♪♪ >> Eric:S IT'S MARY JUST NOTED IT'S BEEN A WEEK OF TURMOIL AT THE CAPITOL.

EARLIER TODAY, GOVERVOR WALZ PROPOSED MORE CUTS IN A REVISED BUDGET.

AND THE NEWS OUT OF THE NATION'S CAPITOL IS NOT SLOWING DOWN EITHER.

PLENTY TO COULD HAVER WITH THIS WEEK'S POLITICAL PANEL.

DEMOCRATS UP FIRST, SUSAN KENT, FORMER SENATE MAJORITY LEADER.

ALYSSEN NESSE NOW LOBBIES UP AT THE CAPITOL.

REPUBLICANS HERE, BRIAN MCCLUNG, FORMER PAW LENTLY SPOKES PERSON, PREYA SAMSUNDAR ROUNDS OUT THE GROUP, G.O.P.

STRATEGIST SERVED AS COMMUNICATIONS FOR DIRECTOR OF THE RNC AND THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN.

CAN THE REPUBLICANS SAY WE CLEANED UP OUR MESS IN 48 HOURS, YOU DEMOCRATS HAVEN'T CLEANED UP YOUR MITCHELL MESS YET?

>> ABSOLUTELY, I MEAN LIKE THE REALITY IS WHEN I FIRST STARTED WORKING FOR THE MNGOP BACK IN 2017 THE STATE PARTY WAS RIGHT ON TOP OF CALLING ON FOLKS LIKE FRANKEN TO RESIGN.

IT TOOK THEM OVER TWO WEEKS TO CALL TO TONECH CORNISH TO RESIGN.

REPUBLICANS HERE TOOK THAT LESSON, ACTED SWIFTLY, ACTED WITH ONE VOICE, THEY WERE COLLECTIVE, THERE WAS NO MEASURE WHATSOEVER.

MEANWHILE WE SAW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON'T TAKE THAT MORAL HIGH GROUND WHEN ERIN MURPHY WAS FORCED TO ISSUE A STATEMENT IN A VERY TERRIBLE SITUATION AND SAY NOT CALL FOR THAT RESIGNATION WHEN EVERYONE LSE AROUND HER WAS.

>> Cathy: SENATOR KENT, SENATOR MURPHY DID LOOK A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE.

>> YEAH, THIS WAS A TOUGH SPOT FOR SURE AND AS SOMEONE WHO DID MYSELF CALL ON SENATOR ITCHELL TO RESIGN LAST MAY AND AS DID GOVERNOR WALZ AND AS DID CHAIR KEN MARTIN AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE MINNESOTA SENATE, YOU KNOW, THIS DOES BECOME A TOUGH SPOT.

OBVIOUSLY THESE ARE VERY DIFFERENT SITUATIONS IN A LOT OF WAYS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE USED TO HAVE IT WHERE POLITICIANS OULD STEP DOWN WHEN THEY WERE CAUGHT DOING SOMETHING NOT GOOD AND THEN WE'VE HAD DONALD TRUMP WHO HAS LIVED THROUGH COUNTLESS PROBLEMS AND GEORGE SANTOS, ET CETERA AND NOW PEOPLE JUST STAY AND IT'S HARD IN THAT CASE GIVEN THE RULES AND IN THE MINNESOTA SENATE.

>> I THINK ULTIMATELY SENATE DEMOCRATS HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LEGAL PROCESS AND THE STANDARD THAT WE HOLD LEGISLATORS TO.

AND WHAT SENATOR MITCHELL DID IS NOT UP TO THE STANDARDS THAT WE EXPECT OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.

AND SO SHE SHOULD RESIGN AND THEY SHOULD BE CALLING ON HER TO RESIGN.

AND I UNDERSTAND, I THINK PART OF THIS WAS THE POLITICS OF 34-33 THAT SENATE DEMOCRATS DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE HER RESIGN AND PUSH THEM INTO A TIE.

>> Eric: YEAH.

MAKES SENSE.

>> WITH REPUBLICANS.

HERE'S THE THING, REPUBLICANS ARE DOWN A SEAT.

SO DEMOCRATS HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND PUSH SENATOR MITCHELL OUT OR BRING A MOTION TO EXPEL AND GET PEAS THIS, LET'S GET PAST ALL OF THIS ON OTH SIDE OF THE AISLE SO THE LEGISLATURE CAN GET BACK TO DOING ITS JOB.

>> Eric: ALYSSEN.

>> I APPRECIATE THE FOCUS ON SENATOR MITCHELL, BUT THERE IS NO MORAL EQUIVALENCY BETWEEN THE CRIMES THAT SENATOR EICHORN COMMITTED AND SENATOR MITCHELL.

THEY SHOULD NOT EVEN BE CONFLATED IN THE SAME CONVERSATION.

OF COURSE THE SENATE DEMOCRATS HAVE SOME THINKING TO DO ABOUT HOW TO HANDLE THIS.

BUT TO EQUATE OR BRING THE CONVERSATION TOGETHER IS JUST AROUND A DISGUSTING TRAGEDY >> HERE'S THE THING, I AGREE WITH ALYSSEN.

WAS JUSTIN EICHORN DID WAS A THOUSAND TIMES WORSE THAN WHAT NICOLE MITCHELL DID, BUT BOTH OF THEM RISE TO THE LEVEL OF NO LONGER BEING ABLE TO SERVE COMPETENTLY IN THE MINNESOTA SENATE.

SO EVEN THOUGH ONE IS CLEARLY A MILLION TIMES WORSE, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE OTHER ONE SHOULD BE EXCUSED BECAUSE OF THAT.

>> WELL, AND THE REALITY IS THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY LIKE THERE IS A WORST-CASE SCENARIO, JUSTIN ICHORN IS THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO SO WE CAN SIT HERE AND CONFLATE ALL DAY LONG ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT MITCHELL IS USTIFIED IN STAYING OR GOING UT THE REALITY FOR SENATE DEMOCRATS AND DEMOCRATS AS A WHOLE IN THE LONG-TERM IS AND REPUBLICANS FACE THIS AS WELL, WHEN YOU DON'T CALL OUT YOUR OWN PROBLEMS IN YOUR OWN HOUSE, YOU LOSE THE ABILITY TO CALL OUT PROBLEMS IN THE OTHER HOUSE.

>> WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO DONALD TRUMP AND THE FACT THAT HE IS REELECTED AS OUR PRESIDENT BY A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO COULD HAVE CALLED HIM OUT ON ANY NUMBER OF SERIOUS ISSUES.

>> AND PEOPLE DID CALL HIM OUT AND HE STILL WON.

>> Eric: YOU'RE UP THERE EVERY DAY PRETTY MUCH AT THE CAPITOL?

>> EVERY DAY, SOMETIMES EVERY NIGHT.

>> Eric: IT SEEMS TO ME THE ACTION IS STILL IN THE HOUSE.

THE DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO BE IN CHARGE OF THE SENATE AND THIS SHOULD HAVE MINIMAL EFFECT ON THE SESSION.

>> IT TRULY DOES HAVE MINIMAL EFFECT AND FRANKLY I THINK THE BIGGEST EFFECT IS GOING TO BE ON THE TONE AND TENOR SOME OF THE SOCIAL ISSUES REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN ESPOUSING ON THE FLOOR AROUND PREDATORY BEHAVIORS, LGBTQ AND TRANS COMMUNITY, PEDOPHILIA, AND EQUATING THAT TO THOSE COMMUNITIES, I HINK THIS KIND OF ENDS THAT.

>> Cathy: SO THE HOUSE IS NOW TIED.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FORWARD TO WHEN IT COMES TO POWER SHARING?

>> THE BUDGET AGREEMENT IN THE HOUSE AS I'VE BEEN TALKING TO PEOPLE, LOOK,IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT CUTS THIS YEAR, RIGHT?

WE HAVE A MINIMAL BUDGET SURPLUS IN THE UPCOMING TWO-YEAR PERIOD BUT WE HAVE THAT $6 BILLION PROJECTED DEFICIT BEYOND THAT.

EVEN WITH THE GOVERNOR'S NEW REVISED SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET HE'S MAKING MORE CUTS, REPUBLICANS WANT TO GO FURTHER AND SHOULD.

THE REASON WE'RE IN THIS POSITION IS BECAUSE DEMOCRATS SPENT AN $18 BILLION SURPLUS, RAISED $10 BILLION IN TAXES, INCREASED GOVERNMENT SPENDING BY 40% SINCE 2010, SINCE GOVERNOR PAWLENTY LEFT OFFICE, DOUBLED THE SIZE OF THE STATE BUDGET, THAT'S WHY WE'RE FACING THIS BIG DEFICIT BUT IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE CUTS WHICH MEANS IT'S MOSTLY REPUBLICAN VOTES IN THE HOUSE THAT'S GOING TO PASS THAT BUDGET.

SO YOU HAVE TO FIND A PLAN WHERE ONE OR TWO DEMOCRATS ARE WILLING TO COME ALONG AND COME TO AN AGREEMENT AND GET THAT BILL THROUGH THE HOUSE AND THEN NEGOTIATE WITH THE SENATE OVER WHAT THAT BUDGET IT LOOKS LIKE.

>> Eric: FORMER EAST METRO LEGISLATOR, YOU.

>> YES.

>> Eric: $400 MILLION TO TO RENOVATE THE XCEL ENERGY CENTER IN DOWNTOWN ST. PAUL?

>> I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THE ASK.

I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS IS THE YEAR FOR IT.

THAT'S JUST -- >> Eric: IS ANYTHING WITH MONEY GOING TO HAVE A SHOT, OR?

>> IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY CHALLENGING.

THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY CHALLENGING TO SPEND ANY ONGOING NEW MONEY, MAYBE SOME ONE-TIME INVESTMENTS, BUT VERY MINIMAL.

>> Eric: SELLING THE SPENDING CUTS, I SAW SOME REPUBLICAN STATE HOUSE MEMBERS APPEALING TO THE MINNESOTA REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE DON'T TOUCH OUR MEDICAID.

>> I MEAN, THE REALITY IS IS REPUBLICANS HAVE ALREADY SAID POINT BLANK THEY'RE NOT CUTTING SOCIAL SECURITY, THEY'RE NOT CUTTING MEDICARE.

THAT IS A CONVENIENT TALKING POINT THAT HAS BEEN USED FOR FAR TOO LONG.

THE EALITY IS TO BRIAN'S POINT IS THAT THIS IS AN ADMINISTRATION THAT HAS SPENT YEARS RAISING TAXES, THEY'VE BEEN INCREASING SPENDING, AND IT'S TIME THAT WE NEED TO PULL SOME OF THAT BACK.

I MEAN AMERICANS ARE SUFFERING, YOU CAN'T GO TO THEM TO CUT, SO LET'S LOOK AT SOME OF THE SPECIAL INTERESTS PROJECTS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN PUTTING MONEY INTO AND CUT FROM THERE.

>> IT'S NOT A TALKING POINT TO SAY THAT THE CUTS THAT ARE BEING PRESENTED BY THE REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS IS GOING TO HAVE TO REQUIRE CUTS IN MEDICAID SOCIAL SECURITY, THAT'S WHAT THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE HAS SAID.

AND TO KEEP REITERATING THAT IS DISINGENUOUS TO AMERICANS.

>> Eric: FORMER GOVERNOR SPOKESPERSON.

>> YES, SIR.

>> Eric: ROAD WARRIOR TIM WALZ, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> WELL, HERE'S THE THING.

I THINK GOVERNOR WALZ FEELS LIKE HE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY AND A VOICE TO GO OUT AND THAT HIS GOING OUT IN A VACUUM, RIGHT?

YOU DON'T REALLY SEE OTHER DEMOCRATS DOING THAT, GOING TO RED STATES AND KIND OF TAKING THE FIGHT TO IT SO I UNDERSTAND WHERE HE'S GOING WITH THAT.

BUT WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT SESSION WITH TIED HOUSE, A ONE-SEAT MAJORITY IN THE SENATE.

WE NEED THE GOVERNOR'S LEADERSHIP TO GET THROUGH THE SITUATION THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW WITH THESE LOOMING DEFICITS COMING.

AND SO I THINK MINNESOTANS I THINK ARE RIGHTFULLY GOING TO SAY WHY ARE YOU IN NEBRASKA AND IOWA AND WISCONSIN WHEN MINNESOTA'S FACING SOME SERIOUS CHALLENGES?

>> Cathy: HE'LL BE IN ROCHESTER TOMORROW BUT, YEAH, HE DOESN'T HAVE TO DO THIS.

>> HE DOESN'T BUT HE GOT AN INCREDIBLE NATIONAL PLATFORM DURING THE GENERAL ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.

AND HE'S NOT SPEAKING TO EMPTY ROOMS, I MEAN, THERE ARE PEOPLE COMING TO SEE HIM TO SEE, WE AS DEMOCRATS NEED TO BE DOING THIS.

WE HAVE TO BE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS.

>> AND REPUBLICAN CONGRESSPEOPLE IN MINNESOTA ARE NOT SHOWING UP TO THEIR COMMUNITIES IN THE WAY THAT THEY SHOULD BE.

>> WELL, I MEAN, LIKE .

IT'S ONE THING FOR TIM WALZ TO SHOW UP IN EAU CLAIRE, IT'S A WHOLE 'NOTHER THING WHEN HIS STAFF STARTS KICKING OUT REPUBLICANS FOR WEARING MAGA HATS WHEN THEY HAVE TICKETS COMING IN.

THAT'S LIKE A FIRST THING.

SECOND OF ALL THIS IS MORE OF A FACE SAVING MEASURE FOR TIM WALZ THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

HE COMES BACK TO THE STATE VERY WEAK, HE COMES TO THE STATE HAVING TO GO INTO A POTENTIAL REELECTION FOR A THIRD TIME WHEN HE'S UNPOPULAR, WHEN HE'S ALREADY WASTED $19 BILLION, HE'S RAISING TAXES AND NOW HE'S TRYING TO GO FIND THAT FAME AND CAPTURE SOME OF THAT LOVE AND ATTENTION AND HE'S NOT FINDING IT.

I MEAN, THERE ARE DEMOCRATS THAT ARE GOING OUT AND SAYING PLEASE DO NOT COME TO Y STATE.

PLEASE DO NOT COME TO MY DISTRICT.

>> HE DID MEET FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS SESSION WITH LEADERSHIP THIS WEEK TO START LAYING THE GROUPEDWORK FOR BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS.

IS THAT, SEEMS LIKE IT FELT LIKE IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE LATE AT THIS POINT IN TERMS OF FIRST MEETING?

>> IT'S BEEN A WEIRD SESSION.

>> -- WEIRD SCHEDULE.

THEY'VE GOT THE DEADLINE NOW AND BUDGETS ARE COMING OUT.

IT MAKES SENSE AND HAVING LIVED THROUGH A COVID BUDGET SESSION I GET THE EXTERNALS.

>> Cathy: HE THINKS THAT A BUDGET CAN GET DONE IN TIME.

DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT?

>> I THINK IN THEORY IT CAN, BUT I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE HARD BECAUSE I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF FEDERAL UNKNOWNS AND QUESTIONS THAT ARE GOING TO COME UP AND AGAIN WE BENT THROUGH THAT WITH THE COVID SITUATION.

>> Eric: MULTIPLE CHOICE FOR ALYSSEN.

GOVERNOR WALZ, THIRD TERM AS GOVERNOR, 2028 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN, OR BOTH?

>> YEAH, ALL OF THE ABOVE.

>> HERE'S THE THING A MONTH OR TWO AGO I WOULD HAVE COME IN HERE AND SAID I ABSOLUTELY THINK TIM WALZ IS RUNNING FOR A THIRD TERM.

IT'S HISTORIC, I THINK HE WANTS TO CCOMPLISH THAT, I HINK HE LIKES THE JOB.

THE WAY HE'S BEEN ACTING IN THE LAST MONTH MAKES ME THINK HE'S KIND OF DONE WITH IT, RIGHT?

>> Eric: YOU HAD A GOVERNOR WHO WENT TO PRESIDENT.

>> RIGHT, AND SO GOVERNOR PAWLENTY IN PART DECIDED NOT TO RUN FOR A THIRD TERM BECAUSE HE WAS PLANNING TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT AND KNEW WHAT THAT WOULD TAKE AND KNEW WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN TO TRY TO DO BOTH JOBS AT ONCE.

AND RIGHT NOW IT FEELS LIKE TIM WALZ HAS MOVED PAST BEING GOVERNOR BUT I COULD BE WRONG.

>> Eric: AH, RUN OUT OF TIME.