGED AGAINST SPEAKER DEMUTH, THIS THIS TOUCHES DEMOCRATS VERY PROFOUNDLY OVER THE LOSS OF THEIR LEADER.

BUT TO DANA'S POINT, WE'RE IN A NEW WORLD, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE TO ACKNOWLEDGE BECAUSE OF THE SPIRIT OF THIS PLACE, HOW IT WAS SO OPEN, NO SECURITY TO GET INSIDE.

>> Mary: SO DIFFERENT NOW, YEAH.

>> BUT THEY'RE HAVING TO EET THE MOMENT, UNFORTUNATELY, AND THIS IS WHAT POLITICS IS TODAY.

>> Mary: AND IT LOOKS LIKE SOME OF THE FRAUD ISSUES, WE SAW THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL START TO GET BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.

DO WE THINK THAT'S STILL GOING TO GET DONE?

>> IT SEEMS LIKE IT WILL.

WE DON'T KNOW THE EXACT DETAILS.

IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S GETTING KIND OF MANEUVERED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, BUT THERE'S A STRONG BIPARTISAN DESIRE TO DO THAT.

THERE ARE OTHER MEASURES DEALING WITH PENALTIES FOR FRAUD.

TRYING TO PREVENT FRAUD.

AND I WOULD SAY, TOO, SCHOOL SAFETY, WE SAW THIS WEEK THERE'S REALLY STRONG DESIRE FROM BOTH PARTIES TO DO SOMETHING.

THERE IS OVERLAP ABOUT WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN, BUT THERE IS ALSO DISAGREEMENT ABOUT WHETHER IT SHOULD BE MANDATES, WHETHER IT SHOULD BE SUGGESTIONS, WHETHER IT SHOULD BE -- HOW TO FUND IT.

>> Mary: AND GUN CONTROLS, DEMOCRATS HERE IN THE HOUSE HAVE BEEN SAYING, SCHOOL SAFETY PACKAGE WILL ADDRESS GUNS.

>> AND FOR REPUBLICANS THEY SAY, THAT'S A NONSTARTER.

SO WHERE DO THEY MEET, IN THE MIDDLE, IS THE OPEN QUESTION.

>> Mary: FRAUD TODAY, WE COVERED BIPARTISAN PRESS CONFERENCE, ADDRESSING FRAUD, THIS CONCEPT OF TAXING AND TRYING TO GET THE MONEY BACK.

>> YEAH.

SO, IT'S IMPLEMENTING 100% TAX ON ANY MONEY A PERSON MADE FROM FRAUD.

THE DETAILS SEEM TO BE STILL OUTSTANDING, THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE SAYS MAYBE IT SHOULD BE A TAX PENALTY INSTEAD.

>> Mary: RIGHT.

>> BUT AGAIN, AS REPRESENTATIVE ELKINS SAID, AS HE'S A DFL CO-AUTHOR ON THIS REPUBLICAN PROPOSAL, I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO TRY TO GET SOME OF THE MONEY BACK.

THAT REALLY SUMMED IT UP.

I GUESS MAYBE IT TAKES BEING CLEVER TO GET SOME REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS TO WORK TOGETHER.

I DON'T KNOW.

>> SO FRAUD WAS ALSO THE BASIS FOR AN IMPEACHMENT HEARING.

NOT SOMETHING I REMEMBER COVERING IN THE ALMOST THREE DECADES I'VE BEEN UP HERE.

THIS IS UNUSUAL.

>> BECAUSE THERE HASN'T BEEN AN IMPEACHMENT SINCE 1895 OR SOMETHING.

THAT'S WHAT HOUSE RESEARCH SAID.

>> EAH, THEY NOTED RIGHT OFF THE BACK OF THIS HEARING THAT THIS HASN'T HAPPENED IN -- >> 140 YEARS SOME YEARS.

DON'T CHECK ME ON MY MATH.

>> Mary: A JUDGE WHO WAS DRUNK ON THE BENCH WAS REMOVED.

>> IT WAS JUDGES AND A STATE TREASURER, THOSE WERE THE NLY TWO PEOPLE, YEAH.

>> YEAH, SO SORT OF IN MODERN TIMES, UNPRECEDENTED TO TAKE THIS ACTION.

THE WAY THAT IT CAME THROUGH RULES COMMITTEE WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT IN THAT WE HEARD TESTIMONY ABOUT TWO RESOLUTIONS THAT WEREN'T ACTUALLY THE SUBJECT OF THE RULES COMMITTEE.

>> YES.

WAS PROCESS RESOLUTION.

>> THEY WERE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW TO O ABOUT IMPEACHMENT OF CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS.

THEY WERE TRYING TO DISCUSS WHAT IT WOULD MEAN FOR GOVERNOR TIM WALZ, ATTORNEY GENERAL KEITH ELLISON TO BE IMPEACHED OVER THESE CONCERNS ABOUT FRAUD.

THERE WAS A LOT OF TESTIMONY ABOUT THAT.

A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH FROM MEMBERS, BUTTING HEADS ABOUT THE WHOLE THING.

>> Mary: YEAH, IT WAS CHIPPY, T DIDN'T SEEM LIKE, WE'RE GOING TO GET DEALS ON OTHER THINGS, THE TONE AND THE VOTE, TOO.

>> RIGHT.

BUT I THINK ABOUT THE PARTISANSHIP WE'VE SEEN AND I THINK ABOUT THE QUOTE THAT THE FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER MELISSA HORTMAN OFTEN SAID, IT WAS SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF LIKE THERE'S ALWAYS DARKNESS BEFORE THE DAWN.

SHE REALLY SAID THAT ALL THE TIME.

>> NO, T'S TRUE.

>> Mary: IT'S TRUE.

>> AND I FEEL LIKE THAT WAS JUST A REFLECTION OF SHE'D BEEN AROUND HERE LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT IT CAN GET REALLY UGLY AND THEN THEY STILL FIND THEIR WAY THROUGH AND THEY CAN NAVIGATE REALLY TENSE NEGOTIATIONS.

I MEAN, THEY PASSED A BUDGET AGAINST ALL ODDS WITH THIS UNIQUE TIE THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN.

>> Mary: AND WE ALWAYS USED TO CALLED IT THE BREAKDOWN THROUGH THE BREAKTHROUGH, THIS IS A NORMAL RHYTHM AT THE END OF THE SESSION.

>> THIS IS WHEN THEY COME OUT A LITTLE BIT, PERFORM FOR THE PUBLIC AND FOR THE PRESS AND BEAT UP ON ONE ANOTHER, NOT PHYSICALLY, ONLY IN WORDS.

RHETORICAL BEATING UP.

AND THEN THEY'RE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER BEHIND THE SCENES MUCH OF THE TIME AND COME OUT WITH SOMETHING, EVEN IF IT'S NOT WHAT EITHER SIDE WANTED IN ITS ENTIRETY.

>> YEAH.

>> Mary: AND WE'RE HOPING NOTHING COMES OUT EARLY THAT MAKES IT UNTIL AFTER SESSION, RIGHT?

>> MY BABY COMES AFTER SESSION.

>> Mary: CONGRATULATIONS.

WE'RE ALL SO VERY EXCITED FOR YOU, CAROLINE.

>> MY INTERN HAS NOT VERY HELPFUL THIS SESSION, I WILL SAY.

>> CO-ANCHOR NEEDS TO WORK.

>> Mary: GET