May 21-23, 2020
May 21 02:33 SCOTUS denies Democrats' motion May 21 08:03 Exposing Tim Walz's logic-free decision-making, incompetence May 21 09:11 Tim Walz, portrait of incompetence May 21 10:29 Democrats' Tyrant Row May 22 05:21 Intelligence Community is already attacking DNI John Ratcliffe May 22 10:10 More COVID-Walz rebellion May 22 13:48 The Flynn missing sentences May 23 09:25 Gov. Tim Walz's stunning incompetence
Prior Years:
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2019
SCOTUS denies Democrats' motion
Good for the Supreme Court for telling Jerry Nadler to pound sand over their motion to get Mueller grand jury testimony declassified. The Supreme Court hasn't issued a final ruling on the lawsuit but that's likely heading the Democrats' direction.
The Supreme Court temporarily denied a motion Wednesday from House Democrats to obtain grand-jury testimony and other documents from former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation as they conduct what they've referred to as an "ongoing presidential impeachment investigation" into President Trump.
House Democrats are obsessed with finding something that will help them throw President Trump out of office. The Democrats' hatred of President Trump is so strong that they've said no to multiple proposals that would've helped Hispanics and other blue collar workers. Impeachment isn't going anywhere. The Democrats know this.
Rather than putting together ideas that appeal to all Americans, Pelosi's Democrats have voted for things that excite their base. Despite that appeal to their base, Democrats trail badly in the enthusiasm gap, both in terms of the presidential election and in House races.
There's a reason why grand jury testimony is kept confidential. If testimony taken during a grand jury isn't enough to indict a person, that information shouldn't be used as a political weapon. Democrats have seen tons of information. It didn't lead to a conviction of President Trump. He's now exonerated. Getting a second or third or fourth bite at the apple won't convict President Trump. No amount of wishing will change that. It's time that Democrats accept that.
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Let's hope that this is just part of a bigger movement. House Democrats want to investigate a law-abiding president. Whether you agree with his policies or not, there's no denying that President Trump has obeyed each court order. That can't be said about his predecessor. Gun-grabbing Democrats want to take away the rights of law-abiding gun owners. Each time they threaten a gun grab, the rank-and-file NRA strengthens and gets more motivated.
By comparison, the previous (Democrat) administration unmasked law-abiding citizens that they thought were conspiring with Russians. They didn't unmask these law-abiding citizens because they had proof of illegal activity. They unmasked these citizens because they'd advised a candidate, aka Donald Trump. Time after time after time, these Democrats have let their hatred of Trump get the better of them. This isn't normal. It's proof of derangement.
People have started protesting against Democrat governors like Tim Walz, Gretchen Whitmer, J.B. Pritzker and Tom Wolf. The protests have focused on these governors' illogical, unconstitutional and overreaching executive orders. If they keep this up, they'll increase President Trump's odds for re-election.
Posted Thursday, May 21, 2020 2:33 AM
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Exposing Tim Walz's logic-free decision-making, incompetence
Anyone that thinks that DFL Gov. Tim Walz's decision-making is a portrait in logic should schedule an appointment with a mental health expert ASAP. At yesterday's briefing, Gov. Walz explained the rules for opening up bars and restaurants. We now know that "Bars and restaurants in Minnesota can open June 1 for outdoor service under a revised COVID-19 response strategy announced by Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday that also allows for limited reopening of hair salons and campgrounds."
We also know that Benevolent King Walz said "While the virus won't yet allow for business as usual, let's do what we do best after winter in Minnesota and head outside. Whether it's a Jucy Lucy, a plate of tamales, or a walleye dinner, Minnesotans can support their local restaurant by enjoying a socially distanced meal outdoors."
Then there's this:
Republican lawmakers balked at the lack of accommodation for places of worship, which cannot have outdoor services of more than 10 people even though restaurants can now serve 50 outdoors. "I see no reason why churches are any more dangerous a place for coronavirus transmission than Walmart or a mall," said Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, R-East Gull Lake. "I am dumbfounded why the governor would treat churches this way and hope the federal courts will intervene."
That rule is as dead as Gov. Walz's logic is confusing. Gov. Walz's rules hint that people dining out are able to make better health decisions than people attending church services. In what warped solar system does that make sense? Hint: When Gov. Walz saw Alice, did she greet him?
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During the video, Gov. Walz said "I wish I could tell you that there was a perfect answer. I wish I could tell you that the ones we have are absolutely right." This is what a control freak sounds like. Why not establish sound guidelines (social distancing, wearing masks, etc.), then let people figure it out? This is what happens when a politician doesn't trust the people. This sounds like a threat more than a guarantee:
"It is going to get worse here, this virus, before it gets better. That is an absolute guarantee," said Walz, predicting 1,000 deaths in Minnesota by the end of the month.
After finding out that we're still sending COVID-19 patients back to nursing homes, which is a huge mistake on Gov. Walz's part, he's virtually telling us that he's working to create this crisis. If someone has COVID, sending them into the midst of a building filled with people whose immune systems are compromised is like giving an arsonist a can of gas, some matches and a field of dry grass. What do you think will happen? This is pure BS:
The concern for state public health leaders is that the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 spreads more rapidly than was initially known, particularly in indoor areas with limited airflow.
Florida, Georgia and Texas have opened up the most. They haven't seen the things described in the previous paragraph. We were told that they were opening too soon, that they'd kill people and that they'd have blood on their hands. Here's Gov. DeSantis' reply:
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It's time for these reporters to work a little harder. It's time for them to admit that they've gotten things badly wrong by trusting the liberal narrative. The facts speak for themselves. Res ipsa loquitur. There's that old reality rearing its ugly head and getting in the way of a well-spun narrative. There are times when I'm convinced that Jeremy Olson and Briana Bierschbach aren't employed by the Star Tribune. At times, I wonder if they're paid by the Star Tribune but employed by the DFL.
Gov. Walz has failed . He hasn't trusted Minnesotans. He's executed his plans poorly. I wouldn't trust him to run a lemonade stand. If you searched for the definition of incompetence in a dictionary, there'd be a picture of Tim Walz and Andrew Cuomo instead of words.
Posted Thursday, May 21, 2020 8:03 AM
Comment 1 by Gretchen L Leisen at 21-May-20 08:37 AM
After yesterday's news regarding the rules which still impose ridiculous limits on religious services in Minnesota, I am dumbfounded how anyone can still defend the Democrat party [DFL in Minnesota] about their anti-religious dictates. In particular, they no longer are hiding their anti-Christian disdain bordering on hatred.
I wonder why that is. Christian organizations are at the forefront of charities in the USA. Is it a plot to silence and force the Christian communities out of all service organizations so the government can come in as some sort of holy deliverer of largesse? As religious charities decline, so grows the government???
Tim Walz, portrait of incompetence
This article highlights DFL Gov. Tim Walz's incompetence. In it, we learn that "A Minnesota National Guard unit botched COVID-19 testing for 300 residents and staff members at a St. Paul nursing home Monday, leaving many with pain, discomfort and bloody noses." That's just the start of the litany of problems. Then there's this:
In what one health official acknowledged was "a disaster," the test samples from Episcopal Church Home were later ruined because they were not stored in coolers while being transported to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. State officials quickly apologized to Episcopal Homes leaders and said they've already taken steps to ensure such mistakes aren't repeated. Nevertheless, an elder care advocate said the incident raises serious questions about whether Minnesota can accurately and effectively carry out widespread testing.
It's the leaders' responsibility to establish proper procedures. Gov. Walz and Commissioner Malcolm share the blame for not establishing those procedures. Further, they share the blame for not getting the right supplies in the right hands at the right time.
Kris Sundberg, the executive director of Elder Voice Family Advocates said what everyone was thinking when she said "This just further erodes any trust that we have had in the Department of Health. I think we have a long way to go to really have the clearly thought-out protocols we need in order to do [widespread] testing." I'd expect better execution from the Washington Generals than we got from this leadership team.
A statement Wednesday from the Minnesota State Lab Partnership acknowledged "that there was an isolated incident related to the packaging and shipment of specimens to one of the testing sites. Ensuring the temperature integrity of specimens is critical to testing. We are accelerating and strengthening our training program to ensure all specimen collections, packaging, and shipping are performed to the highest standards."
You've got to be kidding me. The program was put in place without training the personnel first? This is Frontline Management 101. This isn't a graduate level course.
Jan Malcolm, state health commissioner, also apologized. In an e-mail to Plakut Wednesday, she said officials have been working to quickly develop new training and protocols for swabbing and infection control at long-term care facilities, but "in this rapid launch, important steps in the process were missed and there were miscommunications."
Incompetence is this administration's hallmark. Minnesotans had hoped that getting rid of Mark Dayton would turn the page on incompetence. Based on results thus far, it's apparent that Minnesotans placed their hope in the wrong candidate. After viewing this video, it's apparent that the DFL is devoid of competent leaders:
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Melvin Carter is the African-American version of Tim Walz. They're both timid. They're both unwilling to trust the people . Apparently, trusting people isn't the DFL way.
Posted Thursday, May 21, 2020 9:11 AM
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Democrats' Tyrant Row
In 1927, the hated New York Yankees put together one of the most feared lineups in baseball history. The middle of their order was known as ' Murderers Row '. Their batting order featured center fielder Earle Combs, left fielder Bob Meusel and second baseman Tony Lazzeri. The 'Row' also included 2 other guys -- Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth -- who, I'm told, were pretty decent, too.
The Democrats have a different type of Murderers Row. The Democrats haven't hesitated in squashing people's liberties. David Avella and Georgia State Senate Majority Leader Michael Dugan put together this article to highlight the right way to govern during the Wuhan Virus crisis.
Americans never wanted to see small-business owners treated like criminals. We never wanted our parks and beaches to be designated as inherently dangerous. We have never been required to stay away from loved ones who are sick or dying.
As a nation, we understand the severity of the health crisis we now face, but the law should never be used to persecute an individual's freedom nor to prosecute Americans operating legal businesses to support their families. Charging small-business owners with crimes is just too much, especially when the public wants leaders to pursue a level-headed approach.
That's why governors like Gretchen Whitmer, Tim Walz, Tom Wolf and J.B. Pritzker are experiencing frequent protests. They don't care about people's rights. They just care about feeding their appetite for power. They are legitimately titled tyrants. This is how incompetent Michigan is:
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In Minnesota, Tim Walz's regulators are still admitting COVID positive patients back into nursing homes. In Pennsylvania, the state's Commissioner of Health moved her mother out of a nursing home when she found out that COVID patients were getting moved into that nursing home. That's before talking about Walz's Department of Health not properly transporting tests to the lab. (They forgot to refrigerate the kits.)
Hundreds of people have died needlessly because these tyrants are incompetent or vindictive or both. This is how to do things right:
On March 14, Kemp issued an executive order declaring a public health state of emergency, calling forth the emergency powers of his office with the compliance of the legislature. On March 16, the legislature convened to ratify Kemp's order. At that time, the House and Senate each had the opportunity to concur with or terminate the governor's declaration. Having determined the gravity of the situation demanded emergency action, the Senate and House quickly agreed.
There are also two other features of what was done in Georgia that would serve other states well to match. First, public health state of emergencies must have the concurrence of the General Assembly. Second, the legislature must maintain the right to terminate the state of emergency at any time.
Together, these checks on the executive branch limit what the governor may order and create a partnership where the executive branch of government is agile enough to meet citizens' needs without legislation.
That's doing governance right. Michigan and Minnesota are governance that only a tyrant would love.
Posted Thursday, May 21, 2020 10:29 AM
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Intelligence Community is already attacking DNI John Ratcliffe
It isn't surprising that the Intelligence Community, aka the IC, is already attacking newly confirmed DNI John Ratcliffe. Equally unsurprising is the fact that the MSM is attacking Ratcliffe. They know that Ratcliffe wants to drain the IC swamp, that he wants to get rid of people who think of Peter Strzok, Jim Comey and Jim Clapper as heroes.
CNN started its attack by saying "Ratcliffe will transition from being one of the President's key defenders to leading an intelligence community that has been under constant fire from Trump, who has pushed unsubstantiated claims about a 'deep state' of career officials trying to undermine his presidency." CNN pretends that the transcripts from the HPSCI, aka House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, interviews haven't come out. Those 63,000 pages of transcripts show that Jim Clapper said on TV that President Trump might be a Russian asset but then changed his story, saying under oath that he hadn't "seen any direct evidence" of collusion or conspiracy between Trump and the Russians.
Peter Strzok kept open Operation Crossfire Razor on Gen. Flynn even though the DC Field Office wanted it closed because, in the field office's opinion, Gen. Flynn had told the truth. Strzok said that the "7th floor", aka FBI Director Jim Comey, wanted the investigation kept open. Does that sound like the FBI political appointees were people of integrity? It doesn't sound like that to me.
Susan Rice and Samantha Power also requested the unmasking of Gen. Flynn's name, too. What CNN calls unsubstantiated is actually substantiated. It's just that CNN is filled with liars who shill for Democrats. Eli Lake wouldn't fit with CNN. Lake isn't a lying progressive like the meatheads at CNN. He wrote something entirely different in this article :
Flynn did not then know that leaders of the FBI and the Justice Department were out for his head. They suspected he was a Russian agent - despite the fact that a counterintelligence investigation into Flynn launched five months earlier by the FBI had found no evidence for such a claim. Three weeks into the Trump administration, the Flynn hunt bagged its trophy. The newly installed national-security adviser was compelled to quit. The stated rationale was that Flynn had lost the confidence of the new vice president because he had supposedly misled Mike Pence about some phone calls between Flynn and the Russian ambassador to the United States. That those phone calls became public knowledge was almost certainly the result of Obama-administration leaks of highly sensitive intelligence information.
Lake isn't a conservative by any stretch of the imagination. He just isn't a CNN-style commentator because he, unlike many of their commentators, isn't a liar. Instead, he's just a reporter that takes his responsibilities seriously. Then there's this from CNN:
Ratcliffe has been unequivocal that he believes Russia has interfered in US elections and will continue to do so -- but he has not sided with one of the intelligence community's key findings: that Russia was trying to help Trump in 2016.
There's a reason for Ratcliffe's hesitation in siding with the IC's finding. While there is documentation from the IC thought that Russia was trying to help then-Candidate Trump in 2016, it's also true that Jim Clapper didn't turnover the documents that showed Russia preferred Hillary. That documentation said Russia knew her and thought that she was "malleable." When intelligence says contradicting things, it's best that the IC not take a conclusive position. This is telling, too:
"I haven't served in an intelligence agency. I think that bringing a different kind of experience today is really going to be vitally important," Ratcliffe told Catherine Herridge of CBS News after he was nominated in March.
"You know all of the experience in the world isn't helpful without judgment, and I think what we've seen is that some of our most experienced intelligence officials have gotten it wrong with respect to important issues," Ratcliffe said.
It's better to pick someone talented and honest than picking someone experienced and dishonest.
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Posted Friday, May 22, 2020 5:21 AM
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More COVID-Walz rebellion
Here in Minnesota, a rebellion is starting to take shape. While Gov. Walz won't admit it, it's happening. Jeremy Olson's article highlights the beginnings of a rebellion:
A cohesive COVID-19 response that Gov. Tim Walz has described as the envy of the nation showed signs of cracking Thursday as organizations threatened to defy the governor's remaining state lockdown restrictions. Even as the state's one-day death toll reached a single-day high, backlash continued to the governor's decision Wednesday to allow only outdoor bar and restaurant services to reopen June 1, to delay campground reopenings until after Memorial Day weekend, and to limit indoor and outdoor religious services to 10 people.
"Arbitrarily forcing restaurants to remain closed through the Memorial Day weekend is a crushing blow," said Mikael Asp, owner of La Grolla restaurant in St. Paul, who wanted the governor to OK indoor restaurant service at 50% capacity.
This weekend is typically the start of camping season and BBQ season. It's also the unofficial start of summer. Further, there's no reason why Gov. Walz shouldn't modify his rules to open campgrounds by telling campers that they have to obey social distancing rules.
Time after time, Gov. Walz has opted for the most restrictive set of rules possible. That's led people to question whether he's incapable of figuring out and implementing nuanced policies. The jury is still out on that question.
"Governor Walz continues to ignore the creative, thoughtful and safe reopening plans that small business owners have developed," Rep. Dave Baker, R-Willmar, said Thursday at a news conference unrelated to the recall.
Thinking that Gov. Walz, or any Democrat for that matter, will get creative is like expecting blood from a turnip. It's like expecting gravity not to work. Good luck with that.
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In the segment, Randy Shaver illustrated some thinking that's foreign to Gov. Walz and the DFL. The reporter talked about how some wanted to attend mass in person while others didn't feel safe. Still others thought that drive-in mass might be best. Shaver pointed out that it's possible to do all 3 simultaneously. That's what people who reject the prison-of-two-ideas policy-making method do. Expecting that type of thinking from Gov. Walz is like expecting gravity not to work. Good luck with that.
Posted Friday, May 22, 2020 10:10 AM
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The Flynn missing sentences
Whenever a Democrat spins the Flynn plea bargain story, that Democrat omits an important (some might say essential) sentence. In this article , the Democrat wrote "In 2017, special counsel Robert Mueller charged Flynn with making false statements to the FBI regarding his conversations with the Russian ambassador about U.S. sanctions, among other things. Flynn promptly entered a guilty plea, and agreed to cooperate with Mueller's team in its investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election."
Actually, they're missing multiple sentences. First, the Democrats omit the part that the DC Field Office wanted to shut down the Flynn investigation because they didn't find any derogatory information on Gen. Flynn. See Jonathan Turley's post on the subject. Turley wrote "It now appears that, on January 4, 2017, the FBI's Washington Field Office issued a "Closing Communication" indicating that the bureau was terminating "CROSSFIRE RAZOR", the newly disclosed codename for the investigation of Flynn. That is when Strzok intervened."
This part is important to understanding the Democrats' Flynn spin campaign:
The FBI investigated Flynn and various databases and determined that " no derogatory information was identified in FBI holdings ." Due to this conclusion, the Washington Field Office concluded that Flynn "was no longer a viable candidate as part of the larger CROSSFIRE HURRICANE umbrella case."
The Flynn case should've been dropped right there. Because of when this happened, that also means that there never should've been a special counsel investigation. Mueller's special counsel investigation happened because a corrupt FBI agent named Peter Strzok intervened. While what he did isn't illegal, it's definitely swampy.
The other thing that Democrats omit is the part about how Mueller used that Strzok decision to push Gen. Flynn to the brink of bankruptcy before threatening to prosecute Gen. Flynn's son and Gen. Flynn. I'd love hearing the ACLU explain how those Gestapo tactics are accepted by the Bill of Rights. I guess they're accepted under the part that says that the ends justify the means.
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Democrats have constantly omitted these details from their story. It's disgraceful that they aren't confident enough to win an argument on the merits. If Democrats have that weak of arguments, shouldn't they find better arguments? That's what smart people would do.
Posted Friday, May 22, 2020 1:48 PM
Comment 1 by eric z at 25-May-20 10:24 AM
Most reporting either misses or dismisses one major troubling word re Flynn, "Turkey." That was his big money maker. And what about the extreme past hand-wringing over the allegation Flynn lied to Pence? While not being there, Pence did not trick him, did he? To the best of your knowledge, unlike the FBI tricking him? Or perhaps Pence just recollected wrongly.
Response 1.1 by Gary Gross at 25-May-20 03:33 PM
Pence said that he isn't sure Flynn lied to him. Pence thinks that Flynn simply gave him bad information without intentionally giving him bad information. There was a time that used to be called a mistake.
I guess when your only thought is to skewer people, that word gets dropped from the progressives' vocabulary.
Gov. Tim Walz's stunning incompetence
Saying that Minnesota DFL Gov. Tim Walz's incompetence is hiding in plain sight is understatement. That isn't really in dispute at this point. What's hiding in plain sight, though, is the litany of leadership sins committed by Gov. Walz. What's frightening is the fact that this isn't a comprehensive list. Harold Hamilton's commentary reads like an indictment against Gov. Walz's administration.
Harold's commentary starts by saying "It's become quite clear that Governor Tim Walz is in over his head. He's overmatched in this crisis. He's displayed the character traits and leadership qualities (or lack thereof) of a poor, incompetent leader. This assessment isn't partisan. It isn't about name calling or scoring points. Instead, it's a painful, morose realization that our chief executive didn't rise to the occasion and the people of Minnesota will pay the price. Good leaders in a crisis impose order on chaos . . They provide clear direction and timely strategic guidance for staff and the troops. They inspire confidence and boost morale when the chips are down."
Gov. Walz isn't a leader. It's charitable to say that he's been a failure. It's obvious that he's hesitated in making important decisions. Many decisions don't make sense. Big box stores can open fully but churches that hold 3,000+ people are limited to gatherings of 10 or less. What part of that thinking makes sense?
Poor leaders are fragile and insecure. This insecurity manifests itself in a facade of bravado and arrogance. It's evident in the leader lashing out in the face of constructive criticism and having their dictates examined.
This is typical of Tim Walz. This week, when asked about GOP leaders questioning the continued closure of houses of worship, he snapped, "I get that some people think COVID-19 isn't a big deal."
That's beyond thin-skinned. It's what a constitutionally illiterate politician would say. The hostility Gov. Walz and the DFL have shown towards churches is palpable. The only people of faith that the DFL care about are the people who advocate for bigger government. The DFL doesn't represent people of faith. The DFL represents a portion of people of faith.
Poor leaders also refuse to change course in the face of new information. Doing so requires the leader to admit the current course of action isn't correct. In short, it requires a leader to admit that he's wrong. It requires the leader to acknowledge that mission accomplishment is paramount and the leader's ego and pride is of no consequence.
John Maynard Keynes, the famous economist, once said "When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, Sir?" Gov. Walz has little in common with Keynes. Gov. Walz has spent too much time in Washington, DC, where he's stayed trapped in DC's prison of 2 ideas.
When asked about his rationale for essentially closing indoor church services, only an idiot would suggest that Republicans don't think COVID is a big deal. This isn't how an intellectual heavyweight would've replied.
This story wouldn't be complete without criticizing the Twin Cities media, too. They haven't asked Gov. Walz a single difficult question challenging his policies. Powerline's Scott Johnson found out that only people who rent office space in the Capitol Building are invited to the briefings. That's an efficient way of avoiding difficult questions. Why hasn't the Strib, the Pi-Press or KSTP pinned Gov. Walz down on why they're still experiencing a nursing home/LTC crisis? Why haven't they forced Gov. Walz to explain why the model he's using was thrown together over the weekend by grad students? That's Three Stooges type of stuff. You can't make this stuff up.
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It breaks my heart to hear the owner of The Loop say "Get ready to hear more and more bankruptcies declared in the month of June. There'll be a ton of them and that's a shame. Shame on the Governor for what he did today. I'm sorry. That's how I feel."
Let's be clear about this. Gov. Walz has done a terrible job limiting COVID deaths, especially in LTC facilities. Bankruptcies are up, especially within the hospitality industry. Shutting down the economy was meant to flatten the curve, not flatten Minnesota's hospitality industry. If I were grading Gov. Walz's failure during this crisis, he wouldn't have to worry about grade inflation. I'd give him an F- or lower, if possible. By comparison, I'd give the Twin Cities Media a D- at best.
Posted Saturday, May 23, 2020 9:25 AM
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