THAT'S NOT RIGHT.

♪♪ >> ERIC: THERE'S JUST 17 DAYS -- OR LESS -- LEFT IN THE 2024 LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

AND AS WE JUST SAW, THE FOCUS FOR MANY IS FIRMLY ON D.F.L.

SENATOR MITCHELL'S RETURN TO THE CAPITOL AFTER HER ARREST LAST WEEK FOR FELONY BURGLARY AND THE ONE-VOTE MARGIN SHE REPRESENTS FOR THE D.F.L.

TRIFECTA.

REPUBLICANS ON THE COUCH TONIGHT: BRIAN MCDANIEL IS A FORMER LEGISLATIVE STAFFER TURNED LOBBYIST AND STAND-UP COMEDIAN.

JEN DEJOURNETT IS A POLITICAL OPERATIVE AND VETERAN OF CAMPAIGNS.

DEMOCRATS WITH US: JAVIER MORILLO IS A LONGTIME PARTY ACTIVIST AND FORMER NATIONAL COMMITTEE MEMBER.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, SARA LOPEZ, POLICY DIRECTOR AT UNIDOS MINNESOTA WHO HAS SPENT MANY HOURS AT THE LEGISLATURE.

JEN, SAW YOU AT THE CAPITOL FIND OF FACILITATIONING ONE OF THE NEWS CONFERENCES.

>> YEAH, THERE WERE SOME INDIVIDUALS FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT ASKED ME TO HELP OUT.

I OFFERED TO VOLUNTEER.

>> Eric: WHERE S THIS HEADED?

>> I THINK IT'S GOING TO ULTIMATELY HEAD THAT SENATOR MITCHELL AT SOME POINT IS GOING TO DEPART HER ROLE.

AND I THINK SHE'S GOT SERIOUS LEGAL TROUBLES.

NOW, WHETHER SHE DOES THE RIGHT THING, THE HONORABLE THING AND DOES IT ON HER OWN OR AT SOME POINT, THE LEGISLATURE DOES IT, OR THE VOTERS DO IT AT SOME POINT.

HER POLITICAL CAREER IS DONE.

>> Mary: JAVIER, NEXT WEEK, THIS KIND OF MOVES INTO THE LEGAL REALM.

DO WE EXPECT THERE TO BE ACTION THAT COULD HAVE HER LEAVING YET THIS SESSION?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

IDENTIFICATION THAT I WOULD LIKE FOR HER TO ANNOUNCE THAT SHE'S GOING TO RESIGN AT THE END OF SESSION.

I THINK THAT RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE NO GOOD OPTIONS HERE, RIGHT?

THE WORK HAS TO GET DONE.

THE MAJORITY, YES, IT IS A ONE-VOTE MAJORITY.

AND THIS IS ALL, YOU KNOW, FOR ALL THIS TALK ABOUT IT BEING UNPRECEDENTED, THIS IS JUST LIEUTENANTLY, REPRESENTATIVE MATT GROSSELL WAS CAUGHT ON CAMERA ASSAULTING A POLICE OFFICER.

AND -- >> Mary: BUT IT WASN'T A FELONY AND THAT WASN'T A ONE VOTE MARGIN, RIGHT?

>> RIGHT, BUT THE POINT BEING, WHAT THEY DID AT THAT TIME WAS REMOVE HIS COMMITTEES AND LIKE AND THEN THE VOTERS REELECTED HIM IN HIS DISTRICT.

BUT THAT'S ALL THE I THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING FOR HER TO DO WAS TO BE STEP DOWN AT THE END OF SESSION TO AVOID THE CASE YOUS OF THIS JUST BEING A DEAD LOCKED SESSION AND NOTHING GETTING DONE.

>> Eric: DO YOU SEE THIS AS A POLITICAL ISSUE GOING FORWARD?

>> I THINK THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE D.F.L.

SENATE IS TO DELIVER FOR THE PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA AND I DO BELIEVE THAT WE CANNOT JUMP INTO CONCLUSIONS UNTIL AFTER TUESDAY WHEN THE ETHICS COMMITTEE HEARING HAPPENS.

LIKE WE CAN'T SAY -- WE HAVE TO ALLOW DUE PROCESS TO BE DUE PROCESS.

>> Mary: BRIAN, I'VE SEEN YOU UP THERE.

YOU'VE GOT THE TEMPERATURE.

IS THIS ALL ANYONE IS TALKING ABOUT, AND I HEAR LOBBYISTS I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO GET ANYTHING HERE.

>> WE'RE ALL DEAD INSIDE.

EVERY YEAR IT'S SOMETHING.

NOBODY HAD THIS ON THEIR BINGO CARDS.

>> Mary: AND THERE REALLY ARE BINGO CARDS.

>> BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DUE PROCESS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A LEGAL TERM.

NOT A POLITICAL TERM.

AND SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT THINGSES.

WHAT SENATOR MITCHELL SHOULD DO POLITICALLY IS, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS THE MEDIA, ADDRESS HER CONSTITUENTS.

APOLOGIZE FOR WHATEVER HE HAS TO APOLOGIZE FOR.

BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT SHE SHOULD DO LEGALLY BECAUSE SHE SHOULD SHUT UP, NOT SPEAK, IF SHE HAD A TIME MACHINE, SHE SHOULD ALREADY NOT SAY WHAT SHE'S ALREADY SAID, AND THAT IS WHY IT'S HARD FOR HER TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, BE THERE FOR HER CONSTITUENTS BECAUSE THAT SEAT DOESN'T BELONG TO THE DEMOCRATS, IT DOESN'T BELONG TO NICOLE MITCHELL.

IT BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE OF WOODBURY.

>> CAN I JUMP BACK ON AN IMPORTANT THING THAT SARA SAID.

I SAY, AT WHAT COST?

THERE IS A VICTIM HERE.

HER NAME IS CAROL.

AND CAROL WAS SLEEPING IN HER BED.

AND SOMEBODY BROKE INTO HER HOME, DRESSED THAT ALL BLACK LIKE A BANDIT, WENT INTO THE BASEMENT AT 4:00 IN THE MORNING, SCARED AN INDIVIDUAL THAT SHE'S STILL SCARED.

SO WHERE'S THE ?RIEN YOU KNOW, THIS IS FELONY FIRST-DEGREE BURGLARY VIOLENT CRIME UNDER THE STATUTES?

IS IT RAPE, IS IT MURDER, WHERE'S THE LINE WHERE THE WORK DOESN'T MATTER AND THE ADDITION ANITY OF THE SENATE MATTERS FIRST?

AND THIS IS AN IMPORTANT POINT.

I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE REPUBLICAN, DEMOCRAT, AN INDEPENDENT.

OR WHATEVER YOU ARE.

LISTEN.

IF YOU ARE CAUSING SUCH A DISTRACTION THAT YOU ARE A DISTRACTION TO YOUR CAUCUS, TO THE STATE AND EVERYONE YOU NEED TO GO NOW.

>> Eric: I WANT TO BRING UP A KUM-BAY-YAH POSSIBILITY.

LET'S SAY SENATOR MURPHY AND SENATOR JOHNSON, WHAT IF THEY GOT TOGETHER AND SAID 33-3 NOTHING'S GETTING OUT OF HERE, UNLESS IT'S BIPARTISAN.

AND THEN HER VOTE IS IRRELEVANT.

BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE A MIX OF BOTH PARTIES' VOTES.

IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?

>> NOTHING'S GOING TO GET DONE.

>> NO, THAT'S NOT TRUE.

CAN WORK IN A BIPARTISAN MANNER.

THERE ARE THINGS THAT CAN GET DONE.

SHE CAN GO AND PEOPLE CAN WORK TOGETHER.

WHY IS THAT, LIKE, A HARD THING IN AMERICA TO DO.

>> Eric: AM I SINGING "IMAGINE" BY JOHN LENNON HERE?

>> I MEAN, YES, THEY SHOULD BE WORKING TOGETHER.

WE'RE ALL THE REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS OR, YOU KNOW, MIST LAINSOUS.

WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS A LONG TIME AND WE CAN REMEMBER WHEN THERE WAS A LOT MORE REACHING ACROSS AISLE.

WE'VE ALL FORGOTTEN THAT AND THAT'S A SHAME.

I DON'T THINK IT'S COMING BACK IN THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, IGHT LEGISLATIVE DAYS.

THERE ARE THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE.

IT'S IN EVERYONE'S BEST INTEREST TO FIND THOSE AREAS OF COMMONALITY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE AT THE LEGISLATURE WHO ARE REALLY KIND OF SUFFERING ARE HER COLLEAGUES, WHO AREN'T BEING ABLE TO -- NOW, TALK ABOUT THEIR BILLS, TALK ABOUT ANYTHING OTHER THAN THIS.

AND THEY HAVE TO KIND OF TOE THE LINE AND WE KNOW THAT THERE IS DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT ON SENATOR MITCHELL IN THAT CAUCUS.

AND THEY'RE REALLY NOT ALLOWED TO EXPRESS IT.

>> Mary: JAVIER, DEMOCRATS HARD-WON MAJORITY.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE THAT UP EASILY.

>> THERE ARE NO GOOD OPTIONS HERE.

AND YEAH, NO ONE IS HAPPY ABOUT THIS.

THIS IS -- >> Mary: BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO 33-33, ARE THEY?

>> IT'S A TRAGIC SITUATION.

I FEEL TERRIBLY FOR HER STEP-MOTHER.

AND I ALSO FEEL TERRIBLY FOR A FAMILY THAT'S RIPPED APART AND ALL OF THIS IS A IS HAPPENING IN THE HEADLINES.

AND SO RIGHT NOW WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS GET THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION DONE AND DO IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND JUST -- AND WE'LL MOVE FORWARD.

>> Eric: IS THE E.R.A.

AMENDMENT GOING TO BE -- I THINK IT'S UP IN COMMITTEE IN THE HOUSE ON MONDAY.

>> I BELIEVE SO.

>> Eric: IS THAT GOING TO PASS?

I THINK THE SENATE AND HOUSE HAVE MAYBE A LITTLE DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF IT?

>> I THINK THAT THAT AREA HAS A LOT OF SUPPORT.

AND I AM VERY, VERY HOPEFUL THAT IT'S GOING TO GET DONE BECAUSE IT'S NEEDED FOR THE STATE.

>> Eric: WOULD IT BE ON THE '24 BALLOT OR THE '26?

>> I THINK THE '26.

>> Eric: AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS?

>> IT'S BECAUSE WE EXPECT THAT THERE WILL BE A BIG CAMPAIGN, RIGHT?

AND SO TO GIVE FOLKS THE TIME TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN ON THAT.

>> AND THIS IS PROBABLY HELPFUL FOR -- IF YOU ARE A SUPPORTER OF THAT, TO TRY TO HAVE ON A GOVERNOR'S YEAR VERSUS A PRESIDENTIAL YEAR, WHERE YOU WOULD HAVE MORE -- AND TRUTH BE TOLD, WE'VE SEEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY, IT DRIVES A CERTAIN SEGMENT OF A VOTER SO JUST USING THE POLITICAL ASPECT OF IT, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THEY WANT IT IN 2026.

>> Mary: COULD DEMOCRATS USE IT MORE IN 2024?

>> I MEAN, WITH THE E.R.A.

AND WITH IS A ABORTION AMENDMENTS, YOU KNOW, PART OF ME THINKS, WHY WOULDN'T THEY WANT IT IN 2024.

BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S REALLY A TURNOUT PROBLEM IN PRESIDENTIAL YEARS.

AND WITH EVERYTHING BEING TRUMP AND BIDEN, ANYTHING ELSE IS GOING TO GET DROWNED OUT.

THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE OTHER MESSAGES.

WE TALK ABOUT MESSAGES NOW THAT MATTER AND BY NOVEMBER, ALL WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT IS TRUMP AND BIDEN.

>> Mary: O VOTERS CARE ABOUT MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION?

102 AMENDMENTS ON THIS BILL.

THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A FIX.

REPUBLICANS DIDN'T THINK IT WAS MUCH A FIX.

NO REPUBLICANS VOTE FORKED FOR THIS.

>> YEAH, I THINK PEOPLE CARE A LOT ABOUT WHAT CHILDREN DO AND WHAT MINORS DO.

AND I THINK WHAT CONSENTING ADULTS DO, I THINK THE ISSUE HAS EVOLVED BEYOND, I THINK, BUT FOR MINORS AND CHILDREN, PEOPLE ABSOLUTELY DO CARE.

THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THINGS ARE SAFE AND THINGS DON'T GET OUT OF HAND.

>> Eric: HOW DIVIDED IS THE MINNEAPOLIS D.F.L.

OVER PALESTINE VERSUS ISRAEL AND OTHER THINGS?

>> LOOK, I THINK THAT ISSUE IS DIVIDING THE COUNTRY.

>> Eric: UBER IS ANOTHER.

>> YEAH, WELL BEYOND MINNEAPOLIS.

AND LARGELY AROUND AGE.

I THINK THERE ARE A LOT F YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE WAR IN PALESTINE.

AND THAT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WHEN IT COMES TO OUR SIDE, ONE OF THE THINGS I SPEND A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT AND TRYING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IS A BIDEN ENTHUSIASM GAP IS BE HONEST WHERE WE'RE AT AND THAT'S A VERY REAL ISSUE.

BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S A PARTICULAR MINNEAPOLIS PROBLEM.

>> Eric: WHERE ARE YOUR PEERS ON BIDEN?

>> I THINK, WHAT DO YOU MEAN MY PEERS?

>> Eric: WELL, YOUR PEER GROUCH.

YOUR FOLKS YOUR AGE.

>> SO I'M A MILLENNIAL, AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT DURING MY TIME ?

SO THE PROGRESSIVE WING OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAS NEVER BEEN MONOLITHIC.

I FEEL THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION.

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO PROTECT TRANS RIGHTS, SO I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD UNDERMINE THE ELECTORATE.

I THINK THAT WE HAVE A VERY, VERY SMART ELECTORATE THAT IS USING DURABILITY TO BUILD POWER.

>> Mary: PIVOT TO TRUMP TOO.

IS IT BAD OR GOOD HE'S IN COURT?

FOR HIS BASE?

>> I MEAN, IS THERE -- FIND ME SOMEBODY WHO SAYS, OKAY, WELL, THE NEXT THING HE DOES IS GOING TO CHANGE MY OPINION.

PEOPLE HAVE MADE UP THEIR MIND FOR GOOD OR BAD.

THAT'S WHY I THINK IT'S SUCH A MISSTEP TO ALWAYS HAVE EVERYTHING ABOUT TRUMP.

THE PEOPLE WHO LIKE HIM ARE GOING TO LIKE HIM AND THE PEOPLE NATIONWIDE MIDDLE ARE DISGUSTED BY EVERYTHING WHICH IS WHY I THINK THAT IT IS A MISTAKE TO HAVE EVERYTHING BE ABOUT DONALD TRUMP.

>> THIS ELECTION IS GOING TO BE ABOUT TURNING OUT YOUR VOTERS AND CHASING YOUR OWN BALLOTS IN.

FINDING YOUR VOTERS YOU ALREADY HAVE AND MAKING SURE NOT ONE BALLOT IS LEFT BEHIND.

AND TO BRIAN'S POINT, PEOPLE ALREADY -- >> AND WE'LL PROBABLY BE, YOU KNOW, SEE COME THE ELECTION, THAT THE REPUBLICAN PLAY BOOK IS TO, YOU KNOW, RUN AGAINST DEMOCRATS WHETHER IT OBJECT CRIME OR WHATEVER FN E AND AS IN 2022, AS CHRISTIE NOEM WOULD SAY, THAT DIAGNOSE DIDN'T HUNT.

AND I HAD TO GET THAT IN.

>> Mary: CAN WE GOBBING BACK TO THE LEGISLATURE LEGISLATURE.

GUNS?

>> I'M NOT GOING TO -- >> Mary: SAFE GUN STORAGE.

>> I'M NOT GOING TO MENTION SPECIFIC SENATORS, BUT THERE ARE SOME SENATORS WHO CANNOT VOTE FOR IT.

SO I DO THINK IT WAS JUST A FULLER EXERCISE.

>> Eric: HOW ABOUT THE SPEAKER GOING HOME CENTRAL >> THEY'RE JUST STRUGGLING TO GET ANYTHING DONE RIGHT NOW.

[Overlapping conversations] >> I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE IT GEED TOGETHER IN THE LAST MINUTE.

>> BECAUSE SOMEBODY KEEPS ON DEBATING HOURS AFTER HOURS.

>> Mary: IS SPORTS BETTING TOTALLY DEAD?

>> IT'S MOSTLY DEAD UT NOT TOTALLY.

THE WILL IS THERE.

THEY SHOULD MAKE IT HAPPEN.

>> Eric: THIS TIME NEXT YEAR CAN I GO ONLINE AND PLACE A BET ON THE KENTUCKY DERBY?

>> IN IOWA.

>> Eric: OH, HIS SHOULDERS SLUMPED.

[Overlapping conversations] >> Mary: YOU DON'T THINK SO EITHER?

>> Eric: ALL RIGHT, GREAT STUFF PANEL.