Minnesota Lawyer

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published last week its long-awaited rules for the health insurance exchanges that states are to set up under the 2010 Affordable Care Act.

At least two media organizations currently renting space in the Capitol press room are objecting to The Uptake also renting space in the basement of the Capitol.

We're betting the other DFL candidates for governor might find Mark Dayton's new campaign digs a bit intimidating.

Last night, Reps. Tom Emmer (R-Delano) and Marty Seifert (R-Marshall), the two top GOP contenders for governor squared off at Armstrong High School for one of the three last debates currently scheduled before the GOP state convention begins April 29.

The Washington Post has a lengthy profile of U.S. Sen. Al Franken this morning. The premise of the story is that by initially suppressing his funny side in the Senate, he's erupted in myriad ways.

One of the first things they tell you in law school -- which is later confirmed by actual legal experience -- is that nine times out of ten the lines of questioning in oral argument are irrelevant to the reasoning of the ultimate decision.

Today marks the first policy committee deadline, which is always a good place from which to view the legislative session's big picture. Today's big picture is an historic one, but it can be viewed with clarity only by Capitol veterans.

There's no better way to get a real feel for a campaign than to spend a day with the candidate, particularly a grueling day. That's exactly what I did with GOP hopeful Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Delano) and his team this past Super Saturday, when 43 BPOUs (basic political organizational units) held their conventions, selecting about 25 percent of the delegates who will vote to endorse in the state GOP party convention.

Dave Thompson, the former AM 1500 conservative talk show host and 2008 candidate for GOP state party chair, was endorsed to run as the GOP candidate for the seat being vacated by Sen. Pat Pariseau (R-Farmington) last Saturday.

The Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) president Jim Mulder, 59, surprised many this week by announcing his retirement after 21 years in the job. Mulder, known for his wit and fine sense of humor, earned a reputation for being thoughtful on public policy. PIM sat down with Mulder this week to review his career.