Author Archives: Kevin Featherly

Kevin Featherly, who joined BridgeTower Media in mid-2016, is a journalist and former freelance writer who has covered politics, law, business, technology and popular culture for publications and websites in the Twin Cities and nationally since the mid-1990s.

Are mega-bills now a mega-bust?

Kevin Featherly May 30, 2018

House Speaker Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, reacts grimly to news that Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed two of the key bills passed during the 2018 legislative session—a tax-conformity bill and a nearly 1,000-page spending bill. Daudt told reporters on May 23 that they knew about the vetoes before he did. (Staff photo: Kevin Featherly)

Trend goes back years, crosses parties—and might be intractable

Capitol Retort: Poll vault, light-rail protest, lovin’ those Lynx

Kevin Featherly May 30, 2018

Police officers arrest the Rev. Daniel Romero, of the First Congregational Church of Minnesota, after Romero and several other protesters blocked light rail tracks at the Fort Snelling Station on May 22, 2018. (AP photo: Star Tribune)

Our review of issues in state and national news, with a rotating cast of political people in the know.

Capitol Retort: Lost art of the deal; GOP infighting; Teflon Don

Kevin Featherly May 24, 2018

Who’s at fault for the Capitol gridlock? Gov. Dayton? GOP legislative leaders? Or the accelerating decay of democracy itself? (Staff photo: Kevin Featherly)

Our review of issues in state and national news, with a rotating cast of political people in the know.

In the Hopper: Catching up on bills signed and vetoed

Kevin Featherly May 23, 2018

Senators work Sunday night as the end of the 2018 legislative session looms. (Staff photo: Kevin Featherly)

So far the governor has vetoed eight bills that passed during the session just ended. He has signed a total of 81 bills into law; one other bill was allowed to become law without a signature.