♪♪ >> ERIC: MINNESOTA ATTORNEY GENERAL KEITH ELLISON HAS REMAINED BUSY SINCE INAUGURATION DAY, JOINING MORE THAN A DOZEN MULTI-STATE LAWSUITS, MOTIONS, AND STATEMENTS, PUSHING BACK ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S AGENDA.

BACK HOME IN MINNESOTA, HE'S LOOKING TO EXPAND HIS MEDICAID FRAUD UNIT AND HAS STEPPED IN TO HELP MEDIATE NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN FAIRVIEW, ESSENTIA, AND THE U OF M. WELCOME BACK TO THE SHOW.

HOW ORGANIZED ARE THE BLUE STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL?

>> PRETTY ORGANIZED.

I MEAN, FOR OVER A YEAR NOW, WE'VE BEEN MEETING.

WE FIRST LOOKED AT THE PROJECT 2025.

WE TOOK -- WE CHOPPED ALL 900 PAGES UP AND DIVIDED THE WORK OUT.

>> Eric: WHAT DID YOU GET AS YOUR SPECIALTY?

>> WORKER AND EMPLOYMENT RELATED THINGS, AND THEN ALSO RULE OF LAW.

SO OUR LAWYERS AND I ARE FOCUSING ON THAT.

WHILE OTHER PEOPLE ARE TAKING THE LEAD ON IMMIGRATION OR, YOU KNOW, TRANSGENDER STUFF OR SOMETHING -- OR EDUCATION ISSUES.

>> Cathy: THEN U.

A BIT OF A SOME POSITIVE NEWS THEN THIS WEEK, BECAUSE AN INJUNCTION HAS BEEN ISSUED AGAINST FIRING THE PROBATIONARY FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

WELL, WE'VE HAD SOME GOOD NEWS ALL WEEK LONG.

ON PROBATIONARY EMPLOYEES, WE WERE BLE TO GET -- TO STOP THAT TEMPORARILY.

BUT THEN ALSO, WE BROUGHT AN ACTION REGARDING PUBLIC HEALTH GRANTS, WHICH HAS BEEN FROZEN.

WE'LL SEE WHERE THAT GOES.

BUT SO FAR, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE LAYOFFS RIGHT HERE IN MINNESOTA BECAUSE OF THAT.

AND SO THAT WAS GOOD.

HOPEFULLY COMMISSIONER CUNNINGHAM CAN WORK WITH THAT.

BUT THEN THE OTHER DAY, WE JUST GOT THIS THING ABOUT NEARLY EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT GOT A LETTER SAYING THAT UNLESS YOU GET RID OF D.E.I., YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE YOUR GRANT MONEY HELD UP.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER ONE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.

BUT WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY FILED IT.

>> Cathy: IT'S TAKING SOME TIME, I UNDERSTAND THAT.

I MEAN, THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS ARE INSTANTANEOUS.

THE COURTSES ARE MEASURES.

BUT THEN BECAUSE OF THE TIME FRAMES HERE, HOW MUCH DAMAGE IS BEING DONE?

>> A LOT, BECAUSE I MEAN, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LAID OFF.

AND ONCE YOU GET LAID OFF, SAY YOU'RE A WORKER AT THE V.A.

AND YOU'VE BEEN TOLD, GO.

I'VE MET PEOPLE WHO WERE TOLD THAT THEY HAD TO GO ON POSTAGE STAMP, BUT NOW THEY'RE BEING BROUGHT BACK, BUT SLOWLY, YOU'VE HAD AN INTERRUPTION IN YOUR WORK LIFE.

YOU'VE HAD TO GO FILE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT PERHAPS.

AND NOW YOU'RE SCARED.

YOU'RE NERVOUS.

YOU'RE VERY UNSTEADY AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE RELUCTANT IT GO OUT THERE AND BUY THAT NEW REFRIGERATOR, THAT NEW CAR BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS GOING TO LAST OR NOT.

SO THIS IS HAVING A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON CONSUMER DEMAND AND FOR THE INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES, LIKE, LOOK, WE GOT TO HANG ONTO OUR CHIPBECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT.

>> Eric: WHAT LEVEL OF FAITH DO YOU HAVE IN THE COURTS TO DEAL WITH THIS?

AND WHEN DOES CONGRESS GET A TASTE HERE?

>> WELL, I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH KORY BOOKER, WHO STOOD UP OVER 25 HOURS, RAISING THESE ISSUES.

THEY'RE BOTH IN THE MINORITY, BOTH IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE.

SO THEY DON'T AVE A BUNCH OF CARDS TO PLAY, BUT KORY SHOWED THERE ARE CARDS TO PLAY EVEN IF YOU'RE IN THE MINORITY.

NOW, WHEN T COMES TO CONFIDENCE IN THE COURTS, I HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN THE COURTS.

THIS IS BASIC RULE OF LAW STUFF.

THIS IS OT EVEN REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT STUFF.

EVERYTHING TRUMP IS DOING HE COULD DO, IF HE DID IT THE RIGHT WAY.

THERE IS A PROCEDURE TO CHANGE THE CONSTITUTION.

IN THERE'S A PROCEDURE -- HE WOULD BRING THESE THINGS THROUGH CONGRESS.

BUT HE WOANLZ.

HE WON'T.

>> Cathy: ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, THOUGH?

THAT THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD JUTTED THOUGH.

AFFORDAENFORCEMENT.

>> WE HAD ONE IN SNORT ST. PAUL.

1300 PEOPLE.

WE'VE DONE THEM IN OCHESTER.

WE'RE GOING TO DULUTH THIS WEEKEND, IF YOU'RE IN DULUTH, COME ON DOWN.

BUT MY POINT IS, THAT PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS ASKED THE SAME QUESTION.

WHAT IF, WHEN WE GET TO THE END OF THE LINE, HE JUST REFUSED TO OBEY A COURT ORDER, AND WE'VE ALREADY SEEN SOME OF THAT ON SOME OF THESE IMMIGRATION MATTERS AS YOU KNOW.

SO THE BIG QUESTION IS, SO FAR, THE COURTS ARE HOLDING UP.

AND PEOPLE ARE RAISING VIRNIG VOICES.

AND I THINK THERE ARE ENOUGH PEOPLE IN AMERICA WHO STILL LOVE THE CONSTITUTION, BELIEVE IN THE RULE OF LAW, WHETHER THEY'RE REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS.

I THINK I BELIEVE IN US.

>> Eric: WHAT'S UP WITH THE FAIRVIEW HOSPITAL, U OF M HOSPITAL, ESSENTIA HEALTHCARE?

THAT NEEDS TO BE SORTED OUT AT SOME POINT.

WHERE ARE WE IN THAT?

>> WELL, IT'S GOT TO BE THEIR DEAL.

>> Eric: WHAT IS YOUR ROLE EXACTLY?

>> SO I HAVE A STATUTORY OBLIGATION TO REVIEW THE TRANSACTION AFTER IT HAPPENS.

WHAT I'VE DONE IS I WILL SAY AND I'LL ADMIT THAT I BELIEVE THAT THIS DEAL COULD BE VERY PROMISING.

AND SO -- BECAUSE IT HAS RURAL HEALTH.

IT HAS A STABLE CLINICAL OPERATION IN FAIRVIEW.

AND ACADEMIC MEDICINE.

70% OF MINNESOTA DOCTORS GO TO UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA MEDICAL SCHOOL.

SO WE NEED TO KEEP THAT STABLE.

AND SO I HINK IT HAS -- IT'S PROMISING.

I HAVE NOT ENDORSED IT.

BUT I ASKED A FRIEND NAMED LOIS QUAM TO HELP THE PARTIES COME TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER IF IT CAN BE PUT TOGETHER.

>> Eric: HEALTHCARE EXECUTIVE?

>> SHE KNOWS HER STUFF.

SHE KNOWS THE FOR-PROFIT SIDE OF IT.

SHE UNDERSTANDS WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM.

AND I THINK SHE'S GOING TO HELP LEAD US TO A GOOD PLACE.

>> Cathy: THIS IS GOING TO BE A THREE-HEADED DEAL?

>> WELL, HERE'S THE THING.

I DON'T WANT TO SAY TOO MUCH MORE THAN I'VE SAID BECAUSE I THINK THE PARTIES NEED SPACE TO TRY TO COME TO SOME UNDERSTANDING.

IF YOU'VE EVER TRIED TO NEGOTIATE ANYTHING, IT'S HARD TO DO IN THE FULL GLARE OF HE CAMERAS, RIGHT?

SO I'M SORT OF LIKE -- LOOK, I BELIEVE IN THE PRESS.

SO I'M HERE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.

BUT I'M TRYING TO MINIMIZE MY COMMENTS BECAUSE I THINK IF THIS THING GETS TOO MUCH ATTENTION, THAT THE PARTIES WON'T BE ABLE TO REALLY TALK AND I WANT TO -- I WANT THEM TO TALK WHEN THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE, SO I'M ASKING THEM TO NOT TALK AND I'M NOT SAYING TOO MUCH EITHER.

>> Eric: A.G. OR GOVERNOR IN '2?

>> LET ME JUST TELL YOU, I KIND OF LIKE MY JOB.

I GOT THE BEST JOB IN POLITICS.

I GET TO STAND UP FOR THE RULE LAW.

>> Eric: WHEN YOU WANT TO MAKE NEWS, COME BACK AND TELL