A federal judge has quashed grand jury subpoenas into the records of Minnesota officials regarding how they responded to the ICE surge here. Judge Patrick Schiltz wrote a sternly worded rebuke of the Justice Department’s request for those subpoenas, calling them baseless, unethical and possibly illegal. In a 29-page order the judge wrote, “The fact that connections between the information sought in the subpoenas and any possible criminal violation range from extremely weak to nonexistent only adds to the overwhelming evidence that these subpoenas were not issued to investigate, but to harass, coerce, and retaliate.” University of St. Thomas Professor Mark Osler, a former federal prosecutor, told MPR, “It is rare for a subpoena to be quashed, but this was a rare kind of investigation as well, and Judge Schiltz concluding that there was political motivation, for example, is very unusual.” Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison and other state and local leaders praised the order. “Today’s ruling is a victory for the rule of law and our democracy,” Walz said in a statement. 

Early voting for the primary election starts Friday. The primary is Aug. 11, but voters can start casting absentee ballots 46 days before an election. Election officials are expecting an uptick in participation because of several competitive primaries, including in the race for governor. Voters can vote absentee by mail or in person by placing their marked ballot in an envelope to be verified and counted later. Cait explains the absentee voting process, goes behind-the-scenes in a county elections office and previews another way to vote early that debuts in July.

The latest notable endorsement in Minnesota’s U.S. Senate race has gone to Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan. It’s notable because U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum is the longest-tenured member of Minnesota’s congressional delegation and because she is bypassing a delegation colleague, U.S. Rep. Angie Craig. McCollum pointed to progressive policy stances that Flanagan has staked out and said as senator she would “stand up to Donald Trump and fight every day for our families.” Flanagan also has the backing of U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar. Here’s one more reason why we’re noting the McCollum nod. During Friday’s joint appearance on TPT’s “Almanac,” Craig made specific note of Gov. Tim Walz’s decision to remain neutral in the DFL primary race despite having run with Flanagan twice and being close with her for much of his time in office. “The person who she has worked with most closely over the last eight years is Tim Walz, and Tim Walz has not endorsed the lieutenant governor in this race. And so I would simply ask, the people we work with, are they supporting us?” Craig went on to tout the backing she has from House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison is the only Minnesota House member who has yet to take a public position on the race. If you’re wondering who has which endorsements, here’s the Flanagan list and the Craig list.

Health insurance costs are due to rise by double-digit percentages in 2027, solidifying their place as a likely election 2026 issue. Christopher Snowbeck with the Star Tribune reports that the proposed rate hikes, which regulators haven’t yet approved, look like a bellwether for medical cost trends across the broader U.S. health insurance landscape. Medical costs are increasing for reasons including greater use of expensive medications and mental health services and healthcare providers using AI tools and corporate consolidation to get higher prices per service. Some Minnesotans who access coverage through MNsure qualify for tax credits to help cover premium costs and those credits increase when premiums increase. But for those who don’t get the credits they could get priced out of their coverage if regulators approve proposed increases of 10 to 13 percent.

Hospitals in rural Minnesota are still waiting for a federal funding boost , while bracing for heavy cuts to Medicaid allowances next year. MPR News’ Molly Castle Work reports that hospitals are concerned the $1 trillion in Medicaid spending cuts over the next decade could have an outsized impact on finances. Rural hospitals tend to see larger numbers of Medicaid patients, she reports. The Trump administration said it would send $50 billion in federal funding over the next five years to “transform” rural healthcare delivery. But hospitals say they’re still waiting for that money. Castle Work reports that multiple hospital administrators say they’re frustrated with delays and restrictions for applications to the program. They also said the money has strict guardrails that won’t offset the Medicaid cuts. “It's sort of like they're in a boat that's full of water, and somebody throws them an oar, so they can row faster instead of throwing them a life preserver,” said Joe Schindler, vice president of finance policy at the Minnesota Hospital Association.

While communities in the east metro have worked to get PFAs out of their drinking water, a new MPCA study says more action is needed to address PFAs underground. MPR’s Kirsti Marohn reports that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency study recommends that the state take action to contain an underground contamination to keep it from spreading. 3M disposed of chemical waste including PFAs at several sites in the east Twin Cities metro area. The contamination has spread to more than 120 square miles, and some say, communities have to deal with it at the aquifer, surface and sediment levels. While communities have been filtering PFAs out of drinking water, the MPCA study says the PFAs should be removed altogether — to prevent longer term issues and spreading. It estimates that building a pumping and injection system could cost up to $404 million, with annual operating expenses between $12 and $84 million. 

In New Jersey, lawmakers are pushing criminal penalty enhancements for acts of political violence. The anti-political violence bill is moving through the New Jersey Legislature, where its passed the state Senate and now heads to a state Assembly committee. NJ.com reports the bill would classify political violence as a new criminal offense. People who target someone because of their political affiliation or expression would be subject to the law, if passed. The bill was written in response to the politically motivated shootings of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The bill would require training for police and prosecutors investigating or trying cases of political violence.