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PRST STD U.S.POSTAGE PAID TWIN CITIES MN PERMIT NO. 6391
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THE VOICE OF BLACK MINNESOTA SINCE 1934
January 8 - 14, 2026
Vol. 92
No. 23
Walz ends re-election bid, citing political climate and fraud concerns By Clint Combs Contributing Writer
tions, Walz defended his administration’s efforts to combat welfare fraud, dismissed ov. Tim Walz on Mon- Republican critics as “opporday officially dropped tunists,” and cited the political his bid for reelection climate for his early departure. “I came to the conclusion in Minnesota, saying he could no longer devote himself fully that I can’t give a political campaign my all,” Walz said. to a political campaign. In a nearly eight-minute “Every minute that I spend speech without taking ques- defending my own political
St. Paul’s new mayor pledges to stand up to Trump
interest would be a minute I can’t spend defending the people of Minnesota against the criminals who prey on our generosity and the cynics who want to prey on our differences.” Walz’s governorship will end Jan. 4, 2027. The former vice presidential pick under ■ See WALZ on page 5
“I came to the conclusion that I can’t give a political campaign my all.”
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced he is ending his bid for reelection on Jan. 5. Walz cited political pressures and ongoing fraud concerns for his decision to step aside. Mattie Neretin
Nigerian Americans question U.S. Christmas strikes They call Trump’s rationale oversimplified
By Scott Selmer Assigning Editor
Phone: 612-827-4021 www.spokesman-recorder.com
St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her gives her first address after being sworn in at The O’Shaughnessy auditorium at St. Catherine University in St. Paul. Ben Hovland By Clint Combs Contributing Writer
life more difficult for all of us here, whether it is cutting funding to our city or targetn her inaugural speech ing our neighbors,” Her said as the first woman and to a packed crowd at The Asian American mayor O’Shaughnessy at St. Cathof St. Paul, Kaohly Her erine University on Jan. 2. pledged to stand up to Presi- “That is why I’m committed to dent Donald Trump’s adminis- working with the City Council tration by backing a proposal to establish ordinances to rein to ban federal agents from in their power, from banning wearing masks while operat- them from organizing in our public parks and spaces, to ing in the city. “We have a federal admin- implementing a ban on mask istration determined to make coverings.”
The mask ban proposal, aimed at preventing federal agents from concealing their identities during operations in St. Paul, reminded the audience of last summer’s killing of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman by a masked gunman impersonating a police officer. “One thing we know about this administration is that they won’t play by the rules,” Her said. ■ See KAOHLY on page 5
AG Ellison sues USDA over threatened SNAP cuts
“The connection to ISIS, the Christian Nigerians, and the bombing, I do not see the nexus there,” Oni said in an he Trump adminisinterview. “I do not see a contration’s Christmas nection.” Day airstrikes in Ola Obadiya, a Nigerian northwestern NiAmerican, said the administrageria, framed by the White tion’s emphasis on protecting House as a move to weaken Christians in Nigeria oversimISIS-linked militants and proplifies the situation. Violence tect Nigerian Christians, are in the country affects people drawing skepticism from Niof many faiths, and Christians gerian American voices who are not confined to a single say the country’s violence is region. far more complex than U.S. “The terrorist “The terrorist attacks in Niofficials suggest. Critics also attacks in Nigeria geria are not only Christian,” warned that escalation could are not only Obadiya said. “It is not about put civilians at greater risk. Christian. It’s not religion. Christians are all U.S. Africa Command said Federal officials have threatened to cut off SNAP food benefits if the state does not rapidly over the place. We are interit carried out strikes on Deabout religion.” recertify recipients. SNAP provides critical nutrition to hundreds of thousands of Minnemingled.” He said the religious cember 25 in Nigeria’s Sokoto sotans, including children and seniors. framing ignores overlapping State in coordination with Niconflicts involving banditry, gerian authorities. AFRICOM Dr. Richard Oni, a Nigerian- displacement, and economic By Clint Combs said initial assessments indithat failure to recertify SNAP re- Social Security numbers, resicated multiple ISIS militants born scholar with a doctorate pressures. cipients by January 16 could re- dential and mailing addresses, Contributing Writer Both Oni and Obadiya were killed but declined to in mental health management, sult in the withdrawal of federal and immigration and citizenwhether the release additional operational said he struggled to see a clear questioned i n n e s o t a n s funding for food assistance pro- ship status. connection between the ad- strikes as described by U.S. ofdetails for security reasons. Oregon Attorney General could lose ac- grams. The directive includes President Donald Trump, ministration’s stated rationale ficials would actually reduce cess to federal requirements for extensive Dan Rayfield, speaking about however, publicly tied the and the realities of conflict on violence or risk worsening food assistance in-person interviews, detailed his state’s multi-state lawsuit, operation to religious perse- the ground. ■ See NIGERIA on page 5 after the U.S. Department of household information, and described the federal direcAgriculture threatened this personal data reaching back to tive as unnecessary. “It is wild and absolutely stupid that we month to cut off Supplemen- January 2020. Ellison said the USDA man- have to be here,” he said. “But tal Nutrition Assistance Program benefits unless the state date is impossible to meet and we have to be here because rapidly recertifies recipients. violates federal law. His office people absolutely need food Minnesota Attorney General estimates it would require more assistance in this country, esKeith Ellison filed suit against than 60,000 overtime hours in pecially when we are facing an the agency on December 23, Hennepin County alone. affordability crisis.” The lawsuit argues that the calling the demand unlawful, Ellison stressed the imporunworkable, and a risk to sen- USDA’s demand for 100,000 tance of protecting access to sitive personal data, including in-person interviews breach- SNAP as families in Minnesoes the federal Food and Nu- ta confront financial pressures. immigration status. Few government programs trition Act. Minnesota joined “We have seen real wages detouch as many Minnesotans a multistate legal challenge cline,” he said. as SNAP, commonly known as against the federal directive “At the same time, there food stamps. The program dis- last fall, with Oregon among has been an escalation in extributes $875 million in ben- the first states to sue. penses, from credit card payThe USDA’s request asks ments to student loans. Bankefits annually to more than for detailed information on ruptcy rates are rising. Families 440,000 residents. A Nigerian Anti-Bomb Squad secures the scene of a December 25 U.S. airstrike in NorthAgriculture Secretary Brooke all household members, in- across Minnesota are in a very west Jabo, Nigeria. Tunde Omolehin ■ See SNAP on page 5 Rollins told states in December cluding names, dates of birth, cution, saying militants had been viciously killing primarily Christians and warning that further U.S. action could follow. Reuters reported that the strike was conducted at the request of the Nigerian government and that Nigerian officials described it as part of broader counterterrorism cooperation, not a religiously targeted campaign.