Capitol View for December 14

Good morning. The nation’s first president died 224 years ago today.

Impeachment inquiries, once rare, are now almost a fixture of Washington. Republicans moved yesterday to formalize their probe into President Joe Biden over allegations stemming from business dealings of his son, Hunter. Republicans have said the elder Biden had a role in some of his son’s ventures, although the evidence made public so far hasn’t backed that up. The vote to open an impeachment inquiry, which could result in more subpoenas and give the U.S. House access to more records, came on a party-line vote. Some Republicans have used the Democratic efforts to twice impeach then-President Donald Trump as justification for moving ahead. Democrats see it as a revenge-motivated act to give Trump ammunition in the potential White House rematch. More from NPR here.

The impeachment inquiry vote put Minnesota House members in partisan camps. Voting for it were Republicans Tom Emmer, Brad Finstad, Michelle Fischbach and Pete Stauber. Opposed were Democrats Angie Craig, Betty McCollum, Ilhan Omar and Dean Phillips. See the roll call.

A 2024 campaign well under way will soon be officially in motion when primaries begin in January. Iowa and New Hampshire are again at the head of the Republican pack; Democrats formally start in South Carolina, though shadow efforts are in play in the traditional early states. Minnesota takes its turn on Super Tuesday in March, but early voting gives access to ballots on Jan. 19. Those ballots are now set, as MPR’s Dana Ferguson writes . The DFL has nine candidates and two bailout options on its ballot; Republicans have five candidates and a write-in line.

A closely watched education lawsuit will go on after the Minnesota Supreme Court decided one of the issues at hand. MPR’s Elizabeth Shockman reports that a split court ruled yesterday that racial imbalances alone don’t violate Minnesota’s Constitution when it comes to school makeup. A majority on the court said “the parents must prove that the racial imbalances are a substantial factor in causing an inadequate education.” The ruling could increase the burden on families suing the state and other parties claiming inequality in opportunity. But plaintiffs' attorneys say there’s an upside because the ruling leaves core issues in the mix for a district court. The Supreme Court decision was 5-1, with one new justice not participating; Chief Justice Natalie Hudson was alone with a blistering dissent, writing “a confluence of public and private forces have kept the ugly heritage of segregation alive.”

Minnesota’s U.S. senators remain locked in a dispute with the Postal Service over carrier allegations that they’re being overworked and being told to prioritize private package delivery over standard mail. The postal service denies such protocol is in place. MPR’s Mark Zdechlik had interviews with two Minnesota carriers, who sought anonymity to avoid retaliation, about what it’s like on the ground. “Most of my concerns are just prioritization of parcels over mail. The mail is second rate,” one said. The U.S. Postal Service acknowledges it hasn’t yet reached employment levels it wants for a peak time, but pushed back against the portrayals. Congressional action is possible given that a Republican in the delegation, Pete Stauber, has joined Democratic Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith as well as DFL Rep. Angie Craig in voicing frustration.

Interest rates will stay at their current rates for now — and could fall in 2024. NPR’s Scott Horsely notes that’s a marked shift from the Federal Reserve, which has used interest rate bumps in a bid to tame inflation. The higher interest rates are good for savers, but bad for people who borrow to buy cars, houses or other financed purchases. The new tone sent Wall Street stocks higher, but officials warned it could be some time before the impact trickles down to main street.