Minneapolis Police Department

The Minneapolis City Council voted 9-4 on Thursday to eliminate the Office of Community Safety, which oversees the police and fire departments, emergency management, neighborhood safety, and 911. The nine-vote margin is enough to override a veto from Mayor Jacob Frey. Dissenting votes came from Linea Palmisano, Elizabeth Shaffer, Jamison Whiting, and Michael Rainville.

Supporters argued the office added costly bureaucracy without improving accountability for police overspending. Opponents favored restructuring or budget cuts instead of elimination, warning the council would lose oversight authority. The vote follows interim commissioner Todd Barnette's planned resignation after the council stalled on his reappointment. Frey and office leaders are expected to respond.

Arizona Democrat JoAnna Mendoza, a candidate seeking to unseat Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani in a competitive U.S. House district, deleted numerous social media posts before launching her campaign. Archived records show the posts date to her 2020 Arizona Senate run, during the height of pandemic-era progressive activism following the murder of George Floyd. Deleted content included claims that "systemic racism is quite literally in the air we breathe" and that "racism is killing the planet," along with criticism of "privileged cis men" and calls to indoctrinate children against systemic racism.

The National Republican Congressional Committee criticized Mendoza over the deletions, also citing past comments calling police "an occupying army," her lobbying for tax increases, and a personal tax dispute. Mendoza's case follows similar deleted-post controversies involving Michigan Democrats Abdul El-Sayed and William Lawrence, as candidates nationally recalibrate messaging ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Arizona House candidate JoAnna Mendoza deleted old social media posts on race and policing before her 2026 campaign launch.

The Hennepin County Attorney's Office has declined to file felony charges against Edward "Jake" Lang stemming from an incident in front of Minneapolis City Hall during a protest. Lang, previously imprisoned for his role in the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot before being pardoned by Donald Trump, was arrested on probable cause of riot after clashes between his security detail and demonstrators. County Attorney Mary Moriarty said a review of evidence showing communication and coordination between the Minneapolis Police Department and Lang's security detail made it impossible to prove felony intent beyond a reasonable doubt, though she called his conduct "despicable and disgusting." An officer was injured helping a bystander during the incident but was treated and released.

The decision has fueled backlash from left-wing activists and organizers, who accuse Minneapolis police and Mayor Jacob Frey of protecting Lang while cracking down on counter-protesters, with some calling for Frey's resignation. Misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor charges from the city attorney remain possible.