• Organize the grassroots statewide and build winning coalitions.We will leave no Minnesotan behind, and will take no vote for granted.
• Build our party infrastructure. Like everyone, I was thrilled when my 2004 precinct caucus - in the suburb of Bloomington - was filled to bursting. We will invite all who share our goals to make our party their home.
• Sharpen our message. We will consistently and creatively promote our vision for a better Minnesota.

While only DFL State Central Committee members vote for party chair on May 21st, I ask you to join my campaign to take back Minnesota. E-mail your thoughts and concerns to Josh@JoshForChair.org and fill out the volunteer/support form online.

Together we can build a stronger DFL for a better Minnesota.--Josh

3/14/2005 12:18:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|"To say that I'm an extremist and the picture of somebody coming to the party where they have a... somebody in a dancing tutu... what has that go to do with my voting record? It's all about me then. And to the point that it actually made my wife physically and emotionally sick," Source: Former GOP State Representative Jim Rhodes commenting on a DFL ad, MPR, March 14, 2005|W|P|111083185637005548|W|P|DFL NEGATIVE ADS MAKE SOME SICK|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com3/14/2005 10:18:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|"If the environment isn't for the common good, then maybe we don't have any common good that, as a society, we should pay for,..." Source: DFL State Representative Melissa Hortman, Associated Press, March 14, 2005 |W|P|111082447050433533|W|P|NO COMMON GOOD?|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com3/11/2005 08:59:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|FEC May Exempt Bloggers Possible Regulations Create Furor on Internet Amid a growing hysteria sweeping the Internet over the idea that the Federal Election Commission intends to crack down on bloggers, some FEC officials say they are open to creating an exemption for those who maintain Web logs to ensure they are in no danger of being caught up in the agency’s regulatory framework. "People have images in their minds that the FEC has black helicopters ready to sweep down on people sitting in their pajamas at their computers. I assure you, we have no intention" of doing anything like that, said Ellen Weintraub, a Democrat who sits on the commission. Weintraub said in an interview Wednesday that she’s been doing her utmost to calm the tattered nerves of those who fear that the FEC’s upcoming plans to conform campaign finance regulations to a recent judicial ruling would wreak havoc on political bloggers. The uproar occurred following the publication last week of an interview with Republican Commissioner Brad Smith on CNET News.com, a Web site that covers technology-related issues. In that interview, Smith warned that because of a judicially mandated ruling related to the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act "it’s very likely that the Internet is going to be regulated" by the FEC unless "Congress is willing to stand up and say, ‘Keep your hands off of this, and we’ll change the statute to make it clear.'" Smith suggested the agency could begin targeting such activities as "any decision by an individual to put a link [to a political candidate] on their home page, set up a blog, send out mass e-mails, any kind of activity that can be done on the Internet." Weintraub called such suggestions "rumors" and contends that the myth about the FEC’s intent to regulate bloggers is "just one of these things that somebody throws out there and it takes on a life of its own." Indeed, her GOP colleague’s comments sparked outrage among many in the blogging community and beyond. Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), the ranking Member on the House Judiciary Committee, was so concerned about the possibility that he’s been circulating a letter among his colleagues calling on the FEC to carve out an explicit exemption for Web reporters. “Given the emergence of this new method of reporting and Americans’ increasing reliance on it for their political information, it is critical that BCRA’s press exemption should be clarified to apply to those who are reporting on the Internet,” Conyers wrote in the proposed letter. “We urge you to remove any ambiguity and make explicit in this rule that a blog would not be subject to disclosure requirements, campaign finance limitations or other regulations simply because it contains political commentary, or includes links to a candidate or political party’s website, provided that the candidate or political party did not compensate the blog for such linking.” Weintraub said she is “completely open” to the option of “carving out an exemption” for bloggers and said there have already been internal discussions to that effect at the agency — though she doesn’t think the agency had any intentions of regulating blogs anyway. “I think what the court wanted us to do was rethink the issue of having a total blanket exemption for Internet activity,” the Democratic commissioner explained. Weintraub agrees with Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly that the FEC regulations providing a blanket exemption for Internet activity is “perhaps overbroad,” but insists it “doesn’t mean we want to go whole hog on regulating the Internet.” Likewise, Michael Toner, a Republican who sits on the FEC, said Wednesday that the rulemaking will provide an important opportunity to “make clear that the commission can take the position that online media activities are protected by the press exemption.” “There isn’t any basis for government restrictions of bloggers or any other person who’s volunteering for the candidate of their choice online,” Toner said. The key, he said, will be building on the growing consensus at the FEC to create “bright-line regulations that provide clear and categorical protection for bloggers and other individuals who are involved in grass-roots political activities online.” But exempting blogs from the regulations might not be as easy at it seems, Smith pointed out. “What is a ‘blog?’ Who is a ‘blogger?’” Smith asked. “Much of what you do as a reporter would be illegal coordination with a campaign but for the ‘press’ exemption. Bloggers also communicate with campaigns or even reprint things from campaigns. Absent some exemption, all that could be curtailed. But defining a ‘blog’ could be tough.” Admittedly, FEC rulemakings make many in the regulated community nervous. “Commission rulemakings can have a momentum of their own,” remarked Brian Svoboda, an attorney with the Perkins Coie LLP Political Law Group. “I can understand the anxiety about raising the subject generally, because it’s a bit like going into the cave with a stick and trying to wake up a bear,” Svoboda said. Rick Hasen, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles who has closely followed the issue on his own election-law blog, said he supports the idea of carving out a “safe harbor” for bloggers. “A blogger who is engaged in election-related speech and is uncompensated should be able to do things like post campaign materials or link to campaign Web sites without getting caught up in the FEC’s regulatory web of contributions or expenditures,” Hasen said. Otherwise, Hasen fears, a “chill could be created by the uncertainty of the how the FEC is going to enforce these things.” Eugene Volokh, a professor of law at the University of California at Los Angeles and editor of the popular Web log “The Volokh Conspiracy,” stated in a recent posting that it would be “good” for the FEC to clarify that “Weblogs and online magazines are exempted” from campaign regulations — though he’s not entirely sure that’s truly necessary. That’s because the FEC’s current media exemption to restrictions on corporate speech about candidates already applies to “any news story, commentary, or editorial distributed through the facilities of any broadcasting station, newspaper, magazine, or other periodical publication,” and he concludes that blogs would qualify in the “other” category. Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer, a strong proponent of BCRA, argued that the ensuing controversy is much ado about nothing: “Kollar-Kotelly’s decision said, ‘If I coordinate with a candidate to buy political advertising that’s a contribution.’ That makes imminent sense. “Traditional expenditures made in campaigns don’t disappear from coverage of the campaign finance laws because they’re made on the Internet,” Wertheimer said. While Hasen said he’s not concerned that the FEC rulemaking will lead to a crackdown on bloggers, he’s worried the regulations won’t be clear enough. “I am concerned that if the FEC deals with nothing more than Internet advertising and we end up seeing multiple complaints against bloggers in 2006, that the existing framework is inadequate,” Hasen said. Source: Roll Call, March 11, 2005|W|P|111056071920315024|W|P|UPDATE: THE COMING CRACKDOWN ON BLOGGING|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com3/11/2005 07:45:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|What the heck is a "hmpf?" This is from Eleventh Avenue South: PS: Do you wanna know what really pisses me off? This jackass got a higher Google rank than I did for "minnesota gay marriage blog". Hmpf!|W|P|111055670010089802|W|P|HMPF?|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com3/11/2005 07:18:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Elwyn Tinklenberg is one of the best names I have ever heard. ## Tinklenberg considering a bid for U.S. House seat Elwyn Tinklenberg, a former state transportation commissioner, said Wednesday that he is "seriously considering" a Democratic run for the U.S. House in Minnesota's Sixth District. Tinklenberg, a private consultant, could become the first Democratic name in a growing field of candidates to replace GOP Rep. Mark Kennedy, who is running for Senate. Child-safety crusader Patty Wetterling, who lost to Kennedy last year, is weighing a Democratic run for the Senate, leaving the nomination wide open. Tinklenberg said Minnesota Rep. Jim Oberstar and other Democrats encouraged him to run while he was in Washington last week. "I've been in politics long enough that certainly this idea has occurred to me before," Tinklenberg said. He was the mayor of Blaine from 1986-96 and a Blaine City Council member from 1982-86. Source: Star Tribune, March 11, 2005|W|P|111055452290776929|W|P|TINKLENBERG FOR CONGRESS?|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com3/10/2005 09:09:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|This hurts: "Open Seat – Mark Dayton (D) is retiring Ninety-nine times out of 100, a party is better off with an incumbent seeking re-election. Meet the one-time exception. With Dayton out of the way, winning this blue-leaning state is just a tad harder for Republicans. Senate races are rarely personality contests, but this one, with Dayton, was shaping up to be just that. With the lone galvanizing personality out the way, however, the race could be a simple campaign about whether the state wants two Republican voices in the Senate or one voice from each party. Republicans appear nearly united around Rep. Mark Kennedy (though former Sen. Rod Grams plans to be a thorn). For Democrats, the situation is much less clear. Kennedy's vanquished foe from '04, Patty Wetterling, may actually be the modest front-runner, but trial lawyer Mike Ciresi has the deep pockets to make any race competitive. Honestly, it's surprising at how few big-name Democrats are considering this race. No offense to Wetterling or Ciresi, but the current Democratic crop has a certain B-list feel to it." Source: National Journal [subscription required], March 9, 2005 |W|P|111047500896563787|W|P|DFL CANDIDATES FOR U.S. SENATE CALLED "B-LIST"|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com3/09/2005 11:38:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Click here to vote in the Star Tribune's poll on blogs.|W|P|111039794118152204|W|P|STAR TRIBUNE POLL ON BLOGS|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com3/08/2005 09:28:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Call me crazy, but I think the president of the University of Minnesota DFL should know that the general counsel for the University of Minnesota is contemplating a run for the U.S. Senate: "Austin Miller, University DFL president, said he thinks any Democratic candidate would receive many votes on campus. But, he said, he didn’t know [Mark] Rotenberg was planning to run for U.S. Senate." Source: Minnesota Daily, March 8, 2005 I think Austin and Mark should meet.|W|P|111030336106988129|W|P|NETWORKING 101|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com3/08/2005 08:58:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|"We need a fresh, new voice to speak up for proud Democrats," Source: Mark Rotenberg, Minnesota Daily, March 8, 2005|W|P|111030120340210141|W|P|IS THE DFL PARTY STALE?|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com3/08/2005 08:52:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|U lawyer may run for Senate Mark Rotenberg, the chief lawyer at the University of Minnesota, planted the seeds of a U.S. Senate campaign by forming an exploratory committee. He is the third Democrat to file papers, although none have said they are running for sure for the seat being vacated by Sen. Mark Dayton in 2006. Rotenberg said in a news release Monday that he'll take several weeks to make that decision. Rotenberg said he wants to see how his party and the state's residents respond to a "fresh new face among Democrats.'' Rotenberg has served as Minnesota's general counsel since 1992. To date, his political activity has been behind the scenes, such as his 2004 role as a Minnesota leader in Sen. Joe Lieberman's presidential campaign. The other Democrats who have taken formal steps toward campaigns are child safety advocate Patty Wetterling and Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar. Other potential DFL candidates include Minneapolis attorney Mike Ciresi, state Rep. Tom Rukavina and former state Sen. Jerry Janezich. The two Republican candidates are U.S. Rep. Mark Kennedy and former Sen. Rod Grams. Source: Associated Press, March 8, 2005|W|P|111030094371800696|W|P|MARK ROTENBERG FORMS EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com3/08/2005 06:37:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|This is a letter from yesterday's Star Tribune: Web Wars I read the March 1 story about the blogger who has purchased DFL-friendly domain names with astonishment. Here is an obviously far-right Republican using the Internet like a progressive Democrat. I think if it were truly up to the ultra-conservative Republicans, there would be no Internet. Americans would instead be stuck in the 1950s. I have checked availability of some other domain names. I would encourage the anonymous grabber to grab these domains before any left-winger can get hold of them. • RepublicansWishItWas1955.com • RepublicansThinkEveryoneElseIsTheBoogeyman.com • VoteRepublicanVoteRepression.com • RepublicansForMcCarthyism.com • NeoconsForAnnihilation.com Of course, this is just a start. Imagine the domains the anonymous grabber would want to grab. It may take a while, but nothing worthwhile is ever easy. John Plumhoff, Maple Grove.|W|P|111029280942812349|W|P|THE WEB WARS STRIKE BACK|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com3/07/2005 03:14:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|For those of you keeping score at home, please add Mike Erlandson to the "WHO'S OUT" list and add Ford Bell to the "WHO'S IN" list. WHO'S OUT? Mark Dayton Walter Mondale Mike Hatch Matt Entenza Al Franken Collin Peterson Bill Luther Buck Humphrey Dean Johnson Betty McCollum Mike Erlandson WHO'S IN? (or who has not ruled it out) Mark Rotenberg Patty Wetterling Tom Rukavina Jerry Janezich Amy Klobuchar Mike Ciresi Steve Kelley Ford Bell ## Pawlenty backs Kennedy for Senate; two DFLers withdraw Another Republican Party heavy hitter, Gov. Tim Pawlenty, endorsed U.S. Rep. Mark Kennedy's 2006 campaign Monday as the congressman's lone GOP rival lashed out at party bosses he said were counting him out too soon. While Republicans continued to rally around Kennedy, no DFLers have officially entered the race and two more potential candidates ruled it out. Amid all of the activity it was easy to forget the election to replace Democratic Sen. Mark Dayton is 19 months away. Dayton announced last month he would not seek re-election. Kennedy, a third-term congressman, earlier received the backing of U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman and 26 state senators. He claims to have the support of at least 500 of the roughly 2,200 delegates who will choose a candidate next summer. ''You're seeing a groundswell of support stepping forward on behalf of my candidacy,'' Kennedy said. ''You will find we will not be having a bitter division for the endorsement or a bitter division of significance in a primary.'' However, former U.S. Senator Rod Grams, Kennedy's only announced GOP challenger, accused Republican Party Chairman Ron Eibensteiner of breaking tradition by appearing to take sides in the race before the party's endorsing convention. The delegates should be upset, Grams said, because ''we've got a party chairman and leadership that are trying to shove down their throat a single candidate slate. This is kind of third-world politics.'' He added, ''When you have a former U.S. senator in this race, there is competition.'' Eibensteiner said Friday that Kennedy appeared to have a lock on the nomination, although he didn't give the congressman an outright endorsement. A spokesman said the chairman and party staff won't take sides until delegates weigh in. Grams, who lost to Dayton in 2000, said he wasn't upset with Coleman or Pawlenty for their endorsements, but he wondered if they had axes to grind. Grams endorsed a Coleman rival in the 1998 governor's race and a Pawlenty rival in 2002. Pawlenty said he and Kennedy shared a lot of basic values and policy beliefs. ''We have an A-plus candidate ready to go who is a clear winner, a demonstrated winner,'' Pawlenty said. ''It's going to be a competitive race, so we don't have a lot of time to have an internal debate about it.'' The Democratic field remains murky. Children's safety advocate Patty Wetterling and Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar have taken official steps toward running, but no one has formally declared. On Monday, Rep. Betty McCollum said she would not run for Senate next year, deciding instead to seek re-election to her St. Paul congressional district. ''After much personal reflection I have decided to continue serving my 4th District constituents and fighting for Minnesota families in Congress,'' McCollum, a Democrat, said in a statement. ''In the future I will likely explore other political opportunities, but for now I have a job that I love,'' McCollum said. Mike Erlandson, who is stepping down as chairman of the Minnesota DFL, ended his consideration of a Senate campaign. ''It has to be in your gut, and given the commitment I have to the state party through May, and two small children, a campaign of that magnitude was not the right thing to do,'' Erlandson said. Instead, he said he would consider running for secretary of state in Minnesota next year. And Ford Bell, the president of the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, said he's weighing a Senate run as a Democrat. Bell, who is also chairman of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts board of directors, said friends and DFL activists have urged him to run. ''I want to see this seat stay in the DFL Party,'' said Bell, who has not run for office before. He said plans to make a decision in the next two or three weeks. Other potential candidates include Minneapolis attorney Mike Ciresi, University of Minnesota general counsel Mark Rotenberg, state Rep. Tom Rukavina and former state Sen. Jerry Janezich. Source: Associated Press, March 7, 2005|W|P|111023766999965658|W|P|WHO'S IN, WHO'S OUT? #15|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com3/07/2005 10:25:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|According to Checks and Balances, Mike Ciresi's candidacy for the U.S. Senate in not being well received: "Word we have out of Washington, D.C. through the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee is they feel, as a trial lawyer, Ciresi is not the best candidate for the spot." Source: Checks and Balances, March 7, 2005|W|P|111022015083353381|W|P|WILL CIRESI'S CAMPAIGN EVEN BEGIN?|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com3/07/2005 10:10:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Mark Rotenberg has registered a domain name for his U.S. Senate campaign: Registrant: Rotenberg for Senate 204 Western Ave. North Apt. No. 102 St. Paul, MN 55102 US noonanhm@hotmail.com +1.6123962165 Domain Name: ROTENBERGFORSENATE.COM Administrative & Technical Contact: Heidi Noonan Rotenberg for Senate 204 Western Ave. North Apt. No. 102 St. Paul, MN 55102 US noonanhm@hotmail.com +1.6123962165 Domain Name Servers: NS1.PAIRNIC.COM NS2.PAIRNIC.COM Transfer-Lock Status: ENABLED Created: February 22, 2005 Modified: February 22, 2005 Expires: February 22, 2006 ** Register Now at http://www.pairNIC.com/ **|W|P|111021937098611599|W|P|ROTENBERG REGISTERS CAMPAIGN WEBSITE|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com3/07/2005 09:49:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|For those of you keeping score at home, please add Betty McCollum to the "WHO'S OUT" list. WHO'S OUT? Mark Dayton Walter Mondale Mike Hatch Matt Entenza Al Franken Collin Peterson Bill Luther Buck Humphrey Dean Johnson Betty McCollum WHO'S IN? (or who has not ruled it out) Mark Rotenberg Patty Wetterling Tom Rukavina Jerry Janezich Amy Klobuchar Mike Ciresi Steve Kelley ## McCollum opts to run for re-election to House seat Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., said Monday she will not run for Minnesota's open U.S. Senate seat in 2006 but that she will seek a fourth term to the U.S. House. McCollum, who represents Minnesota's Fourth District, had been considering a Senate bid after Democratic Sen. Mark Dayton announced last month that he would not run for a second term next year. "After much personal reflection I have decided to continue serving my Fourth District constituents and fighting for Minnesota families in Congress," she said in a statement. She added: "In the future I will likely explore other political opportunities, but for now I have a job that I love," McCollum said. McCollum, 50, made her announcement only three days after another House member --- Republican Rep. Gil Gutknecht ---- said he would not run. Patty Wetterling, a children's safety advocate, and Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar have already taken steps toward creating campaigns as Democratic candidates for Dayton's seat. Other possible Democratic candidates include Minneapolis attorney Mike Ciresi, University of Minnesota general counsel Mark Rotenberg, state Rep. Tom Rukavina and former state Sen. Jerry Janezich. Republicans who are running for the seat include Rep. Mark Kennedy and former Sen. Rod Grams. Source: Star Tribune, March 7, 2005|W|P|111021819900172398|W|P|WHO'S IN, WHO'S OUT? #14|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com3/07/2005 06:11:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|When State Senator Steve Kelly complained that Bill Walsh called his education bill "gutless" Kelley wrote that "we have to stand up for some standard of civility between the branches of government." I wonder where Kelley's standard of civility was when Lou Harvin, a communications staffer with the DFL House Caucus, said legislative Republicans have a "KKK mentality": "In a May 8 story by the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, Lou Harvin was quoted as saying legislative Republicans have a 'KKK mentality, but totally without the hoods.'" Source: Assocaited Press, May 20, 2003 More of Harvin's comments: "A lot of members of the Republican Party in this House, to me, are basically — I don’t want to scare people — of the KKK mentality, but totally without the hoods. They have gotten smart; they wear neckties, they wear dresses, they don’t use the ‘N’ word, and they’re smarter than their predecessors. But their thought process is exactly the same: Black people are lesser people than I am — I don’t care about what happens to people of color. "They do it in a totally 2003 style, and a lot of Black folks are getting fooled by it. A lot of White folks are getting fooled by it, too, and it’s all through effective, successful marketing. "I’m not saying they’re going to go out and hang people; I’m not saying that. I’m saying that KKK mentality is alive and well, and it’s so slick now," and Harvin says it is driving their legislative agenda. "My being here is to figure out ways to undo that. I’ve found that what Republicans do is lie; they lie, they lie. And they lie so much I have to spend my entire day unraveling the lies before I’m even able to promote my party. And we can’t even get issues out, because we’re trying to undo the lies." Source: Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, May 8, 2003|W|P|111020536445224105|W|P|WHERE WAS KELLEY'S STANDARD OF CIVILITY?|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com3/07/2005 07:58:00 AM|W|P| Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Harvin left the DFL House Caucus after at the end of 2004. He was not dismissed because of this incident.

I think Kelley's civility standard is a joke and that is why I am discussing it.3/06/2005 08:23:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|The DFL would like to make a big deal about the large number of Republican leaders and activists uniting begin Congressman Mark Kennedy's candidacy for the U.S. Senate: "Gil Gutknecht was forced out of the Senate race by his party's kingmakers..." DFL Party Chair Mike Erlandson. Source: Pioneer Press, March 5, 2005 But a few weeks ago on Almanac, the DFL members of the political panel were untited in agreement that Amy Klobuchar was the favorite U.S. Senate candidate of the party activists and insiders. It certainly sounds like the DFL queenmakers have decided that Klobuchar should be their candidate. |W|P|111012868542022414|W|P|DFL QUEENMAKERS|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com3/06/2005 07:58:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|The DFL has a very short memory about term limit pledges: "In a statement, Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Chairman Mike Erlandson gibed at Gutknecht for his decisions. 'Gil Gutknecht was forced out of the Senate race by his party's kingmakers, and he will now break his pledge to Minnesotans and reluctantly run for a seventh term in Congress,' Erlandson said. Source: Pioneer Press, March 5, 2005 But back in 2001, when Wellstone broke his pledge to serve two terms (12 years) in the U.S. Senate, Erlandson didn't think Minnesotans cared about a term limit pledge:

"The vast majority of Minnesotans really do not care about things like that sort of pledge." Source: Associated Press, January 17, 2001

|W|P|111012519526778888|W|P|DFL COMPLAINS AGAIN ABOUT GUTKNECHT'S TERM LIMIT PLEDGE; FORGETS WELLSTONE BROKE HIS PLEDGE|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com3/06/2005 08:53:00 AM|W|P| Marty|W|P|I agree that the DFL are hypocrites, and that they hold themselves to a different standard. I even agree that there is a double standard for conservatives. However, wouldn't it be better if the GOP acted like the party of honesty and ethical behavior, and kept their promises?

I say always keep your pledge, even if it results put you at a political disadvantage.3/05/2005 05:25:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P| Before you even ask, I am not Randy Skoglund. ## MN Democrats Exposed blog takes heat for buying domain names of prominent politicians Minnesota Democrats Exposed has taken some heat for buying the Internet domain name bearing the moniker of prominent DFL politicians. The anonymous blogger has fought back. "Last week I purchased domain names for several high profile candidates. My solitary goal was to use increased internet searches for these candidates to garner more traffic for the MDE blog. "I will remind my critics that Democrats in Minnesota and across the country have a long history of buying the domain names of GOP elected officials, private citizens, and candidates for political tomfoolery. My intentions were mild in comparison. "Admittedly, my objective may have been a little self serving, but it was hardly nefarious. My modest marketing plan was to ensure that citizens seeking information on Amy Klobachar, Patty Wetterling, or Mike Hatch receive the opportunity to hear the other side of the story at Minnesota Democrats Exposed. I purchased these domain names with personal money and I have no intention of ever selling them to anyone for financial or political profit. "By design, my blog is dedicated to a truthful discussion on the activities, statements, and tactics of Minnesota Democrats. I encourage people to visit the websites of Minnesota Democrats by providing links to their websites from MDE. I think voters deserve to hear from both parties - which is why I am actively promoting my website as a factual alternative source of information on Minnesota politics. "On a final note, the media is likely to criticize my blog for being published anonymously. I expect my fellow bloggers across the political spectrum will share my defense of our right to post "free speech" with as much or as little personal publicity as we choose. "Further, the U.S. Supreme Court has consistently ruled that anonymous and pseudonymous speech is fully protected by the First Amendment." The liberal New Patriot (www.newpatriot.org) thinks Minnesota Democrats Exposed should reveal the identity of the author. "MDE won't address the real reason why his behavior is at issue. Instead, he 's hiding behind his right to anonymity. I think Flash does a good job of summarizing the real problem with what he's done: "So I will share in their defense of anonymous free speech. But I will also use my right of free speech as well. I find it cowardly to hide behind an anonymous non de plume when you are attempting to thrust yourself into the political spotlight. I believe it affects your credibility. It should also make one leary that if you can't even be honest about who you are, how can you trust the information that is being disseminated. "I said yesterday that MDE wants to have credibility without accountability And as a commenter here noted, he's removed comments from his blog so he can't be challenged there, and he's removed links to local liberal blogs where readers might find a counter to what he's saying [Note: I checked on this last night, but it seems that the links have since been added]. So far, he hasn't linked to any criticism by local bloggers of what he's done, though it's appeared on at least three sites. "After Randy Skoglund registered DFL names, we knew who he was to criticize him. We knew he was the deputy executive director of the Minnesota Republican Party. Not so with MDE. For all we know, he is Randy Skoglund, up to his old tricks. "I urge MDE to either come clean and let us know who he is, or relinquish the domains he bought at cost to the injured parties." Source: The Legal-Ledger, March 3, 2005|W|P|111003048526156826|W|P|SLOW NEWS DAY: THE LEGAL-LEDGER REPORTS ON MY DOMAIN NAME PURCHASES|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com3/06/2005 11:14:00 AM|W|P| lloydletta|W|P|Are you Randy Skoglund?3/06/2005 09:32:00 PM|W|P| Luke Francl|W|P|What the hell kind of article consists of nothing but quotes from two different weblogs?

To pike -- Tom Paine is one of my heros. He was honest about what he was selling. By buying domain names like wetterlingforsenate.com, MDE hasn't been. If he were running a parody, I would find that acceptable. But he's not. He's just a hack.3/04/2005 12:22:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|According to State Senator Steve Kelley "we have to stand up for some standard of civility between the branches of government." These quotes from Entenza certainly don't meet Kelley's "civility" standard: "House Minority Leader Matt Entenza, DFL-St. Paul, who this week dubbed Pawlenty 'Governor Las Vegas' for his interest in gambling, predicted that legislators will hear pleas for casinos, not just from the northern tribes and Canterbury, but also from the owners of a proposed harness track near Forest Lake. 'It looks like Las Vegas gone wild,' he said.'" Source: Pioneer Press, March 4, 2005 As I promised, now that Kelley has shown his concern for "some standard of civility between the branches of government" I will notify him when a DFLer ignores his standard. Below is my first notice to Kelley. Dear Senator Kelley: How are you? I am fine. I run a blog called Minnesota Democrats Exposed and yesterday I had a post about your new standard of civility between the branches of government. I hate to be a tattle-tail, but it seems that Rep. Matt Entenza is ignoring your standard of civility by calling Governor Tim Pawlenty "Governor Las Vegas." He also made a reference to the video "Girls Gone Wild" by saying the current casino/gambling proposals "looks like Las Vegas gone wild." I look forward to reading your letter to Rep. Matt Entenza, which I assume will communicate your concerns about his recent statements. Respectfully, MDE PS. Do you get to park your car anywhere in St. Paul because your brother is the mayor? ## I will post Senator Kelley's response. |W|P|110995278442914894|W|P|THE KELLEY STANDARD OF CIVILITY #1|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com3/04/2005 12:00:00 PM|W|P| Jeff Fecke|W|P|Well, you're plugged in.

Randy Kelly and Steve Kelley are not brothers.

I know, the different spellings of their last names might've clued you in....3/04/2005 12:18:00 PM|W|P| Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Thanks for the tip Fecke. I know they are not brothers. It was a joke.3/04/2005 01:52:00 PM|W|P| Carson|W|P|This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.3/04/2005 01:55:00 PM|W|P| Carson|W|P|MDE: Proving once again that Republicans aren't funny.