Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) was hospitalized Wednesday, potentially leaving Democrats down one vote during the ongoing vote-a-rama on the rescissions package, which is expected to continue into the evening.
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According to a social media post from her staff, the 67-year-old senator began feeling unwell while at the Capitol and was taken to George Washington University Hospital for treatment. She was expected to remain there overnight for observation.
“While at work at the Capitol today, Sen. Smith started to not feel well,” according to the post. “She went to the Capitol physician who recommended she undergo more thorough examination at GW hospital.”
“Out of an abundance of caution, they are keeping her overnight for observation,” the post added. “She expects to be back at work very soon.”
Smith’s absence means Democrats likely won’t have full attendance during the vote-a-rama, reducing the chances of a tie. As a result, Vice President JD Vance is not expected to cast a tie-breaking vote on the proposal unlike Tuesday night, when he was needed to break a procedural deadlock to move the measure forward.
Smith announced earlier this year that she would not be running for reelection next year.
Meanwhile, Republican state lawmakers in Minnesota have sharply criticized Democratic Gov. Tim Walz after it was revealed he spent $430,000 of taxpayer money preparing for a House congressional hearing investigating blue state governors’ “sanctuary city” policies.
Invoices obtained by the Star Tribune show that Walz’s office hired the prominent global law firm K&L Gates to assist with preparations for his mid-June testimony before the GOP-controlled House Oversight Committee, which focused on questions about his and other blue state governors’ sanctuary city policies.
In May alone, Walz incurred approximately $232,000 in legal fees, with an average hourly rate of about $516, according to the invoices obtained by the Star Tribune.
The outlet further reported that K&L Gates worked with Walz’s office from April 10 through the June 12 hearing, with the legal preparation costing taxpayers a total of $430,000.
Minnesota Rep. Jim Nash, one of two Republicans on the state’s Legislative Advisory Commission, questioned why Walz chose to hire outside counsel instead of relying on the state’s attorneys and public relations experts.
“A half a million dollars of taxpayer money to prepare the governor to go to his old stomping grounds seems exorbitant, particularly since the AG for the state of Minnesota was in Congress with Walz at the same time, and the two of them certainly could have figured out how to do what they were needing to do,” he said.
Nash added that he intends to dig deeper into the invoices obtained by the Star Tribune.
Republican Minnesota state Rep. Harry Niska added there “appears to be no legitimate legal interest in the state racking up nearly half-a-million dollars in what amounts to PR consulting.”
“Tim Walz spent 12 years in Congress — he knows those hearing rooms inside and out, and he certainly knows how to conduct himself in that type of setting. So, why did the governor feel the need to spend $430,000 of taxpayer money on a private firm to ‘prepare’ for this hearing?” Niska asked.
“To be clear, there appears to be no legitimate legal interest of the state in racking up nearly half a million dollars in what amounts to PR consulting as he tries to lay the groundwork for a presidential campaign that’s going absolutely nowhere,” Niska continued.
“It is unconscionable to make hardworking Minnesota taxpayers pay for the governor’s personal national political aspirations.”
In response to criticism over Walz’s decision to contract with K&L Gates, the governor and his team avoided providing a direct explanation. Instead, they placed the blame on Republicans, accusing them of holding a hearing aimed solely at “grandstanding,” according to the Star Tribune.
