ICE vs. Wine Moms, Rogan on Fauci's Crimes, and the Star Wars Prequels
A delightfully chaotic episode of Freed Up where the hosts discuss how Minnesota wine moms have taken to the streets and the Star Wars prequels somehow end up on trial—again
Minnesota
Renee Good Was a Casualty of Trump's Order Against 'Political Violence'
The administration's written policies make it likely that more people like Renee Good will be targets, and victims, of ICE.
Heating Up
Plus: School integration, retribution for Iran, death to credentialism, and more...
The Media Are Wrong About the ICE Shooting Video
Robby Soave and Christian Britschgi are back this week to break down how 2026 has somehow already gone off the rails.
The Minnesota Fraud Scandal Is Just the Tip of the Iceberg
Medicaid fraud has been endemic at the state and federal levels for decades. Focusing on a single official or state misses a deeper lesson.
ICE in Minnesota
Plus: Mamdani staffer embroiled in scandal, inside the new food pyramid, Ro Khanna's misstep, and more...
ICE Shoots and Kills Woman in Minneapolis
Video shows ICE officers were trying to pull the woman out of her car when she started to drive away, leading an officer to fire three shots through her window.
Minnesota Daycare Fraud, Mamdani's Takeover, and the X-Men Movies
Robby Soave and Christian Britschgi discuss Nick Shirley's viral video about Minnesota day care fraud, then dig deeper into how Tim Walz has little respect for American taxpayers.
Nick Shirley, Tim Walz, and the Minnesota Fraud Story: Did the Media Miss It?
Local reporters have covered state daycare fraud for years, though it did not exactly receive wall-to-wall national attention.
The Minnesota Welfare Fraud Story Is Really About a Broken Medicaid Bureaucracy
Federal Medicaid policy creates little incentive for states to stop potential fraudsters. Fixing that should be the priority, not demonizing Somali immigrants.
Trump's Somali Insults Are a Disgrace
A welfare fraud scandal in Minnesota is the Trump administration's latest excuse for demonizing immigrants and refugees.
The Real Villain in Minnesota's $1.5 Billion Fraud Scandal Isn't Somalis—It's the Feds
In America, we judge people according to the content of their character, not the behavior of a narrow minority of their coethnics.
Tim Walz Called Out After Rampant Welfare Fraud
Robby Soave and Christian Britschgi bring you the debut episode of Freed Up—technically not the first they’ve recorded, just the first our editors would let us publish.
Minnesota Cop Who Fabricated a Sex-Trafficking Ring Won't Be Held Accountable
The officer made up information and lied multiple times under oath but the government says she has federal immunity.
Walz's Gun Plan Wouldn't Stop Shootings, but It Might Shred Civil Liberties
Minnesota's proposed firearm restrictions raise serious constitutional questions—and offer little in return.
Minnesota Town Denies Family Permission To Build Affordable Housing Unit on Their Property
The Pepin family is suing the City of Blaine after the City Council used dubious reasoning to deny a permit for additional housing on their property.
A Cop Lied, Fabricated a Sex-Trafficking Case, and Jailed a Teen on False Charges—and Still Can't Be Sued
The case is a baffling reminder that the more power a government official has, the harder it is for a victim to get a shot at justice.
Warning: These Social Media Rules Will Erode Civil Liberties
Plus: Pittsburgh lowers prostitution penalty, FSC v. Paxton, the Diddy verdict, and more…
It Doesn't Matter If the Minnesota Shooter Is a Republican or a Democrat
After Vance Boelter allegedly targeted Democrats in an attack, some conservatives jumped to claim that he was actually on the left. Why?
ICE on Ice
Plus: Suspect in Minnesota shootings arrested, Iran and Israel still fighting, Ross Ulbricht speaks, and more...
Supreme Court Rules, Again, That Different Standards for Discrimination Plaintiffs Are Unconstitutional
The Court ruled unanimously in favor of a disabled teenage girl and her family, who faced a higher bar to prove that her school discriminated against her.
Iowa Landowners Fight Seizure of Private Property for a Pipeline
The proposed 2,500-mile pipeline would transfer carbon dioxide from ethanol plants in five states to a permanent storage site in North Dakota.
Texas Revs the Growth Machine
Plus: The near death of starter-home reform in Texas, Colorado's pending ban on rent-recommendation software, and a very Catholic story of eminent domain abuse.
Come July, Keys Will Be De Facto Illegal In Minnesota
The vast majority of keys on the market contain more lead than is allowed by the state's strict new heavy metal standards.
J.D. Vance Blames Zoning, Immigrants for High Housing Costs
Plus: Texas and Minnesota consider an aggressive suite of housing supply bills, while San Diego tries to ratchet up regulations on ADUs.
The Grassroots Campaign To Save a Man From Court-Ordered Shock Therapy
Despite severe risks and without a crime committed, a Minnesota judge authorized doctors to forcibly administer electroconvulsive therapy—while barring key witnesses from the hearing.
A Small Minnesota County Pumps Out 40 Percent of the State's Drug-Free Zone Sentences
Local news reports detail how Polk County, Minnesota, charges drivers and petty offenders with drug-free zone violations like no other county in the state.
State Tax Hikes Set To Raise Energy Costs in 2025
Residents of California, Minnesota, and Wisconsin will get hit with the higher taxes.
Deepfake Crackdowns Threaten Free Speech
From criminal penalties to bounty hunters, state laws targeting election-related synthetic media raise serious First Amendment concerns.
Minnesota 'Acting as a Ministry of Truth' With Anti-Deep Fake Law, Says Lawsuit
The broad ban on AI-generated political content is clearly an affront to the First Amendment.
Drive-Thrus Are Booming. Why Are Cities Banning Them?
Despite increasing demand, cities across the U.S. are pushing bans on new drive-thru restaurants in the name of reducing traffic and promoting walkability.
A Federal Prison Was Warned About Synthetic Marijuana. Then Inmates Started Overdosing.
"We are living in pure chaos," an incarcerated woman at a federal prison in Minnesota tells Reason following a string of suspected overdoses.
This Nebraska Man Almost Lost His Home and All of Its Equity Over a Small Tax Debt. He Just Won in Court.
Kevin Fair fell behind on his property taxes in 2014. The local government eventually gave a private investor the deed to his home.
Tim Walz's Other Stolen Valor Scandal
The Minnesota governor is being hailed as a YIMBY zoning reformer despite doing nothing of consequence on the issue.
Tim Walz Loves Maps Because He Loves Central Planning
The self-described "GIS nerd" has boundless faith in the ability of maps to guide top-down government interventions.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz Used COVID Relief Money on Things That Had Nothing To Do With COVID
Minnesota used federal taxpayer dollars to cover state workers' parking costs, fund the Minnesota Zoo, and teach minority-owned businesses how to apply for government contracts.
Tim Walz Was a COVID-19 Tyrant
The Minnesota governor actually defended the state's disastrous nursing home policies.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Darling of the Progressive Left, Is Harris' Running Mate
Walz's track record as governor includes pushing for higher taxes, legalizing marijuana, and asking neighbors to spy on one another during the COVID-19 pandemic.
No Muslims In My Backyard?
Plus: Kamala Harris doubles down on rent control, Gavin Newsom issues a new executive order on housing, and the natural tendency to keep adding more regulation.
She Underpaid a Property Tax Bill. So the Government Seized Her Home, Sold It—and Kept the $102,636 Profit.
Chelsea Koetter is asking the Michigan Supreme Court to render the state's debt collection scheme unconstitutional.
Connecticut Implements Mandatory 'Inclusivity' Training for Cosmetologists
Supporters say the measure will uphold “social justice,” but research shows licensing requirements don’t always work as intended.
Is Minneapolis a 'Secret Bellwether' for Understanding Policing and Race in America?
The Minneapolis Reckoning shows why calls to defund the police gained momentum after George Floyd's death and why voters with no love for the cops still rejected an abolitionist ballot measure.
Minnesota's Indefinite Detention of Sex Offenders Is Ineffective As Well As Unjust
A new report argues that the notorious program squanders taxpayer money while keeping people imprisoned without justification or recourse.
Trump Promises To Give Police 'Immunity From Prosecution'
The pledge, while mostly legally illiterate, offers a reminder of the former president's outlook on government accountability.
The Supreme Court Rules Impact Fees Can Violate Your Property Rights Too
Plus: Zoning reform in Minnesota stalls, a New York housing "deal" does little for housing supply, and Colorado ends occupancy limits.
