MY HEART FOR A WHILE.

♪ >> Eric: ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON GOVERNOR WALZ CALLED A SEPTEMBER SPECIAL ELECTION TO FILL THE SEAT FILLED BY SPEAKER MELISSA HORTMAN WHO OF COURSE WAS ASSASSINATED LAST MONTH.

MID-JULY VERSION OF THE POLITICAL PANEL.

ANNETTE MEEKS, FORMER CONGRESSIONAL STAFFER TO SPEAKER NEWT GINGRICH NOW HEADS UP THE FREEDOM FOUNDATION OF MINNESOTA.

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

DEMOCRATS WITH US TONIGHT, ABOU AMARA IS A FORMER LEGISLATIVE STAFFER NOW ATTORNEY AND A DFL LOYALIST.

ROUNDING OUT THE GROUP TONIGHT, ALYSEN NESSE, PARTY LOYALIST AND LOBBYIST.

BRIAN, HOW LONG IS THIS CAPITOL SECURITY DEBATE BEEN GOING ON?

DOES IT GO BACK TO YOUR ADMINISTRATION?

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN, WHEN I WORKED FOR GOVERNOR PAWLENTY I REMEMBER OUR STAFF GOING THROUGH ACTIVE SHOOTER DRILLS IN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND TALKING ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN AND IT WAS TERRIFYING.

AND PART OF THAT CONVERSATION WAS FRANKLY THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WOULD STOP SOMEBODY WHO WANTED TO CAUSE THAT KIND OF HARM IN THE CAPITOL.

AND SO ABSOLUTELY WE HAVE GOT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

I WROTE A PIECE IN MY NEWSLETTER IN 2011 AFTER LEAVING THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE ADVOCATING FOR METAL DETECTORS IN THE CAPITOL BACK IN 2011.

IT SEEMS LIKE IF YOU GO TO, I WENT TO A MINNESOTA TWINS GAME THIS WEEK, YOU GO THROUGH A METAL DETECTOR, RIGHT?

SO WE'RE SAFER, MORE PROTECTED SOMEWHERE LIKE TARGET FIELD THAN WE ARE AT THE STATE CAPITOL?

IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A WAY TO DO THAT AND STILL PROTECT PEOPLE'S RIGHTS, MAKE SURE PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS WHICH IS IMPORTANT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO TAKE A BETTER LOOK AT THIS.

>> Cathy: WHAT'S BEEN THE STICKING POINT?

MONEY?

HAS T BEEN THE FEAR ABOUT PUBLIC ACCESS VERSUS, YOU KNOW, SAFETY?

THE ARGUMENT?

>> YEAH, WHEN I WORKED FOR SPEAKER THEISEN, IT WAS THAT BILL BALANCE, THE CONCERN THAT THE MORE YOU HARDEN THE CAPITOL THE LESS ACCESSIBLE IT IS.

I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER AGENCIES, FOR EXAMPLE THE JUDICIAL BRANCH YOU WALK THROUGH METAL DETECTORS SO I THINK THIS IS NOT AN UNPRECEDENTED THING, I THINK WE'LL SEE SOME SLIGHT MOVEMENT, QUESTION IS ARE WE GONNA GO ALL THE WAY TO HARDEN THE CAPITOL?

I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE THE CASE.

>> I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THOUGH PEOPLE FEEL A SENSE OF SAFETY AFTER THE TRAUMA EVERYONE HAS BEEN THROUGH UP AT THE CAPITOL.

I MEAN, THIS IS AS SOMEBODY SAID TO ME FROM WASHINGTON, MINNESOTA'S BETTER THAN THIS AND WE ARE.

AND WE WILL RISE UP FROM THIS BUT IN THE MEANTIME WE SHOULD DO SOME COMMONSENSE THINGS WHEN THEY REMODELED THE CAPITOL, THEY BUILT IT SO IT COULD BE ACCESSIBLE FOR AGNETOMETERS AND OTHER THINGS, IT'S TIME TO DO IT.

>> Eric: ALYSSEN, TELL US ABOUT THE TIMING OF SPECIAL ELECTION IN SEPTEMBER.

>> WELL, IT WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY AS YOU SAID SEPTEMBER 16TH.

IT IS TIMELY BECAUSE I THINK IT DOES GIVE ENOUGH DISTANCE FROM HER ASSASSINATION.

BUT IT ALSO IS IN TIME FOR POTENTIAL SPECIAL SESSION IN OCTOBER IN RESPONSE TO A LOT OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE COMING DOWN FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL T THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL, SO.

>> Cathy: ONE PERSON ALREADY IN THE POOL IN TERMS TO RUN, RIGHT?

>> YEAH, THERE'S A COUNCIL MEMBER WHO'S ALREADY STEPPED OUT AND STARTED HIS CAMPAIGN AND YOU'D IMAGINE THERE WILL BE A HANDFUL OF OTHER PEOPLE.

>> Cathy: I DON'T KNOW IF WE SHOULD BRING IT UP NOW BUT WILL THERE BE A FIGHT FOR HOUSE LEADERSHIP, ABOU?

>> I WOULDN'T SAY A FIGHT, REGARDLESS OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES, THERE'S GOING TO BE A VACUUM, SO I IMAGINE THE POCI CAUCUS IS GOING TO EXERCISE SOME DOMINION IF YOU WILL IN SAYING WE HAVE BEEN A CRITICAL LEVEL OF THE CAUCUS, WE THINK WE SHOULD BE REPRESENTED, IF NOT AT THE MAJORITY LEADER LEVEL, AT THE SPEAKER LEVEL.

>> Eric: WALZ ADMINISTRATION BEING INVESTIGATED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, THERE WAS THE $340,000 FOR PREPPING?

>> HE'S NOT HAD A GOOD YEAR.

WHEN HE'S COME BACK FROM RUNNING FOR VICE PRESIDENT THINGS HAVEN'T GONE WELL FOR HIM.

THE PUBLIC RELATIONS DISASTER THAT HE PAID OR THIS LAW FIRM TO WRITE OUT STUFF -- >> Eric: LOT OF OTHER MAYORS AND GOVERNORS HAVE PAID SIMILAR.

>> ABSOLUTELY, BUT GOVERNOR PRITZKER PAID OUT OF HIS OWN POCKET AND AT THE VERY LEAST GOVERNOR WALZ SHOULD PAY IT OUT OF HIS OWN MONEY.

>> WELL, J.B. PRITZKER IS A BILLIONAIRE BUT I THINK THE POINT REMAINS, STICKER SHOCK.

THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.

AS A LAWYER WHO OFTEN BILLS CLIENTS, SOMETIMES IT GETS SENT BACK TO YOU AND YOU HAVE GOT TO SHAVE OFF STUFF SO I EXPECT THAT MIGHT HAPPEN HERE.

>> Cathy: WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE STAR TRIBUNE INTERVIEW BOTH OF YOU?

THE GOVERNOR SAID IF I RUN, I WIN.

>> I THINK THAT'S PRETTY PREMATURE.

WE HAVE NOT HAD A GOVERNOR GET ELECTED TO A THIRD FOUR-YEAR TERM IN MINNESOTA.

THE LAST WHO TRIED WAS RUDY PERPICH IN 1990, LOST TO ARNE CARLSON WHO WAS ONLY RUNNING FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF AFTER GRUNSETH GOT OUT OF THE RACE.

THERE IS A LOT OF INCUMBENT FATIGUE THAT HAPPENS IN MINNESOTA.

WE DON'T HAVE TERM LILT LIMITS BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T NEEDED THEM.

THE PEOPLE HAVE SAID WHEN YOU'VE HAD ENOUGH TIME IN AN OFFICE.

AND YOU LOOK AT THE POLLING THAT'S OUT THERE, TWO-THIRDS OF VOTERS IN GREATER MINNESOTA WANT SOMEBODY ELSE AND EVEN IN THE EXURBS AND COMING INTO THE SUBURBS IT'S LOOKING TOUGHER FOR GOVERNOR WALZ IN A THIRD TERM REELECTION CAMPAIGN.

>> GOVERNOR WALZ IN A THIRD TERM BECAUSE A THIRD TERM IS HARD BUT THE NUMBERS IN THE EVIDENT METRO AND URBAN CORE ARE STILL REALLY WRONG AND QUITE FRANKLY I WAS SURPRISED HOW STRONG THEY WERE.

AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD SIGN FOR GOVERNOR WALZ.

>> BUT THE SCARY THING FOR GOVERNOR WALZ SHOULD BE THAT THE OTHER 85 COUNTIES VOTE AND VOTE IN PRETTY BIG NUMBERS.

AND I THINK HE SHOULD BE VERY CONCERNED.

YOU KNOW, I FELT LIKE WHEN HE SAID THAT IF I RUN AGAIN I'LL WIN, IT'S LIKE IT'S GOOD TO BE KING IS WHAT HE SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED IT UP WITH, WHO TALKS LIKE THAT?

THERE'S A CONTEST, IT'S AN ELECTION, HE SHOULD BE TALKING A LITTLE BIT MORE HUMBLY.

>> DON'T COMPARE HIM TO THE ALMIGHTY, COMPARE HIM TO THE ALTERNATIVE.

THE FACT IS REPUBLICANS HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO WIN STATEWIDE SINCE 2006.

20 YEARS HERE SO YOU MAY QUIBBLE WITH SOME THINGS GOVERNOR WALZ HAS DONE HERE BUT THE REPUBLICANS HAVEN'T SHOWN THEMSELVES TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO WIN STATEWIDE IN A LONG TIME.

>> Eric: OTHER CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR AND U.S. SENATE THAT HASN'T EVIDENCED THEMSELVES?

>> NO, ABSOLUTELY -- MOST OF THE CANDIDATES WHO ARE GOING TO RUN HAVE NOT COME OUT OF THE WOODWORK YET.

THEY ARE KIND OF WORKING THE PHONES AND CALLING PEOPLE AND GETTING A FEEL FOR WHICH OF THOSE TWO RACES THEY MIGHT WANT TO BE IN.

I MEAN, THAT'S THE BIG PART RIGHT NOW AND IT IS IN PART DO YOU THINK YOU WANT TO RUN AGAINST ANGIE CRAIG OR PEGGY FLANAGAN IN THE SENATE RACE OR RUN AGAINST TIM WALZ THAT HE'S RUNNING FOR A THIRD TERM?

>> SENATOR JULIA COLEMAN.

>> SHE ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK SHE WON'T RUN FORS SENATE BUT SHE HINTED AT BEING INTERESTED IN RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR.

KENDALL QUALS WHO RAN LAST TIME IS RUNNING ALREADY, SCOTT JENSEN HAS BEEN MAKING PHONE CALLS.

I THINK YOU'LL SEE ANOTHER THREE OR FOUR SOLID CANDIDATES INCLUDING STATE REPRESENTATIVE KRISTIN ROBBINS POSSIBLY GET INTO THE RACE.

THERE'S A LONG WAY TO GO.

WHEN PAWLENTY ANNOUNCED WHEN HE FIRST RAN IT WAS IN SEPTEMBER OF 2001.

ARRIVING WATCH THIS FALL FOR CANDIDATES TO REALLY START TO MAKE THEIR CASE.

>> Eric: STATE FAIR MAY BE THE PLACE TO LAUNCH.

AND IS THERE NAMES BEING FLOATED FOR WALZ' RUNNINGMATE?

I HEARD MELVIN CARTER'S NAME THIS WEEK.

>> I THINK GOVERNOR WALZ IS ACTUALLY IN A STRONG POSITION ON THIS, I THINK HE SHOULD TAKE HIS TIME.

WHO'S IT GONNA BE, I THINK YOU BUILD THE SUSPENSE FOR NEXT EIGHT TO NINE MONTHS, WE STILL HAVE A LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR BUT YOU ALLOW CONVERSATION TO HAPPEN WITHIN THE PARTY WHO NEEDS TO BE SEEN, WHO NEEDS TO BE ENGAGED AND THEN MAKE THE DECISION.

>> Cathy: SAY, KIND OF TO, I I WANT TING BACK TO SOMETHING WE TOUCHED ON BRIEFLY.

THE DOJ IS LOOKING AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES DIVERSITY HIRING PRACTICES, RIGHT.

BUT THE DOJ IS ALSO WANTING TO LOOK AT THE ELECTION PRACTICES IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU?

>> WELL, IT TELLS YOU THAT THE DOJ IS LOOKING AT STUFF THAT'S HAPPENING IN TIM WALZ'S MINNESOTA FOR ONE.

ON THE DHS HIRING PRACTICES, I THINK YOU LOOK AT THAT AND MOST MINNESOTANS WOULD SAY WHEN PEOPLE GET HIRED FOR A JOB IN OUR STATE GOVERNMENT IT SHOULD BE BASED ON MERIT.

THAT'S WHAT WE EXPECT, THAT'S WHAT, YOU KNOW, TAXPAYER FUNDS ARE HIRING PEOPLE, THOSE SHOULD BE THE BEST AND MOST QUALIFIED PEOPLE FOR THE JOB.

AND THE POLICY THAT DHS HAD WHERE YOU HAD TO JUSTIFY A HIRING THAT WAS NOT FROM AN UNDERREPRESENTED CATEGORY, THAT SOUNDS VERY UNIQUE AND OUTSIDE OF THE NORM.

AND SO THAT'S THE KEY THING THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THERE AND I THINK MOST MINNESOTANS WOULD AGREE.

>> Cathy: THE ELECTION PRACTICES THOUGH RAISE SOME EYEBROWS.

>> I THINK IT DOES AND I THINK IT'S A LEGITIMATE THING.

WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DEFEND.

BUT BACK TO THE DEI STUFF, WE'VE SEEN WHAT HAPPENS.

LOOK AT THE EMPLOYEE WHO WAS JUST LET GO AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WHO IS A CONVICTED FELON AND THERE WAS NO BACKGROUND CHECK DONE ON HIM AT ALL AND THERE HE WAS DEALING WITH CONFIDENTIAL AND HIGHLY SENSITIVE CHILDREN DATA ON OUR STUDENTS.

THIS IS WHAT WHEN YOU HAVE EXTREMIST POLICIES LIKE HAT THAT WALZ HAS FOSTERED YOU GET CANDIDATES LIKE THAT.

>> Eric: 30 SECONDS.

>> LOOK, I THINK THE INTENT WAS A GOOD ONE.

I THINK THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE IT PROBABLY WASN'T READY FOR PRIMETIME I ADMIT.

SO I THINK IT'S NOT IMPLEMENTED YET, RIGHT?

SO I THINK IN THE EXT COUPLE WEEKS YOU'LL SEE CHANGES THERE THAT ARE GOING TO TRY TO ADDRESS DOJ CONCERNS.

>> Eric: LOT OF STUFF GOING ON FOR MIDDLE OF JULY.

THANKS, PANEL.

TERRIFIC STUFF.

♪