Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN-03) attended a private “conversation on diversity” Saturday in his home district at the Eden Prairie Community Center.
The event was private and closed to the press, his campaign said, but an invitation was circulating on social media throughout the week and was hosted by an individual identified as Adeel Ahmad.
“Please join me for a conversation about the richness of diversity in our community with Congressman Dean Phillips who represents the Third Congressional District of Minnesota in the U.S. Congress. Share with the Congressman what’s important to you, discuss the contributions and challenges of being part of a diverse, yet under-represented community and hear from him about his priorities and plans for representing us,” Ahmad said in his invitation.
The Minnesota Sun attempted to cover the event, but was told that it’s closed to the press.
“That said, there will be plenty of opportunities to cover Dean in August as he’s home for the entirety of the work month,” his campaign said.
“It is our responsibility to get more involved and I strongly believe that having an open dialogue results in the greatest amount of change,” Ahmad said in the invitation. “In my interactions with Congressman Phillips, I have found him to be a great listener and he is continually inspired by the stories of people he meets.”
“Individuals of all backgrounds, faiths, no faiths, ethnicities are encouraged to attend,” he added.
Phillips returned to Minnesota Friday for the House’s six-week summer recess.
“Yesterday, I hopped off a plane and headed straight to Brooklyn Park to celebrate Liberian Independence Day. Happy 26th, my friends. It’s so good to be home,” Phillips wrote on Twitter Saturday morning.
Yesterday, I hopped off a plane and headed straight to @BrooklynPark to celebrate Liberian Independence Day. Happy #26th, my friends. It’s so good to be home. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/KaJewXu5Zp
— Rep. Dean Phillips 🇺🇸 (@RepDeanPhillips) July 27, 2019
As The Minnesota Sun reported last week, Republican Kendall Qualls, a former U.S. Army Captain and businessman from Medina, filed his paperwork to run against Phillips in 2020.
“In 2018, voters in Minnesota’s Third Congressional District overwhelmingly rejected the Trump-Republican agenda of dividing Americans and attacking our health care,” DFL Chairman Ken Martin said in response to Qualls’ announcement. “Minnesotans deserve to know whether Kendall Qualls will meaningfully stand up to Trump’s dangerous rhetoric and destructive policies, or if he’ll serve as just another Republican rubber stamp for Donald Trump.”
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of Battleground State News, The Ohio Star, and The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Dean Phillips” by Dean Phillips.
