Capitol View: April 3, 2012 Archive

The Daily Digest

Posted at 6:30 AM on April 3, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Daily Digest

Welcome to the Daily Digest where the Vikings deal hits another snag, MPR profiles Klobuchar as she faces her first re-election, and there are three primaries today.

Around Minnesota

Gov. Mark Dayton threw cold water on a newly hatched plan to pay for the Vikings stadium, saying one part is illegal under federal law.

Here's more on tipboards, the component of the proposal Dayton has concerns about.

Still, the plan won approval in a Minnesota House committee, the first time the Vikings have formally cleared a legislative hurdle.

Dayton is scheduled to meet with Representative Morrie Lanning, who is sponsoring a separate Vikings stadium plan. He is also scheduled to meet with Congressman Tim Walz.

A conference committee reached a deal on the final voter ID bill language. Now both chambers have to pass it.

Voter ID supporters and opponents traded barbs.

The Minnesota Daily profiles former UMN Regent and current Senate GOP spokesman Steve Sviggum.

Steele County is the healthiest in Minnesota; Cass County comes in last.

A program that gives federal tax credits to investors who build homes on the White Earth Indian Reservation will make an important dent in the chronic housing shortage there.

In Washington

The General Services Administration finds itself in a spending scandal.

DFL Rep. Keith Ellison is in the Middle East on a trade mission.

DFL Rep. Tim Walz will be at the White House when President Obama signs the STOCK Act.

The Supreme Court ruled that police may strip-search people arrested for any offense, the New York Times reports.

Rep. Michele Bachmann sent a Passover greeting to the pro-Israel community, the Times of Israel reports.

The White House and the F.D.A. are often at odds, the New York Times reports.

On the Minnesota Campaign Trail

Democrats and liberal groups are targeting GOP Reps. John Kline and Chip Cravaack with ads.

MPR profiles Sen. Amy Klobuchar as she faces her first re-election campaign.

On the Presidential Campaign Trail

Wisconsin, Maryland and the District of Columbia hold their primaries today.

Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum were focusing their efforts on Wisconsin Monday.

Romney links Obama's energy policies to high gas prices.

Obama's re-election campaign has a new TV ad attacking Mitt Romney as a defender of "Big Oil," ABC reports.

Romney may have the delegate lead, but Santorum has intensified his efforts to win the nomination.

Tim Pawlenty's name is among those listed as potential Romney running mates in this Washington Post article.