Star Tribune
Minnesota Secretary of State’s office evacuated over mysterious package
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon’s office was evacuated Friday after receiving a mysterious package with the return address of “United States Traitor Elimination Army.”
In a written release, Simon’s office said a similar package had previously been sent to several elections offices throughout the country. The FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Minnesota State Patrol were investigating the package that arrived at the Minnesota office, according to Simon’s spokeswoman Cassondra Knudson.
“Not fun, but we’ll get past this,” Simon said in a text message.
The package was addressed to the office. The news release provided no additional information about its size or appearance, but last week offices in 15 other states received similar packages containing a mysterious white powder. Those remain under investigation.
In a written statement, Simon said that threatening election officials is unacceptable and can’t be tolerated.
“Our democracy depends on public servants who must be able to perform their duties free from fear, intimidation, or harassment,” he said. “This action is not deterring our work or determination to deliver another election that is free, fair, accurate, and secure.”
The package came during a tense presidential campaign season. Former President Donald Trump and his supporters have continued to claim without evidence that the 2020 election was stolen from him. Trump has yet to commit to accepting the results of the 2024 election.
In his capacity as the president of the National Association of Secretaries of State, Simon sent a letter on Sept. 17 raising awareness of threats to election officials. He sent the letter after officials elsewhere received the packages.
Star Tribune
North Dakota regulators consider underground carbon dioxide storage permits for Midwest pipeline
Carbon capture projects such as Summit’s are eligible for lucrative federal tax credits intended to encourage cleaner-burning ethanol and potentially result in corn-based ethanol being refined into jet fuel.
Some opponents argue the amount of greenhouse gases sequestered through the process would make little difference and could lead farmers to grow more corn despite environmental concerns about the crop.
In Minnesota, utility regulators were expected to decide Thursday whether to grant a route permit for a small part of the overall project, a 28-mile (45-kilometer) segment that would connect an ethanol plant in Fergus Falls to Summit’s broader network.
An administrative law judge who conducted hearings recommended in November that the Public Utilities Commission grant the permit, saying the panel lacks the legal authority to reject it. The judge concluded that the environmental impacts from the Minnesota segment would be minimal, that the environmental review met the legal requirements, and noted that Summit has secured agreements from landowners along most of the recommended route. Commission staff, the state Department of Commerce and Summit largely concurred with those findings.
Environmental groups that oppose the project dispute the judge’s finding that the project would have a net benefit for the environment.
In addition to North Dakota, Summit has a permit from Iowa for its route, but regulators for that state required the company to obtain approvals for routes in the Dakotas and underground storage in North Dakota before it can begin construction. The Iowa Utilities Commission’s approval sparked lawsuits related to the project.
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“You’ve got to be able to say, ‘Here’s how much we want to spend, and here’s what we want the impact to be,’” Carter said.
During the council meeting, Johnson, the Ward 7 council member, alluded to those statements, saying people have used such language to try to discredit women in leadership, especially young women. This is the first budget from St. Paul’s new all-women council.
Staff writer James Walsh contributed to this report.
