Welcome back to The Flyover, your daily midday digest of what local media outlets and Twitter-ers are gabbing about.
Tucker Carlson Bullies Tom Emmer
Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) has got himself caught up in a very dumb bit of GOP infighting with Fox’s Tucker Carlson, all regarding Tucker’s stupidly named adult child Buckley. Carlson was angry that a Daily Beast story about Indiana congressman Jim Banks, who is likely to challenge Emmer for the position of House Republican whip, said this: "Deep down, [Banks] dies to be liked by the Establishment. He hires Tucker Carlson's son, a 25-year-old kid, to be his communications director." To prove there was no nepotism involved, Carlson did a quick nepotism, calling Emmer and demanding to know if his office was the source of the quote. Emmer denied any involvement, but Carlson was not placated. Who cares about this shit? Well, apparently Donald Trump Jr. and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) do, because now Buckley is the latest MAGA cause célèbre. May these awful people continue to make each other miserable in perpetuity.
No Guns in the Corn Pit!
The corn pit is a fun, traditional fall pastime, or what the Strib refers to somewhat excessively as an “autumnal amusement attraction.” The whole family can enjoy the experience, and, what’s more, apparently it’s OK to bring your gun along. It’s even OK to fire your gun, as long as you don’t mean to. That’s what some dumbass from Circle Pines did this weekend in Brooklyn Park, accidentally shooting himself in the process. Investigators said the man had a permit to carry, and so he hadn’t broken any laws. As a “victim” (of… shooting himself?) his name will not be made public, and the incident "does not affect his permit to carry.” Seems like a very reasonable response to a man who endangers children by questionable gun safety. And remember: Common sense advocate Kid Rock implored us to "get in the pit and try to love someone"—not shoot anyone.
That’s Not the Attorney General’s Job, GOP Candidate
Like every other Republican running for office this fall, AG nominee Jim Schultz is going on about how tough he'll be on crime. And he has a plan! But whether or not his plan is feasible–or even legal–is in question. If elected, Schultz says he would take over cases generally handled by the Hennepin County Attorney. He also wants to play fast and loose with Minnesota’s RICO law, which is generally used to take down major mafia heads, not small-time gang members. Critics believe that taking on more cases would overwork the department, and employing RICO would overcomplicate an already slow legal process. “He doesn’t understand anything,” incumbent AG Keith Ellison tells MinnPost. “No AG has ever done what he’s proposing.” He’s not the first candidate to propose expanding AG’s criminal division. Ellison has tried to add more full-time prosecutors since getting elected in 2018, but he was denied money three times from the split legislature. This year, he tried to secure funds to add seven full-time employees using some of the state’s massive surplus; that money was never put to any use. Meanwhile, Schultz is looking to turn that two-attorney department into a staff of 36, much to the hooting approval of MAGA exurbanites who consider Minneapolis a warzone.
Watch a Historic N. Loop Building Scoot Down the Block
Historically, Minneapolis has not been kind to its buildings. Just look at the regrettable history of the Gateway District, where neoclassical parks, architecturally significant marvels, and charming brownstones were leveled for parking lots and lifeless towers. Thankfully, the West Hotel development in North Loop went to great lengths to preserve a 100-plus-year-old blacksmith shop over the weekend. In a time-lapse video, crews cart the two-story brick building around the block to First Street North like it’s a dang Tetris piece! It's a whole lotta fun to watch. When completed next fall, the West Hotel project will include a rooftop bar, event space, bakery, restaurant, and basement bar, according to the North Loop Neighborhood Association. Developers want it to become "North Loop's living room," whatever that means. At the base of the project: The Commutator Building at 125 N. First St. N., which opened in 1884 as a hotel before becoming a foundry.
