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Michelle Martin
An arrest has been made in the killing of a Minnesota state lawmaker and the shooting of another.
Martinez
Police say a man was captured after the largest manhunt in that state's history. We'll hear about who else he may have been targeting.
Michelle Martin
I'm Michelle Martin. That's a Martinez. And this is up first from NPR News. Another night of strikes and damage as Israel and Iran both widen attacks.
Martinez
It was terrible.
Hadil Al Shulci
Boom.
Martinez
Big one.
Hadil Al Shulci
Everything is shaking, I'm afraid.
Michelle Martin
Is there any sign of de escalation?
Martinez
And President Trump has arrived in Canada for another tense reunion of G7 countries. Discussions about Trump's trade wars and the Middle east conflict will be front and center. And the Department of Justice is demanding an unprecedented amount of election data from Colorado. Stay with us. We've got all the news you need to start your day.
Danielle Kurtzleben
Foreign.
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Martinez
A man suspected of killing a Democratic Minnesota legislative leader over the weekend is in custody.
Michelle Martin
Last night, police arrested Vance Belter in a rural area outside Minneapolis. The 57 year old is charged with murder. Governor Tim Walz has called it a politically motivated attack.
Martinez
Minnesota Public Radio's Matt Sepik joins us now from Minneapolis. Matt, let's start with the victims of this attack. Who were they?
Matt Sepik
Investigators say that Vance Belter posed as a police officer and fatally shot former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa H. And her husband Mark, around 3:30am Saturday inside their home in Brooklyn Park, a suburb of Minneapolis. Belter is also suspected of shooting and seriously wounding Democratic State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their house about 90 minutes earlier. When Hoffman's daughter called 911 to report the shooting, police went to the Hortman's home. According to the criminal complaint, officers saw Belter, who was dressed as a policeman, shoot Mark Hortman through an open door. Police then exchanged gunfire with Belter, who ran through the house out the back. Belter left a vehicle in the Hortman's driveway that was similar in appearance to a police suv. Inside it, investigators allegedly found a list of names and addresses of other public officials. At a news conference late last night, Minnesota Governor Tim Walls said that the initial 911 call and the officer's decision to check on Hortman stopped the gunman from killing other public officials. The Democratic governor pleaded for civility in public life.
Martinez
This cannot be the norm. It cannot be the way that we deal with our political differences. Now's the time for us to recommit to the core values of this country. Matt, where was Belter caught?
Matt Sepik
Yesterday morning, residents of rural Sibley county, that's about 50 miles southwest of Minneapolis, got cell phone alerts telling them to lock their homes and vehicles. That was after police found a car belonging to Belter down the road from his home in that area. Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Brulee says an officer thought that have seen Belter run into the woods, so authorities hurried to set up a perimeter.
Martinez
During that, we got privy to additional information of an individual that was in the woods, and that search went on for many hours until ultimately we were able to locate him in the woods.
Matt Sepik
Brulee says officers called Belter out of the forest and into a field where he surrendered. The chief called the operation the largest manhunt in Minnesota history and said 20 SWAT teams were involved with it. Authorities say Belter was armed, but they did not specify what type of weapon weapon he had.
Martinez
Does anyone know any motive for what happened?
Matt Sepik
Authorities didn't offer any new information about Belter's alleged motive, but several Democratic elected officials, including U.S. senator Tina Smith and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, confirmed that they were among those on the list of people allegedly targeted by Belter. Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans added last night that the list included names of people from other states, including Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska and Iowa.
Martinez
Now, one more thing. The couple who survived the attack, how are they doing?
Matt Sepik
Yvette Hoffman was struck by eight bullets, and her husband, State Senator John Hoffman, was hit nine times. Governor Wall said last night that John Hoffman came out of his final surgery and is moving toward recovery. Yvette Hoffman exchanged text messages with US Senator Amy Klobuchar yesterday writing, quote, we are both incredibly lucky to be alive.
Martinez
All right, that's reporter Matt Sepik of Minnesota Public Radio. Matt, thank you.
Matt Sepik
You're welcome.
Martinez
World leaders and the United nations are calling for a de escalation in the conflict between Israel and Iran.
Michelle Martin
There were explosions and there was destruction in both countries for a fourth day as the two exchanged fire and the death toll grows. Iran's Ministry of Health says more than 200 people have been killed, including many women and children and more than 1,000 injured. An Israel official said more than 20 have been killed.
Martinez
For more, we're joined by NPR's Hadil Al Shulci in Tel Aviv. President Trump posted online that Israel and Iran should, quote, make a deal and that there have been calls and meetings taking place. Hadil, any sign of de escalation right now?
Hadil Al Shulci
I mean, yes, President Trump did say that the two sides needed to, quote, end this bloody conflict. And then he told reporters yesterday though that, quote, sometimes they have to fight it out. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave an interview to Fox News last night and he doubled down on continuing the war. Let's take a listen.
Martinez
The issue here is not de escalation. The issue here is not ceasefire.
Hadil Al Shulci
The issue here is stopping those things that will threaten our survival.
Martinez
And we're committed to stopping them.
Hadil Al Shulci
And I think we can achieve them. Iran also has not signaled publicly at least that talks were imminent and it remains adamant to respond to the Israeli strike. So, no, it doesn't seem like things are calming down anytime soon.
Martinez
Yeah, sign of that escalation was an under night of strikes and damage in both Iran and Israel. What was it like where you are?
Hadil Al Shulci
Yeah, it was a very deadly night of strikes here in Israel. The Israeli military says four areas were hit, including the northern city of Haifa and also an area in central Tel Aviv. Yesterday I visited one of those neighborhoods worst hit. It's called Batyam in central Israel. You know, a massive high rise was completely gutted from one side. Search and rescue teams were looking for missing people in the rubble. There were blown out windows for miles. I met 62 year old Ilana Kopchak. She was in a bomb shelter with when the missile hit nearby.
Michelle Martin
It was terrible.
Hadil Al Shulci
Boom, big one. Everything is shaking.
Martinez
I'm afraid this level of destruction and attacks seem unprecedented for many in Israel. I mean, what's the mood where you're at?
Hadil Al Shulci
Absolutely. So, you know, Israelis can sometimes be nonchalant about missile fire. Hamas, Hezbollah, the Yemeni Houthis fire rockets at Israel. But this isn't the same at all. And the Israeli air defense system known as the Iron Dome hasn't been to intercept all of them, as we can see, which is leading to a level of destruction in central Israel particularly that hasn't been seen before, really. You know, there's been some criticism in the media about the war. There's questions, what is Netanyahu's end game? But generally there's actually a sense that this is a time for Israel to unite against their common enemy, the Iranian Islamic regime. The area I visited, Batyam, is a Netanyahu stronghold. He visited the neighborhood and many people were chanting his name in support. And people I talked to, yeah, they were rattled by the attack. Some homes, their homes were also damaged. But they said this war was inevitable. It's been hanging over their heads for decades, and that this destruction was perhaps the price to pay for Israel's safety in the region.
Martinez
All right, that's NPR's Hadil Al Shalqi in Tel Aviv. Thank you very much.
Hadil Al Shulci
You're very welcome.
Martinez
President Trump has arrived in Kananaskis at a lodge in the Canadian Rockies for this year's G7.
Michelle Martin
It is the annual summit for the leaders of advanced economies. And this year's comes at a tense time. The conflict between Israel and Iran has escalated, as we've just heard. The Ukraine, Russia war continues, and Trump has imposed tariffs on all of his fellow G7 countries.
Martinez
NPR White House correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben traveled to Canada last night with the president. She joins us now from Calgary, Alberta. So, Danielle, what's on the agenda the next couple of days?
Danielle Kurtzleben
Well, Canada's Prime Minister, Mark Carney, he's the host of this meeting. He's laid out a few really broad areas. Among them, he's listed boosting the response to wildfires, building infrastructure and using AI for economic growth. Now, Trump, for his part, has his own priorities. His White House has said that he wants to talk about migration, critical minerals trade and drug smuggling, among other things. But given the timing of this meeting, the Iran, Israel conflict, like you just mentioned, that's sure to be a big part of the conversation and all. Also Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. On that note, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is going to be at the summit. And the White House says Trump will have some time to meet with Zelensky in the next couple of days. Not only that, but they confirmed he will have one on one meetings with Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum and Mark Carney, the host.
Martinez
So I remember back in his first term, President Trump had some pretty memorable clashes with his fellow leaders at these seven summits.
Danielle Kurtzleben
Yeah.
Michelle Martin
So what's.
Martinez
What was behind all that?
Danielle Kurtzleben
Well, some of it was personal. I mean, for example, look back to 2018, when Trump called then Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dishonest and weak. And that was inspired by trade issues is what caused that argument. Trump also argued in the past with former German Chancellor Angela Merkel. But stepping back from those personality clashes, there have just been differing values between Trump and other G7 leaders. Trump's team wanted narrowly focused G7 agendas, focusing heavily on economics. Meanwhile, the other leaders wanted to talk about more expansive topics like climate change and gender equality, in addition to economics. Now, at the end of these summits, they usually wrap all of that together in a big joint statement called a communique. But this year, they're scrapping that approach. So I talked to Kellyanne Shaw. She was Trump's lead negotiator in 2019. She said this.
Jude Joffe Block
In many respects, it's an improvement. Right. Because last year, if you look at the communique, there's 36 pages of empty promises and platitudes. It doesn't move the needle.
Danielle Kurtzleben
Now, again, she's making the Trumpist argument there. But other G7 leaders have seen the summit as a venue for global governance and just for consensus on big problems.
Martinez
So do you expect any friction between Trump and other leaders this week?
Danielle Kurtzleben
I mean, there could be on a few topics. One is Trump's repeated statements about making Canada again the host country, the 51st state. So that's.
Martinez
Oh, that, that. I forgot about that.
Danielle Kurtzleben
Ye big. Not only that, but French President Emmanuel Macron sent a message during a stop he made on the way to this G7. He stopped at Greenland. And that's another place that Trump has said he would like to annex, and that, of course, is part of Denmark. One more area that they may talk about is Russia, or they will likely talk about fundamentally. The G7 has not been friendly to Russia because of its actions in Ukraine, but Trump is friendly with Russian President Vladimir Putin. They spoke over the weekend, and Trump has even said he would be open to Putin mediating the Israel, Iran conflict. Now, Macron, for his part, said he would not support that. Capping all that off is trade. Trump has tariff goods from nearly every country, including all his G7 partners, and he has said he will be talking tariff deals this week.
Martinez
All right, that's NPR's Danielle Kurtzlebet. Thanks a lot.
Danielle Kurtzleben
Thank you.
Martinez
Last month, President Trump's Department of Justice made a sweeping demand of the state of Colorado, give us all your records from recent federal elections. Voting officials say they've never seen anything like it. NPR's Miles Parks and Jude Joffe Block were the first to obtain this data request. So, Jude, let's start off with you. Tell us more about what's happening here.
Jude Joffe Block
Well, yeah. Last month, the Justice Department sent the Colorado Secretary of State a letter citing a number of federal laws, including those that say election officials need to keep relatively relevant Records for 22 months after an election. DOJ said they received a complaint about Colorado's compliance with election law, and they're requesting all records from the past 22 months as a result. But this request goes even further back to preserve any 2020 election records Colorado has, even though there isn't a legal obligation for state officials to have saved those old records at this point.
Martinez
All right, so requests for both 2020 and 2024. Miles, how rare is this?
Miles Parks
I mean, no voting official we've spoken with has ever heard of a request for all election records from an entire state. I mean, depending on how you read this, election law experts told us it could encompass ballots, voter registration, materials to equipment. Justin Levitt is a professor at Loyola Law School. He worked for DOJ during the Obama administration, and he was a voting advisor in the Biden administration.
Martinez
I've never seen a request that says you have a responsibility to keep everything. We're investigating whether you kept everything, so send us everything. Has the Department of Justice said anything about this request so far publicly, or maybe in response to your reporting?
Jude Joffe Block
It hasn't. We got no comment on the substance of the request. And the DOJ also has not provided a copy of the initial complaint.
Martinez
What about the letter? Any explanation as to why they want all these records?
Miles Parks
Not exactly. I mean, we don't know anything about that initial complaint, who sent it, what the specifics are. But election officials in Colorado note the last time that a state records retention issue was in the spotlight involved a Trump ally who's become a sort of election denial folk hero. You might remember her name, Tina Peters. She's a former county voting official who was convicted on a bunch of crimes related to giving unauthorized access to her Systems after the 2020 election. As part of her defense in her trial, she accused the Secretary of State of illegally ordering records to be deleted. That accusation was never substantiated, but election officials in Colorado see this request from doj, as in some way linked to that case.
Martinez
All right, so just to be clear, anything in the DOJ's letter that mentions Peters, or is that maybe just a hunch among people in Colorado?
Miles Parks
There's nothing in the letter, but it's also worth noting that just a week before Colorado got this letter, President Trump posted a long social media post where he called Peters a political prisoner, and he even directed DOJ to take, quote, all necessary action to help get her free, even though she's in state custody.
Jude Joffe Block
And when we spoke with Colorado Secretary of State Democrat Jenna Griswold, she noted the timing that this request came soon after Trump's post. Though she's not sure why DOJ ultimately wants all her records. She is worried they'll be used to make false accusations about the state's voting systems.
Matt Sepik
We are seeing them use the apparatus.
Danielle Kurtzleben
Of the federal government to undermine our elections and our democracy. And I would assume that this is.
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Jude Joffe Block
In response to the request, the state provided DOJ with a couple different snapshots of its publicly available voter rolls and a more detailed voter history. But it's unclear whether DOJ will be satisfied with that, considering how broad the request.
Martinez
Jude, I mean, what does this data request then say about the focus of Trump's Department of justice?
Jude Joffe Block
Yeah, the DOJ's Civil Rights Division, which includes the voting section, is really undergoing a dramatic transformation right now to home in on Trump's priorities. We've seen DOJ lawyers drop voting rights lawsuits brought under Biden and instead focus on searching for fraud or how states are verifying voters on their roles. One of our colleagues reported that the Civil Rights Division has lost about 70% of its attorneys. The key person to note here is the head of the Civil Rights Division, Hermeet Dhillon. She's the one who signed this request to Colorado.
Miles Parks
And Dylan, frankly, has a history of working in the election denial space. She advised Trump's legal team in 2020 and also worked for Carrie Lake's campaign in Arizona in 2022. Both campaigns that involved casting doubt on election results. And then up until the time she was confirmed, Dylan was working at her own private firm, which was also commissioned by the Republican National Committee this spring to send out election records requests across the country. A Secretary of State, not in Colorado who got one of those requests told me she was getting flashbacks to the post 2020 period when voting officials really felt targeted more than ever before.
Martinez
That's NPR's Miles Parks and Jude Joppe Block. Thanks, you two.
Miles Parks
Thank you.
Jude Joffe Block
Thanks.
Martinez
And that's up first for Monday, June 16th. Amy Martinez and I'm Michele Martin.
Michelle Martin
For your next listen, check out Consider this from npr. We Hear It up first give you the three big stories of the day. Our Consider this colleagues dive into a single news story and what it means to you in less than 15 minutes. Listen now on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.
Martinez
Today's episode of up first was edited by Kevin Drew, Alex Leff, Roberta Rampton, Janaya Williams and Arzu Rezvani. It was produced by Ziad Buch, Claire Burashima and Christopher Thomas. We have engineering support from Nisha Hynes and our technical director is Carly Strange. Join us again tomorrow.
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Up First from NPR – June 16, 2025
NPR’s "Up First" delivers the three biggest stories of the day with in-depth reporting and analysis. In this episode, hosts Michelle Martin and Amy Martinez cover four major topics: the arrest in the Minnesota shooting case, the escalating Israel-Iran conflict, the commencement of the G7 summit amidst international tensions, and a contentious data request from Colorado’s Department of Justice.
Overview: In a significant development, authorities have apprehended Vance Belter, a suspect implicated in the tragic shooting of a Minnesota state lawmaker and the wounding of others. This incident marks the largest manhunt in Minnesota’s history.
Details:
Arrest and Charges: Vance Belter, aged 57, was arrested in a rural area near Minneapolis. He faces murder charges following the fatal shooting of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa H. Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, inside their Brooklyn Park home at approximately 3:30 AM on Saturday. Additionally, Belter is suspected of attacking Democratic State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, earlier that morning.
Manhunt: According to Minnesota Public Radio’s Matt Sepik, Belter posed as a police officer during the attacks. After the shootings, a high-stakes pursuit ensued, culminating in Belter’s surrender in the woods of Sibley County. Police Chief Mark Brulee described the operation as "the largest manhunt in Minnesota history," involving 20 SWAT teams (04:04).
Motives and Targets: While authorities have not disclosed Belter’s motives, it has been revealed that he possessed a list of names and addresses of various public officials, including U.S. Senator Tina Smith and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. This suggests a possible pattern targeting Democratic figures (05:25).
Victims’ Condition: Both survivors, John and Yvette Hoffman, sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Governor Tim Walz reported that John Hoffman is recovering post-surgery, while Yvette survived after being struck by eight bullets. The Hoffmans expressed their relief and gratitude in messages exchanged with Senator Amy Klobuchar (05:28-05:49).
Notable Quotes:
Overview: The conflict between Israel and Iran has intensified, with both nations exchanging strikes and suffering significant casualties. International leaders are urging de-escalation, but on-the-ground reports indicate ongoing fierce confrontations.
Details:
Current Situation: Both Israel and Iran have experienced a fourth consecutive day of attacks, resulting in substantial loss of life and property. Iran’s Ministry of Health reported over 200 fatalities, including many civilians, and more than 1,000 injuries. In Israel, at least 20 people have been killed (06:08).
International Response: World leaders and the United Nations are calling for a ceasefire. However, President Trump’s contradictory stance—calling for a deal while acknowledging the necessity of continued conflict—adds complexity to the situation (06:35).
On the Ground in Israel: NPR’s Hadil Al Shulci in Tel Aviv described a particularly devastating night of strikes in Israel, focusing on the Batyam neighborhood in central Tel Aviv. She observed extensive destruction, including a high-rise building partially destroyed and ongoing search and rescue operations (07:25).
Public Sentiment: There is a heightened sense of urgency and vulnerability among Israelis. Unlike previous missile attacks, the current wave has overwhelmed the Iron Dome defense system, leading to unprecedented destruction. Despite the chaos, there is a prevailing sentiment of unity and resilience, with strong support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (08:09).
Notable Quotes:
Overview: The annual G7 summit has commenced in Kananaskis, Canadian Rockies, with President Trump in attendance. The summit faces challenges due to ongoing international conflicts and differing national agendas.
Details:
Agenda and Priorities: Hosted by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, the summit focuses on issues such as wildfire response, infrastructure building, and the utilization of AI for economic growth. However, President Trump has highlighted his own priorities, including immigration, critical minerals trade, and drug smuggling (09:58).
Diplomatic Dynamics: Historical tensions between Trump and other G7 leaders persist, with potential friction expected over topics like Canada’s role and territorial disputes. Trump’s comments about making Canada the "51st state" and his interactions with French President Emmanuel Macron regarding Greenland’s potential annexation exemplify these strains (12:12-12:27).
Russia and Ukraine: The summit also addresses Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. President Trump’s favorable relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin introduces another layer of complexity, especially as Trump has expressed willingness to involve Putin in mediating the Israel-Iran conflict, a stance opposed by leaders like Macron (12:03-12:27).
Ukrainian President’s Attendance: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s presence underscores the summit’s focus on the Ukraine-Russia conflict, ensuring it remains a central topic alongside the Israel-Iran situation (09:58).
Notable Quotes:
Overview: The Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued an unprecedented request for comprehensive election data from Colorado, sparking concerns about election integrity and potential political motivations.
Details:
Data Request: The DOJ's letter to Colorado’s Secretary of State demands all election records from the past 22 months, including data from the 2020 and 2024 federal elections. This request exceeds standard record retention requirements and has raised alarms among election officials (13:46).
Context and Speculation: While the DOJ has not publicly explained the motives behind the request, Colorado officials speculate a connection to the case of Tina Peters, a former county voting official associated with election denial movements. Peters, recently convicted for unauthorized access to voting systems, has been a focal point for concerns about election integrity (15:10-15:54).
Political Implications: President Trump’s recent endorsement of Tina Peters and his directive to the DOJ to "take all necessary action" to release her reflect possible political underpinnings for the data request. Secretary of State Jenna Griswold expressed apprehension that the DOJ’s actions might be aimed at undermining Colorado’s voting systems (16:02-16:36).
DOJ’s Civil Rights Division: Under the leadership of Hermeet Dhillon, the Civil Rights Division is reportedly shifting focus towards Trump’s priorities, emphasizing the investigation of election processes and voter verification methods. This pivot is seen as part of a broader trend where the DOJ is aligning more closely with election denial narratives prevalent within certain political factions (17:00-17:37).
State’s Response: In response to the DOJ’s broad request, Colorado provided selective election data, including voter rolls and detailed histories. However, it remains uncertain whether these submissions will satisfy the DOJ’s extensive demands (16:45-17:00).
Notable Quotes:
Conclusion: This episode of "Up First" from NPR provides a comprehensive overview of critical national and international issues, from the sobering arrest in the Minnesota political shooting to the volatile Israel-Iran conflict, the politically charged G7 summit, and controversial actions by Colorado’s Department of Justice. Through detailed reporting and insightful analysis, listeners are equipped with a nuanced understanding of the current events shaping the world.
Credits:
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