STAND UP TO THIS ADMINISTRATION.

♪♪ >> Mary: YOU'VE SEEN THEY HAVE A BUSY WEEK ALREADY.

WE HAVE HOUSE SPEAKER LISA DEMUTH AND DFL LEADER ZACK STEPHENSON.

MADAM SPEAKER, YESTERDAY WAS A REMARKABLE, DIFFICULT DAY FOR EVERYONE.

BUT THE BIPARTISANSHIP BEGINNING TO END OF THAT FLOOR SESSION.

WHAT CAN THAT MEAN GOING FORWARD?

FOR THIS CHAMBER?

>> THE BIPARTISANSHIP THAT YOU SAW COME FORWARD YESTERDAY WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE WORKING WITH LEADER STEPHENSON AND BRINGING YESTERDAY FORWARD.

SO WE COULD BE TOGETHER.

HOUSE MEMBERS AND SENATE.

BUT I THINK WHAT HAPPENED IS THE ABILITY FOR MELISSA AND I TO WORK TOGETHER LAST YEAR REALLY SET THE TONE FOR THIS.

WE PROVED THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS TO WORK TOGETHER AND ACCOMPLISH THINGS.

YOU SAW AN OUTCROPPING AND A RESULT OF THAT YESTERDAY WORKING TOGETHER.

>> Mary: AND MELISSA WAS YOUR ENTOR.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT MELISSA'S WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS SPEAKER, NOW THAT IT'S YOUR JOB TO DO THE WORK?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I WILL TELL YOU, I KNEW MELISSA HORTMAN FOR 20 CAREERS, I MET HER WHEN I WAS 17 YEARS OLD, AND I THOUGHT I KNEW HER PRETTY WELL.

BUT SINCE HAVING THIS JOB, I UNDERSTAND HER EVEN BETTER.

THERE'S NOTHING QUITE LIKE THIS PARTICULAR JOB.

>> Mary: BUT CAN YOU HAVE THAT SAME -- >> OH.

>> Mary: -- HUMANITY AND THE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP THAT KEPT THINGS REALLY AMICABLE BETWEEN THE TWO OF OF THEM?

>> WE WERE ELECTED AT THE SAME TIME, WE'VE BEEN IN THE HOUSE THE ENTIRE TIME.

I WAS VERY INVOLVED IN THE BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS, ALONG WITH MY CHOE CARE, PAUL -- CO-CHAIR, PAUL TORKELSON, OF THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE.

WE HAVE A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WE CAN WORK OFF OFF FOR SURE.

>> Mary: YOU'RE LOSING PAUL THEN -- TORKELSON.

WHAT IS THE TONE THAT HE USED?

>> NO SHENANIGANS.

>> Mary: DO YOU SEE THAT BEING ABLE TO BRING ORWARD?

>> NOT ONLY DID MELISSA AND I WORK WELL TOGETHER LAST YEAR, BUT ALL OF OUR CO-CHAIRS AND COMMITTEES FOUND A WAY TO WORK TOGETHER EARLY ON AND GET THINGS DONE.

SO IT WASN'T JUST THE TWO LEADERS, IT WAS ALL 134 OF US.

WE'VE PROVEN THAT IT CAN BE DONE, EVEN IN CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES.

THAT'S MY EXPECTATION.

THAT WE'LL ALL TAKE LESSONS LEARNED FROM LAST YEAR AND BRING THOSE FORWARD, EVEN IN A HARD TIME THIS YEAR.

>> Mary: LET ME GO BACK TWO DAYS, THOUGH, SESSION PRIORITIES FROM THE TWO CAUCUSES, THEY COULDN'T BE MORE DIFFERENT.

YOURS WAS IMMIGRATION, YOURS WAS NOT ADDRESSING THOSE ISSUES.

LET'S START WITH THAT.

>> YEAH.

IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH JUST A HORRIFIC TIME HERE IN MINNESOTA.

AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME COMMON-SENSE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO AND YOU MENTIONED SOME OF THEM, FROM SAYING THAT WE DON'T HAVE A SECRET POLICE IN AMERICA, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE PEOPLE WEARING MASKS, HROWING PEOPLE IN THE BACK OF UNMARKED CARS ON THE STREET.

WE SHOULDN'T HAVE I.C.E.

AT SCHOOLS, USING CHILDREN AS BAIT, THAT'S BARBARIC, AND, YOU KNOW, THE BCA SHOULD BEING INVESTIGATING THE DEATHS OF ALEX PRETTI AND RENEE GOOD.

I THINK THAT THESE ARE SOME BASIC, COMMON-SENSE IDEAS.

>> Mary: THERE ARE NO REPUBLICAN CO-AUTHORS ON ANY OF THOSE BILLS SO FAR, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> CORRECT.

AS THOSE BILLS MOVE THEIR WAY THROUGH COMMITTEE, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE LANGUAGE IS, YOU MAY SEE SOME INVOLVEMENT FROM REPUBLICANS.

BUT AT THIS POINT WE HAVE TO SEE THE LANGUAGE, WE HAVE TO HEAR WHAT'S BEHIND IT.

SOME OF THE CHANGES, WE'RE LIMITED IN WHAT WE CAN REQUIRE OF FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENTS TO EITHER DO OR NOT DO.

WE HAVE LIMITATIONS THERE.

>> Mary: WHAT IF IT'S APPLIED O ALL, BECAUSE IT WAS POINTED OUT IN THE DFL PRESS CONFERENCE, THEY WOULD APPLY IT TO ALL, LOCAL, STATE, FEDERAL, WOULD THAT GIVE YOU ANY ASSURANCE AT ALL?

>> WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE JOBS THAT THEY HAVE TO DO TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE, THAT'S WHAT EVERYONE IN MINNESOTA WANTS.

AND, SO, WE CAN HAVE THESE DEBATES, WE CAN HAVE THE DEBATES IN COMMITTEE, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE AND SEE WHAT BOTH THE INTENDED CONSEQUENCES ARE, BUT POTENTIAL UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

>> Mary: WHAT ABOUT BUSINESS, IN THEORY, DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS WANT BUSINESSES TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN MINNESOTA.

THE GOVERNOR'S TALKING ABOUT A BUSINESS RELIEF PACKAGE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU COULD GET BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR?

>> I WOULD HOPE THAT WE COULD.

I MEAN, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME HERE, WHERE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FUNCTION BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE, MANY OF WHOM ARE LAWFUL CITIZENS, HAVE BEEN AFRAID TO GO TO WORK.

WHEN I.C.E.

IS PICKING PEOPLE OFF OF THE STREETS, ON THE BASIS OF SKIN COLOR, PEOPLE DON'T FEEL SAFE WALKING DOWN THE STREET OR GOING TO WORK.

AND THAT HAS REALLY HURT A LOT OF USINESSES.

>> Mary: YOU HEARD THE SPEAKER AY, THEY CHOSE TO NOT GO TO WORK OR CHOSE TO SHUT THEIR DOORS, EARLIER.

>> THIS IS A PLACE WHERE WE STRONGLY DISAGREE.

NO BUSINESS IN MINNESOTA CHOSE FOR I.C.E.

TO COME HERE.

IT WAS NOT THEIR CHOICE TO HAVE THEIR WORKERS BE TOO AFRAID TO GO TO WORK FOR WEEKS ON END.

I JUST DISAGREE WITH THAT FUNDAMENTALLY.

>> Mary: WHAT ABOUT SKIN COLOR, THIS IS A SENSITIVE ISSUE.

IS THIS A CHOICE OR WASN'T IT A CHOICE AND SHOULD THE STATE HAVE SOME ROLE IN THE RELIEF HERE?

>> IT DEFINITELY WAS A CHOICE.

I'LL GO BACK TO HOW LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND LOCAL LEADERS WOULD HAVE WORKED WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY THAT WERE HERE.

IF THAT WORK WOULD HAVE GONE ON, AS IT HAS BEFORE, KEPT OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE, IT WOULDN'T HAVE RISEN TO THIS LEVEL OF BOTH PROTESTING AND THEN VIOLENCE AND RIOTING.

IT DIDN'T HAVE TO GET TO THIS POINT.

BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BUSINESSES, WE WANT A BUSINESS ECONOMY THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE HERE IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

AND, SO, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT NOT JUST THE LAST SIX WEEKS OR SO, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE MANDATES THAT HAVE BEEN PUT ON BUSINESS AND WHY IT'S HARDER FOR BUSINESSES TO STAY HERE IN THE STATE.

>> Mary: WHAT ABOUT WORKERS, THOUGH, WHO FELT LIKE IT WASN'T SAFE FOR THEM TO GO TO WORK?

THEY HAD TO STAY HOME.

>> LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, HAD THEY BEEN ENCOURAGED OR ALLOWED TO JUST PROVIDE REGULAR SAFETY, WOULD HAVE PREVENTED WHAT WE'RE SEEING, YOU KNOW, THE DETAINER REQUESTS FOR FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENTS, AS WE'RE SEEING NOW, THOSE ARE GOING TO BE RESPECTED A LITTLE BIT BETTER ND CARRIED OUT A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

THAT WOULD HAVE ADD ALLOWED FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENTS TO GO INTO THE JAILS AND THEN ARREST SOMEONE THAT WAS HERE ILLEGALLY AND ARRESTED FOR SOME CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.

IT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THEM LOOKING FOR PEOPLE ON THE STREETS.

IT WOULD HAVE MADE EVERYTHING SO MUCH SAFER.

>> Mary: IN THE PAST, REPUBLICANS HAVE LIKED THE IDEA OF TAX HOLIDAY.

I MENTIONED, I'VE HEARD FROM REPUBLICAN BUSINESS OWNERS WHO SAID, TAX HOLIDAY?

WHY NOT?

>> WE'LL LOOK AT IT.

>> Mary: WHAT ARE YOU HEARING?

ARE YOU HEARING ANYTHING?

WOULD THE GOVERNOR LIKE A TAX HOLIDAY IF HE WEDNESDAY WOULD GET ON BOARD?

>> THERE'S ALL OPTIONS ON THE TABLE FOR BUSINESSES.

I DO HAVE TO GO BACK AND SAY, I THINK THIS ISSUE OF COOPERATION IS A TOTAL RED HERRING.

OF THE 4,000 PEOPLE THAT I.C.E.

ARRESTED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, ONLY A COUPLE HUNDRED HAD ANY IND OF CRIMINAL HISTORY AND EVEN LESS OF THAT WERE IN CUSTODY WHEN I.C.E.

WAS HERE.

SO THE IDEA THAT IF THEY HAD JUST BEEN HONORING DETAINER AGREEMENTS, WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD THESE PROBLEMS IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE FACTS.

AND ON TOP OF THAT, AS TOM HOMAN HIMSELF HAS SAID, MOST COUNTIES WERE HONORING DETAINER AGREEMENTS, THE DOC, WHICH HOUSES THE MOST VIOLENT CRIMINALS, ALWAYS HAS HONORED DETAINER AGREEMENTS.

SO IT WOULD NOT HAVE CHANGED ANYTHING.

WHEN I.C.E.

IS ON THE STREETS JUST PICKING PEOPLE P OFF THE STREETS, THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH COOPERATION WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.

THIS FUNDAMENTALLY WASN'T ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.

>> Mary: WAS IT ABOUT FRAUD AT THE BEGINNING, AND SOME OF THE CONCERNS ABOUT FRAUD AND SOME OF THE FRAUD INVESTIGATIONS THAT YOU WERE A PART OF AND A YOUTUBER, IS THAT SOME OF THIS AT THE BEGINNING?

>> YOU KNOW, FRAUD IS SOMETHING THAT STILL GOES ON AND LEADER STEPHENSON HAS SAID THAT WE NEED TO WORK ON THAT THIS YEAR AND PUT THE -- THE OIG BILL IS GOING TO BE UP IN COMMITTEE TOMORROW.

THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES.

>> Mary: OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL, TOO.

I THINK OUR AUDIENCE IS KIND OF INSIDER, BUT JUST IN CASE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT OIG IS.

>> INDEPENDENT OFFICE OF OF INSPECTOR GENERAL.

WE COULDN'T GET IT OVER THE FINISH LINE AT THE END OF LAST SESSION.

BUT WE'VE GOT THAT OPPORTUNITY ALREADY STARTING THIS WEEK.

BUT FRAUD IN MINNESOTA, THAT MEANS TAXPAYER DOLLARS HAVE BEEN STOLEN.

THEY ARE GOING OUT TO PEOPLE THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAD THEM.

THAT IS PART OF THE FOCUS ON THIS.

I'M REALLY GLAD THAT EVERYONE NOW IS AWARE OF THAT.

THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE CAN FIX THINGS HERE IN THE STATE.

IF THERE'S AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND A DESIRE TO MAKE IT BETTER.

>> Mary: DID THAT BRING THIS WHOLE IMMIGRATION ACTION, IS THAT FAIR THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THIS ALL STARTED?

>> NO.

IT WAS A TOTAL PRETENSE.

AND HERE'S OW YOU KNOW, THE OPERATION METRO SURGE, THE I.C.E.

SURGE HAS DEVASTATED, ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATED OUR ANTI-FRAUD EFFORT HERE IN MINNESOTA.

FBI AGENTS WERE REASSIGNED FROM WORKING ON FRAUD TO WORKING ON IMMIGRATION MATTERS.

THE U.S.

ATTORNEY'S OFFICE SUFFERED SO MANY MASS RESIGNATIONS, THEY CAN'T EVEN APPEAR AT ALL OF THE HEARINGS THAT THEY HAVE.

JOE THOMPSON, WHO WAS LEADING THE INVESTIGATION OFS, THESE FRAUD INVESTIGATION, RESIGNED IN PROTEST WHEN THE PRESIDENT ORDERED HIM TO INVESTIGATE RENEE GOOD'S WIFE RATHER THAN RENEE GOOD'S MURDER.

AND THEN THE GUY WHO WAS APPOINTED TO REPLACE JOE THOMPSON ALSO RESIGNED IN PROTEST.

THE DAMAGE THAT HAS BEEN DONE TO OUR EFFORTS TO OMBAT FRAUD, WHICH WE ARE REALLY -- WHICH ARE REALLY IMPORTANT, IS JUST CATASTROPHIC.

>> Mary: YOU GET TO DEBATE AN ATTORNEY TONIGHT.

SO IT'S NOT IF D -- R -- IT'S NOT SO FUN.

IS IT GOING TO BE HARD TO PROSECUTE THE FRAUD NOW GOING FORWARD IN LIGHT OF WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE U.S.

ATTORNEY'S OFFICE?

>> WITH THE U.S.

ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE CHANGES, THEY ARE GOING TO GET THEIR WORK DONE, MINNESOTA CAN NO LONGER HIDE FROM FRAUD, IT WILL BE FULLY INVESTIGATED AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.

>> Mary: AFFORDABILITY, BIPARTISANSHIP ON THAT, ANY OTHER ISSUES YOU REALLY DO SEE COMING TOGETHER?

>> WE HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITY TO DO CONFORMITY, NO TAX ON TIPS, OVERTIME, THE CHILD TAX CREDIT THAT WOULD ACTUALLY AFFECT EDUCATION, SO THE EDUCATION CREDIT, WE ARE NOT AN AUTOMATIC FEDERAL CONFORMITY STATE.

SO WE WOULD HAVE TO OPT INTO THOSE THINGS.

WHICH WOULD MAKE LIFE A LOT MORE AFFORDABLE FOR MINNESOTANS.

>> Mary: BIPARTISAN, WE'LL TALK TO THE SENATE TAX CHAIR IN JUST A MINUTE HERE.

>> NO, I THINK THERE WAS A LOT IN THAT FEDERAL TAX BILL, WE SHOULD EXAMINE IT.

I KNOW THAT HE SENATE TAX CHAIR IS GOING TO BE VERY THOROUGH IN HER ANALYSIS OF THAT BILL, AS SHE IS VERY THOROUGH IN EVERYTHING SHE DOES.

AND WE WILL BE, TOO, WE SHOULD REALLY BE LOOKING, HO ARE WERE THE WINNERS AND WHO ARE THE LOSERS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, WITH OUR LIMITED STATE RESOURCES, WHAT CHOICES ARE WE GOING TO MAKE, ARE WE GOING TO TRY AND HELP THE PEOPLE WHO WERE HIT BY THE FEDERAL BILL, THE HOSPITALS AND THE COUNTIES, OR ARE WE GOING TO JUST REWARD PEOPLE WHO ALREADY BENEFITTED FROM THESE TAX CUTS.

>> Mary: WE'LL GET TO HEAR FROM BOTH OF YOU, AND THE SENATE LEADERS ON "ALMANAC" WHEN YOU'RE ALL ON THE SHOW TOGETHER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

APPR