Sorry, Rep. Engen’s Apparent DUI Arrest Is Hilarious for at Least 5 Reasons

Welcome back to The Flyover, your daily digest of important, overlooked, and/or interesting Minnesota news stories.

Rep. Elliott Engen Becomes MN's First Gen Z Lawmaker to (Allegedly) Get Busted for Drunk Driving

We first became aware of Rep. Elliott Engen (R-Lino Lakes) via this 2023 MPR News puff piece about his being the first Gen Z Republican elected to the Minnesota Legislature. The credulity-oozing story included lines like, "Bringing people together and being responsive to constituents is at the heart Engen’s approach to his job." In reality, Engen, who's now running for state auditor, has governed like a sneering, sniveling MAGA twerp. His specialty is the type of bottom-feeding, reactionary, governing-by-meme sort of culture-war posturing you'd expect from someone who founded Hamline University's Turning Point USA chapter.

Oh yeah, he also was arrested on suspicion of DWI early Friday in White Bear Township. Engen registered a blood alcohol content of 0.13 after being arrested by the White Bear Lake Police Department a little before 2 a.m. He'd allegedly been speeding with expired tabs and a busted headlight; he was booked into Ramsey County Jail at 4:42 a.m., and was released less than two hours later.

This is all funny for several reasons.

• Engen, 27, was reportedly spotted drinking Thursday afternoon with Rep. Walter Hudson (R-Albertville)—allegedly after bailing on a House Education Finance Committee, and before returning to work to vote against gun control measures.
• Last fall Engen accused the DFL of "driving drunk at the wheel in protecting taxpayer dollars from systemic fraud," a snippy tweet reference to his opponent in the state auditor race, Dan Wolgamott (DFL-St. Cloud), who was arrested for DUI in 2023.
• In 2024 he purposed the "Mitchell Act," a bill that would've nixed “compensation, mileage, or per diem living expenses during any period in which [a member of the legislature] is incarcerated in a local, state or federal correctional facility.” It was a snotty reference to legally embattled former state Sen. Nicole Mitchell (DFL-Woodbury).
• Engen's lawyer, former Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Madel, tells Alpha News that his client actually blew .098 and .092, both of which… remain well above the legal limit of .08. Bewildering legal flex.
• Engen is anti-public transit.

Get your bus fare ready, buddy.

U.S. Rep. Angie Craig IS a Crypto Champion!

At least, that is what the above NFT, on display last night at a Washington, D.C., party, proclaims. That “A” in the upper right-hand corner isn’t for “Angie,” it’s actually her Stand With Crypto rating. The nonprofit, which advocates for pro-crypto policies, gave Craig its highest rating, making her the only Minnesota DFL'er with a top score (most non-GOP reps scored an “F” or an “N/A”). 

Craig, who is running for U.S. Sen. Tina Smith’s (DFL-MN) seat when she retires in November, has been a crypto champion for at least a few years. Back in September, she attended a GOP-heavy tech conference where she told audiences that crypto, the preferred currency of money launderers and human traffickers, should be “apolitical.” And yet, it’s not. Pro-crypto groups are some of the biggest campaign financers, both local and national. Craig should know; crypto Super PAC Fairshake spent over $1 million on her 2024 U.S. House campaign.

What’s Next for Immigrants Rights in MN?

At Sahan Journal, Nicolas Scibelli spoke to immigrant rights advocates about what happens next. As you might expect, many are focused on countering the economic devastation from the ICE occupation, and the continuing federal presence in Minnesota.

“This has been happening before they sent thousands of agents to our state,” says Kevin Huynh, organizing director of immigrant rights group Minnesota 8. “It was like this time last year.” Erika Zurawski, an organizer from the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, says policy advocacy is back on the table now, and poses a challenge to legislators: “We were on the front lines; what the hell were they doing?”

How to Help: Minnesota Dawah Institute

Speaking of which... Minnesota Dawah Institute, an Islamic community center in St. Paul, is asking for help. "The recent ICE Metro Surge operation has left many of our members fearful, impacting attendance and our ability to operate," the institute writes on GoFundMe. "We are now in urgent need of your support."

Established in 2007, Minnesota Dawah Institute provides educational, religious, and social programming for youth and adults. But they're currently two months behind on a $17,200 monthly mortgage, according to the GoFundMe, and owe more than $10,000 in electricity and water bills. They're seeking a total of $50K so they can keep the doors open and continue providing resources to the Islamic community in Minnesota.