>> ERIC: SESSION IS COMING TO AN END AS LAWMAKERS LOOK TO SCURRY TO THE FINISH LINE.

BILLS WITH BIPARTISAN BACKING ADVANCED, BUT THERE IS STILL PLENTY OF DISAGREEMENT.

OUR PANEL THIS WEEK KNOWS A BIT ABOUT DISAGREEING.

LET'S SEE IF THEY CAN FIND SOME HARMONY.

SOME PEACE IN THE VALLEY.

REPUBLICANS UP FIRST.

PAT GAROFALO IS A FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE MINNESOTA GROCERS ASSOCIATION.

EMILY NOVOTNY CHANCE IS A FORMER WHITE HOUSE INTERN AND LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT IN THE STATE SENATE.

SHE IS THE YOUNGEST NATIONAL REPUBLICAN COMMITTEEWOMAN IN THE COUNTRY.

DFLERS HERE TONIGHT: KARLA BIGHAM IS A FORMER STATE LAWMAKER WHO SERVED IN BOTH LEGISLATIVE CHAMBERS.

SHE'S NOW A WASHINGTON COUNTY COMMISSIONER.

JAVIER MORILLO IS A LONGTIME UNION AND PARTY ACTIVIST AND A FORMER NATIONAL COMMITTEEMAN FOR THE DNC.

REPRESENTATIVE GAROFALO, EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED TO EVERYTHING ELSE THIS TIME OF YEAR.

AND I WONDER, IN A DIVIDED HOUSE, WITH A TIE, HOW DO THEY SORT OUT WHAT -- WHO WANTS WHAT AND THE BONDING BILL NEEDS BIPARTISAN VOTES.

WHERE ARE WE HERE?

>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, ERIC, CATHY, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON.

APPRECIATE IT.

>> Eric: DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOU.

>> I THINK WHAT'S DIFFERENT THIS YEAR, THERE'S A STATE COURSE CASE HANGING OUT THERE SAYING YOU CAN'T PUT EVERYTHING INTO ONE GIANT GARBAGE BILL.

THEY SHOT ACROSS THE BOW AND SAID YOU CAN'T DO THIS.

WE'RE SEEING INDIVIDUAL BILLS PROGRESSING WHICH IS A POSITIVE TREND THAT I HOPE CONTINUES GOING FORWARD.

BUT IF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TRY TO PRACTICE THE OLD WAYS OF DOING THINGS OF SAYING WE'RE NOT GOING TO AGREE TO ANYTHING UNTIL WE AGREE TO EVERYTHING.

THANK GOODNESS FOR DIVIDED GOVERNMENT.

THANK GOODNESS.

WE HAVE THE HOUSE STICKING IN THERE SAYING, HEY, WE GOT TO KEEP THESE THINGS INDIVIDUAL AND EPARATE.

CERTAINLY THERE'LL BE SOME HORSE RADING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.

BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE CONTINGENT IF PEOPLE INSIST ON DOING THINGS THE OLD WAY.

>> I THINK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PROBABLY DO ABOUT THREE, MAYBE FOUR BIGGER THINGS YET.

I THINK YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH HC BHSK HC BHCM AND I THINK THERE'S COLLABORATION AROUND THAT.

I'M FEARFUL IT'S GOING TO BE A ONE-TIME APPROPRIATION AND THAT WILL HURT WITH RETENTION AND RECRUITING FOR HCMC.

AND THEN ONCE THE BONDING BILL.

THAT I BELIEVE WILL GET DONE.

I THINK THEY JUST NEED A TARGET.

BUT IT MIGHT BE ONE OF THOSE -- WE'RE OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER THIS, THAT THE BILL GETS POSTED AT 11:00 AND YOU'RE EXPECTED TO VOTE ON IT BEFORE MIDNIGHT ON SUNDAY.

AND THEN I THINK THE MODERNIZATION FOR THE COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT COUNTIES USE AND THAT HAS TO INTERFACE WITH THE STATE WILL ALSO BE TAKEN CARE OF.

>> Eric: WHAT DO REPUBLICANS HOPE TO GET OUT OF THE LAST TEN DAYS HERE?

>> I THINK SCHOOL SAFETY IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE A TOP PRIORITY.

RIGHT NOW THEY'RE TRYING TO PUSH A BIG APITOL SECURITY PROJECT.

IF WE CAN'T TAKE CARE OF STUDENTS AND CHILDREN ACROSS MINNESOTA, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A BIG STICKING POINT FOR REPUBLICANS WHEN THEY COME TO THE NEGOTIATION TABLING.

>> Eric: WHAT ARE THE DEMOCRATS LOOKING FOR?

DO THEY HAVE TO FIND SOMETHING THE REPUBLICANS WANT?

WHAT'S THE STRATEGY?

>> OU KNOW, THIS IS THE TIME OF HE YEAR WHEN UNFORTUNATELY, LIKE, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THE STRATEGY ARE ALL IN -- I HOPE IN A ROOM RIGHT NOW.

FIGURING THINGS OUT.

AND YOU TALKED TO OTHER LEGISLATORS, THEY'RE ACTUALLY FRUSTRATED AND CRANKY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT INVOLVED AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

SO I THINK, LIKE, AS PAT SAID, THIS, YOU KNOW, PUSHING TO HAVE INDIVIDUAL BILLS WILL BE A BETTER THING.

WOULD BE BETTER THING.

BUT IT DOES SEEM LIKE RIGHT NOW THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A GLOBAL PACKAGE.

>> Cathy: GETTING BACK TO THE BONDING BILL FOR JUST A SECOND.

SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, IS THE IDEA TO FIX UP THE GRAND CASINO ARENA?

IS THAT DEAD AT THIS POINT?

IS THERE NY OTHER MONEY FLOATING AROUND FOR ROY WILKINS?

>> FIRST OF ALL, IT'S SOMETHING THAT -- EASY FOR ME TO SAY, NOT AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, NEVER STANDING FOR OFFICE AGAIN, HA-HA, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT THING.

ST.

PAUL IS TEETERING RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAPPEN.

BUT VERY EARLY ON IN SESSION WHEN THE GOVERNOR WAS ASKED ABOUT IT, IT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT HE WASN'T GOING TO EXPEND A LOT OF POLITICAL CAPITAL ON IT AND CANDIDLY WHETHER IT'S A VIKINGS STADIUM, C.H.S.

FIELD, ANY SORT OF BIG PROJECT LIKE THAT, YOU NEED TO HAVE GUBERNATORIAL LEADERSHIP IN THERE, AT LEAST SETTING UP A PATH OF EXPECTATION.

>> Eric: A SAW A NATIONAL STORY THIS WEEK THAT I WANTED YOU TO COMMENT ON, AND THAT IS - >> HERE WE GO.

>> Eric: IN SOME STATES THE CONSERVATIVES OR REPUBLICANS ARE GETTING UP ON THE FLOOR OF THEIR LEGISLATURES AND SAYING WE DON'T WANT TO BECOME ANOTHER MINNESOTA!

WHAT'S THAT DO FOR THE BRAND?

>> YOU SEE WE HAVE HISTORIC FRAUD HAPPENING IN THIS STATE AND WASTE AND ABUSE.

WHO WOULD WANT TO BE LIKE US?

I WOULDN'T WANT TO BE.

THE TAXES ARE GROWING.

IT'S UNAFFORDABLE TO LIVE HERE.

I THINK THAT'S A SENTIMENT EVERYONE SHARES.

>> WE HAVE A GREAT QUALITY OF LIFE AND PEOPLE ARE MOVING TO MINNESOTA.

AND THAT'S A FANTASTIC THING.

THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO, LIKE, LOOK TO MINNESOTA.

AND LOOK TO MINNESOTA AS A BEACON OF DEMOCRACY.

REALLY, LIKE WHEN OPERATION METRO SURGE, HAPPENED HERE, MINNESOTANS STOOD UP FOR THEIR NEIGHBORS AND IN HISTORIC WAYS AND EVERYWHERE I GO ACROSS THE COUNTRY, I'VE BEEN APPLAUDED SAYING I'M FROM MINNESOTA.

>> WE'RE DEFINITELY IN DIFFERENT ROOMS BECAUSE I'VE SEEN STATS WHERE IT'S -- >> I DON'T DOUBT THAT.

>> PEOPLE ARE HIGHLY FLEEING MINNESOTA AND THEY'RE LOSING THEIR BUSINESSES AND PACKING UP AND LEAVING AND GOING TO STATES THAT THAT ARE MORE TAX FRIENDLY.

>> MINNESOTANS HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS, AND SO I THINK THIS WEEK WHEN THE O.I.G.

PASSED, THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF TAKING RESPONSIBILITY AND I THINK WE LEAD BY EXAMPLE.

WE COME TOGETHER AND WE FIND SOLUTIONS.

AND THAT'S JUST A RESILIENCE THAT WE ARE AS MINNESOTANS.

>> I MEAN, THE REALITY IS, IT'S BEEN A TOUGH TEN TO 15 YEARS FOR MINNESOTA.

I MEAN, I LOVE MINNESOTA.

LIVED HERE MY WHOLE LIFE.

BUT I MEAN, ON EDUCATION, ON QUALITY OF LIFE, ON WEALTH MIGRATION, POPULATION MIGRATION, WHEN YOU MATCH US UP AND COMPETING AGAINST OTHER STATES WE'RE LOSING.

AND THAT'S NOT A -- YOU CAN'T ASCRIBE IT TO ONE POLICY OR ONE INDIVIDUAL.

BUT IT'S CLEAR THAT MINNESOTA NEEDS TO DO A BETTER JOB.

AND I THINK IF YOU SEE BOTH OF THE MAJOR CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR RIGHT NOW ARE SAYING THAT SAME THING.

AND THAT IS THAT MINNESOTANS DESERVE BETTER.

>> OVER A QUARTER OF THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO BE NEW.

OVER THAT.

I MEAN, IT'S CLOSER TO 30% NOW - >> I'M NOT TALKING -- >> I'M SAYING THEY NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO ALSO LEAD AND I HINK THERE'S A LEADERSHIP, YOU KNOW, DYNAMIC THAT WILL BE CHANGING, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR TURNING THE NEXT PAGE.

>> Cathy: SPEAKING OF LEADERSHIP, WHAT DID YOU THINK OF SENATOR KLOBUCHAR'S NEWS CONFERENCE EARLIER THIS WEEK LAYING OUT HER PLAN IF SHE WERE TO BE GOVERNOR?

>> I THOUGHT SHE DID WHAT SHE NEEDED TO DO.

>> Cathy: DISTANCE HERSELF FROM THE WALZ ADMINISTRATION?

>> SHE NEEDS TO BE HER OWN PERSON AND PARTICULARLY ON THE ISSUE OF FRAUD.

SHE WAS A COUNTY ATTORNEY.

SHE WAS A ROSECUTOR.

I THINK SHE'S WELL POSITIONED TO BE A PERSON TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO TAKE AT GOING TO TAKE A THE REINS AND MAKE SURE THIS O LONGER HAPPENS.

SO I HINK, LIKE, SHE DID WHAT SHE NEEDED TO DO AND THAT'S A GOOD THING.

>> Eric: ANYBODY IN FAVOR OF THIS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ELIMINATING THE -- LIMITING THE GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR TO TWO TERMS?

>> ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY.

IT SHOULD BE STATEWIDE OFFICES IN MINNESOTA.

IF YOU CAN'T GET THE JOB DONE IN EIGHT YEARS, YOU CAN'T GET THE JOB DONE.

>> I THINK THE PEOPLE DECIDE ESSENTIALLY.

AND THE PEOPLE HAVE TERM LIMITED IN MINNESOTA THROUGH THEIR CHOICES.

>> Cathy: SAY,EN, GOING BACK TO LEADERSHIP AGAIN, WHAT HAPPENED TO SHAREE GANDHI?

YOU KNOW, THE ACTING D.H.S.

COMMISSIONER, THEN WAS ELEVATED, AND THEN RIGHT BEFORE THE CONFIRMATION HEARING WAS BLOWN OUT.

WHAT'S THE STORY?

>> THE STORY IS SHE DIDN'T WANT TO GO IN FRONT OF THE FRAUD COMMITTEE BUT SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN AVAILABLE TO GO TO THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE, BUT SHE WON'T SHOW UP WHEN IT'S TIME TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND CONVENIENTLY RESIGNS AND IS REASSIGNED AFTER THE HEARING.

WHEN GOVERNOR WALZ SAYS HE WANTS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS RAUD, THAT'S NOT HOW YOU DO.

>> Eric: I WONDER IF EVEN SOME EMOCRATS WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY TO HAVE A HEARING.

>> YEAH, I THINK THERE WAS CONCERN FOR SOME FOLKS THAT SHE WAS STILL TOO CLOSE TO THE PREVIOUS COMMISSIONER.

AND SO THINK THEY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE REFER PREFERRED SOMEBODY A LITTLE BIT FRESHER, NEWER, THAT COULD HAVE COME IN WITH A FRESH SET OF EYES.

>> IT'S ALMOST LIKE IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, SOMEBODY GOT SOME POLLING DATA.

[ Laughter ] AND SOMEBODY GOT SOME POLLING DATA THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF JUST BEING ABLE TO WHISTLE TO A TRIFECTA AND A EASE D.F.L.

WIN, THE VOTERS ARE LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THEY'RE PRETTY PSET ABOUT ALL THIS MONEY GETTING RIPPED OFF.

WE SAW THE O.I.G., SUDDENLY THEY FOUND RELIGION AND THEY'RE IN FAVOR OF IT AND IT PASSED.

THAT'S GOOD NEWS.

AND HEN YOU SEE SENATOR KLOBUCHAR.

WHAT DOES SHE TALK ABOUT?

I'M AGAINST FRAUD.

IT'S LIKE SOME POLLING DATA CAME OUT THERE SOMEWHERE -- >> Eric: IF THERE'S A TRIFECTA IN 2027, I'M HE CANNER THAT THERE WILL BE AN ATTEMPT TO PREDISTINCT.

>> NO.

>> NO.

>> Eric: THERE'S A MAP FLOATING AROUND THAT HAD SEVEN DEMOCRATIC SEATS AND ONE REPUBLICAN.

>> LET ME TELL YOU WHY THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

FIRST OF ALL, IT'S ILLEGAL IN MINNESOTA TO DO THAT.

EVEN TODAY SENATOR KLOBUCHAR SAID IN A INTERVIEW, I'M PARAPHRASING, SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT GOVERNOR WALZ IS TALKING ABOUT.

THE ANSWER IS NO.

>> YEAH, I DON'T THINK YOU WOULD COMMENT ON A MAP LIKE THAT ANYWAY.

AND I JUST THINK AS A WEIRD COMMENT THAT CAME OUT FROM -- >> TWEET.

>> THE TWEET.

LIKE YOU DON'T PUT -- KLOBUCHAR IS RIGHT.

THERE'S LEGALITY ISSUES THERE.

AND THAT IS A VERY APPROPRIATE STATEMENT AT THIS TIME.

>> Eric: BUT STATES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY ARE REDISTRICTING.

>> THERE ARE PLENTY OF CRAZY THINGS THE DFL WILL DO, BUT RESTRICTING WILL NOT BE ONE OF THEM.

>> I THINK WE'RE IN A NATIONAL CRISIS OF OUR DEMOCRACY RIGHT NOW, THAT HAS BEEN SPURRED BY THE REPUBLICAN SUPREME COURT, THAT THE REDISTRICTING RACE TO THE BOTTOM IS A TERRIBLE THING.

AND WE NEED A NATIONAL SOLUTION TO IT.

THAT'S WHY DEMOCRATS NATIONALLY LIKE AT ALL VOTED FOR A BAN ON GERRYMANDERING ACROSS THE BOARD.

BUT UNTIL IT'S FIXED, WE'RE GOING TO BE IN THIS BATTLE BACK AND FORTH.

>> ALL GERRYMANDERING SHOULD BE BANNED.

>> THEN WHAT HAPPENED TO VIRGINIA?

THAT WASN'T JERRY THAT WASN'T JER GERRYMANDERING.

>> THAT WAS A RESPONSE TO -- >> THE SUPREME COURT RULED THAT -- >> LEARNED SOMETHING TONIGHT, THAT REPUBLICANS INVENTS