"Tragically, We've Lost Some Already"
MN-06 Daily: March 5, 2026
Before today’s daily — a special report. I published an interactive investigation this morning examining the House Oversight Committee’s hearing on fraud in Minnesota — the full record, the claims, and the receipts. It doesn’t live in Substack — it has charts, clickable receipts, and a full hearing record that doesn’t translate to email. I’m sorry for the extra click, but I think it’s worth it.
Special Report: Oversight of What, Exactly? → mn06watch.com/articles/oversight-of-what
This morning, Rep. Emmer went on Newsmax’s The National Report and was asked about the war powers vote. Here is what he said:
“Tragically, we’ve lost some already. Those are the people we should be thinking about as we vote this resolution down and allow the president to finish what we started.”
Yesterday, at the House leadership press conference, Emmer mentioned the Coast Guard deployed in the Middle East. He used them to blame Democrats for the DHS shutdown. He did not say SFC Nicole Amor’s name — the 39-year-old Army Reserve mother of two from White Bear Lake who was killed in Kuwait five days ago, who was days from coming home.
Today he invoked the dead — without naming them — to justify blocking the resolution that would require Congress to authorize the war that killed them.
He has never served in the military.
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12+ tweets. 1 Newsmax appearance. 1 Fox News article. 0 mentions of SFC Nicole Amor. 0 mentions of Kristi Noem’s firing. War powers resolution defeated 212-219.
939 days since Rep. Emmer’s last in-person town hall — August 9, 2023 — Hamburg, MN
DHS Shutdown: Day 20. Noem fired. Mullin nominated. TSA workers miss their first full paycheck March 14.
The Newsmax Interview
Emmer appeared on Newsmax’s The National Report this morning for nearly eight minutes. The first seven minutes were about fraud — the same claims from yesterday’s hearing, the same lines from December. Ellison should be disbarred. Ellison should go to jail. Walz is obfuscating. Ninety-six people indicted, 85 from the Somali community. The $250 million scheme. The 54-minute tape. For a closer look at the Oversight Committee’s record in the 119th Congress — what it has investigated, what it hasn’t, and what yesterday’s hearing actually produced — see the special report linked above.
Then, in the final minute, the host asked about the war powers vote. Emmer’s answer is worth reading in full:
“I expect Republicans to stand with Donald Trump. The president made a call. It’s a very narrow, very specific mission, and that is to knock out the chief sponsor of terror’s ability to go on offense against the United States of America. And it’s very clear that what he’s doing is working. This has been a problem that has festered under other presidents, Republican and Democrat, for the last 40 years. This president said enough. I’m not going to allow them to have a nuclear weapon that they can attack the United States of America with. And I think the whole world is grateful for this. Hopefully our soldiers and their families will be safe. Tragically, we’ve lost some already. Those are the people we should be thinking about as we vote this resolution down and allow the president to finish what we started.”
There’s the position. After days of silence — no statement on war powers, no public position, no tweet — he goes on Newsmax and says: vote the resolution down. Use the dead as the reason.
Note what he did not say: Nicole Amor’s name. White Bear Lake. The number of dead (six). The number of wounded (eighteen). An exit strategy. A definition of victory. A timeline for when “what we started” will be finished. Whether he supports ground troops. What happens if it takes longer than “four to five weeks.”
Note what he did say: “I expect Republicans to stand with Donald Trump.”
That’s not a war strategy. That’s a loyalty test.
Noem Fired
Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem today — the first Cabinet secretary to leave in his second term. He announced her replacement: Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., effective March 31.
The trigger, according to multiple reports: the $220 million ad campaign that Sen. Kennedy grilled her about Tuesday. Fox News reported Trump was “furious” with her hearing performance. An administration official told NBC News that Noem’s “drama sadly overshadowed and distracted from the Administration’s extremely popular immigration agenda.”
Noem was moved to a new position called “Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas.” Corey Lewandowski, her top adviser who faced scrutiny over his role at DHS, is also departing.
This is the same Kristi Noem who:
Called Alex Pretti and Renee Good “domestic terrorists” and refused to retract it in two days of congressional testimony
Oversaw Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis, which deployed 3,000 federal agents
Presided over the DHS shutdown now in Day 20
Spent $220 million on ads prominently featuring herself
Was called a “disaster” by Republican Sen. Tillis on Tuesday
Was told to “step down” by Democratic Sen. Booker on Tuesday
Emmer retweeted her fraud messaging on Monday. He praised DHS operations at the leadership stakeout yesterday. He has not commented on her firing.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey: “Good riddance.”
War Powers — The Votes
Senate: The Kaine war powers resolution failed 47-53 on Wednesday. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was the only Republican to vote yes. John Fetterman, D-Pa., was the only Democrat to vote no.
House: The Khanna-Massie war powers resolution (H.Con.Res. 38) failed 212-219. Emmer’s whip operation held. Two Republicans broke ranks — Massie and Warren Davidson of Ohio, a former Army Ranger. Four Democrats voted no — Cuellar, Golden, Landsman, and Vargas — effectively saving the resolution from passing. Massie, on the House floor: “Congress cannot be bothered with its constitutional duty because for many in this chamber, it’s easier to simply allow someone else’s sons and daughters to be sent to combat without their vote.” Johnson after the vote: “We are not at war. We have no intention of being at war.”
A CBS News poll this week found that a majority of Americans disapprove of U.S. military action against Iran, and two-thirds say Congress should authorize further action. The resolution Emmer whipped against was the mechanism for that authorization. It failed by seven votes.
Yesterday’s Votes
Emmer voted on all five roll calls Wednesday:
RC 80 — H.Res. 1095 (DHS Funding Rule): AYE. Passed 211-209. This is the procedural vote teeing up the DHS funding bill. Two-vote margin. That’s Emmer’s whip operation — and it barely held.
RC 79 — H.Res. 1095 (Previous Question): YEA. Procedural. Party-line.
RC 81 — S. 723 (Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act): YEA. Passed 384-40 under suspension.
RC 82 — H.R. 6472 (Territorial Student Access to Higher Education): YEA. Passed 351-72 under suspension.
RC 83 — H.Res. 1100 (Ethics Committee Records — Sexual Harassment): YEA. Motion to refer. Passed 357-65. This is the resolution directing the Ethics Committee to preserve and release records related to sexual harassment investigations.
What He Tweeted
March 5:
“If Keith Ellison participated in a quid pro quo... grounds for disbarment and prosecution”
Fox News link: “accuses Ellison of lying about benefit fraud”
Daily Caller exclusive: “Trump’s War on Fraud put other Blue States ‘On Notice’”
CLARITY Act — “Let’s get this DONE”
“Operation Epic Fury is a bold, decisive, and necessary act of strength” (copy of stakeout language)
Quote-tweet of Gov. Walz’s Pivot Bio agriculture tweet: “Minnesota is also the global leader in fraud. You might want to focus on that as well, Timmy!”
RT @RepDavidKustoff: “Ending that threat is in our national interest” (Iran)
March 5 (late):
DHS funding bill tweet: “The House just voted on the DHS funding bill — again. Over 200 Democrats voted against it — again. Why do Democrats bother showing up to work if all they’re going to do is play politics with the security of the American people? It’s pathetic and DANGEROUS.”
A note on that last tweet: the Majority Whip is asking the opposition to stay home. If Democrats didn’t show up, the vote threshold drops. A “not present” isn’t a “no” — it lowers the number of votes Emmer needs to whip. The man whose entire job is counting votes is publicly wishing he had fewer to count.
March 4 (late):
“I agree with Michelle!”
“Fraud is a serious issue... Ellison thinks fraud is ‘not a serious thing.’ Pathetic.”
Topics: Fraud (6), Iran praise (2), legislation (1), taunting the governor (1), unclear (1)
The Walz quote-tweet is worth noting. The governor posted about Pivot Bio investing in Minnesota agriculture — a company bringing jobs to the state Emmer represents. Emmer’s response: “Timmy!” This is MN-06’s congressman — the third-ranking Republican in the House — responding to economic development in his own state with a schoolyard nickname.
Not mentioned: SFC Nicole Amor. Noem’s firing. Gas prices. The contempt hearing. His constituents.
What He Didn’t Mention
Noem’s firing. He amplified her Monday. She was fired Thursday. He has not commented.
SFC Nicole Amor. Day three since her name was released. One generic prayer tweet on Monday. Nothing since. Today he invoked “we’ve lost some already” on Newsmax without saying her name — or anyone’s name.
The contempt hearing. Still pending. 113 court order violations in 77 cases. The office prosecuting his fraud cases is still collapsing. He is still tweeting about fraud as though the prosecution infrastructure is intact.
Gas prices. Still climbing. His “four-year low” newsletter was one week ago today.
His constituents. 939 days. No town hall.
The Questions
The following questions were submitted to Rep. Emmer’s office via his official contact form on March 5, 2026:
On Newsmax this morning, you said: “Tragically, we’ve lost some already. Those are the people we should be thinking about as we vote this resolution down.” Yesterday, at the leadership press conference, you did not say SFC Nicole Amor’s name. Can you explain why the dead are relevant when arguing against congressional authorization but not relevant enough to name at a press conference?
Kristi Noem was fired today as DHS Secretary. You retweeted her fraud messaging on Monday and praised DHS operations at the leadership stakeout yesterday. Do you have a comment on her departure?
On Newsmax, you characterized the Ellison tape by saying he “assured the Somali fraudsters that he would block any attempt to scrutinize them.” The full transcript of that meeting is publicly available. Does your characterization match the record?
The DHS funding bill passed today 221-209. The Senate blocked it again, 51-45. You tweeted that Democrats are “pathetic and DANGEROUS” for voting no. As Majority Whip, you told Democrats to stop “showing up to work” — which would lower the vote threshold you need. Is that a serious legislative strategy, or is it a tweet?
It has been 939 days since your last in-person town hall in MN-06 (August 9, 2023, Hamburg, MN). When will you speak to your constituents?
We are still awaiting a response to all previous submissions.
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📊 Source Data:
Newsmax: The National Report, Rep. Tom Emmer interview, March 5, 2026 (transcript by MN-06 Watch)
NBC News: “Trump fires Kristi Noem as homeland security secretary,” March 5, 2026
NPR: “Trump fires Kristi Noem as DHS chief, names Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace her,” March 5, 2026
Axios: “DHS Secretary Kristi Noem out, Trump says,” March 5, 2026
Fox News: “Kristi Noem ousted from homeland security post amid recent turmoil,” March 5, 2026
ABC News: “Trump fires DHS secretary Kristi Noem, replaces her with Sen. Markwayne Mullin,” March 5, 2026
CBS News: “House to vote on curbing Trump’s Iran war powers,” March 5, 2026
NPR: “A split Senate votes against measure to constrain Trump’s authorities in Iran,” March 4, 2026
Washington Post: “Senate rejects resolution to force Trump to end Iran strikes,” March 4, 2026
Breaking Defense: “Iran war powers resolution fails in Senate,” March 4, 2026
CBS News: “CBS News poll: Majority disapprove of military action against Iran,” March 2026
House Clerk: Roll Call Votes 79-83, March 4, 2026
MN-06 Watch Special Report: “Oversight of What, Exactly?” March 5, 2026
MN-06 Watch: Ellison transcript, ellison-fof-transcript.netlify.app
@GOPMajorityWhip, @tomemmer Twitter/X accounts, March 4-5, 2026
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