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How War Is Big Business in MN
She voted against the Iraq War in 2002 and to end the ongoing war in Iran in 2026, but U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum (DFL-MN) also wields a lot of influence on where and how U.S. defense funds are spent. Documents and data recently obtained by the Star Tribune outline how McCollum has directed “hundreds of millions of Pentagon dollars to Minnesota companies” developing war-friendly tech like hypersonic weapons, AI-powered drones, and military textiles.
Teaming up with McCollum's former chief of staff Bill Harper, now a congressional defense lobbyist for North Wind, has also proven fortuitous for the state. In 2024 North Wind received nearly $100 million from the U.S. Army to develop the Minnesota Aerospace Complex. A year later Harper launched the Minnesota National Security Ecosystem, a trade nonprofit that hosts the Minnesota leg of the Defense Innovation OnRamp Hub, giving local companies and institutions easier access to the U.S. Department of War.
Supporting local war merchants is also good business for McCollum. “During her initial Congressional campaign in 2000, McCollum received $400 from the defense industry,” Strib reporters Anshu Patel and Emilie Munson write. “This campaign cycle, she has received more than $220,000.”
Logically, none of this should come as a surprise: McCollum is the lead Democrat on the House Appropriations defense subcommittee. Still, the Minnesota chapter of Veterans for Peace has called it “a betrayal of the people of Minnesota.”
“Kinda Chic to Be on That List”
That’s Marcia Howard’s response to her labor union, the Minneapolis Federation of Educators Local 59, making it into the Department of Home Security’s surveillance report, the details of which came to light last week via court docs filed by defense attorneys for the 15 Minnesotans facing trial for Operation Metro Surge resistance. The list of 19 organizations (see it here in PowerPoint form) includes the MN AFL-CIO, the Grease Pit bike repair shop, Veterans for Peace, and Left Jab, the latter of which is a queer-friendly group that teaches mixed martial arts classes.
Now, writes Madison McVan at the Minnesota Reformer, many of these orgs are speaking out and protesting—not just against ICE but against its level of surveillance, which included agents infiltrating meetings, online communities, and attending info-sharing sessions (sounds like the lamest episode of The Americans ever). “These shams of political investigations—these are just acts of retribution and intimidation,” says Rev. Jennifer Crow, a senior minister at the ICE-infiltrated First Universalist Church of Minneapolis.
“Instead of holding federal agents accountable for killing Renee Good and our union brother Alex Pretti, the Trump administration continues to weaponize the federal government against unions, communities, and anyone who peacefully opposes its agenda,” MN AFL-CIO President Bernie Burnham says in a statement. “Minnesota’s labor movement stood with our immigrant union members and neighbors because that is what solidarity requires.”
Teens Goofed Responsibly
Last Saturday, at around 1:30 a.m., a masked group of four convened in a suburban driveway, papering a black sedan with images of a hand flipping the bird. The car belongs to Blaine City Council Member Leslie Larson, a Republican who is currently running for the Minnesota House. So she was quick to get the police and public at large on the case.
“Here was my car this morning in our driveway. If anyone has any information that can assist in finding who vandalized my car, please share,” she writes via Facebook. “It is very disturbing and we would like them found.”
“This is so unacceptable. I urge @MNfromMN & the @mnhouseDFL to tell their supporters to stop this criminal behavior,” writes state Rep. Harry Niska (R-Ramsey) on socials.
While it may be "disturbing," in most cases Scotch-taping paper to a car isn't criminal. Blaine PD concluded as much.
“It was determined that the incident was not related to City Council Member and State Representative candidate Leslie Larson’s political campaign,” Deputy Chief Joe Gerhard tells KSTP, referring to the incident as “juvenile activity” that is “no longer under investigation and is considered closed.”
Happy Birthday Racket!
On this day in 2021, Racket launched with a feature story about spending 24 hours in Uptown. We sought to determine whether or not the neighborhood was dead (it wasn't). Five years later, we’re still asking that same question and more. Since kicking off, we’ve won journalism awards, traveled far and wide, tackled political issues big and small, and ranked all kinds of things, including local pizza chains, Dairy Queens, grocery store rotisserie chickens, and hummus bowls at Baba’s.
Because of you, dear reader, I tried Taco Bell for the first time—I liked it!
We’re living the dream as a financially sustainable company, and it’s all because of you. So I just want to close out today’s Flyover with a big ol’ e-hug and a super big thanks. We literally could not have done it for half a decade without you.
Also, if you are socially inclined, stop by Arbeiter Brewing in Minneapolis next Friday, August 28, where we’ll be celebrating our anniversary and first-ever book release. It’s the day after our annual State Fair food review marathon, so please don’t judge us if we’re a little sunburned and salt bloated.
