A far-Left candidate who infamously wore a pro-trans shirt emblazoned with a knife coasted to an easy victory in Minnesota’s Democratic Senate primary on Tuesday night. 
Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan defeated Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) in the race to replace outgoing Democratic Senator Tina Smith. Flanagan, who took 59% of the vote to Craig’s 39%, will face former NFL sideline reporter Michele Tafoya, who won the Republican primary. 
“For months now, I have been telling you that this campaign was about the many versus the money. Well, guess what? The many just won,” Flanagan said during her victory speech. “And we are not about to give Donald Trump another loyal soldier like Michelle Tafoya to take his orders and do his bidding.”
Flanagan’s win was another boost for the far-Left wing of the Democratic Party, which has seen recent wins across the country in states like New York and Michigan. The occasionally <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/meet-minnesotas-hijab-wearing-childrens-gender-surgery-advocate-whos-running-for-u-s-senate?utm_source=chatgpt.com">hijab-wearing</a> Flanagan aggressively supports transgender procedures for kids, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/minnesota-dem-goes-on-unhinged-rant-defending-somalis-from-trump?utm_source=chatgpt.com">called</a> Minnesota’s Somali population the “fabric of the state,” and promised to “rip ICE apart&#8221; during her victory speech. 
During the campaign, Flanagan lashed out at Craig for voting for the &#8220;Laken Riley Act,&#8221; a law that would require federal officials to arrest illegal immigrants who are charged with theft-related crimes in the United States. The bill was proposed after an illegal immigrant with previous theft charges murdered 22-year-old Georgia nursing student Laken Riley.
As lieutenant governor, Flanagan backed an executive order from Democratic Governor Tim Walz protecting so-called “gender-affirming care” in Minnesota. During the signing ceremony, she wore a shirt with a picture of a knife and the words “Protect Trans Kids.&#8221;
“Let’s be clear: this is life-affirming and life-saving health care,” she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/leftist-minnesota-just-gave-state-power-to-take-kids-away-if-parents-dont-approve-gender-surgery?utm_source=chatgpt.com">said</a>. “When our children tell us who they are, it is our job as grown-ups to listen and to believe them. That’s what it means to be a good parent.”
Tafoya, who has won multiple Emmy awards while appearing as a sideline reporter for ABC, NBC, and ESPN, won the GOP nomination with 52% of the vote. She defeated former Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze and ex-NBA player Royce White. 
“Minnesota is in play. We have a real opportunity to flip this Senate seat and defeat far-left socialist Democrats in November,” Tafoya said on Tuesday as voting started. “Let’s get it done, Minnesota.”
Tafoya’s campaign has been focused on targeting fraud, supporting law enforcement, keeping men out of women’s sports, and supporting voter ID.

Democratic Senate Candidate Peggy Flanagan Campaigns Ahead Of Minnesota Primary

Candidate Known For Pro-Trans Knife Shirt Defeats Dem Establishment Pick In Senate Race

2026 Midterms

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Minnesota

Peggy Flanagan

Senate

Somalis

Tim Walz

transgender surgery

Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth won her state&#8217;s Republican primary for governor on Tuesday, defeating former MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell who boasted an endorsement from President Donald Trump.
Demuth <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-primary-elections/minnesota-governor-results">secured</a> 43.4% of the vote to Lindell&#8217;s 32.5%, with 99% of the ballots counted as of Wednesday morning. She now advances to the November general election to face Democratic nominee Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in an open-seat race to succeed outgoing Democratic Governor Tim Walz.
Demuth’s victory marks a significant milestone in her rapid rise through state politics. First elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2018 representing District 13A, she quickly built a reputation as an effective party leader. She won four consecutive House elections by <a href="https://mn.electionarchives.lib.umn.edu/candidate/lisa-demuth">increasingly decisive margins</a> before becoming the House Republican minority leader in 2022.
Following the 2024 elections, which resulted in an even 67–67 partisan tie in the chamber, Demuth was elected speaker of the House in early 2025 after a protracted leadership fight that reached the Minnesota Supreme Court. Prior to her legislative career, Demuth was a local business owner and served 11 years on the ROCORI School Board.
Trump endorsed Lindell in a post on Truth Social on July 15, writing, “If given the chance, Mike will be SPECTACULAR!!! He truly loves Minnesota, as do I, and wants to bring it back from oblivion and embarrassment.” On Tuesday, Trump again urged Minnesotans to vote for Lindell.
&#8220;Mike Lindell deserves a BIG WIN IN MINNESOTA today,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://x.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/2087180727670509955">wrote</a>. &#8220;Nobody has worked harder, and given up so much, in fighting for free and fair Elections.&#8221;
Last month, Lindell sparked conservative backlash when he came out in support of an amnesty period for illegal immigrants in some cases.
“I’d like the whole United States to do this, but let’s say I did it here in Minnesota,” Lindell told the <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/state/4658121/mike-lindell-six-month-amnesty-illegal-immigrants-minnesota-governor/">Washington Examiner</a>. “Six months, all the illegal immigrants would have to go get what’s going to be called a conditional work visa.”
Trump&#8217;s endorsement of Lindell reflected a decade-long relationship between Trump and Lindell that evolved from a casual business connection into one of the most persistent political alliances in the MAGA movement.
The two men first met at Trump Tower in August 2016, where they bonded over American manufacturing and entrepreneurship. Lindell appeared frequently at Trump campaign rallies and White House events during Trump’s presidency. Their bond deepened substantially following the 2020 presidential election, as Lindell emerged as one of the most aggressive defenders of Trump’s election claims, funding media platforms and events to challenge the results.
Despite Trump&#8217;s backing, primary voters ultimately favored Demuth&#8217;s legislative track record, setting up a stark general election contrast with Sen. Klobuchar, who secured the Democratic nomination with 89.1% of the vote.
Demuth has focused heavily on investigating state grant programs following recent social service spending scandals. She advocates for stricter sentencing guidelines for repeat offenders and increased resources for law enforcement and supports expanding school choice scholarship credits, refocusing K-12 curricula on core academic subjects, and lifting state restrictions on new nuclear power generation.

Mike Lindell, MyPillow founder and CEO launches Minnesota Governor campaign

Trump-Endorsed Mike Lindell Goes Down In GOP Primary

2026 election

Amy Klobuchar

Donald Trump

Mike Lindell

Republicans

Hackers believed to be backed by Iran targeted more than 30 municipal water systems across Minnesota this week, several media outlets reported, appearing to validate months of <a href="https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa26-097a">federal warnings</a> that Tehran aimed to disrupt internet-exposed devices controlling operations at U.S. water, wastewater, and energy facilities.
<a href="https://mn.gov/mnit/media/blog/?id=38-761869">Minnesota IT Services (MNIT)</a> said a &#8220;coordinated cyberattack&#8221; targeted operational technology on July 26 and 27, triggering the state&#8217;s cybersecurity incident response protocols.
The attack briefly knocked one system offline and disrupted remote sensors at another, according to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/07/30/us-spy-agencies-suspect-iran-launched-cyberattack-minnesota-water-facilities/">The Washington Post.</a> No drinking water has been reported as unsafe, according to the outlet.
&#8220;Cyberattacks against critical infrastructure require a coordinated, whole-of-government response,&#8221; said John Israel, Minnesota chief information security officer. &#8220;MNIT is working side by side with our partners to share intelligence, support affected communities, and help utilities restore operations safely while strengthening defenses against future attacks.”
Investigators are now probing whether Iranian hackers carried out the attack, but intelligence officials cautioned the assessment remains preliminary as additional forensic evidence is gathered, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-investigating-iran-cyberattack-minnesota-water-systems/">according</a> to CBS News. Officials have not ruled out the possibility that another actor is posing as Iran to inflame tensions amid the U.S. conflict with the regime. 
The FBI is investigating, The Washington Post reported. If Iranian involvement is confirmed, it could mark a serious escalation in Tehran&#8217;s ongoing campaign to target U.S. critical infrastructure. 
“It is not a secret that these things have been taking place since the spring,” Joe Slowik, director of threat research for Dataminr, told the Post. “There have been disruptions in multiple critical infrastructure sectors. It’s a big deal.”
President Trump, however, cast doubt on reports linking Iran to the attack, using a Cabinet meeting at Camp David to dismiss the incident and instead blame Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
“I think Minnesota is behind it. Do you know who&#8217;s behind it? Minnesota, because they&#8217;re grossly incompetent. I think the governor&#8217;s behind it,” Trump <a href="https://x.com/Acyn/status/2083228500077797797?s=20">said</a>. “I don&#8217;t think there was an Iranian cyber attack. I think that Minnesota ought to get its act together. It&#8217;s one of the worst-run states.” 
&#8220;They like to say, &#8216;Oh, it was Iran.&#8217; Iran should be so lucky. Iran&#8217;s got bigger problems than worrying about Minnesota,&#8221; the president <a href="https://x.com/disclosetv/status/2083215311315087592?s=20">added</a>.
Nate George, the mayor of Braham, Minnesota, appeared to echo Trump&#8217;s criticism, arguing that misplaced government spending leaves local communities less prepared to defend against cyberattacks.
&#8220;This is exactly why state government must spend taxpayers&#8217; money on the things that matter, not political agenda action items,&#8221; George said. &#8220;That means funding Local Government Aid and providing practical assistance to help communities strengthen cybersecurity, replace aging systems, and protect basic services residents and businesses rely upon.&#8221;
Walz, on the other hand, quickly fired back, arguing that federal cuts made the U.S. vulnerable to such attacks. 
“Trump knows exactly who is responsible for this attack, and knows that other states were hit too. This is what modern warfare looks like, and it further illustrates there’s no plan to win a war with Iran,” Walz <a href="https://x.com/GovTimWalz/status/2083235434168021219?s=20">said</a> on X. “DOGE took an axe to CISA and left the U.S. exposed to cyber attacks. Thankfully, our experts in Minnesota were able to identify the vulnerability quickly and work with local communities to stop it.”

America’s Water Supply Was Attacked, And Iran Is The Main Suspect

Cyberattack

Cybersecurity

Iran

Islamic Republic

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

News

Politics

President Trump

Terrorism

Trump

water

Minnesota schools and hospitals will provide dolls with removable genitals to children as young as four in order to allow them to express their sexual identities.
MyGender Dolls were created by staff at the University of Minnesota, a publicly funded university. They are intended for use as an educational toy for children ages four through ten.
The idea for the dolls came from University of Minnesota professor Rachel Becker-Warner. Associate professors Dr. Dianne Berg and Nic Rider then developed the dolls for a research project, later turning it into a commercial venture.
MyGender Dolls website describes the <a href="https://mygenderdolls.com/">toys</a> as “a new play-based therapeutic approach for trans and gender diverse children — and the clinicians who support them.”
“We make gender fun! Our award-winning dolls and services are community-informed, research-driven, culturally-attuned, and grounded in gender-affirming clinical practice,” the website said, adding that the dolls will be released to educators this year.
The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/07/25/us-news/taxpayer-funded-transgender-dolls-to-hit-classrooms-this-fall/">said</a> the toys are “like a trans Mr./Mrs. Potato Head” and come with removable internal and external genitalia, and over 100 interchangeable pieces of clothing including underwear and skirts.
“The concept is similar to classic paper dolls; kids can select bodies, genitals, clothes, and other accessories as a way to visualize their anatomy and genders,&#8221; according to a deleted summary of the project from the University of Minnesota&#8217;s Eli Coleman Institute for Sexual and Gender Health (ISGH) <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/transgender-dolls-available-minnesota-schoolchildren-young-4-under-walz-backed-program-report.amp">recovered</a> by Fox News.
“I think everyone should know that there’s diversity in gender identity and that what is ‘real’ is not what your body parts are, but how you think and feel,” Berg <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CtxIqcgp-oQ/?img_index=2">stated</a> on social media and in a now-deleted article in the university’s Discovery Magazine.
Berg also admitted that she and other medical professionals have been using the dolls on their child patients to help them explore their identity and get them to talk about their private parts.
“We were able to explore and brainstorm not just what our bodies are able to do now but what we want our bodies to do and look like in the future,” Adjunct Assistant Professor Elizabeth Panetta said.
The University of Minnesota Medical School’s Institute for Sexual and Gender Health paid the families of “trans and gender diverse children” between $20 and $60 to play with the dolls and “talk about gender and bodies” in groups.
Governor Tim Walz (D-MN), who received the “Distinguished Sexual and Gender Health Champion Award” in 2023 from the University of Minnesota’s ISGH, has been giving $15 million annually to “increase the medical school’s research capacity” and “ensure its national prominence.”
Dr. Quentin Van Meter, past president of the American College of Pediatricians, called the dolls a “grooming tool” that would likely only create anxiety and confusion.
“The younger kids — many of them still believe in the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy. And you’re then presenting them with paper dolls that kind of look fun, and you can change clothing, hair, genitals … It’s well beyond their ability to sort out fantasy from reality.”
“Until age 7 years, kids don’t really understand the immutability of the sexes,” Van Meter <a href="https://www.thecollegefix.com/uminn-scholars-launching-transgender-doll-project-for-4-year-olds/">told</a> the College Fix, adding that gender dysphoria is “emotional trauma caused by ideologues as parents or teachers or counselors.”
A university spokesperson told The Post that no public funds were diverted “to support MyGender Dolls’ commercialization efforts,” but refused to mention whether taxpayer funds went into either the research and development of the dolls or to the salaries of the professors who worked on the project.

university-minnesota-medical-school-launching-135407417

Trans Dolls With Removable Genitals Will Be Used To Teach 4-Year-Olds

Education

grooming

LGBTQ

Transgender

University of Minnesota

Shiloh Hendrix

The Shiloh Hendrix Verdict Is A Horrifying Sign For America. Here’s Why.

First Amendment

Free Speech

Implicit Bias

Assassin Vance Boelter was sentenced Thursday to two consecutive life sentences without parole for murdering former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman (D) and her husband, Mark, and wounding state Sen. John Hoffman (D) and his wife, Yvette, in what prosecutors called a politically motivated attack. 
Boelter was convicted on six federal charges stemming from the murders of the Hortmans and the shooting of the Hoffmans, as well as the attempted shooting of the couple&#8217;s daughter, Hope, <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/pr/vance-boelter-indicted-murders-melissa-and-mark-hortman-%20shootings-john-and-yvette-0">according</a> to the Department of Justice. 
At Thursday&#8217;s sentencing hearing, Colin and Sophie Hortman, the children of Melissa and Mark Hortman, described how their lives had been shattered by the murders.  
“In one night, our family went from whole to shattered,” Colin <a href="https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/vance-boelter-to-be-sentenced-for-lawmaker-attacks-is-expected-to-receive-over-2-life-sentences/">said</a>, describing his parents as “the best” a child could ask for.
“My mom will never bake me another cake … She was supposed to bake my wedding cake. That was the one wish that I had,” Colin said. “They would have been the best grandparents. They will never meet my children. They would have traveled more, they would have mentored more leaders.”
Sophie Hortman also spoke about the trauma of losing her parents.
 “What I cared about was that my entire life had just been shattered in 30 seconds … We had to stand up and keep going,” she said.
Boelter <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/vance-boelter-sentencing-man-killed-minnesota-democratic-lawmaker-face-rcna588852">apologized</a> in court to the Hortman family and his other victims. 
“To every person I have caused loss, pain, heartache, confusion, sadness, shame, or loneliness, I am truly sorry,” he said.
According to court documents, Boelter researched the homes and routines of top Democratic lawmakers before embarking on what prosecutors described as a &#8220;murderous rampage” while disguised as a police officer conducting wellness checks.
In addition to targeting the Hortmans and the Hoffmans, Boelter also went to the homes of Rep. Kristin Bahner and Sen. Ann Rest, both Democrats, but neither answered the door.
A two-day manhunt ended with Boelter&#8217;s arrest near his family home in Green Isle, Minnesota.
Officers found a list of 45 Democratic state officials and their addresses in his car, along with “No Kings” protest signs in the back of his car. Authorities have said Boelter was not a supporter of the demonstrators and had told family members before the shootings to “pray that something takes the wind out of these protests’ sails.” 
Prosecutors argued Boelter carried out the attacks in an effort to tip  Minnesota’s “delicate” balance of power in Republicans’ favor, KTSP news <a href="https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/an-attack-on-representative-democracy-itself-filing-details-boelters-motives-for-night-of-terror/">reported</a>. They noted that the state House was evenly split 67-67 while Democrats held a one-seat Senate majority. Had Boelter succeeded in killing all four Democratic lawmakers he targeted, prosecutors argued, “the inevitable result would be a shift in the balance of power in both legislative houses.”  

In addition to his federal conviction, Boelter still faces multiple state charges, including two counts of murder, four counts of attempted murder, impersonating a police officer, and animal cruelty for allegedly killing the Hortmans&#8217; golden retriever, Gilbert.  

Boelter also previously served on Minnesota&#8217;s Workforce Development Board after being appointed by Democratic Gov. Tim Walz. Walz has said he did not know Boelter personally, with his office noting that the board has more than 60 members and that governors do not personally interview applicants for such positions. 
&nbsp;

Two Minnesota State Legislators And Spouses Shot In Targeted Attacks

Assassin Sentenced In Minnesota Political Killings

Courts

Democrat

Democrats

Murder

murders

No Kings

Political Violence

Shooting

trial

Vance Boelter

The threats to President Donald Trump and his administration are growing rapidly.
The Secret Service has investigated approximately 10,000 threats against its protectees, including President Trump, in the first half of this year, the head of the agency revealed Wednesday, <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/07/23/us-news/threats-to-us-officials-reach-unprecedented-numbers-ahead-of-rescheduled-white-house-correspondents-dinner-secret-service-boss-says/">according</a> to The New York Post.
“The numbers are numbers that this agency and certainly I have never seen in my 24-year career,” Secret Service Director Sean Curran told reporters, painting a chilling picture of an increasingly hostile political environment. In the first half of 2025, the agency opened roughly 7,000 cases.
The alarming surge comes ahead of Friday night’s rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C., which was forced to move after suspect Cole Allen stormed an April checkpoint packed with guns and knives, allegedly hellbent on killing Trump and other administration officials.
Curran defended the security apparatus, insisting “the system worked” when agents stopped Allen before he could make it in the ballroom. Yet, the relentless barrage of target-painting on the president’s back raises urgent questions about the toxic political atmosphere.
The Secret Service’s massive threat log arrives after years of terrifying, real-world attempts on Trump’s life. From a 2016 gun-grab attempt in Las Vegas and a 2017 forklift ramming attack in North Dakota, to the horrific July 2024 Butler, Pennsylvania, rally shooting, and Ryan Routh’s Florida golf course ambush, the dangers have hit unprecedented highs. Add in thwarted international assassination schemes from Iran and ISIS, and the target on Trump remains massive.
In the meantime, Left-wing rhetoric is pouring gasoline on the fire.
Democrat leaders have repeatedly branded Trump an &#8220;existential threat,&#8221; a &#8220;fascist,&#8221; and an &#8220;authoritarian.&#8221; Former President Joe Biden once boasted he’d take Trump &#8220;behind the gym and beat the hell out of him,&#8221; and infamously <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/biden-says-it-was-mistake-to-say-he-wanted-to-put-bulls-eye-on-trump-during-donor-phone-call">declared</a> &#8220;it’s time to put Trump in a bullseye&#8221; in a phone call with donors right before the Butler shooting. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) publicly egged on mobs to harass administration officials, telling crowds, &#8220;You push back on them &#8230; tell them they&#8217;re not welcome.&#8221;
The hostile drumbeat from top Democrats has only grown louder:
<ul>
<li>House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) <a href="https://floridapolitics.com/archives/792200-maximum-warfare-hakeem-jeffries-promises-dems-will-target-8-gop-incumbents-in-florida-if-redistricting-happens/#:~:text=House%20Minority%20Leader%20Hakeem%20Jeffries%20is%20threatening,statement%20shared%20by%20Punchbowl%20News'%20Jake%20Sherman.">called</a> for “maximum warfare” just days before the April WHCD attack.</li>
<li>Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) <a href="https://iqconnect.house.gov/iqextranet/view_newsletter.aspx?id=172352&amp;c=FL13VB#:~:text=Schumer%20claimed%20in%20his%20interview%20with%20MSNBC's,do.%20That's%20what%20tyranny%20is%20all%20about.%22">urged</a> supporters to &#8220;be forcefully rising up against&#8221; the president.</li>
<li>California Governor Gavin Newsom bluntly <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/24/no-holds-barred-fight-californias-governor-takes-off-his-gloves-to-punch-back-at-trump#:~:text=But%20then%20Trump%20came%20for%20California%2C%20and,Newsom%20said%20on%20a%20podcast%20last%20week.">told his base</a> to “punch these sons of b*tches in the mouth.”</li>
<li>Illinois Governor JB Pritzker <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/28/jb-pritzker-speech#:~:text=Joseph%20Gedeon%20in%20Washington.%20Mon%2028%20Apr,filled%20with%20Democratic%20activists%2C%20officials%20and%20donors.">proclaimed</a> that “Republicans cannot know a moment of peace.”</li>
<li>Minnesota Governor Tim Walz went so far as to <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/tim-walz-trump-administration-ice-enforcement-republicans/">declare</a> his state is “at war with our federal government.”</li>
</ul>
Most threats originate online, but as the 10,000-case milestone proves, the leap from online hate to real-world violence is closer than ever.

BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA – July 13: Former president Donald Trump r

10,000 Secret Service Threats Prove Left’s Violent Rhetoric Has Consequences

Death Threats

Gavin Newsom

Hakeem Jeffries

J.B. Pritzker

Joe Biden

Josh Shapiro

Secret Service

Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) doubled down on his defense of the child rapist he pardoned in a failed effort to shield him from deportation.
Walz on Tuesday questioned the Trump administration’s decision to deport Tou Lue Vang, a Laotian national who was convicted for repeatedly sexually assaulting a girl beginning when she was just 10 years old. He suggested that the deportation did not advance the idea that people should not be “judged by our worst day.”
“They made that choice,” Walz <a href="https://www.startribune.com/walz-pardon-hmong-man-deported-rubio-sexual-assault-conviction-laos/601867932">said</a> of the deportation. “I guess the question I would ask is, ‘Did that make us any safer? Did that make the children that are left behind any more stable?’”
“Did it improve the idea that we can’t all be judged by our worst day?” he <a href="https://www.kttc.com/2026/07/15/walz-responds-pardon-pushback-washington/">added</a>.
Beginning in 2002, Vang, then 18-years-old, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/read-the-insane-argument-officials-made-against-deporting-child-rapist-pardoned-by-tim-walz?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Read+The+Insane+Argument+Officials+Made+Against+Deporting+Child+Rapist+Pardoned+By+Tim+Walz">repeatedly</a> had sexual intercourse with a young girl over a two year period starting when he was 18 and she was 10. He also offered to pay her to not report his actions, according to investigators.
When arrested, he claimed it was part of his culture and said the victim should be charged as well. “I made a mistake, but this is a minor thing. It is a cultural thing in Thailand to marry and have sex with girls as young as 12,” he reportedly told police.
For the crime, Vang spent just eight months at the Ramsey County, Minnesota, Correctional Workhouse and was given 30 years of supervised probation. The family of the victim pressured her to refuse to cooperate with law enforcement, according to prosecutors.
Walz suggested that it was unfair to deport Vang, who now has a large family.
“In many cases, their children are citizens,” the failed vice presidential candidate said. “And by just picking them up and taking them out with no due process, it just seems unfair. If you think this person should have been gone, why didn’t you take them for the last 30 years?”
Last month, Walz, Democrat Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Natalie Hudson ultimately accepted the recommendation of the Minnesota Clemency Review Commission  and pardoned Vang.
The commission cited immigration concerns in its 4-2 vote to recommend a pardon for Vang and argued that deporting him would “not in the best interest of society.”
Vang first came to the United States in 1994 and was given legal status by the Clinton administration, according to the Department of Homeland Security. An immigration judge issued Vang a final deportation order on October 31, 2006, following his conviction.
Last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Vang had been deported.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, State of the State speech, April 28, 2026

Walz Doubles Down On Defense Of Deported Child Rapist

Illegal Immigation

Sex Crimes

Heavy smoke from Canadian wildfires is predicted to spread across the United States from Wednesday to Friday, causing potential air pollution that could impact 100 million people. 
The hazy smoke from wildfires — still blazing in western Ontario and northern Minnesota on Tuesday — is forecast to drift toward the Midwest, Northeast, and Mid-Atlantic, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2026/07/15/wildfire-smoke-canada-will-soon-spread-across-midwest-northeast/">according</a> to The Washington Post. The conditions are set to decline through the end of this week as smoke mixed with little wind and high heat in the East creates a heat dome.
The air quality conditions in eastern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, and most of Michigan are expected to worsen on Wednesday, according to The Post.
“It is recommended that, when possible, you avoid strenuous outdoor activities, especially those with heart disease and respiratory conditions like asthma,” said an air quality alert from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. “Keep windows closed overnight to prevent smoke from getting indoors and, if possible, run central air conditioning with MERV-13 or higher rated filters.”
On Wednesday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration smoke modeling showed deterioration in air quality conditions in several cities:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Buffalo, Binghamton, Poughkeepsie, and New York City, New York</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Hartford, Danbury, and New Haven, Connecticut</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Providence, Rhode Island</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Scranton, Pennsylvania</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Newark, New Jersey</li>
</ul>
By Wednesday night, the smoke is predicted to travel south and east towards Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. — and then to Boston by Thursday morning. Wind currents are set to blow the smoke, in fluctuating intensities, around the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic through Friday. On Saturday, a shift in winds may potentially blow the smoke away, reported The Post.
As of now, eastern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, Michigan, and western New York are closer to the fires and are most at risk for high smoke concentrations and air quality alerts, according to The Post.
The smoke is mainly from a dozen large wildfires raging across western Ontario. Late on Tuesday, the biggest fire located in Wabakimi Provincial Park expanded to over 130,000 acres, stretching to the north coast of Lake Superior about 135 miles, The Post reported. 
Multiple Minnesota wildfires, which were discovered on July 7 after a major lightning storm, are also contributing to the hazy skies. The two largest fires were named the Thumb Fire and the Bear Trap Fire, which are blazing across 14,500 and 13,500 acres of land, and have spurred evacuations and wilderness closures. 
Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) <a href="https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/759754">released</a> a statement on July 12, declaring a peacetime emergency and mobilizing the National Guard to aid with the wildfire response, which is “putting local communities at risk.”
“This emergency declaration allows for the mobilization of additional resources necessary to protect lives, prevent damage, and help the Minnesota [Department of Natural Resources] and our local communities respond,” Walz said.
On Wednesday and Thursday, dry weather is anticipated in scorched areas, but weather predictions for Friday show a possibility of scattered rain and thunderstorms. 
These conditions are being compared to those during Quebec’s wildfires in June of 2023, when smoke settled along the east coast and New York’s sky took on an orange tint. Their air quality peaked at a value of 465, which is the most hazardous level on record, reported The Post.
“At this time, current forecasts do not indicate a repeat of 2023 conditions,” the New York City Emergency Management wrote in a <a href="https://www.nyc.gov/site/em/about/press-releases/20260715_pr-NYCEM-Smoke-From-Canadian-Wildfires-May-Affect-NYC-Air-Quality.page">statement</a> on Tuesday. The NYCEM added that the smoke and high heat on Wednesday would produce “environmental health challenges.” 
“To protect the health of New Yorkers, especially those at greatest risk, free KN95 masks are available at public library branches across the five boroughs,” said the statement.

100 Million Americans Could Soon Face Smoky Skies Thanks To Canada

Wildfires

Minnesota officials recommended a pardon for a child rapist in a failed attempt to shield him from deportation, according to state documents. 
The Minnesota Clemency Review Commission voted 4-2 to recommend a pardon for 42-year-old Laotian national Tou Lue Vang, who was convicted for repeatedly sexually assaulting a girl beginning when she was just 10 years old. Despite its recommendation and a pardon from Governor Tim Walz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/marco-rubio-just-dropped-the-hammer-after-tim-walzs-pardon-of-an-illegal-immigrant-child-sex-offender?author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Team+Drops+The+Hammer+After+Tim+Walz%E2%80%99s+Illegal+Alien+Pardon">announced</a> Friday that Vang had been deported. 
Members of the commission claimed Vang had been rehabilitated and pointed to the possibility he would be deported when pushing for a pardon, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/exposed-docs-reveal-why-tim-walz-board-awarded-repeat-child-rapist-pardon-no-future">according</a> to documents reviewed by Fox News. Beginning in 2002, Vang repeatedly had sexual intercourse with a young girl over a two year period starting when he was 18 and she was 10. 
&#8220;Despite the extraordinary severity of the underlying offense, there is substantial evidence of rehabilitation, remorse and acceptance of responsibility,” claimed clemency commissioner and University of Minnesota law professor Perry Moriearty. Moriearty added that Vang &#8220;is facing deportation&#8221; and said that the &#8220;victim supports” the pardon, the documents viewed by Fox News show. 
The Daily Wire reached out to the Minnesota Clemency Review Commission for comment.
When arrested, he claimed it was part of his culture and said the victim should be charged as well. &#8220;I made a mistake, but this is a minor thing. It is a cultural thing in Thailand to marry and have sex with girls as young as 12,” he reportedly told police. 
For the crime, Vang spent just eight months at the Ramsey County, Minnesota, Correctional Workhouse and was given 30 years of supervised probation. The family of the victim pressured her to refuse to cooperate with law enforcement, according to prosecutors. 
Other members of the commission noted that Vang noted his fears of deportation and that he now has a large family. 
&#8220;The applicant stated the need for clemency related to immigration issues,” said commissioner Artika Roller, the executive director of Cornerstone, a <a href="https://cornerstonemn.org/about/leadership/">group</a> that purports to support victims of sexual violence. Roller supported the pardon. 
The Daily Wire also reached out to Cornerstone for comment. 
&#8220;Very tough case but the kids not having a father is not in the best interest of society,&#8221; said commission member and Mounds View Mayor Zach Lindstrom.
&#8220;The victim supports this pardon. His [Vang’s] wife stayed and has forgiven. He also [has] immigration concerns. He has remorse and was discharged from probation,” wrote commissioner Nadine Graves. &#8220;He retracted his prior statement about this being a result of culture. He admits this was wrong then and will always be wrong.&#8221;
Tami McConkey, director of the Victim Witness &amp; Postconviction Justice Division in Ramsey County, urged the commission to not recommend a pardon. 
&#8220;While Mr. Vang expresses shame and regret about what his children experience when then [sic] learn of the offense, he does not share any thoughts or insight about what the victim must have gone through,” she said. 
Walz, Democrat Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Natalie Hudson ultimately accepted the recommendation and pardoned Vang.
Vang first came to the United States in 1994 and was given legal status by the Clinton administration, according to the Department of Homeland Security. An immigration judge issued Vang a final deportation order on October 31, 2006, following his conviction.
“Americans must never be forced by their elected leaders to live alongside foreign sex criminals who have no right to begin with to reside in our country,” Rubio said Friday when he announced Vang’s deportation. “This administration will always stand with the American people and defend them from violent criminals.”

JD Vance And Tim Walz Face Off In Vice Presidential Debate In New York

Read The Insane Argument Officials Made Against Deporting Child Rapist Pardoned By Tim Walz

Department of Homeland Security

Marco Rubio

Pardon

The Trump administration has swooped in to deport an illegal immigrant child sex offender weeks after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz pardoned him.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Friday that he revoked the legal status of Laotian national Tou Lue Vang, resulting in his deportation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Minnesota Board of Pardons voted on June 10 to grant Vang a pardon despite his past conviction for repeatedly sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
.<a href="https://x.com/ICEgov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ICEgov</a> has DEPORTED Tou Vang, the illegal alien CHILD RAPIST <a href="https://x.com/GovTimWalz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovTimWalz</a> pardoned in an attempt to allow him to remain in our country.
While Walz and his fellow sanctuary politicians fight to protect heinous criminals like this, we will continue putting the safety of the… <a href="https://t.co/QCzSnYh4zA">https://t.co/QCzSnYh4zA</a> <a href="https://t.co/rjBXI5qhlj">pic.twitter.com/rjBXI5qhlj</a>
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://x.com/DHSgov/status/2075579268369649674?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;As of today, he has been removed from the United States. Because of our action, this foreign criminal will never pose a threat to any American ever again,&#8221; Rubio said in a <a href="https://x.com/SecRubio/status/2075567815856177323">video</a> posted to X.
&#8220;Americans must never be forced by their elected leaders to live alongside foreign sex criminals who have no right to begin with to reside in our country. This administration will always stand with the American people and defend them from violent criminals,&#8221; he said.
The board, which includes Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, Democratic Attorney General Keith Ellison, and state Supreme Court Chief Justice Natalie Hudson, spared Vang days before he was set to be deported, Rubio said. Vang lost his legal status after he was convicted in 2006 of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The Laotian man tried to bribe his victim into silence and dismissed his crimes as &#8220;a cultural thing &#8230; to marry and have sex with girls as young as 12,&#8221; according to DHS.
The Minnesota Board of Pardons granted Vang a reprieve after receiving letters submitted in support of the foreign man, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/01/us/politics/minnesota-pardon-sexual-abuser.html?unlocked_article_code=1.uVA._PKl.HFrBqKOvwsY8&amp;amp;smid=url-share" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to The New York Times. One of the letters was authored by his victim, who said she had forgiven Vang and supported his request for a pardon.
Minnesota officials cited the victim&#8217;s statement as a major reason for their decision to pardon Vang.
The Ramsey County Attorney&#8217;s Office, which prosecuted the original case against Vang, opposed the pardon and argued that he received a lenient sentence of 30 years&#8217; probation because the victim, who was 12 at the time of prosecution, “was experiencing pressure from her family to not cooperate,&#8221; The New York Times reported.
Vang first came to the United States in 1994 and was given legal status by the Clinton administration, according to DHS.
An immigration judge issued Vang a final deportation order on October 31, 2006, following his conviction.
Vang is not the first foreigner Minnesota officials have attempted to shield from deportation. On May 27, 2026, the Minnesota Board of Pardons granted a pardon to Jai Vang, a Laotian illegal immigrant with felony convictions for robbery and robbery of a business with a gun, as well as a conviction for driving under the influence of liquor, according to DHS.

Minnesota Oversight 3/04/26

Trump Team Drops The Hammer After Tim Walz’s Illegal Alien Pardon

deportation

Vice President JD Vance tasked the Justice Department with probing accusations that Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz looked the other way while fraudsters bilked the state’s social services for upwards of $9 billion. 
Vance referred the Walz administration to the DOJ on Monday night after the House Oversight Committee released a <a href="https://oversight.house.gov/release/oversight-committee-releases-bombshell-report-exposing-rampant-fraud-plaguing-minnesotas-taxpayer-funded-social-programs/">lengthy report</a> accusing Walz and Minnesota Democratic Attorney General Keith Ellison of allowing their state to be systematically defrauded. The committee also accused Walz of targeting whistleblowers who tried to warn state officials about vulnerabilities in the system. 
“I’ve referred these allegations to DOJ’s new Fraud Division for criminal investigation,” Vance <a href="https://x.com/JDVance/status/2064146608518746499/photo/2">announced</a> on X. “Minnesota state officials are not above the law, and if they facilitated fraud, lied under oath about what they knew, or harassed and [intimidated] whistleblowers, they must face justice.”
Leading the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on fraud, Vance sent the referral to Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald, the head of the newly established National Fraud Enforcement Division. 
The 200-page report from the House Oversight Committee said that the Walz administration’s lax efforts to combat fraud led to $300 million in federal child nutrition aid being lost and put up to $9 billion in Medicaid-related funds in jeopardy. 
The committee said that Walz and Ellison were aware of major flaws in Minnesota’s administration of welfare benefits since 2019, but took no corrective action. Instead, Walz’s administration took action to target whistleblowers, the House report said. 
“If state officials in Minnesota or anywhere else in the country facilitated fraud or looked the other way while this theft was happening, if they actively prevented state and federal officials from stopping fraud and bringing fraudsters to justice, or if they intimidate and harassed whistleblowers who courageously tried to shine a light on the problem, they must be held accountable,” Vance wrote to McDonald. 
The Trump administration has focused on Minnesota in its anti-fraud crackdown. The White House shut down federal assistance payments to the state after independent journalist Nick Shirley published multiple videos showing apparent widespread fraud at so-called daycare centers. 
The administration is also taking action in Vance’s home state of Ohio after The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/medicaid-millionaires">reported</a> on Ohio’s administration of funds to questionable businesses that claim to administer home healthcare.

Menu