The Matt McNeil Show

GhostBox Radio earns accolades; Robert Redford passes away; what the Charlie Kirk shooter is tied to; government ramps up Chicago enforcement activities; Patrick Coolican joins Brett; Tim Walz will run for a third term; 8 shot at homeless encampment.

It’s our weekly visit with Patrick Coolican of the Minnesota Reformer! Today we talk Walz reelection, data on gun safety laws, and the legislature getting ready for gun bills at the upcoming special session. Here’s all that was covered:

https://minnesotareformer.com/2025/09/16/minnesota-gov-tim-walz-launches-reelection-campaign-for-third-term/

https://minnesotareformer.com/2025/09/15/heres-what-the-data-say-about-some-common-gun-control-ideas/

https://minnesotareformer.com/2025/09/15/senate-panel-hears-assault-weapons-ban-other-ideas/

Matt talks about his weekend in Chicago; China is not placing orders for US soybeans; Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan joins the show to discuss her Senate run; groyper movement that Charlie Kirk’s killer allegedly belonged to; restauranteur Ann Kim under fire; hypocrisy of Rep. Van Orden; Michael Brodkorb discusses last night’s game.

Michael Brodkorb is a noted author, former GOP political strategist, and football expert.

Peggy Flanagan is Minnesota’s 50th Lieutenant Governor, a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, and currently the country’s highest ranking Native woman elected to executive office. At the center of all her work is making progress for children, working families, communities of color and Indigenous communities, and Minnesotans who have historically been underserved and underrepresented.

She is seeking the nomination for US Senate for 2026.

Bruce Klopfleisch fills in for Matt today. On the show:

— Pema Levy of Mother Jones on Republican gerrymandering.

— Greta Bedekovics talks about how Democrats can respond to gerrymandering

— MinnPost writer Matthew Blake joins to talk about prospects of a special session.

— How SCOTUS has essentially eliminated the 4th amendment.

— Problems with SCOTUS continuing to issue shadow dockets.

Bruce was joined by MinnPost writer Matthew Blake to talk about prospects of a special session based on his recent reporting:

https://www.minnpost.com/state-government/2025/09/walzs-urgency-to-act-on-gun-violence-runs-into-political-reality-in-divided-legislature/

Bruce Klopfleisch was joined by Greta Bedekovics, associate director of Democracy at the Center for American Progress. They talk about how CAP has changed their guidance for states with independent redistricting commissions in response to Republican gerrymandering.

Bruce was joined by Mother Jones writer Pema Levy as they talk about some of her recent articles on Republican gerrymandering:

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/08/republican-racial-gerrymandering/

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/08/voting-rights-act-supreme-court-2/

Mike McIntee fills in for Matt today. White nationalists using gyms and fitness centers to recruit people; Pastor John Matthews talks about Christian nationalism; John Fugelsang joins the show to continue that discussion; Maggiy Emery of Protect MN; Farm Aid’s status in question.

Maggiy Emery is an experienced nonprofit and political strategist with a background in communications, organizing, and development in such issue areas as gun violence prevention, food justice, animal welfare, immigrant and refugee rights, and more. She has a deep passion for sustainable agriculture and the revitalization of rural spaces, and she is thrilled to bring her passion and experience to the Sharing Our Roots board. In her free time, you can find her reading, cooking elaborate meals, hiking and running, and enjoying animal companionship. She lives in Saint Paul with her six cats Jagger, Pippin, Ivy, Iris, Hamlet, and...

He’s been murdered on CSI, interviewed 2 Beatles on separate continents in the same week, and famously once got Mitt Romney’s advisor to call Governor Romney an ‘etch a sketch’ on CNN. Actor, comedian & broadcaster John Fugelsang hosts ‘Tell Me Everything” weekdays on SiriusXM Insight #121.

He recently performed in ‘The Bill of Rights Concert” alongside Lewis Black & Dick Gregory which aired on AXS.   He’s also appeared at Montreal’s ‘Just for Laughs’ Festival, HBO’s U.S Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, hosted America’s Funniest Home Videos for ABC and Bill Maher called him ‘one of my favorite comedians’.

Another day of tragic shootings with conservative activist Charlie Kirk and a Colorado high school; Russian drones shot down in Polish airspace; Jeff Stein joins Matt to talk about the Kirk shooting; Tim Walz signals run for re-election; Mayo closing a number of climics.

Jeff Stein of KXEL/Waterloo joins Matt every Wednesday at 3:30/

How many military personnel would it take to occupy a city like Chicago; Trump’s Epstein birthday card released; the disastrous Trump economy begins to come into focus; recapping the Vikings game; state Democrats select Zack Stephenson as leader; Patrick Coolican returns; Minnesota GOP readies another offensive against the metro.

Patrick Coolican returns for his weekly Tuesday visit. This week Brett and Patrick talk about Zack Stephenson being named DFL house leader, Gov. Walz calling a special session on guns, and Gov. Walz issuing an executive order on vaccine access in Minnesota.

Weelend recap; hikers under influence of mushrooms rescued; China is not buying any American soybeans; Trump goes after Tom Hanks to try to get the North Korea invastion off the headlines; today’s Supreme Court rulings; Australian mushroom murderer given life in prison; thousands honor Annunciation student at funeral; man charged in felony theft from a boat; local news roundup; two die in drunk driving crash.

Movie prop auction; this month’s jobs report is full of bad news; 2019 American incursion into North Korea revealed; it’s the guns; TV roundup; man wrongfully convicted of murder released; mandatory anti-union meeting bans upheld; Michael Brodkorb joins to discuss the upcoming Vikings season.

Michael Brodkorb is a noted author, former GOP political strategist, and football expert.

Congress pushes to end-around the Epstein files; RFK Jr. on Capitol Hill; possible alligator spotted near Floodwood; exotic animals seized in Deer River; fleeing suspect kills innocents in crash; man arrested for threatening Peggy Flanagan; state audtor Julue Blaha joins to discuss her decision not to run for the office again.

Julie Blaha is the State Auditor of Minnesota.

Cliff Schecter joins Matt to begin the show; Epstein survivors have a press conference; Florida ends vaccine requirements; Minnesota ranks above average nationally in 8 categories; four injured children released; Duluth hazardous materials evacuation; Everson Griffen arrested again; MN rural gun culture.

Cliff Schecter/David Shuster didn’t just discover the GOP’s bad, find our voices & switch sides. We’ve been at it for 25 yrs. Cliff wrote the ads that helped Biden beat Trump in ’20. David exposed GOP corruption as an Emmy-winning anchor at MSNBC & CNN.

https://www.blueamp.co/subscribe

Brett was joined by the Minnesota Reformer’s Max Nesterak. Today they talked about Gov. Tim Walz possibly calling a special session to address gun safety as well as some labor stats about Minnesota.

Recapping the holiday weekend; Trump health rumors; first day of school for most students; best and worst cities to retire; Max Nesterak of the Minnesota Reformer returns this week; special session for gun violence imminent.

On today’s show:

— Reaction from RFK and other far right figures are responding to the Minneapolis church shooting.

— Why isn’t the stock market reacting to bad economic news.

— Some major warnings signs flashing in the AG sector.

— Why thoughts and prayers are useless without action.

— Updates on the Minneapolis church shooting.

— Why we can’t let fear overtake our lives…especially online and social media.

— An update of the spruce tree burglar!

Dr. Joe Eastman is an expert disease modeler who frequently provides updates on COVID, avian flu, and other diseases. Today Matt and Joe talk about how RFK is messing up data tracking for many diseases. Plus updates on Avian flu, new COVID variants and more.

On today’s show:

— Yet another mass shooting, this time at a Minneapolis church/school. Matt provides updates and has reactions.

— Jeff Stein has his weekly Wednesday visit.

— Matt revisits when his son was only blocks away from the Highland Park, Ill 2022 shooting.

— Why do people buy guns that were recently used in mass shootings.

— Why guns are not toys and are extremely dangerous

— Ellie Krug joins to share her thoughts about today’s terrible news.

Matt was joined by the host of the Illegal Trans Woman, Ellie Krug. In light of the Minneapolis mass shooter being identified as a transgender woman, Ellie talks about how hate merchants might use this shooting as justification to further marginalize transgender people.

It’s a more somber visit with Jeff Stein this week as Matt and Jeff react to the mass shooting at a Minneapolis school/church. They also talk about Democrats continuing to over perform in special elections.

Taylor Swift engaged; Matt in Madison; Trump says maybe Americans want a dictator; Kat Abughazaleh joins Matt for a discussion; five things every Democrat should be for; Max Nesterak is in for Patrick Coolican as Brett’s Tuesday interview; Rochester will charge woman who racially abused boy; Matt at the fair; DFL Senate race.

Brett was joined by Max Nesterak, the deputy editor of the Minnesota Reformer who reports on labor and housing. Today’s topics included the DNC meetings in Minneapolis, minimum wage raises and a labor dispute with University of Minnesota service workers. Find more at: https://minnesotareformer.com/

Kat Abughazaleh is a journalist and candidate for Illinois’s 9th congressional district.

Mike McIntee fills in for Matt. Nekima Levy Armstrong discusses the ongoing Target boycott; Mary Hartnett of Clean Elections discuss Trump’s threats to mail-in voting; Alee Schmirer of AFSCME joins the show; Tim Wals’s appearance at the DNC summit; Elizabeth Glidden of Minnesota Housing Partnership talks about how budget cuts will hurt housing stability; Florida crosswalk battle.

Elizabeth Glidden is Deputy Director of the Minnesota Housing Partnership.

Mary Hartnett has served as the Executive Director of three different nonprofits, the Commission of Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing Minnesotans. She has also worked as a lobbyist and consultant to nonprofits and state agencies. She has decades of experience working on voter education, voter engagement and voting rights. She has organized and mobilized communities to pass legislation that has made health care, technology, education, state government, employment, and voting more accessible and equitable.

Nekima Levy Armstrong is an award-winning civil rights lawyer, scholar-activist, and past president of the Minneapolis NAACP. She is a frequent speaker on national and international news outlets about racial justice advocacy and public policy, most notably including an interview with Oprah. Nekima is also a best-selling author, entrepreneur, and podcast host.

On today’s show:

— Trump wants to expand his federal takeover to other cities like Chicago and New York.

— The FBI has searched the home and office of ex-Trump national security adviser John Bolton.

— Police investigate a Kansas city council member’s citizenship after a complaint left via voicemail.

— What happened to home baking?

— The continuing mess that was the Minneapolis DFL mayoral convention.

— MinnPost reports that ICE could be eyeing the shuttered Appleton prison as an immigrant detention center.