A teenager with a job making burritos became a powerful Minnesota lawmaker who trained service dogs
MINNEAPOLIS — Melissa Hortman' s influence at the Minnesota Capitol and her power as a Democratic leader to shape the course of a deeply divided Legislature were a far cry from her job as a teenager making chili-cheese burritos and overshadowed her volunteer work training service dogs for veterans.
She was a lifelong Minneapolis-area resident who went to college in Boston and then returned home for law school and, with degree fresh in hand, worked as a volunteer lawyer for a group fighting housing discrimination. Elected to the Minnesota House in 2004, she helped pass liberal initiatives like free lunches for pubic school students in 2023 as the chamber's speaker. With the House split 67-67 between Democrats and Republicans this year, she helped break a budget impasse threatening to shut down state government.
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Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Man suspected of shooting 2 Minnesota lawmakers caught, AP sources says
BELLE PLAINE, Minn. (AP) — The man suspected of killing a Minnesota lawmaker and wounding another has been taken into custody, two law enforcement officials said, bringing an end to a nearly two-day search that put the state on edge. Vance Boelter was arrested Sunday evening. The arrest was confirmed to The Associated Press by law enforcement officials were who were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity. Former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed in their Brooklyn Park home early Saturday in the northern Minneapolis suburbs. Sen. John Hoffman, also a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette, were injured at their Champlin home, about 9 miles (about 15 kilometers) away. Boelter was captured in Minnesota, though officials didn't immediately say where. A criminal complaint unsealed Sunday night says Boelter faces two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder in the deaths of the Hortmans and the wounding of Hoffman and his wife. The Hoffmans were attacked first at their home in Champin early Saturday. After police in nearby Brooklyn Park learned of that shooting, they sent patrol officers to check on the Hortmans' home. Brooklyn Park police officers arrived just in time to see Boelter shoot Mark Hortman through the open door of the home, the complaint says. It says they exchanged gunfire with Boelter, who fled inside the home before escaping the scene. The complaint indicates the shooting at the Hoffmans' home was called in by their adult daughter. A massive search Earlier Drew Evans, superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said authorities found a car very early Sunday they believed Boelter was using, a few miles from his home in Green Isle, in the farm country about an hour west of Minneapolis. He also said they found evidence in the car that was relevant to the investigation, but did not provide details. Authorities named Boelter, 57, as a suspect, saying he wore a mask as he posed as a police officer, even allegedly altering a vehicle to make it look like a police car. Evens confirmed that investigators found a cowboy hat near the vehicle and believe it belonged to Boelter. The superintendent also said authorities interviewed Boelter's wife and other family members in connection with Saturday's shootings. He said they were cooperative and were not in custody. The FBI had issued a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction. More than 100 law enforcement officers including SWAT teams were searching the area, including nearby homes, Evans said. He also said they had received more than 400 tips from the public. The earlier search happened in rural Sibley County, roughly 50 miles (80 kilometers) southwest of Minneapolis, where Boelter had a home with his wife and five children. Residents in the area received an emergency alert about the located vehicle that warned them to lock their doors and cars. The shootings come as political leaders nationwide have been attacked, harassed and intimidated amid deep political divisions. Lawmakers said they were disturbed by the attacks as Twin Cities residents mourned. Brightly colored flowers and small American flags were placed Sunday on the gray marbled stone of the Minnesota State Capitol along with a photo of the Hortmans. People scrawled messages on small notes including, 'You were our leader through the hardest of times. Rest in Power.' Pam Stein came with flowers and kneeled by the memorial. An emotional Stein called Hortman an 'absolute powerhouse' and 'the real unsung hero of Minnesota government.' No details on motive Authorities have not yet given details on a motive. A list of about 70 names was found in writings recovered from the fake police vehicle that was left at the crime scene, the officials said. The writings and list of names included prominent state and federal lawmakers and community leaders, along with abortion rights advocates and information about healthcare facilities, according to the officials. Evans clarified that while he described the materials on Saturday as a 'manifesto,' the papers were not a political or ideological treatise. He said it was more of a notebook, listing lawmakers and other people, with various thoughts mixed in. He declined to give details. A Minnesota official told AP lawmakers who had been outspoken in favor of abortion rights were on the list. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing. The attacks prompted warnings to other state elected officials and the cancellation of planned 'No Kings' demonstrations against President Donald Trump, though some went ahead anyway, including one that drew tens of thousands to the State Capitol in St. Paul. Authorities said the suspect had 'No Kings' flyers in his car. Boelter is a former political appointee who served on the same state workforce development board as Hoffman, records show, though it was not clear if or how well they knew each other. Around 6 a.m. Saturday, Boelter texted friends to apologize for his actions, though he didn't say what he had done. 'I'm going to be gone for a while. May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn't gone this way. … I'm sorry for all the trouble this has caused," he wrote in messages viewed by AP. Two Democrats targeted On Sunday evening, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar shared a statement from Yvette Hoffman expressing appreciation for the outpouring of public support. 'John is enduring many surgeries right now and is closer every hour to being out of the woods,' Yvette Hoffman said in a text that Klobuchar posted on social media. 'He took 9 bullet hits. I took 8 and we are both incredibly lucky to be alive. We are gutted and devastated by the loss of Melissa and Mark.' On social media, Gov. Tim Walz remembered Hortman on Sunday as, 'The most consequential Speaker in state history.' Hortman, 55, had been the top Democratic leader in the state House since 2017. She led Democrats in a three-week walkout at the beginning of this year's session in a power struggle with Republicans. Under a power-sharing agreement, she turned the gavel over to Republican Rep. Lisa Demuth and assumed the title speaker emerita. Hortman used her position as speaker in 2023 to champion expanded protections for abortion rights, including legislation to solidify Minnesota's status as a refuge for patients from restrictive states who travel to the state to seek abortions — and to protect providers who serve them. The couple had an adult son and an adult daughter. Hoffman, 60, was first elected in 2012 and was chair of the Senate Human Services Committee, which oversees one of the biggest parts of the state budget. He and his wife have one adult daughter. ___ Karnowski reported from Minneapolis, and Balsamo and Durkin Richer reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Michael Biesecker in Washington; Jim Mustian in New York; Sophia Tareen in Chicago and Makiya Seminera in Raleigh, N.C., contributed.
CBS News
20 minutes ago
- CBS News
State Department cable instructs embassies worldwide to relay U.S. is "not involved" in "unilateral" Israeli strikes on Iran
The U.S. State Department has issued a directive to all of its embassies and consular posts to, "at their discretion," relay or reiterate to their host governments that the United States "is not involved in Israel's unilateral action against targets in Iran and did not provide tanker support," according to a source familiar with its contents. In a communication known as an ALDAC cable — referring to All Diplomatic and Consular Posts — that the source described to CBS News, the department also noted that the United States "remains committed to a diplomatic resolution to the Iran nuclear issue." The cable stressed embassies should communicate to their international counterparts that the "safety and security of all American citizens remains the top priority for the U.S. government," and that "no government, proxy or independent actor should target American citizens, bases, or infrastructure," also adding, "Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon." "The U.S. military remains in a defensive posture to protect U.S. personnel, forces, and infrastructure in the region and to minimize casualties, particularly amid the persistent threat posed by Iranian ballistic missiles," excerpts of the cable said, according to the source. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The internal directive comes amid intensifying waves of assaults by Israel and Iran, whose capital city of Tehran was bombarded on Sunday as the fighting began entering a fourth day. More than 220 Iranians and at least 14 Israelis have been killed in the clashes since they began, according to local authorities. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that the United States "is a partner in these attacks and must take responsibility." In a security alert issued Sunday, the U.S. State Department announced that its embassies and consulates in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv would remain closed on Monday, in compliance with Israel Home Front Command Guidance. It urged all U.S. government employees and their family members to continue sheltering in place until further notice. Asked as he was departing Washington, D.C., for the Group of 7, or G7, Summit in Canada how the U.S. was working to de-escalate the conflict, President Trump told reporters on Sunday, "I think it's time for a deal, and we'll see what happens." He said the U.S. would continue to support Israel in its defense, with American officials confirming military forces have been operating by land, sea and air to intercept Iranian missiles. In an earlier social media post, Mr. Trump said if U.S. interests were attacked by Iran, "the full strength and might of the U.S. Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before." Mr. Trump's statements came as previously announced nuclear talks between the United States and Iran were called off. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff had been slated to travel to Oman on Sunday for a sixth round of direct and indirect negotiations. Iran told mediators in Qatar and Oman it would not negotiate "while under attack," a source with knowledge of the communication told CBS News. —Claire Day contributed reporting
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Early voting election guide, key dates, hours
The Brief Early voting in the 2025 New York City primary elections is already showing strong participation across all five boroughs. NYC uses ranked choice voting: You can rank up to five candidates instead of picking just one. Primary Day is June 24: Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. with early voting running daily until June 22. NEW YORK CITY - Early voting in the 2025 New York City primary elections is already showing strong participation across all five boroughs. According to unofficial data from the NYC Board of Elections, as of the close of polls on day two (Sunday) of early voting, a total of 66,361 voters had checked in. Skip to: How to vote | Key dates | Ranked choice | Results The breakdown by borough is as follows: Manhattan 21,565 Brooklyn 23,637 Queens 13,823. The Bronx 5,170. Staten Island 2,166 These numbers reflect cumulative check-ins and underscore the critical role early voting plays in the city's election process. Here's everything you need to know about voting in New York City this election cycle. You can vote in person during early voting or on Primary Day. You can also vote by absentee ballot. Absentee ballots must be postmarked by June 24 and received by July 1. June 22: Last day to vote early. June 23: Final day to register to vote in person at your local board of elections. June 24: Primary Election Day. Polls open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Vote at your assigned site. This is also the deadline to return early voting or absentee ballots. Mail ballots must be postmarked by June 24. You can check your registration status or register to vote online here. To find your local poll site, click here. Saturday, June 14: 9 a.m. to 5 June 15: 9 a.m. to 5 June 16: 9 a.m. to 5 June 17: 10 a.m. to 8 June 18: 10 a.m. to 8 June 19: 9 a.m. to 5 June 20: 8 a.m. to 4 June 21: 9 a.m. to 5 June 22: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ranked choice voting is used in primary and special elections for mayor, public advocate, comptroller, borough president and City Council. Voters approved this system in 2019. Here's how it works You can rank up to five candidates in order of preference. Your first-choice vote is counted first. If a candidate gets more than 50 percent of first-choice votes, they win. If no one reaches that threshold, the last-place candidate is eliminated and those votes are redistributed to the next highest-ranked candidate on each ballot. This process continues until only two candidates remain and the one with the most votes wins. You may rank up to five candidates, but you are not required to rank all five. Only rank candidates you support. You can vote for just one person if you want. Do not rank the same candidate more than once. Only select one candidate per column, for first choice, second choice, and so on. For example, your first choice is your top pick. Your second choice is your backup. Then follow with third, fourth and fifth if desired. On election night, results will only show first-choice votes from early voting, in-person voting and processed absentee ballots. Preliminary ranked choice tabulations will be released one week after election day. Updates will be shared weekly as absentees, affidavits and cured ballots are counted. Final results will be certified after all ballots have been processed. The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 4, this year. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Early voting runs from Oct. 25 through Nov. 2. Saturday, Oct. 25, is the last day to register to vote in person. Mail-in registration applications must also be received by Oct. 25. Make sure to register on time, know your polling location and understand how your ballot works.
