OWNERS.

>> Eric: BUSY POLITICAL WEEK, SO LET'S DIVE RIGHT IN WITH THIS WEEK'S DEMOCRATIC PANEL.

ABOU AMARA IS A FORMER LEGISLATIVE STAFFER, NOW AN ATTORNEY IN PRIVATE PRACTICE.

SARAH LÓPEZ, PARTY ACTIVIST AND DIRECTOR.

REPUBLICANS ON THE COUCH, ANNETTE MEEKS, WHO NOW HEADS THE FREEDOM FOUNDATION OF MINNESOTA.

AND BRIAN MCCLUNG IS HERE, FORMER GOVERNOR PAWLENTY SPOKESPERSON, LONGTIME CAPITOL OBSERVER.

SARA WITH THE REVENUE FORECAST, WITH ALL OF THIS THING FLYING AROUND, WHAT CAN WE EXPECT OUT OF THE 2026 LEGISLATIVE SESSION?

>> IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A SURPLUS, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE WE MIGHT GET A LOT F PEOPLE BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE APPREHENSIVE ABOUT PASSING BIG, BOLD LEGISLATION, AND, YOU KNOW, 2027 IS GOING TO BE A TELLING YEAR FOR EVERYBODY BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WE MAY OR MAY NOT BE OUT OF IT THEN.

SO WE MIGHT LOOK AT A BIG OF A BORING SESSION NEXT SESSION.

>> Eric: WELL, I WOULD THINK YOU CAN'T DO MUCH WITH ALL THE POLITICS T. WILL BE A LOT OF GOTCHA AMENDMENT SAYS ON -- AMENDMENTS ON THE FLOOR?

>> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW BUSY THIS WEEK WAS IN POLITICS IN MINNESOTA, IT WILL BE A HEATED LEGISLATIVE SESSION BUT NOT A BIG LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN TERMS OF PASSING BILLS, GETTING THINGS DONE.

I THINK THE FOCUS WILL BE ON TRYING TO GET THE BONDING BILL DONE.

THAT'S THE ONE BIPARTISAN OPPORTUNITY.

I THINK WE'D ALL AGREE, WE DIDN'T HAVE A BONDING BILL THIS PAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

IT WOULD BE NICE TO DO ONE IN WHAT IS THE TRADITIONAL BONDING YEAR.

WE'VE HAD PROBLEMS GETTING THEM DONE IN THE REGULAR BONDING YEAR.

SO WE'LL SEE.

I THINK THAT WILL BE THE MAIN FOCUS.

BUT, YEAH, JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE A SURPLUS NOW, WHEN YOU HAVE A DEFICIT IN THOSE FUTURE YEARS, YOU CAN'T GO AROUND SPENDING A BUNCH OF MONEY AND MAKING THAT PROBLEM WORSE.

>> Eric: WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> I THINK IT'S OING TO BE VERY SHORT EXAMINE BRUTAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

>> Eric: BRUTAL.

>> I THINK THAT ABOUT THREE MONTHS IS ABOUT ALL THEY HAVE, TECHNICALLY, AND I THINK THEY'LL TRY TO DO A BONDING BILL, BUT, BOY, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE HORRIBLY POLITICAL AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE VERY POLITICALLY CHARGED.

THERE'S A LOT AT STAKE IN THE 2026 ELECTIONS AND THEY KNOW IT.

>> YEAH, I THINK THERE WILL BE A NARROW BONDING BILL, MAYBE CASH, MAYBE BONDING, YOU CAN FIGURE THAT PIECE OUT.

I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS THERE, TEN, 12 YEARS AGO, WE DID THIS UNSESSION, WHERE WE FOCUSED ON SOME POLICY STUFF, AND I WONDER IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY TAKE THIS FRAUD ISSUE TO REALLY PUT SOME TEETH AROUND OVERSIGHT AND THINK THROUGH HOW DO WE MAKE OUR STATE AGENCIES STRONGER AND MORE RESILIENT IN THE FACE OF SOME OF THE FRAUD.

>> Cathy: THAT'S A GREAT -- >> THAT'S A GREAT IDEA AND I WOULD SUPPORT THAT, TOO.

>> Eric: THE BIPARTISAN IS BREAKING OUT ALL OVER.

THIS IS INCREDIBLE!

>> Cathy: SAY, LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT WHAT YOU ALL THINK ABOUT THIS WAR OF WORDS BETWEEN TRUMP, PRESIDENT TRUMP AND GOVERNOR WALZ.

AND I'M WONDERING, WITH MY GOP FRIENDS HERE, I DON'T HEAR A LOT OF REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS SPEAKING OUT AGAINST WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID.

ABOUT HIS RHETORIC.

JIM ABELER DID TODAY.

SPEAKER DEMUTH I NOTED IN A PBS INTERVIEW DANCED AROUND IT.

>> YEAH, I THINK REPUBLICANS OUGHT TO REFLECT ON WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID AND CALL IT OUT AS WRONG AND IMPROPER.

YOU SHOULDN'T PAINT ANY GROUP WITH A BROAD BRUSH LIKE THAT.

AND SAY ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE ARE ALL TERRIBLE.

THAT'S SIMPLY NOT THE CASE.

WHAT HE SHOULD DO, AND WHAT REPUBLICANS SHOULD DO, IS FOCUS ON THE FRAUD.

AND KEEP IN MIND THAT THE PROSECUTORS, FEDERAL PROSECUTORS, SAYING, IT'S MORE THAN $1 BILLION IN FRAUD IN MINNESOTA.

AND THIS ONLY HAPPENED HERE.

SO, IT'S NOT LIKE ALL OF THIS PANDEMIC MONEY ENT OUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND FRAUD IN OTHER GENEROUS STATES POPPED UP.

IT'S HAPPENING ONLY N MINNESOTA.

SO, WHAT WAS DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE?

IT WAS THAT STATE GOVERNMENT WAS ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH.

AND ALLOWED THAT FRAUD TO HAPPEN.

SO THEY NEED TO STAY FOCUSED ON THAT, HAVE THAT CONVERSATION ND HOLD HE ADMINISTRATION ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT'S HAPPENED, AND YOU SEE IN THESE INTERVIEWS THAT GOVERNOR WALZ IS DOING, HE STILL DOESN'T HAVE A GOOD ANSWER FOR WHAT HAPPENED.

HE DOESN'T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT.

AND HE OUGHT TO.

I MEAN, THIS HAPPENED ON HIS WATCH.

>> YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE HAPPENED ON HIS WATCH?

NOT JUST SOMALIS RIPPING OFF THE GOVERNMENT, OF WHICH THERE HAVE ONLY BEEN, WHAT, 87 CONVICTIONS SO FAR, THAT'S NOT MUCH IN A STATE OF OUR SIZE, BUT IT IS PREDOMINANTLY IN THAT POPULATION, WHICH IS WHAT BATES THE PRESIDENT AND OTHER PEOPLE TO PAINT IT WITH A BROAD BRUSH, WHICH IS REALLY UNFORTUNATE.

WE WERE TAUGHT IN SUNDAY SCHOOL, GOD DON'T MAKE NO GARBAGE.

AND I THINK THAT WAS A REALLY UNFORTUNATE STATEMENT.

BUT I WILL SAY, WALZ'S FRAUD OVERSIGHT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM.

REMEMBER WHEN WE DID THE PAYCHECK BONUSES TO THE PEOPLE WHO SHOWED UP AND HAD TO WORK DURING COVID?

THERE WAS MASSIVE FRAUD IN THAT.

THERE'S VERY LAX OVERSIGHT.

AND THAT IS ALL ON WALZ.

THAT'S NOT ON TRUMP.

>> Eric: ONE THING I THINK THE DEMOCRATS CAN LOOK AND BE POSITIVE ABOUT IS TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE ARE RIFFS IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, TRUMP IS THE GREAT UNIFIER, ISN'T HE?

>> WITHOUT A QUESTION.

THIS IS A MIDTERM ELECTION.

YES, THERE WILL BE LEGITIMATE ISSUES LIKE FRAUD THAT THEY'LL TRY AND THROW AT WALZ AND OTHERS.

STRUCTURALLY SPEAKING THIS SHOULD BE A FAIRLY GOOD ELECTION FOR DEMOCRATS.

DONALD TRUMP, 13 POINTS UNDER WATER.

THAT IS STRUCTURALLY A PROBLEM NOT JUST FOR REPUBLICANS IN MINNESOTA BUT REPUBLICANS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

>> I THINK ONE THING WE SHOULD DISCUSS, WHICH I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TALK MORE ABOUT, IS THE SET OF CRONIES FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION THAT ARE COMPLETELY BENEFITTING FROM OPERATIONS LIKE METRO SURGE.

RIGHT?

WE HAVE THE PRIVATE RECENT COMPLEX, WE HAVE THE BETA COMPANIES THAT SHARE -- DATA COMPANIES, THAT SHARE MY DATA, YOUR DATA, EVERYBODY'S DATA TO BE ABLE TO DEPLOY THE COMPLETELY VILE OPERATIONS THAT HAVE HAPPENED.

AND ALSO WE HAVE, LIKE, THE AIRPORT CARRIERS.

SO THERE'S LIKE A WHOLE SET OF SHADY CONTRACTORS.

IF WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT SHADY CONTRACTORS, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE CONTRACTORS THAT ARE BEHIND ALL THESE OPERATIONS BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE MONEY AS WELL.

AND THIS IS INCREDIBLY PROFITABLE AS WELL, FOR A SET OF PRETTY NOT SO GREAT PEOPLE.

>> I MEAN, AS YOU LOOK AT THE 2026 ELECTIONS IN MINNESOTA, I JUST DON'T SEE HOW GOVERNOR WALZ GETS BEYOND THE FRAUD ISSUE.

I THINK THIS IS GOING TO CARRY FORWARD THROUGH THE ENTIRE TIME PERIOD, AND, YOU KNOW, HE'LL POINT TO EXECUTIVE ORDERS AND THESE THINGS.

BUT IT'S STILL -- IT STILL ALL HAPPENED AND HAPPENED JUST HERE IN MINNESOTA.

SO THIS IS PROBABLY THE BEST REPUBLICAN OPPORTUNITY IN 20 YEARS TO WIN A STATEWIDE RACE.

THE QUESTION IS, LIKE ABOU WAS SAYING, IS THE TRUMP MIDTERM, IS THAT GOING TO BE ENOUGH OF A DRAG ON REPUBLICANS TO BE ABLE TO OVERCOME THAT?

SO THOSE ARE KIND OF THE CONFLICTING FACTORS THAT YOU'LL HAVE AT THE TOP OF THE TICKET RACE.

>> THAT'S INCREDIBLY TEMPTING, BUT I FEEL LIKE MINNESOTANS ARE COMPLETELY SEEING THROUGH THE UNCHECKED POWER THAT'S BEING DEPLOYED IN OUR STATE.

THEY'RE COMPLETELY SEEING IT THROUGH.

YOU CAN SEE IT THROUGH COMMUNITIES COMING TOGETHER TO PROTECT THEIR NEIGHBORS AND THEY'RE FEELING THE UNHINGED RESPONSE THAT IS BEING DEPLOYED ON US, BECAUSE OF, YES, FRAUD, WE ALL AGREE THAT THAT IS INCREDIBLY -- THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN IN OUR STATE, BUT THEY'RE SEEING THROUGH THESE LARGER SCAPEGOAT THAT I DON'T THINK IS GOING TO SERVE WELL TO THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

[ OVERLAPPING CONVERSATION ] >> THE ONE WAY I WOULD FRAME IT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A BILLION-DOLLAR BONDING BILL THAT SHOULD BE PASSED THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THAT'S BEEN STOLEN FROM TAXPAYERS BY THIS FRAUD ALREADY.

WE KNOW IT'S OVER A BILLION DOLLARS.

THAT'S A SERIOUS ISSUE.

THAT'S HOW THE LEGISLATORS WILL FRAME IT.

WE'VE GOT A REAL PROBLEM TO DEAL ITH.

WE LOST A OT OF MONEY.

BUT WITH THAT SAID, IT'S ALL UNDER WALZ.

THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN BECAUSE WHEN TRUMP WAS PRESIDENT, THIS ALL HAPPENED AFTER TRUMP WAS SWORN IN FOR HIS SECOND TERM AND WALZ WAS ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL.

>> THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THIS IS A LEGITIMATE ISSUE THAT WILL BE LITIGATED IN THE CAMPAIGN.

>> Eric: WHAT'S THE DEFENSE?

WHAT'S THE DEMOCRATIC DEFENSE?

>> THE STORY'S NOT DONE YET.

TIM WALZ STILL HAS AN OPPORTUNITY FROM NOW ALL THE WAY THROUGH TAXI DAY WILL BE -- ELECTION DAY TO MAKE THE CASE, HE'LL HAVE A BULLY PULPIT THAT NONE OF THE LEGISLATORS WILL, HE'S ABLE TO SET A NARRATIVE AROUND WHAT HE'S DOING TO AKE SURE THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN, IT WILL BEGIN WITH THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO END THERE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF ACTIONS BETWEEN NOW AND ELECTION DAY THAT WILL MOVE SOME VOTERS.

>> IF WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT STEALING, THERE HAVE BEEN UNCLES, MOTHERS, FATHERS, WHO ARE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITIES, WHO GO TO THE MARKET THAT HAVE BEEN -- THAT HAVE BEEN STOLEN FROM THEIR COMMUNITIES IN THE PAST 48 HOURS, RIGHT,?

WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT STEAL, I DON'T THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE O -- I THINK THAT PEOPLE RE SEEING THROUGH THE CRUELTY OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.

>> Cathy: TO YOUR POINT, JAYLANI HUSSEIN BROUGHT THIS UP IN OUR CONVERSATION THAT HE FEELS THAT THIS IS GOING TO DAMAGE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

AND I'M WONDERING WHAT YOU THINK OF THAT.

I MEAN, THERE WERE SOME SOMALI FOLKS WHO SUPPORTED PRESIDENT TRUMP.

>> YOU CAN DISAGREE WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP IN THE WAY THAT HE DOES THESE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS AND STILL SAY THE FRAUD HAS TO BE STOPPED AND PEOPLE HAVE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

THIS IS ONE OF THE RARE ISSUES THAT HAS BROKEN THROUGH.

THIS ISN'T JUST SOMETHING THAT US AND PEOPLE WHO WATCH "ALMANAC" ARE TALKING ABOUT.

THE FRAUD IN MINNESOTA IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT AROUND THEIR KITCHEN TABLES.

>> Cathy: BUT THE IMMIGRATION -- >> AT THANKSGIVING.

>> BUT THOSE ARE DIFFERENT ISSUES, RIGHT?

SO YOU CAN DISAGREE WITH HOW THAT'S BEING -- >> Cathy: I GUESS I'M ASKING ABOUT THE IMMIGRATION PART.

[ OVERLAPPING CONVERSATION ] >> I'M SORRY.

BUT ELECTIONS IS NATIONAL NEWS.

AND ALL THAT WE'RE SEEING IN NATIONAL NEWS IS THE ADMINISTRATION, RIGHT?

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT PEOPLE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO.

AND I KNOW THAT WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE ARE LIKE A THING.

BUT WHEN YOU SEE GOP MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE DISTANCING THEMSELVES FROM THE COMMENTS, THEY KNOW THEMSELVES THAT THERE'S SOMETHING OFF HERE.

>> I THINK THE BIGGEST THING ABOUT IMMIGRATION, PRESIDENT TRUMP WHEN HE WAS CANDIDATE TRUMP RAN ON ENFORCING OUR BORDERS AND STOPPING THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.

IF YOU LOOK AT HIS POLLING NUMBERS TODAY, HE IS STILL WAY ABOVE WATER ON THAT ISSUE.

PEOPLE SUPPORT MAKING SURE OUR BORDERS ARE SECURE, OUR BORDERS ARE SAFE, OUR COMMUNITIES ARE SAFE, AND THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE ILLEGALLY, THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO STAY.

VERY STRONG SUPPORT ON THAT ISSUE.

>> Eric: HAS GOVERNOR PAWLENTY BEEN APPROACHED ABOUT A INDEPENDENT RUN FOR U.S.

SENATE?

>> NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF.

AND I TALKED TO HIM TODAY.

SO, I DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THAT.

AND I CAN'T IMAGINE.

AGAIN, HE'S TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HE WOULD LOVE TO SERVE, HE DOESN'T SEE A PATH TO THAT.

I THINK HE'S ENJOYING HIS POST-POLITICS LIFE.

>> - >> Eric: I HEARD HE WAS APPROACHED.

YOU DON'T THINK SO?

>> ERIC: WE'VE RUN LONG TONIGHT SO WE'LL HAVE OUR FINAL HISTORY QUESTION OF 2025 FOR YOU NEXT WEEK.

WE HAVE JUST ENOUGH TIME LEFT FOR SOME SHOW-ENDING MUSIC FROM THE ARCHIVES.

AND WE'RE GOING TO KICK OFF THE HOLIDAY SEASON WITH ONE OF OUR FAVORITE MUSICAL GROUPS.

BACK IN 1999, THE STEELES SERENADED US WITH A MEDLEY OF CHRISTMAS CAROLS RIGHT HERE IN STUDIO B. TAKE A LISTEN.

WE’LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

BE CAREFUL.

♪ HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING, GLORY TO THE NEWBORN KING ♪ ♪ PEACE ON EARTH AND MERCY MILD ♪ ♪ GOD AND SINNERS RECONCILED ♪ ♪ JOYFUL ALL YE NATIONS RISE ♪ ♪ JOIN THE TRIUMPH OF THE SKIES ♪ ♪ WITH ANGELIC HOSTS PROCLAIM ♪ CHRIST IS BORN IN BETHLEHEM ♪ HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING ♪ GLORY TO THE NEWBORN KING ♪ >> OH, I LOVE THAT.

>> HOW ABOUT THIS ONE?

♪ OH, COME ALL YE FAITHFUL ♪ ♪ JOYFUL AND TRIUMPHANT ♪ ♪ OH, COME, YE, OH, COME, YE, TO BETHLEHEM ♪ ♪ COME AND BEHOLD HIM ♪ ♪ BORN THE KING OF ANGELS ♪ ♪ OH, COME LET US ADORE HIM ♪ ♪ CHRIST, THE LORD ♪ >> THANKS, FRED.

HOW ABOUT THIS ONE?

HOW ABOUT THIS ONE?

♪ JOYFUL TO THE WORLD, THE LORD HAS COME ♪ ♪ LET EARTH RECEIVE HER KING ♪ CAPTIONED BY: VERITEXT/PARADIGM CAPTIONING WWW.VERITEXT.COM ♪ THE LORIES OF HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ♪ ♪ AND WONDERS OF HIS LOVE ♪ ♪ AND WONDERS, AND WONDERS OF HIS LOVE ♪ >> "ALMANAC" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY MEMBERS OF THIS PUBLIC TELEVISION STATION.

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