Good morning, and happy Friday. I hope you had a good week. Here’s the Digest.
1. Peterson breaks with party on impeachment inquiry. Minnesota Democratic U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson was one of only two members of Congress to break party ranks in an impeachment inquiry vote Thursday. Peterson voted against the Democratic resolution to formalize the congressional investigation of President Trump over his dealings with Ukraine. The president is accused of holding up U.S. military aid to Ukraine as he sought an investigation into a domestic political rival. Peterson and New Jersey Democratic U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew were the only diversions from a party-line vote in which Democrats backed rules for the inquiry and Republicans opposed them. The resolution passed 232-196. Peterson represents a western Minnesota district that went heavily for Trump in the 2016 election. The 15-term congressman hasn’t said whether he’s running again but is expected to face a stiff Republican challenge if he does. Four Minnesota Democratic House members supported the resolution while the three delegation Republicans were against it. Peterson called the impeachment process, “hopelessly partisan,” adding, “I have some serious concerns with the way the closed-door depositions were run, and am skeptical that we will have a process that is open, transparent and fair. Without support from Senate Republicans, going down this path is a mistake.“ But he also noted the vote was a procedural one and said he would not make a decision on impeachment itself until all the facts are in. MPR News
2. Peterson’s stance draws criticism and praise. One of the top Republicans hoping to run against Peterson next year was quick to take issue with his vote. Former Lt. Gov. Michelle Fischbach said the whole thing shows the need for a Republican House majority. “Western Minnesotans deserve a representative who will work with President Trump and support his agenda, rather than one who enables an impeachment inquiry to remove President Trump from office,” Fischbach wrote in a statement. “Make no mistake, Collin Peterson has known since day one that Speaker Pelosi would prioritize impeaching President Trump over everything else. Peterson chose to go down this baseless impeachment path when he voted for Nancy Pelosi as speaker. Enough is enough.” On the other hand, Fischbach’s tough talk was undercut by none other than Vice President Mike Pence on Twitter. "I have some serious concerns with the way the closed-door depositions were run & am skeptical that we will have a process that is open, transparent & fair...going down this path is a mistake." Impeachment obsessed Dems should listen to Collin Peterson.https://t.co/cN7xpRYUuU — Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) October 31, 2019 3. Republican presidential primary voters won’t have a choice in Minnesota. President Trump is the only Republican candidate who will appear on Minnesota’s presidential primary ballot. The state Republican Party submitted his name to the Secretary of State’s office last week. The state’s primary law gives the major political parties the power to designate who will appear on the ballot. “President Trump is extremely popular in Minnesota and my job as Chairwoman is to make sure we deliver our 10 electoral votes to the President on November 3, 2020,” Republican Party Chair Jennifer Carnahan said in a written statement. The law says changes aren’t allowed after a slate is submitted. Trump does have primary rivals who have served in high office. They include former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld and former U.S. Reps. Mark Sanford of South Carolina and Joe Walsh of Illinois. Sanford called the party’s decision anti-democratic. “We don’t want to be taking our electoral cues from North Korea. It makes us weaker as a party,” he said in an interview. “But most of all it is telling in terms of what the Trump campaign is looking at internally in looking on trying to avoid contest of ideas in a variety of states across the country.” MPR News
4. Company wants to ship water south. A Lakeville-based railroad company has filed a preliminary application with the state to drill two wells in Dakota County that would produce 500 million gallons of water a year to be shipped by rail to the drought-ridden Southwest. The proposal is the first of its kind for Minnesota and could set a precedent for the state, sources said. “This request represents a new kind of water use in the state of Minnesota,” said Georg Fischer, the county’s environmental resources director, in an e-mail this week to the Dakota County Board. Valerie Grover, groundwater protection supervisor for Dakota County, said that when she recently learned about the proposal at a conference, “It made my jaw drop.” Whether such a project would be allowed comes down to state statutes, which officials are looking at now, he said. The application worries at least one Dakota County leader, who says the region already has impending water quantity issues. “I have deep concerns about it, especially since we have our own water quantity issues emerging,” Commissioner Joe Atkins said. “We’re drawing down our aquifer as it is and then we have this application, which is unprecedented in Minnesota history.” The Dakota County cities of Inver Grove Heights, Eagan and Apple Valley are poised to tap more than 50 percent of their aquifers in the coming two decades, he said. Star Tribune
5. 3.2 down to 1. With Minnesota soon to be the last state in the country to cap alcohol concentration at 3.2 percent for beer sold in gas stations and supermarkets, state Sen. Karin Housley, R-St. Marys Point, says the state's liquor laws "still reflect the era of Prohibition." A new Utah law takes effect today to lift their ABV requirements. Minnesota will be the final state in the country to cap gas station- and supermarket-sold beer at 3.2 percent. Housley, the vice chair of the state Senate's Commerce and Consumer Protection Finance and Policy Committee, said in a Thursday news release that brewers are producing less of the lower-alcohol product because its profits are lower, "making the product difficult — if not impossible — for businesses to carry." “It won’t be long before the market demands we bring our laws in line with the rest of the nation," Housley said, pledging to push legislation in January to "modernize our state’s antiquated liquor laws." “Minnesota has a world class craft brewing scene and a booming market," she said. "We should be encouraging growth in that area, not stifling it. I’m looking forward to having a robust debate on this issue during the upcoming legislative session.” Inforum
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