Minnesota Democrats Exposed ©

TECHNICAL CHANGES TO MDE

2006-04-20T09:16:00.000-07:00

I'll be making technical changes to Minnesota Democrats Exposed throughtout the day. If you have problems loading any pages, please let me know.

HATCH PLAYS DOCTOR

2006-04-19T14:10:00.000-07:00

"Dr." appeared before Hatch's name during an interview today on CNBC.

MN GOP CALLS ON MATT ENTENZA TO FUND CAMPAIGN WITHOUT PROCEEDS FROM FAMILY UNITEDHEALTH STOCK OPTIONS

2006-04-19T13:04:00.000-07:00

"With the CEO of UnitedHeath Group now calling for an end to company stock options, attorney general candidate Matt Entenza must make known whether he will use the millions his family made off UnitedHealth stock options to fund his campaign. "Even the current CEO of United Health now says he’s done with excessive stock options. Will ‘consumer advocate’ Matt Entenza say enough is enough and reject the millions the Entenza family has made off UnitedHealth stock options to fund his campaign?” -Ron Carey, Chairman of the Republican Party of Minnesota UnitedHealth CEO Calls For An End To Stock Options After Heavy Criticism UnitedHealth CEO Calls For An End To Stock Options. "As Minnetonka-based UnitedHealth Group has come under increased scrutiny for how it doles out stock options, the company's chief executive, William McGuire, said Tuesday he is recommending that the health insurer suspend any further equity-based awards for most senior executives. The move, announced at the company's quarterly earnings call, came the same day that a front-page story in the Wall Street Journal called attention to McGuire's growing wealth. One of the nation's best-paid CEOs, McGuire held exercisable stock options valued at $1.6 billion at the end of last year.” (Julie Forster, “CEO Wants Insurer To Halt Stock Options,” Pioneer Press, April 19, 2006) Criticism Of UnitedHealth Grows. "Criticism of UnitedHealth's pay practices has been heating up in recent weeks, after an earlier Wall Street Journal story raised questions about the timing of stock option grants to McGuire and other executives. A shareholder lawsuit followed in late March. On Tuesday, Minnesota's attorney general said he had filed on behalf of the state to become a third party to that suit." (Julie Forster, “CEO Wants Insurer To Halt Stock Options,” Pioneer Press, April 19, 2006) Entenza & UnitedHealth Entenza’s Family Fortune Based On Millions In UnitedHealth Stock Options. "Entenza has family money to help finance a campaign. His wife, Lois Quam, is the chief executive officer at UnitedHealth Group's Ovations Division. Public filings show her stock options alone are worth millions, and a stock sale in August brought her nearly $8.9 million." (Martiga Lohn, “Entenza Jumps Into Attorney General Race,” The Associated Press, October 26, 2005) Entenza Has Refused To Rule Out Spending Family Fortune To Finance AG Race. "The minority leader said he hasn't decided whether to stick to spending limits required to receive public campaign subsidies which would limit him to spending about $73,000 this year and about $364,000 in 2006. He said it might be hard to stand out with voters without exceeding the limit next year, when races for U.S. Senate and governor will hog the spotlight." (Martiga Lohn, “Entenza Jumps Into Attorney General Race,” The Associated Press, October 26, 2005)

DFL UPSET OVER NEWSPAPER ADS

2006-04-19T12:38:00.000-07:00

Senator John Marty

Senator Don Betzold

Senator Satveer Chaudhary

Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez just held a news conference to discuss the photos of certain Minnesota DFL senators used by Minnesota Citizens in Defense of Marriage in new newspaper ads.

ANGRY AL FRANKEN TO SPEAK AT DFL CONVENTION IN BEMIDJI

2006-04-19T08:07:00.000-07:00

Al Franken blowing his top at the 2004 RNC National Convention

"Radio talk-show host Al Franken is the keynote speaker at the D-F-L Party's Seventh Congressional District endorsing convention in Bemidji this weekend.

Franken is scheduled to speak Saturday night at the Northern Inn. A limited number of tickets remain.

Franken recently moved his show from New York City to Minneapolis. He's mulling a possible challenge to Republican Senator Norm Coleman in 2008.

Congressman Collin Peterson is seeking endorsement for re-election at Saturday's convention.

Others speakers tentatively set to speak include U-S Senator Mark Dayton and former state Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe." Source: Associated Press, April 19, 2006

CHIEF OF STAFF PROUD OF RECORD THAT LANDS DAYTON ON LIST OF WORST SENATORS

2006-04-18T09:48:00.000-07:00

"That's a record to be proud of." Jack Danielson, Chief of Staff to Senator Mark Dayton. Source: Star Tribune, April 18, 2006

Tags: Mark Dayton

WILDE'S JOB NUMBERS ARE WILDLY FALSE

2006-04-18T08:35:00.000-07:00

"There is only 1 job for every 3 people looking in Minnesota." Source: Wendy Wilde for Congress website Reality: "During fourth quarter 2005, we estimate that there were 5.8 job vacancies for every 10.0 unemployed people statewide." Source: Minnesota Job Vacancy Survey, DEED.

Tags: Jim Ramstad, Wendy Wilde

WILDE GOES WILD: WENDY WILDE FOR CONGRESS WEBSITE

2006-04-18T08:23:00.000-07:00

I want to thank Wendy Wilde for deciding to against Congressman Jim Ramstad. I'll have so much fun exposing her ridiculous efforts to defeat Ramstad.

Tags: Jim Ramstad, Wendy Wilde

MN GOP: KLOBUCHAR "HERO" MARK DAYTON NAMED ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE'S "WORST SENATORS"

2006-04-17T13:43:00.000-07:00

"It's official: Amy Klobuchar's 'hero' Mark Dayton is one of America's worst Senators, according to Time magazine. "Time's recognition of Dayton represents a fitting end to a term marked by bizarre behavior and far-left ineffectiveness. "In her efforts to succeed the left-wing Dayton, Klobuchar has said that it is 'humbling' to think of Dayton's service and praised him as one of her political 'heroes.' "On issue after issue, Amy Klobuchar and Mark Dayton are two liberal peas in a pod. "If you liked Mark Dayton, you are going to love Amy Klobuchar." - Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Ron Carey Time Magazine: "Mark Dayton: The Blunderer." "When he was elected in 2000, Minnesota Democrat Mark Dayton seemed well prepared, having worked as an aide to Walter Mondale in the 1970s. But he has exhibited erratic behavior since then: in October 2004 he shut down his office for almost a month, citing an unspecified terrorist threat." ("America's Worst - Mark Dayton: The Blunderer," Time, April 14, 2006) Amy Klobuchar Humbled By "Hero" Mark Dayton. "It's humbling to think of some of the great people we've sent to represent us in the Senate: Hubert Humphrey, Walter Mondale, Dave Durenberger, Mark Dayton and Paul Wellstone. Inspired by these heroes, but even more by the everyday heroes whose names have never been headlined, I am ready to take this fight for Minnesota to our nation's capitol." (Amy Klobuchar Announcement Speech, April 17, 2005) Detroit Lakes Tribune: Klobuchar Considers Dayton Political Hero. "She combines her toughness as Hennepin County's top prosecutor with the inspiration of her political heroes: Humphrey, Mondale, Durenburger and Wellstone. So she is hoping her party the Minnesota DFL will endorse her as its replacement for another Klobuchar hero: Mark Dayton." (Tim Kjos, "Klobuchar Vies For Dayton's Job," Detroit Lakes Tribune, August 15, 2005)

TIME'S "AMERICA'S WORST SENATORS" LIST INCLUDEDS DAYTON

2006-04-17T06:18:00.000-07:00

"Mark Dayton: The Blunderer When he was elected in 2000, Minnesota Democrat Mark Dayton seemed well prepared, having worked as an aide to Walter Mondale in the 1970s. But he has exhibited erratic behavior since then: in October 2004 he shut down his office for almost a month, citing an unspecified terrorist threat. The 99 other Senators had access to the same intelligence and kept their offices open, even while Dayton went on television to tell his constituents not to visit the Capitol. In February Dayton, 59, made another notable blunder. The Mayo Clinic, which is in Rochester, Minn., was opposed to a South Dakota — based company's plan to expand its railroads into Rochester because it would mean dozens of trains passing by the clinic each day. Dayton told FORTUNE magazine the Mayo Clinic is 'worth a hell of a lot more than the whole state of South Dakota.' He later apologized for the remark. Inside the Senate, Dayton has passed few bills partly because some are too liberal for the Republican-controlled body, including one that would have created a Department of Peace and Nonviolence. He has confounded his colleagues by complaining about basic facts of the job, such as his limited power in a chamber where authority derives from seniority. He announced early last year that he wouldn't seek re-election." Source: Time, April 17, 2006

DAMN GOOGLE ADS

2006-04-15T08:40:00.000-07:00

I don't mind the ads to "Meet Democratic Singles", but I draw the line at ads for the Independence Party of Minnesota.

TECHNICAL CHANGES TO MDE

2006-04-15T08:22:00.000-07:00

I've been having trouble with Blogger and have decided to transfer my blog to WordPress. If you have any technical problems loading Minnesota Democrats Exposed, please let me know.

MDE FROM THE ARCHIVES: DFL NEEDS A HISTORY LESSON

2006-04-14T16:13:00.000-07:00

I wrote this post on March 31, 2005. "DFL Party officials have picked up on the buzz and are beginning to ask whether Pawlenty intends to finish a second term, if reelected. 'Maybe Rove's the guy that Pawlenty wants to run his presidential campaign,' said Bill Amberg, the DFL Party's communications director. 'But obviously the governor has a lot of more important work to do here in Minnesota. ... We hope he focuses more of his time on governing and less on politicking.'" Source: Star Tribune, March 31, 2005 For the next 585 days, the DFL Party is going to ask Governor Pawlenty if he intends on finishing his second term. They will try and make the case that Pawlenty is using Minnesota as a stepping stone to the White House. But one of Minnesota's most respected and admired statesman, Hubert H. Humphrey, ran for president three times within 12 years. In fact when Humphrey announced his "political resurrection" on June 13, 1970, "Humphrey said he had no intention of seeking the Democratic presidential nomination in 1972..." Source: Almost to the Presidency, by Albert Eisele. Less two years later on January 10, 1972, Humphrey announced that he was seeking the Democratic nomination for president. Humphrey's presidential ambitions didn't start when he was elected to the U.S. Senate for the first time in 1948: "Even as mayor of Minnesapolis in the 1940's, Humphrey and his closest advisors thought it not preposterous to talk about whom they would have in a Humphrey Cabinet." Source: Almost to the Presidency, by Albert Eisele So the next time the DFL asks Pawlenty if he plans on finishing his second term, think of the Happy Warrior, Hubert H. Humphrey, and his never ending campaign for the presidency. Disclaimer: I don't want any complaints from DFLers about comparing Pawlenty to Humphrey. I am not claiming that Humphrey's record of public service equals Pawlenty's accomplishments in office. I am making a historical comparison of two Minnesota politicians.

MN GOP: DFL GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES CELEBRATE TAX DAY

2006-04-14T09:57:00.000-07:00

DFL GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES CELEBRATE TAX DAY Hatch, Lourey & Kelley Have Long Records Supporting Tax Increases

"Mike Hatch, Steve Kelley and Becky Lourey all have long records supporting tax increases. Tax hikes will end economic growth and kill jobs in our state. "While every day may be tax day for Hatch, Lourey and Kelley, Minnesotans aren't interested in the tired old DFL tax and spend agenda. "As Minnesotans finish filing their returns and express frustration with high taxes, DFLers continue to push for tax increases which will harm our economy and destroy jobs." -Ron Carey, Chairman of the Republican Party of Minnesota

DFL CANDIDATES HAVE LONG SUPPORTED TAX INCREASES

Attorney General Mike Hatch:

2006: Mike Hatch Refused to Say Whether He Would Raise Taxes to Pay for His Agenda. "After the speech, Hatch dodged reporters' questions on issue that might have overshadowed his desired message. He declined to say whether he would raise taxes to pay for his campaign promises, whether he supports a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage or whether he would call a special legislative session to act on proposed baseball and football stadiums." (Bill Salisbury, “Mike Hatch Makes His Run Official,” Pioneer Press, October 25, 2005) 1990: Mike Hatch Announces, Says He Will Not Raise Taxes. "Hatch, who has had a statewide volunteer organization drumming up support for him for a year, said his campaign will focus on two issues - improving economic opportunity for Minnesotans and restoring Minnesota values. . He promised to be a hands-on governor who will not raise taxes or cater to special interests groups." (“Hatch Joins DFL Governor’s Contest,” UPI, January 22, 1990) 1990: Mike Hatch Pledged No New Tax Increases; Proposed Three New Tax Increases. "Hatch has sent mixed messages. In announcing his candidacy last winter, he declared: 'I won't raise taxes.' But since then he has proposed at least three new taxes. One is the payroll tax he proposed to finance health care for the uninsured. Hatch said that tax should be offset by lower premiums for existing health plans. The other taxes he proposed are those on toxic chemicals and non-recyclable packages that are designed to discourage pollution." (Bill Salisbury, “The Perpich, Hatch Face Off: Where Gov. Rudy Perpich And Former Commerce Commissioner Mike Hatch Stand On Major Issues As They Campaign For The Sept. 11 Primary,” Pioneer Press, August 26, 1990) 1990: Mike Hatch Proposed Payroll Tax Increase. "DFLer Mike Hatch is the first candidate for governor to propose a way to provide health care to the estimated 375,000 Minnesotans who don't have health insurance. Hatch also is the first candidate who is courageous - or foolish - enough to propose a tax increase to pay for it. His plan would cost large companies $2 per employee each month - a proposal certain to spark business opposition. Hatch says he would offset any tax increases with cost-cutting measures." (Bill Salisbury, “Hatch Offers Plan To Help Uninsured Get Health Care Tax[;] Would Expand State-Sponsored Insurance Pool,” Pioneer Press, July 15, 1990) Senator Becky Lourey: 2006: Becky Lourey Advocates Increasing Gas Tax. "Both [Kelly] Doran and [Becky] Lourey voiced support for a gas tax increase like the one Pawlenty vetoed last year. It would have added 10 cents to the 20-cent-a-gallon tax in effect since 1988." (Conrad deFiebre, “Race For Governor; DFLers Spare Each Other, Saving Barbs For Pawlenty,” Star Tribune, March 8, 2006) 2006: Becky Lourey Claims Minnesotans Tell Her To Raise Their Taxes. "While they offered no specifics on how to pay for education and other state programs, Lourey says many people support a tax increase. 'As I've been campaigning, wealthy Minnesotans have said to me, "please, please, raise our taxes. We believe in public education. We know that it is the melting pot for our state," ' Lourey said." (Laura McCallum, “Hatch Keeping Low Profile As Competitors Score Points At Business Forum,” Minnesota Public Radio Website, February 8, 2006) 2002: Becky Lourey Said '04-'05 Deficit Couldn't Be Solved Without A Tax Increase. "Two DFL candidates, state Sen. Becky Lourey of Kerrick and Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe of Erskine, said the state’s projected $3.2 billion budget shortage projected for 2004-05 can’t be fixed without tax increases. 'I'll be very candid with you, in order to replenish the budget reserve and deal with the structural problem in ‘04-05, we're going to have to raise taxes,’ Moe said. Lourey said the balancing would have to come from 'reserves, decreases in spending and increased tax revenues.'" (Dane Smith, “Tax Issue Divides DFL, GOP Gubernatorial Hopefuls,” Star Tribune, March 1, 2002) 2002: Becky Lourey Said She Wants To Raise Gas Tax. "Moe thanked business leaders for creating a ‘middle ground’ and pushing the idea of a gasoline-tax increase dedicated to transportation and said he supported that plan. Lourey said she also supports a gas tax increase." (Dane Smith, “Tax Issue Divides DFL, GOP Gubernatorial Hopefuls,” Star Tribune, March 1, 2002) 2002: Becky Lourey Campaigned On Raising Taxes. "And while Dutcher and Moe are rather vague on exactly how they would pay for increased costs of public programs, Lourey said she favors rolling back the recent income and property tax cuts for high-income Minnesotans." (Dane Smith, “(Mostly) Civil DFLers Gear Up For Convention,” Star Tribune, April 28, 2002) Senator Steve Kelley: 2006: Steve Kelley, Becky Lourey, and Former Candidate Kelly Doran Voice Support For Gas Tax Increase. "Real estate developer Kelly Doran and state Sens. Steve Kelley and Becky Lourey all said they would push to expand coverage and reduce the costs of health care, a mounting problem for many businesses. All said they would accelerate state spending or ‘investment’ on highways and mass transit, and all indicated they would likely approve a gasoline tax increase to relieve what one them called a 'congestion tax' on businesses." (Dane Smith, “3 DFL Candidates Mostly Agree At Business Forum,” Star Tribune, February 9, 2006) 2005: Steve Kelley Introduced A Bill Without A Funding Source, Said Tax Increases Are One Way To Pay For It. "Republicans and DFLers from both the House and Senate on Friday announced an education budget plan they say would pump $750 million into Minnesota schools over the next two years. ... 'This bill does not contain a funding source,' said Sen. Steve Kelley, DFL-Hopkins, the bill's primary Senate author, at a Capitol news conference called to announce the plan. 'It sets out a funding priority for the state. At this stage of the game we don't know where the funding's coming from.' Proposal backers say funding will probably have to come from increased fees and taxes of some sort. But no one identified the specific sources. 'I know how we're going to fund this is critically important,' Kelley said. 'I think tax increases need to be in the mix.'" (Norman Draper, “Bigger Education Budget Proposed,” Star Tribune, February 26, 2005

Tags: Tim Pawlenty, Steve Kelley, Mike Hatch, Kelly Doran, Sheila Kiscaden, Becky Lourey, Russ Koch

CHECKS AND "NO" BALANCE #2

2006-04-14T08:41:00.000-07:00

"We doubt there will be many blacks who publicly support Republicans in the future." Checks and Balances In fact, there are numerous African-American candidates for statewide office in 2006: Ken Blackwell - GOP candidate for governor in Ohio. Keith Butler - GOP candidate for the U.S. Senate in Michigan. Michael Steele - GOP endorsed candidate for the U.S. Senate in Maryland. Lynn Swann - GOP endorsed candidate for governor in Pennsylvania.

CHECKS AND "NO" BALANCE

2006-04-14T08:13:00.000-07:00

I've come to expect shoddy writing and poor analysis from Checks and Balances, but this is a new low: "Republicans have already lost any inroads they made with the African-American constituency with their handling of Hurricane Katrina. We doubt there will be many blacks who publicly support Republicans in the future. It seems like the Republican playbook may need some new pages." Source: Checks and Balances

DFL FIRES DUD AT DAY #2

2006-04-14T06:21:00.000-07:00

"[Senator Dick] Day is hardly alone in employing a relative who is paid through campaign funds. Ryan Kelly managed father Randy Kelly's mayoral campaigns in St. Paul. And Attorney General Mike Hatch, a DFLer, hired his nephew, Joe Hatch, as a campaign "contractor,'' paying him more than $67,700 between 1999 and 2003. In his gubernatorial campaign this year, Hatch's niece Kari Erickson is on the payroll. Ruth declined to comment on the Hatch or Kelly examples." Source: Associated Press, April 14, 2006

Tags: DFL, Brian Melendez, David Ruth, Dick Day

DFL CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS

2006-04-13T10:39:00.000-07:00

If the DFL has a problem with taxpayers money being used on campaigns, then they should return the $4,262,148 of taxpayer money the DFL state party, caucuses, and candidates have recieved to fund their campaigns.

Tags: DFL, Brian Melendez, David Ruth, Dick Day

DFL FIRES DUD AT DAY

2006-04-13T09:50:00.000-07:00

This may be the dumbest press release I have ever read. If I had the time, which I don't, I'd find numerous examples of DFLers hiring family members to work on their campaign committee. I know Mike Hatch has hired family members to work on his campaigns. After waving the white flag, I knew it was only a matter of time before the DFL would continue their desperate and dishonest attacks on Republicans. "If the Republican Party wants to play games, they can go right ahead. While they play at politics, the DFL Party will work at government. We’ll see whose product Minnesota voters are more interested in." Source: DFL Party press release, March 24, 2006

Tags: DFL, Brian Melendez, David Ruth, Dick Day

LOCAL DFL "CHALLEGING THE ARCHAIC SYSTEM KNOWN AS THE STATE DFL"

2006-04-12T13:14:00.000-07:00

"'We are challenging the archaic system known as the State DFL from the little county that could,' [Michael ]Meuers said Tuesday. The Beltrami DFL will claim that the state has no jurisdiction over delegation selection for congressional districts, only the state convention, and that the county is sending eight delegates as apportioned — six living in the 7th District and two in the 8th District." Source: Bemidji Pioneer, April 12, 2006 Click here to read why.

Tags: DFL, Brian Melendez

ANYONE SEE THIS VIDEO?

2006-04-12T11:06:00.000-07:00

This comment was just left on Minnesota Democrats Exposed: "By the way, this blog hasn't talked about on Saturday when there was a mic'd Klobuchar staffer, middle-aged guy in a pink shirt at the podium, at the Barack Obama rally who was heard saying Ford Bell looks like the Unabomber. I am certain a video is floating around of this." If anyone is aware of this incident, please let me know.

Tags: Amy Klobuchar, Mark Kennedy, Ford Bell, MN Senate 2006, Peter Idusogie

MINNEAPOLIS TEACHERS PENSION E.D. GETS "GOLDEN PARACHUTE" FOR DOING BAD JOB

2006-04-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

The executive director of the Minneapolis Teachers Retirement Fun Association received a "golden parachute" for running a pension fund that has $1 billion in unfunded pension obligations. "The dispute over the compensation package surfaced as a House panel approved merging the Minneapolis Teachers Retirement Fund Association with the larger state Teachers Retirement Association. Under the deal, the state fund would absorb nearly $1 billion in unfunded pension obligations to Minneapolis teachers. With plans for the merger progressing, the Minneapolis teachers pension board in March extended the contract of its executive director, Karen Kilberg, a year beyond the date when the fund would cease to exist under the merger. It also granted her a six-month severance. The entire package is worth $215,000." Source: Star Tribune, April 12, 2006 Kilberg is going to collect a paycheck until July 1, 2007, from an organization that will probably no longer exist in a month. Did Kilberg deserve this special treatment? Hell no!

"But during 10 years when Kilberg directed the fund, it earned less from investments than most large government pension funds in Minnesota, according to calculations by the commission. The Minneapolis fund earned $218 million less from 1994 to 2004 than it would have earned had it performed as well as the State Board of Investment, which handles money for the Teachers Retirement Association.

The fund also paid out extra benefits to retirees without regard to whether it could cover the long-term costs, swelling future pension obligations. Combined with an annual 2 percent boost, the bull market led to yearly increases for retired Minneapolis teachers of 6.2 percent to 9.7 percent between 1997 and 2001." Source: Star Tribune, April 12, 2006

Tags: Rebecca Otto, Pat Anderson

ONCE AGAIN THE KLOBUCHAR SPIN MACHINE IS IN OVERDRIVE

2006-04-11T16:31:00.000-07:00

Congressman Mark Kennedy beats Amy Klobuchar in fundraising for the third straight reporting period, but MN Publius thinks Kennedy is "losing steam." "He's [Kennedy] losing steam whereas everyone else is gaining momentum." Source: MN Publius ## "Republican congressman Mark Kennedy has raised more money than Democratic rival Amy Klobuchar for the third straight reporting period in their battle for the U-S Senate seat being vacated by Mark Dayton. Kennedy raised about nearly one-and-a-half (m) million dollars in the first quarter of the year. Klobuchar, the Hennepin County attorney, raised more than one-and-a-quarter (m) million dollars. Kennedy finished the period with about 3-point-4 (m) million dollars, compared to two-and-a-half (m) million dollars for Klobuchar. Overall, Kennedy has raised about 5-point-1 (m) million dollars, while Klobuchar has pulled in 3-point-7 (m) million dollars." Source: Associated Press, April 11, 2006

And yes MN Publius, your spin does "sound like political damage control."

Tags: Amy Klobuchar, Mark Kennedy, Ford Bell, MN Senate 2006, Peter Idusogie

FORMER DEAN STATE DIRECTOR JOINS DORFMAN CAMPAIGN

2006-04-11T11:27:00.000-07:00

I've been informed by a source close to Gail Dorfman's campaign that Laura Nevitt has joined the campaign. Nevitt was the state director for Howard Dean's campaign in Minnesota and also worked on Ford Bell's U.S. Senate campaign.

Tags: Martin Sabo, Keith Ellison, Paul Ostrow, Gail Dorfman, Gary Schiff, Mike Erlandson, Ember Reichgott Junge, Jorge Saavedra, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, Anne Knapp

DFL ANIMAL HOUSE?

2006-04-11T10:25:00.000-07:00

How many DFL party officers and staff members live under the same roof at Brian Melendez's house?

Tags: DFL, Brian Melendez

STOP THE NAZ? #2

2006-04-11T10:08:00.000-07:00

STOP THE NAZIS! This picture is from the immigration rally in St. Paul last Sunday.

NRSC LAUNCHES "DONKEYS WANT YOUR MONEY"

2006-04-11T08:17:00.000-07:00

"WASHINGTON, DC—Today, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) launched a new website, http://www.DonkeysWantYourMoney.com. The site highlights the tax-hiking records of Democrat Senate candidates across the country. The site includes state-specific data on the benefits of tax relief, direct quotes from the Democrats who opposed the tax cuts, and of course, numerous votes Democrats have taken in opposition to tax relief." Source: NRSC press release

Tags: Amy Klobuchar, Mark Kennedy, Ford Bell, MN Senate 2006, Peter Idusogie

TROUBLE WITH TEDDY'S SOFTWARE?

2006-04-11T07:51:00.000-07:00

Ted Mondale sounds rather defensive. "A group of Minnesota counties is asking for its money back from a former politician whose software company promised to put government records on the Internet. The company, Nazca Solutions Inc., is headed by Ted Mondale, former state senator, ex-chairman of the Metropolitan Council and son of former Vice President Walter Mondale. 'Since when is it news that a software company is late with an application development?' Mondale said Monday. 'Don't tell me -- I know.' One of Nazca's clients, a group of eight Minnesota counties including Wright and Carver, has moved to end its contract and is asking for a refund of more than $240,000 from privately owned Nazca. 'When we signed the contract, what was being sold to the counties was pretty much a complete product,' said Lisa Meredith, executive director of the group, the Minnesota Counties Computer Cooperative. 'I don't think the development was nearly as far along as what was presented to the counties.'" [Excerpt] Source: Star Tribune, April 11, 2006

STOP THE NAZ?

2006-04-11T05:38:00.000-07:00

I bet you can guess the last letter. This picture is from the immigration rally in St. Paul last Sunday.

WALKER: WELFARE RECIPIENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE A DRINK ON OUR DIME

2006-04-11T02:00:00.000-07:00

The mean nasty bill that would require a welfare waiting period for new Minnesota residents and prohibit welfare recipients from using their electronic benefit cards to buy cigarettes or alcohol passed the House of Representatives.

Please watch a clip from yesterday's debate on the provision to prohibit welfare recipients from using their electronic benefit cards to buy cigarettes or alcohol. DFL Representative Neva Walker tries to justify why welfare recipients should be able to buy booze and cigarettes with taxpayers' money.

PULSE LIST OF DEMANDS FROM SABO'S REPLACEMENT

2006-04-10T16:49:00.000-07:00

Below are two demands from the Pulse of the Twin Cities from "our" next congressperson. "Demand that we close down the torture and concentration camps." "The stories of My Lai type massacres are coming in almost daily. It is clear that the U.S. forces are a cause of the internal strife, not a solution. " It doesn't get much crazier. Click here to read more.

Tags: Martin Sabo, Keith Ellison, Paul Ostrow, Gail Dorfman, Gary Schiff, Mike Erlandson, Ember Reichgott Junge, Jorge Saavedra, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, Anne Knapp

MN GOP: KLOBUCHAR RAKES IN $100K FROM "WASHINGTON CELEBRITY"

2006-04-10T14:11:00.000-07:00

"Amy Klobuchar often condemns 'Washington celebrities,' but she gladly collects $100,000 from John Kerry's political machine and campaigns with Barack Obama. "Klobuchar's oft-stated claim that the Gear Daddies are the only celebrities to support her is preposterous. When coupled with accusations from her own employees that she has presided over 'a hostile work environment,' it's clear Klobuchar's credibility problem will continue to grow." - Ron Carey, Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman

Tags: Republican Party of Minnesota, Ron Carey, Amy Klobuchar, Mark Kennedy, Ford Bell, MN Senate 2006, Peter Idusogie

OLE'S CAMPAIGN VEHICLE?

2006-04-10T13:04:00.000-07:00

I didn't wake up today and decide to expose DFL candidate for governor Ole Savior. But earlier today I was sent the above picture and only after I posted it was I informed the vehicle belongs to Ole.

Ole is running for governor, but that hasn't stopped him from advertising the campaigns of two of his opponents - Steve Kelly and Mike Hatch on the back of his vehicle.

It's not very often you see a candidate put his opponents bumper stickers on his automobile.

It gets even better. I was reviewing Ole's campaign finanace report and found that he bought a Ford Explorer with campaign funds.

The vehicle pictured above is a Ford Explorer. Is it the same vehicle purchased by the campaign? The Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board has issused an advisory opinion campaign's purchasing vehicles. "If you determine that Minnesota Statutes 211B.12 allows for the use of campaign funds to purchase, lease, or rent a vehicle you will need to report all expenditures of campaign funds for that purpose to the Board. If an automobile is rented, the committee will need to ensure that either the vehicle is used only for campaign related purposes, or provide asystem to accurately monitor the cost of using the vehicle for non-campaign related purposes. This monitoring is necessary to ensure that campaign funds are not converted to personal use." "If a committee purchases a vehicle for campaign use, the issues related to reporting the expenditures incurred and monitoring the use of the vehicle are the same as those described above when renting an automobile. In addition, a vehicle purchased by a principal campaign committee is an asset of the committee that must be accounted for upon the sale of the vehicle, or the termination of the committee. The method of disposing of the vehicle and the amount the vehicle is sold for must be reported to the Board. A principal campaign committee is responsible to ensure that all physical assetsof the committee, including a vehicle, are either used for campaign purposes or the committee is reimbursed at an appropriate rate for their use. This responsibility does notend when a given campaign or election cycle is complete." Ole never reported how the vehicle was used, as required by law, to ensure that campaign funds have not been converted to personal use.

"YOU GUYS REALLY HATE MINNEAPOLIS DON'T YOU?"

2006-04-10T12:35:00.000-07:00

This comment was just left on Minnesota Democrats Exposed. ## StPaul_DFLer said... You guys really hate Minneapolis don't you? ## No, I don't hate Minneapolis. But Minneapolis is run by the DFL and you can't find a better example of what Minnesota would be like if the DFL ran the state.

THIS CAR MUST BE OWNED BY AN UNDECIDED VOTER

2006-04-10T08:29:00.000-07:00

This car was parked outside the State Office Building eariler today. The picture was sent to me by a dedicated reader of Minnesota Democrats Exposed.

WHAT IS "LOUREY REPUBLICAN WATCH" WATCHING?

2006-04-10T07:22:00.000-07:00

Not much watching being done by Lourey Republican Watch.

Tags: Tim Pawlenty, Steve Kelley, Mike Hatch, Kelly Doran, Sheila Kiscaden, Becky Lourey, Russ Koch

MDE FROM THE ARCHIVES: MINNEAPOLIS ADJUSTS BUDGET BY CUTTING POLICE AND FIRE SPENDING

2006-04-10T06:58:00.000-07:00

"'We're beginning to give instructions to department heads to get budgets for 2004, and we'll certainly incorporate LGA decisions in that,' said Minneapolis Finance Director Patrick Born. The city's 2003 budget won't change because the city already adjusted to Pawlenty's proposal, primarily by cutting police and fire spending." Source: Star Tribune, June 8, 2003

MDE FROM THE ARCHIVES: FIREFIGHTERS WANT MINNEAPOLIS TO TAP BUDGET RESERVES

2006-04-10T06:50:00.000-07:00

Firefighters rally against proposed layoffs; They want Minneapolis to tap budget reserves Union leaders say they're wondering why Minneapolis won't use a portion of the millions of dollars it has beyond its required reserves to avert layoffs in the police and fire departments. But city officials say they wonder why the unions can't understand that such a move would be a Band-Aid for an annual budgetary ailment. Firefighters from across the state and their families were among about 200 people who gathered Monday across the street from City Hall to bring public attention to the issue. Meanwhile, in St. Paul, about 150 police officers and firefighters representing departments from Rochester to Duluth held a rally opposing proposed cuts in state aid to local governments, known as Local Government Aid ( LGA). After a brief program on the Capitol steps, the uniformed protesters dispersed to lobby legislators. "We want to make sure the governor and legislators understand that strong public safety counts and LGA cuts will hurt," said David Titus, president of the St. Paul Police Federation. In anticipation of the cuts in state aid proposed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty, the Minneapolis City Council has approved plans to save $3 million this year by laying off 55 firefighters, effective Friday. The Police Department expects to lay off 14 officers and 42 civilian employees, for a savings of about $7 million. Several firefighters at the Minneapolis rally wore placards around their necks with numbers that signified their seniority and likelihood of being let go Friday. They carried signs calling for support and painting a grim picture of residents' lives with firefighters working three to a truck, instead of four. "Last year you needed us 53,278 times. Now we need you," one sign read. "We would never let you go," read another. "House on fire. Kids trapped. Call 911," read a third, but the emergency number was scratched out and the last line was altered to say, "Call Pawlenty." Fliers handed out to people at the rally asking residents to contact city officials and demand that they use some of the city's reserve funds to prevent firefighter layoffs. "CALL and DEMAND a reduction in proposed LGA cuts for 2003 and 2004," the fliers read. Harold Schaitberger of Washington, D.C., general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, said city officials are saying money is not there to prevent the layoffs. "They're wrong," he said. "God forbid they be 'dead' wrong." In 1999, the city struck a $40.5 million deal to sell its stake in the Minneapolis Hilton and Towers hotel near the downtown Convention Center. The proceeds were invested in the stock market and have lost about $10 million in value. Other city agencies looking to diminish their financial woes have looked to the fund for help, but its shrinking value is part of the argument against using it now, Council Member Barbara Johnson said. And the money doesn't bring an annual return to departments looking to manage an annual budget, she said. The firefighters took their message to City Hall, where they demanded to meet with Mayor R.T. Rybak. Instead, Deputy Mayor David Fey spoke with them, explaining that Rybak was at a University of Minnesota news conference about the Saturday night riot that followed the Gophers' NCAA hockey championship. "You mean the incident where we put out the fires? We know all about that," Capt. Mike Dahlberg shouted. Fey told the protesters that the city understands their concerns, but that they need to take their message to Pawlenty. His proposed cuts to local government aid are to blame for the layoffs, Fey said. Johnson, who heads the City Council's Ways and Means Committee, said she agrees with the firefighter and police unions that keeping the departments well-staffed is a high priority, but that looking to the Hilton fund isn't the answer. "We have to find a solution, but this isn't it," she said. "It is clear that we need an additional ongoing source to fund the departments. Other cities have looked at increases in sales taxes. We may have to look at that." Johnson also has proposed tapping into the city's Neighborhood Revitalization Program fund's annual interest as a source of income to supplement public safety budgets. "I don't want to live with downsized police and fire departments," she said. Source: Star Tribune, April 15, 2003

NO MONEY TO FIGHT CRIME? LOOK WHERE MINNEAPOLIS SPENDS MONEY

2006-04-09T13:48:00.000-07:00

A new green roof and a very generous car-allowance for city council members is just a start. I'll be posting more examples over the next few days. ## This City Council isn't one bit shy about traveling first class Hard-driving Minneapolis City Council members obviously are spending a lot of time hustling to meetings.But on Friday, these public servants got out of their cars long enough to take care of themselves for a change. On an 8-5 vote, they doubled their car allowance from $200 a month to $400. The justification is that council members use their cars to attend a lot of meetings with the public. That's right. They're potentially giving each member $4,800 a year for the good of the people. That's $62,400, should everyone participate. We all know that this council - 12 DFLers and one Green Party member - is in touch with people with real jobs. So, surely they understand that most workers don't get paid $71,000 a year as the council members do. They must know that downtown workers typically pay $150 a month for parking while council members pay nothing. And they must know that most working stiffs don't get a hefty car allowance; they're reimbursed for the actual miles they drive for work. Currently, the IRS reimbursement standard is 44.5 cents a mile. Using that measure, council members would have to drive about 900 miles monthly to justify a $400 stipend. That's a lot of meetings; 900 miles is roughly 100 round trips a month between City Hall and the Sabathani Center in south Minneapolis. Or about 45 round trips a month from the council chambers in Minneapolis to visit colleagues at St. Paul City Hall. If our council members average 30 miles per hour while driving to all of these meetings, they're spending about 30 hours a month in their cars. When do they rest? Until December, council members could get reimbursed for their mileage by drawing from their discretionary office funds. In the last meeting of 2005, the old council voted to give itself a $200-a-month car allowance and to move away from the inconvenience of actually having to submit for mileage. The old council also set the stage for the plump bump to the $400. Opposing the increase were Paul Ostrow (who pointed out this could cost taxpayers $250,000 over four years), Gary Schiff and council newcomers Cam Gordon, Elizabeth Glidden and Betsy Hodges. Supporting the increase were Barb Johnson, Don Samuels, Robert Lilligren, Sandy Colvin Roy, Scott Benson, Lisa Goodman and newcomers Diana Hofstede and Ralph Remington. Benson says he'll take only $200 a month, despite his vote in favor of the larger amount. He says he's curious to find out if foes of the increase will turn down the money. Hofstede, who supported the $400-a-month allowance, said council members don't have to take the money."You can take all or you can take nothing," she said, adding she hasn't decided how much she'll take. A final thought: Apparently, not one of these public officials mentioned using public transit. Too bad. A monthly bus pass which allows unlimited usage would have cost taxpayers only $104 a month. Source: Star Tribune, February 14, 2006

THEY LIVE IN ANOTHER WORLD

2006-04-08T12:11:00.001-07:00

I'm sitting in the bleachers watching a sporting event on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. It must be my lucky day because I am sitting behind three women talking about politics. Below are highlights of what I have heard. 1. People should tear "W" stickers off cars. 2. Better yet, wouldn't it be fun to drive around in a car without insurance and smash into the back of cars with "W" stickers. 3. One of the women recently took a trip to South Carolina and they saw the Confederate Flag. They were so offended, they left the conference. The woman said she "now knows what it must have been like to see the Nazi flag flying during WW II." It's damn near impossible to not hear what they are saying.

KLINE WAS NO VALET

2006-04-08T10:11:00.000-07:00

"John Kline's political resume consists of one dubious qualifying entry: He carried the Gipper's briefcase." Source: mnpACT Congressman John Kline was not a valet. He was military aide to President Carter and President Reagan. He didn't carry anyone's briefcase; he carried the President's Emergency Satchel or "Nuclear Football" for two presidents. You don't have to agree with Congressman Kline's politics, but don't cheapen his military service.

THE VOICE OF TRILLIN

2006-04-08T09:41:00.000-07:00

Is Trillin actually the world renowned professor Stephen Hawking? Trillin is certainly no dummy, so I guess it's makes sense. Trillin could also be Joshua from the movie "WarGames."

WHEN DID OBAMA JOIN THE GEAR DADDIES?

2006-04-07T13:46:00.000-07:00

Klobuchar Ends Opposition to Campaigning with "Washington Celebrities" St. Paul - "With her decision to campaign with liberal Washington insider Barack Obama, Amy Klobuchar has abandoned her oft-repeated opposition to campaigning with what she has termed 'Washington celebrities.' "Like Mark Dayton, Barack Obama has been a rubber stamp for left-wing Washington special interests. Like Mark Dayton, Obama has marched in lockstep with the hard-left of his party by opposing the nominations of Supreme Court Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito. "Minnesota doesn't need another Mark Dayton in the US Senate." - Ron Carey, Chairman of the Republican Party of Minnesota Klobuchar Rails Against "Washington Celebrities." "I would like to send a heartfelt thank you to our entire grassroots network of contributors and volunteers. Your energy and dedication will help us succeed against the big money behind the Republican machine. ... Our efforts have proven that those Washington ‘celebrities’ are no match for the homegrown celebrities supporting our campaign, including the Gear Daddies band from Austin, Minnesota." (Amy Klobuchar For US Senate Website, http://www.amyklobuchar.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7BEFC896C2-1F5F-4514-A10B-04B2AF89ABCD%7D, Accessed April 7, 2006) Klobuchar Campaigns With "Washington Celebrity" Barack Obama. (“Minnesota; Obama to Attend Rally For Klobuchar Saturday,” Roll Call, April 5, 2006)

Tags: Amy Klobuchar, Mark Kennedy, Ford Bell, MN Senate 2006, Peter Idusogie

MDE FROM THE ARCHIVES: THINK KERRY IS LIBERAL, GET A LOAD OF OBAMA

2006-04-07T12:25:00.000-07:00

Think Kerry is liberal? Get a load of Obama If Obama were to go to the Senate, he would be the most liberal senator in that body Tuesday, after I voted, a Barack Obama volunteer pumped my hand and thanked me for the kind article I wrote about the state senator, which Obama put on his campaign Web site. Interesting, I said. I wrote that I liked Obama personally, and while I wouldn't vote for him, he has "an understated charisma." I wrote that, like the old song says, "There's something in the way he moves me." All during the primary campaign I wondered what it is. Now I know. Before we get to that: Obama is the most liberal -- let me say definitively the most extremely liberal candidate -- to run for the Senate in Illinois history. If he were to go to the Senate, he would be the most liberal senator in that body. You want a comparison? Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, the likely Democratic presidential nominee, has just been judged the most liberal senator in the United States, according to the latest ratings by the National Journal, which has just ranked all the senators on 32 economic, 15 social policy and 15 foreign policy issues. Kerry is rated No. 1 in 2003, and his Massachusetts colleague, Sen. Edward Kennedy, is No. 11. Now, as liberal as Kerry is, he voted for the war in Iraq; Obama would not have. Moreover, once the troops got to Iraq, Obama would not have supported the $87 billion the president requested for reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan, which also supported the troops there. Kerry says he would have supported it if it were accompanied by a tax hike to pay for the $87 billion. Obama's position has been a flat no -- and once again is to the left of Kerry. In opposing the funding for troops, Obama was the only candidate in the Illinois Democratic field (an extremely liberal field) to take the position. Underscoring the extremism of his position: Even Wisconsin's Russ Feingold and Illinois' Dick Durbin, severe critics of the war, voted for this troop assistance. In addition, if elected, Obama may well be the only senator in the United States who is pledged to cut U.S. missile defense system research by as much as $10 billion. In addition, he would cut the Javelin Missile program by $440 million. He has stated flatly that the war on terrorism is not his immediate priority. When the Sun-Times asked what his top priority is, he responded "health care." (GOP nominee Jack Ryan said it is the war on terrorism.) Asked by this newspaper whether he would vote to make permanent the Bush tax cuts, Obama declared no. He has spoken about the need to provide tax relief for "working" or "middle class" families but has not defined what income brackets he means. It is clear that the nomination of Barack Obama gives the Illinois Senate contest a national dimension. Obama himself has certified it by declaring -- almost alone among the Democratic candidates -- that he will run his campaign in opposition to President Bush. That means the issue here will be whether we support the war or cut and run. The election will be of major significance, but not, as the media suggest, because Obama is an African American. Blacks have served in the U.S. Senate before, including one from Illinois. Obama wants it to be a referendum of Bush's war on terror. So let it be. An Obama win will be seen as an affirmation by voters of Illinois -- ranking with the election in Spain -- that the war is wrong and we should pull out, a pretext of radical change in the nation's anti-terrorism course. On Election Day when the Obama volunteer greeted me with good words about my article, I was thoughtful. Something in the way Obama moves me. In it I wrote, "[h]e has the kind of quiet voltage when he walks into a room -- and when he spoke -- all quieted to hear what he had to say." I know what moves me now: Worry. Obama's victory would signify abandonment of our troops as with Vietnam, and write "failure" to all that has gone before. Source: Chicago Sun-Times, March 20, 2004

Tags: Barack Obama, DFL, Brian Melendez

IS ELLISON MORE CONCERNED ABOUT LEAD OR CRIME?

2006-04-07T09:33:00.000-07:00

Representative Kieth Ellison has chief-authored more bills about lead poisioning than he has about crime in Minneapolis. Ellison has chief-authored twelve bills about lead poisioning and four bills about crime.

Tags: Martin Sabo, Keith Ellison, Paul Ostrow, Gail Dorfman, Gary Schiff, Mike Erlandson, Ember Reichgott Junge, Jorge Saavedra, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, Anne Knapp

THE VOICE OF MDE

2006-04-07T08:36:00.000-07:00

MCCLUNG: MINNEAPOLIS "NEEDS LEADERS, AND NOT WHINERS"

2006-04-06T20:11:00.000-07:00

"'From our perspective, the last thing Minneapolis needs is more excuses,' [Brian] McClung said, adding that the city 'needs leaders, and not whiners.'" Source: Star Tribune, April 6, 2006

Tags: Brian McClung

OTTO CHOOSES TO ATTACK ANDERSON, RATHER THAN REPORTING ERROR

2006-04-06T13:38:00.000-07:00

Former DFL State Representative and State Auditor candidate Rebecca Otto sent out a ridiculous press release attacking current State Auditor Pat Anderson for not noticing a $11,875,193.00 error on a report available on the Department of Education's website. In the release, Otto claims she "was going over education revenue when I noticed the error." Right, Becky. Otto's attempts to connect Anderson to this error is downright silly and potentially dishonest. The public document Otto found on the website is NOT the information sent to the Legislative Auditor or State Auditor. In fact, the MN Dept of Education is well known for its accuracy when the budget forecasts are released in November and December. Otto even questioned the size of the mistake in her own press release by saying "I don't think people need to be alarmed." Rather than informing the Department of Education about this error, Otto sent out a press release attacking Anderson. Only through Otto's attacks, did the Department of Education become aware of the mistake. It certainly benefited Otto's cause to attack Anderson and the Department of Education, rather than reporting the problem directly. Otto was so busy planning her attack on Anderson, she didn't stop to think if Anderson's office was even provided with the numbers.

Tags: Rebecca Otto, Pat Anderson

KLOBUCHAR'S CHIEF DEFENDER PAID BY TAXPAYERS

2006-04-06T12:54:00.000-07:00

Pete Cahill, Hennepin County's chief deputy county attorney, has been spending time the last few days defending the prosecution record of Amy Klobuchar's office. Cahill has been providing information to members of E-Democray's Minneapolis Issues Forum about Hennepin County's prosecution record to combat complaints about Minneapolis' crime problem. Cahill has been a frequent public defender of his boss, Amy Klobuchar. Back in February the union local, AFSCME 2938, attempted to deny Klobuchar the endorsement of its the full AFSCME union. Cahill defened Klobuchar against accusation that she has "denigrated office lawyers publicly and privately, taken credit for their work, damaged morale and 'created a hostile work environment.'" "Pete Cahill, Klobuchar's chief deputy attorney, to whom Klobuchar initially deferred comment, said he was 'a little shocked by the letter,' which was circulated at an AFSCME Senate screening committee on Feb. 11, where several county attorney's office staff members also spoke. Cahill said he had worked for years with the prosecutors and 'had no idea they felt like this.' As chief deputy, he said, 'I've worked very closely with her [Klobuchar], and I think she's a very effective leader. She never overstates her role.'" Source: Star Tribune, February 19, 2006

GREEN ROOF SHOULD MAKE MINNEAPOLIS OFFICIALS BLUSH

2006-04-06T12:38:00.000-07:00

I'm listening to AM 1500 and Joe Soucheray is talking about Minneapolis spending $1.7 million on a new "green" roof for city hall. According to KSTP, city hall "will replace the gravel portion of its roof with a ‘green’ roof, which will have several types of plants, open space and a deck area." Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak is complaining that he needs more money to fight crime, yet the city has almost $2 million to spend on a grass roof.

HELP WANTED: DFL FACT-CHECKER #2

2006-04-06T11:53:00.000-07:00

This mixed message about tickets for the upcoming DFL Hubert H. Humphrey Day Dinner is on the front page of the DFL's website. I just called the DFL and tickets are still available.

ELLISON ENDORSED BY GROUP IMPLICATED IN SEVERAL VOTER FRAUD CASES

2006-04-06T10:16:00.000-07:00

"In what could be the only major organizational endorsement before the May convention in the 5th Congressional District race, the Minnesota ACORN PAC today endorsed state Rep. Keith Ellison to succeed U.S. Rep. Martin Sabo." Source: Ballot Box, April 5, 2006 ACORN has a long history of engaging in voter fraud across America. Back in 2004, a former ACORN employee was arrested with hundreds of voter registration cards in his trunk. "A man who was arrested in late September with hundreds of filled-out voter registration cards in the trunk of his car pleaded guilty Monday in Hennepin County District Court to two felonies. Joshua Reed, 19, of St. Louis Park admitted failing to promptly turn over the voter registration cards to the Secretary of State or to a county auditor, and admitted forging signatures on 18 other voter registration cards.Reed faces sentencing Jan. 20 before Hennepin County District Judge Joanne Graham, according to County Attorney Amy Klobuchar. As part of a negotiated plea agreement, prosecutors promised they will recommend Graham sentence Reed to no more than 60 days in the county workhouse, plus 15 days of community service. Klobuchar said Reed never intended to use the 18 forgeries to allow anyone to vote more than once. Instead, his motivation was to fraudulently increase his earnings from the fee he was paid to register new voters, she said. 'He did that to get money from ACORN ... He was trying to get some extra cash for registering voters,' Klobuchar said. ACORN is a grassroots activist group known as Associated Community Organizations for Reform Now. It was one of several groups, on both sides of the political spectrum, that hired canvassers to register thousands of new voters in Minnesota this year." Source: Pioneer Press, December 7, 2004

Tags: Martin Sabo, Keith Ellison, Paul Ostrow, Gail Dorfman, Gary Schiff, Mike Erlandson, Ember Reichgott Junge, Jorge Saavedra, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, Anne Knapp

MN GOP RESPONDS TO LATEST BASELESS DFL ATTACK

2006-04-06T09:11:00.000-07:00

"Getting attacked by the DFL on ethics is like getting a lecture from Barry Bonds on the evils of performance enhancing drugs "The DFL Party has refused to return $9,000 from the clients of Jack Abramoff and Rep. Jim Oberstar has refused to return $3,500 in Abramoff linked cash. "From Amy Klobuchar's 'hostile work environment' to Dean Johnson's repeated 'sanding off' of the truth, DFL leaders have demonstrated they will do or say anything to get elected."

Tags: Republican Party of Minnesota, Ron Carey, DFL, Brian Melendez

WHO IS/WAS MOLLIGATOR?

2006-04-06T08:36:00.000-07:00

There was an interesting development in the battle between the campaigns of Steve Kelley and Becky Lourey. Who is/was Molligator?

ELLISON'S CAMPAIGN KEEPS NELSON-PALLMEYER'S CAMPAIGN UPDATED ON FEC FILINGS #4

2006-04-05T13:49:00.000-07:00

I certainly had a reason to question Ellison's FEC reporting. Last December, Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board was forced to subpoena Ellison's legislative campaign finance reports because they found discrepancies in cash balances, misclassified disbursements, and unreported contributions.

Tags: Martin Sabo, Keith Ellison, Paul Ostrow, Gail Dorfman, Gary Schiff, Mike Erlandson, Ember Reichgott Junge, Jorge Saavedra, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, Anne Knapp

HELP WANTED: DFL FACT-CHECKER

2006-04-05T13:05:00.000-07:00

If you're interested, please send your resume to David Ruth. ## "Tom DeLay's downfall should cause the entire Minnesota GOP delegation – Kennedy, Coleman, Gutknecht, Kline and Ramstad – to take a good look at their own prospects for reelection this November." Source: DFL press release, April 5, 2006

Tags: David Ruth, DFL

MDE FROM THE ARCHIVES: OBAMA CRUSHED IN DEM PRIMARY

2006-04-05T12:51:00.000-07:00

U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush Wins Illinois Dem Primary; Dorothy Brown Is Victor In Circuit Court Clerk Race In one of the most closely watched elections in Illinois, Congressman Bobby Rush easily turned back three challengers in a recent Democratic primary victory that virtually guarantees him a fifth term in Congress. "It feels good to have this victory," said Rush, who holds the 1st Congressional District seat on Chicago's South Side. "I'm going to get back to work. We've got a lot we have to accomplish in these next few days, next few weeks, few months, few years," he said. With all precincts reporting, the latest returns showed Rush with 58,709 votes, or 61 percent, and State Senator Barack Obama with 27,393 votes or 31 percent. State Senator Donne Trotter and retired police officer George Roby split the rest. Sen. Obama, is a civil rights attorney and the first Black editor of Harvard Law Review, and Sen. Trotter is a health care administrator. Rush, a former Black Panther, moved into mainstream politics in the 1970s, argued that he has delivered for his mostly Black and economically struggling constituents. He also stressed he is next in line to chair an influential House subcommittee if Democrats regain control of the House. Rush's win virtually assures him re-election in the staunchly Democratic seat that is the nation's oldest Black-majority congressional district. Rush, who has held the Congressional seat since 1992, faces only token Republican opposition in the November general election. In another closely watched election, Dorothy Brown won the Democratic race to replace Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Aurelia Pucinski. If elected in November, she will become the second Black woman elected to county-wide office in Illinois. Ironically, Brown, a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) auditor, delivered her victory speech at Chicago's Hyatt McCormick Hotel in the same room where she conceded defeat in her bid for Chicago city treasurer last year to Miriam Santos. "Back a year ago in this same room, I told you I will be back, and tonight I'm back," she said. The determined and highly accomplished woman graduated at the top of her class in accounting at Southern University in Louisiana. She interviewed with seven of the nation's top accounting firms, but was not offered a job. "I cried for a day," Brown, a certified public accountant and an attorney, told the Chicago Sun-Times. "But I only cried for one day. Then I moved on." She went on to earn an MBA at DePaul University in Chicago. She said in a campaign press release: "I am one of eight children. Among us there are seven bachelor's degrees, six master's degrees, two attorneys, one CPA and a Ph.D." She has served as general auditor for the CTA for the last nine years. She is favored to win the November general election and as Cook County Circuit Court Clerk will oversee 2,200 employees. Tracey Robinson-English, Brown's campaign spokeswoman, described the candidate's key to success. "Politicians said they'd throw their support to her if she went negative against other candidates," she told the Chicago Sun-Times. "She wanted to win based on issues, and people were telling her the way to win in politics was to go negative, and she refused. It was because of her faith and her belief of being a Christian person and a moral person," Robinson-English added. Brown now faces Republican candidate Nancy F. Mynard in the November election. Source: Jet, April 10, 2000

Tags: Barack Obama, DFL, Brian Melendez

MDE FROM THE ARCHIVES: CLINTON ENDORSES OBAMA OPPONENT

2006-04-05T12:36:00.000-07:00

Rush picks up Clinton's endorsement in re-election bid Voters in the 1st Congressional District may soon hear a familiar voice supporting incumbent Rep. Bobby Rush's re-election bid: President Clinton's. Clinton - breaking his tradition of staying neutral in primaries - has endorsed Rush over his two Democratic opponents. A Rush radio commercial featuring the president is scheduled to begin airing Monday. "This is clearly a boost for my efforts to be re-elected here," Rush said. State Sens. Barack Obama and Donne Trotter, both of Chicago, are challenging Rush. In the 30-second commercial, Clinton urges voters to "send Bobby Rush back to Congress." He cites the congressman's support of gun control and his fight to hire 100,000 new teachers and 100,000 police officers. "Illinois has a powerful voice in Congress it can't afford to lose," says Clinton, who received 85 percent of the vote in the 1st District during his 1996 re-election bid. Rush was the first elected official in Illinois to endorse Clinton in 1991 and led a voter-registration drive for Clinton and Vice President Al Gore in 1992. Source: Associated Press, March 11, 2000

Tags: Barack Obama, DFL, Brian Melendez

ELLISON'S CAMPAIGN KEEPS NELSON-PALLMEYER'S CAMPAIGN UPDATED ON FEC FILINGS #3

2006-04-05T12:25:00.000-07:00

I'm reminding the Democrats who have responded to my posts about Ellison's campaign of two important points. 1. I never accused anyone of breaking or bending the law. 2. I simply asked why would Ellison's campaign send info to a rival campaign? I was correct in questioning why this was done.

Tags: Martin Sabo, Keith Ellison, Paul Ostrow, Gail Dorfman, Gary Schiff, Mike Erlandson, Ember Reichgott Junge, Jorge Saavedra, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, Anne Knapp

MDE FROM THE ARCHIVES: OBAMA CALLS FOR END TO MISSILE DEFENSE

2006-04-05T11:12:00.000-07:00

To honor U.S. Senator Barack Obama's appearence at the DFL's Hubert H. Humphrey Day Dinner, I'll be writing a few posts about this week. ## Obama calls for end to 'Star Wars' funding The national missile defense system's "Star Wars" program is a "boondoggle and unmitigated failure," says Illinois Sen. Barack Obama (D-13th), who challenged his congressional foe, Rep. Bobby L. Rush (D-1st) to help him in ending its funding. "Congress has spent 100 billion over the last 15 years developing Ronald Reagan's Star Wars plan," Obama said. "The latest test, at a cost of 100 million, shows that this system is an expensive political boondoggle." With the White House prepared to spend 13 billion over a span of five years if there are two successful tests of the anti-ballistic system, Obama said the cost is prohibitive. Obama challenged Rush to join him in opposing any more Star Wars appropriations "in the next century and to build an infrastructure for peace instead of more tools for war." When contacted, Maudlyne Ihejirika, a spokesperson for Rush, said: "Cong. Rush has voted against wasteful spending by the Defense Department for the past seven years and he'll continue to oppose such spending. We welcome Mr. Obama joining us in this position." Obama pointed to recent General Accounting Office (GAO) estimates claiming the price tag of 100 missile interceptors would cost taxpayers 28 billion even though he claims most scientists say these tests would not work in a real attack situation. Obama praised University of Chicago professor Michael C. Dawson, who chairs the Department of Political Science, for agreeing with his assessment. "The Star Wars program is the greatest threat to international arms control agreements and has the potential to spark a new arms race that the U.S., China, and Russia can ill afford," Dawson warned. "Russia has promised to abandon its arm control commitments and China will accelerate its missile building effort if the U.S. proceeds with the creation of an anti-ballistic system." Obama said the 13 billion cost for the project is a little more than the cost of the Illinois FIRST infrastructure program. "The total cost of the Star Wars program, over 100 billion, could have been used to expand health insurance to 44 million uninsured Americans, reduce class size at schools across the nation, or stimulate economic development in distressed communities throughout the country," Obama said. Source: Chicago Defender, January 31, 2000

ELLISON'S CAMPAIGN KEEPS NELSON-PALLMEYER'S CAMPAIGN UPDATED ON FEC FILINGS #2

2006-04-05T09:33:00.000-07:00

I received a comment from Natalie Collins, who works for Ellison's campaign, about my post asking why Ellison's campaign emailed his Statement of Economic Interest to Nelson-Pallmeyer's campaign: "The instructions for FEC Form 2, Statement of Candidacy, say 'The candidate must also simultaneously send a copy [of FEC Form 2] via facsimile machine or electronic mail to each opposing candidate. 11 CFR 400.20(b)(2).' At the time Ellison filed, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer and Martin Sabo were the only other candidates on file with the FEC. The FEC's help line recommended sending one to Martin Sabo even though he had announced his retirement. You can read the rules here: http://www.fec.gov/pdf/forms/fecfrm2i.pdf" Ms. Collins is confused. A candidate for the House of Representative is required to send their Statement of Candidacy to a opposing candidates only with the plan to expend personal funds. "Additionally, when filling out Line 9 (Declaration of Intent to Expend Personal Funds), thecandidate must send a copy of FECForm 2 or the information required therein to the Federal Election Commissionby facsimile machine (to 202-219-0174) or by electronic mail (to2022190174@fec.gov)." Since Ellison typed 0.00 in lines 9A & 9B on his Statement of Candidacy, he doesn't have an intent to expend personal funds. Therefore, Ellison's campaign wasn't required to send his Statement of Candidacy to a opposing candidates. I don't want to make a big deal out of this, but Ellison's campaign created a blog to respond to my inquiry.

Tags: Martin Sabo, Keith Ellison, Paul Ostrow, Gail Dorfman, Gary Schiff, Mike Erlandson, Ember Reichgott Junge, Jorge Saavedra, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, Anne Knapp

ELLISON'S CAMPAIGN KEEPS NELSON-PALLMEYER'S CAMPAIGN UPDATED ON FEC FILINGS

2006-04-04T11:54:00.000-07:00

I spent my lunch hour reviewing Keith Ellison's FEC filings. I notice Ellison's Statement of Candidacy was sent to the FEC and Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer's campaign.

Why would Ellison's campaign send info to a rival campaign?

I have looked at hundreds of candidate filings with the FEC and I have never seen one campaign send their filings to rival campaign.

Tags: Martin Sabo, Keith Ellison, Paul Ostrow, Gail Dorfman, Gary Schiff, Mike Erlandson, Ember Reichgott Junge, Jorge Saavedra, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, Anne Knapp

MN GOP RESPONDS TO DEAN JOHNSON'S CLAIM THAT HE HAS BEEN "EXONERATED"

2006-04-04T09:57:00.000-07:00

"Dean Johnson's claim that he has been 'exonerated' by the Minnesota Senate makes a mockery of his earlier false contrition. "Dean Johnson has never been 'exonerated' by the Senate. "By persisting in telling more falsehoods, Dean Johnson's credibility continues to erode." -Ron Carey, Chairman of the Republican Party of Minnesota

Tags: Republican Party of Minnesota, Ron Carey, DFL, Brian Melendez, Dean Johnson, DOMAgate

DOMAGATE: JOHNSON CLAIMS HE WAS "EXONERATED"

2006-04-04T09:09:00.000-07:00

"Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson, DFL-Willmar, said he is moving on after accusations of embellishing comments from Minnesota Supreme Court Justices on the gay marriage issue. Johnson was one of the speakers at Saturday's Senate District 21 DFL fundraiser and convention at Jackpot Junction in Morton. Johnson spoke at the district convention. 'The Minnesota Senate exonerated me and (the rest) is totally out of my hands,' Johnson told the Independent about the situation." (Rae Kruger, “At Local DFL District Convention, Sen. Johnson Says It’s Time To Move On,” Marshall Independent, April 4, 2006)

Tags: Dean Johnson, DOMAgate

IS NELSON-PALLMEYER THE "KINGMAKER"?

2006-04-04T05:55:00.000-07:00

Uh...this is crazy. Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer may have 20 percent of the delegates? "We may be underestimating the strength of 5th District Congressional hopeful Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer. According to one local DFL insider, Nelson-Pallmeyer could be the 'kingmaker' at the district convention in May. The longtime peace activist and author, who entered the race prior to Sabo's retirement announcement, may have as much as 20 percent of the delegates already locked up. Where those delegates go after the first couple of ballots may hold the key to the endorsement." Source: Minneapolis Observer, April 4, 2006

Tags: Martin Sabo, Keith Ellison, Paul Ostrow, Gail Dorfman, Gary Schiff, Mike Erlandson, Ember Reichgott Junge, Jorge Saavedra, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, Anne Knapp

NOT FEELING WELL - I'LL WRITE ABOUT OBAMA

2006-04-03T14:02:00.000-07:00

I haven't been feeling well today, so sorry for the lack of posts. I should be blogging again in a few hours. To honor U.S. Senator Barack Obama's appearence at the DFL's Hubert H. Humphrey Day Dinner, I'll be writing a few posts about him later tonight.

DOMAGATE: DEAN JOHNSON ON "MIDDAY"

2006-04-03T09:19:00.000-07:00

Senator Dean Johnson is on "Midday" on MPR.

BORED

2006-04-02T15:42:00.000-07:00

I don't have much for today, so please check back tomorrow.

EDWARDS FOR AUDITOR ON HOLD

2006-03-31T13:15:00.000-08:00

Edwards puts auditor campaign on hold Federal law prevents government employees from seeking partisan office MANKATO - Reggie Edwards, the only Mankatoan running for any of the statewide offices on the ballot this fall, has suspended his campaign for state auditor amid concerns his candidacy could be a violation of federal law. Edwards is executive director of the Region Nine Development Commission, which is partially funded with federal grants. That makes his candidacy a possible violation of the Hatch Act - a federal law prohibiting federal employees and some state and local government employees from seeking partisan offices. "It got to the point where it was either his job or his campaign," said James Broich, the mayor of Sleepy Eye and the chairman of Region Nine's board of commissioners. Edwards didn't return phone calls from The Free Press, but it appears he is planning to remain an inactive candidate for the state auditor post at least through the DFL state convention that runs June 9-11 in Rochester. An advisory written by the U.S. Office of Special Council in 1995 appears to allow that approach. "... You would not violate the Act by responding affirmatively to inquiries concerning whether you intend to become a candidate," the advisory stated. "... However, at this point you should not ask people to participate in any activities directed toward the success of your future candidacy." The issue arose earlier this month when the commission began to look closer at Edwards' run. "We had questions out there and started checking it out and found out the Hatch Act came into play," Broich said. "... As far as we're concerned, it's resolved." Edwards apparently sent a letter to Democratic activists and supporters announcing the suspension of his campaign, according to a handful of Web sites that have posted the letter. It explains he will be unable to attend political screening meetings and could not accept any contributions. "I do intend to seek the DFL endorsement for the Office of State Auditor at the June convention," the letter states. Because Edwards finished a distant second to Rebecca Otto in a straw poll conducted during precinct caucuses March 7, he likely would have been considered the underdog in the endorsement battle even if he could actively campaign. If, by chance, he wins the endorsement despite not campaigning, Edwards would then be forced to resign from Region Nine. Broich might be rooting for Otto if for no other reason than that he would prefer Edwards not be forced to step down. "He's a very knowledgeable person and I'd hate to see him go," Broich said. Edwards' letter complains about the Hatch Act, stating it protects incumbents and independently wealthy candidates by eliminating potential challengers and puts working-class candidates at a disadvantage. Broich, who said he accepts the law was created to deal with potential political corruption, still had some concerns about the law. "It's not really fair to the small guy," he said. Source: Mankato Free-Press, March 31, 2006

MIKE'S RED SHOES

2006-03-31T10:49:00.000-08:00

Is it the shoes?

This is from an email on E-Democracy about Mike Erlandson's candidacy to replace Sabo: "But Mikes real problems aren't revealed by just his policies, although that is educational, his biggest problem is revealed by his shoes. They are way too funky and just a wee bit out of control, just a bit beyond being chic. They give the impression that he is way too cool for us mere mortals." The picture above of Erlandson is from a press conference in 2004 where he wore a "funky" pair of red shoes. I had this picture in my files and after reading the email above, I thought they made a perfect match.

Will this race be decided by shoes?

Tags: Martin Sabo, Keith Ellison, Paul Ostrow, Gail Dorfman, Gary Schiff, Mike Erlandson, Ember Reichgott Junge, Jorge Saavedra, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, Anne Knapp

DOMAGATE: NEW COMPLAINT FILED

2006-03-31T07:50:00.000-08:00

Complaint filed against justices over Johnson flap The dispute over who said what to whom on the gay marriage issue took a new turn Friday when a Golden Valley lawyer asked for official investigations into four current or former Supreme Court justices. Greg Wersal said a probe is needed to sort out "grave questions of ethical violations by members of the state's highest court.'' The rolling controversy stems from a secretly made recording of Senate Majority Leader Johnson telling pastors he had assurances from justices that the current state law would withstand legal challenges. Johnson, DFL-Willmar, was arguing a constitutional amendment on gay marriage was unnecessary. He apologized to the Senate Monday for making inaccurate statements about the extent of his talks with justices, but he hasn't backed off claims that some conversations took place. Wersal asked the Board on Judicial Standards and the Lawyers Board of Professional Responsibility to look into Chief Justice Russell Anderson, Justice G. Barry Anderson, Justice Paul Anderson and former Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz. "The public needs to know if judges on our highest court have engaged in unethical conduct by giving pledges, promises, assurances or mere hints as to how they would rule on an issue likely to come before the court,'' Wersal wrote in a letter to the two boards. He released the letter to reporters. Court spokesman John Kostouros said he hadn't seen the complaint and couldn't offer immediate comment. Chief Justice Anderson has unequivocally denied any conversations occurred between Johnson and any justices on the gay marriage issue. The judicial standards board can dismiss a complaint, conduct an inquiry or order a public hearing. If it finds violations, it's up to the Supreme Court to impose sanctions. The lawyers board also has latitude to investigate or dismiss complaints. It's not the first time Wersal has taken on Supreme Court or its members. He twice tried and failed to win a seat on the Supreme Court during elections. And he was the driving force in a federal lawsuit that successfully eased restrictions on judicial campaigning. Ironically, he helped persuade the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down Minnesota rules barring judicial candidates from talking about disputed legal and political issues during campaigns. Wersal said in his letter that the 2002 decision doesn't allow judges to make pledges or promises on issues that are likely to come before them. Source: Associated Press, March 31, 2006

Tags: Dean Johnson, DOMAgate

WHO'S FIRST? EVERYBODY!! #2

2006-03-30T13:12:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, Dan Weinand posted analysis on DFL delegate projections for governor. It was a very informative post. Minnesota Campaign Report and Backbone Minnesota have also been providing quality analysis on the delegate numbers released from the Kelley and Lourey campaigns. I encourage these bloggers to continue providing updates on the delegate counts and examining the spin generated from the campaigns.

Tags: Tim Pawlenty, Steve Kelley, Mike Hatch, Kelly Doran, Sheila Kiscaden, Becky Lourey, Russ Koch

ANDREW IS OUT

2006-03-30T12:18:00.000-08:00

Andrew drops out of race to succeed Sabo Andrew exits race for Congress. Former state party chair says he doesn't want to go to Washington. Former Hennepin County Commissioner Mark Andrew withdrew Thursday from the jam-packed race to succeed 28-year Rep. Martin Sabo in Congress. "The suddenness of Martin's announcement threw everybody into a tizzy including me," said Andrew in explaining his reversal. Andrew became the second big name to withdraw this week, following former Department of Trade and Economic Development Commissioner Rebecca Yanisch out of the race. Sabo surprised everyone with his retirement announcement on March 18. When Sabo leaves, he will have held the seat for 28 years and his successor is expected to be a Democrat who can hold the seat for as long as he or she wants. Andrew said he has a "heavy heart" about withdrawing because he felt he could mount a competitive campaign. "I don't want to go to Washington. Washington is not my bliss," Andrew said. The former state DFL Party chair said commuting from the Capitol would create an "unmanageable lifestyle" given that he has a 14-year-old son at home and a 19-year-old daughter in college in California. Andrew declined to immediately endorse anyone and said, "As far as I'm concerned there isn't a dog in the group." Source: Star Tribune, March 30, 2006

Tags: Martin Sabo, Keith Ellison, Paul Ostrow, Gail Dorfman, Gary Schiff, Mike Erlandson, Rebecca Yanisch, Ember Reichgott Junge, Jorge Saavedra, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, Anne Knapp

LEGAL UPDATE: MOTION TO DISMISS SLAPP LAWSUIT #2

2006-03-30T10:05:00.000-08:00

I have received numerous emails from people who wanted more information or clarification on my motion to dismissed the lawsuit filed by Blois Olson. Because Blois Olson has done nothing to resolve the lawsuit in over 90 days, I believe Blois Olson filed this lawsuit to intimidate and silence me. This is called a SLAPP lawsuit. SLAPP is an acronym for "Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation." SLAPPs are lawsuits aimed at silencing a plaintiff's opponents. The purpose of the SLAPP is not to win, but to intimidate the SLAPP defendant and to chill petition and/or free speech rights. One court has explained the characteristics of SLAPP suits as follows: SLAPP suits are brought to obtain an economic advantage over the defendant, not to vindicate a legally cognizable right of the plaintiff. Indeed, one of the common characteristics of a SLAPP suit is its lack of merit. But lack of merit is not of concern to the plaintiff because the plaintiff does not expect to succeed in the lawsuit; only to tie up the defendants' resources for a sufficient length of time to accomplish plaintiff's underlying objective. I maintain that Blois Olson's action is a SLAPP aimed at interfering with my legitimate exercise of First Amendment rights to both free speech and procure favorable government action through public participation.

Technorati Tags: First_Amendment, Bloggers, Blois Olson, Michael Brodkorb

WHO'S FIRST? EVERYBODY!!

2006-03-30T07:12:00.000-08:00

This is just silly. ## DFL candidates for governor are all on first, they declare Kelley, Hatch and Lourey claim the lead in convention delegate strength. A time-honored ritual in multicandidate races for party backing was played out Wednesday. All three of the major contenders for the DFL gubernatorial endorsement claimed to be ahead among delegates selected so far for the state convention. There is no neutral source for reliably determining the preference of hundreds of delegates chosen over the past few weeks at legislative district and county conventions around the state. So the campaigns themselves are phone-calling and counting, and they typically contend they are ahead or doing better than expected in actual count. State Sen. Steve Kelley of Hopkins said he's ahead by a whisker in a "hard count," with 131 delegates, to 127 for Attorney General Mike Hatch, and 72 for state Sen. Becky Lourey of Kerrick. Kelley claimed that his count was tops in exceeding expectations after a party straw poll at precinct caucuses earlier this month. Lourey said she was the one ahead. She also claimed a narrow lead over Hatch, 132 delegates to 130, while it was Kelley who lagged behind, with 86. Lourey, who makes a claim to being most in tune with the party's idealistic activists, said delegates are responding to her as the candidate of "conviction." Hatch, the front-runner, offered no specific numbers but said he is first, Lourey is second and Kelley is third. Hatch said he is doing particularly well in southern and western Minnesota and the northern and southern suburbs of the Twin Cities. Hatch said that Lourey is doing best in her home turf of northeastern Minnesota and that Kelley is ahead around his district in the western suburbs. In precinct caucuses earlier this month, Hatch won the straw poll of attendees, 39 percent to 23 percent for Lourey and 22 percent for Kelley. Those attendees have gone on to district conventions and are electing state convention delegates. Source: Star Tribune, March 30, 2006

Tags: Tim Pawlenty, Steve Kelley, Mike Hatch, Kelly Doran, Sheila Kiscaden, Becky Lourey, Russ Koch

RUTH STRIKES OUT

2006-03-30T06:33:00.000-08:00

"[Gil] Gutknecht was simply referring to a pivotal moment in U.S. history, his campaign manager, Nels Pierson, said in a news release. 'Congressman Gutknecht could have just as easily referenced Kirby Puckett's Game 6 winning home run as a pivotal moment in Twins history,' Pierson said, 'and David Ruth would have put out a statement 'Gutknecht likens DFL party to Atlanta Braves.'" Source: Pioneer Press, March 30, 2006

Tags: Gil Gutknecht, David Ruth, DFL

THE COURTING OF KISCADEN: STEVE KELLEY

2006-03-29T13:01:00.000-08:00

Steve Kelley was asked about Kiscaden as a running mate and here was his response: "Senator Kiscaden has been a friend of mine for a while and what I told her is that, and this is consistent with what I've been telling her for several months, 'I'd really like to know what you'd like to do, and if I can be helpful in that, I’d like to be helpful in that.'" He was pushed again on it. "I think the question really is what does Senator Kiscaden want? And Eric, that's honestly what I told her – 'Is you have to decide what you want to do and if I can be helpful I'd like to talk about it.'" Asked again about the discussions as a possible LG candidate. "We've have had a conversation about that."

Tags: Tim Pawlenty, Steve Kelley, Mike Hatch, Kelly Doran, Sheila Kiscaden, Becky Lourey, Russ Koch

BREAKING NEWS: MARKO ENDS CAMPAIGN

2006-03-29T12:52:00.000-08:00

Senator Marko drops bid for Congress ST. PAUL (AP) _ State Senator Sharon Marko has pulled out of Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District race. It leaves F-B-I whistleblower Coleen Rowley in a commanding position for the D-F-L nomination against Republican Congressman John Kline. Marko says she got into the congressional race too late and her legislative demands were making a campaign difficult. She didn't throw her backing to Rowley, saying she'll stay neutral for now. Marko has been a state legislator since 1994.

Tags: Coleen Rowley, Sharon Marko

WENDY WILDE FOR CONGRESS?

2006-03-29T12:17:00.000-08:00

No, it's not April Fool's Day. Wendy Wilde is rumored to be considering a run against Congressman Jim Ramstad.

Tags: Wendy Wilde

LOUREY FOR GOVERNOR THEME SONG CONTEST

2006-03-29T11:33:00.000-08:00

Uh...wow. ## Call for Theme Song for Gubernatorial Campaign! State Senator Becky Lourey is running for Governor of Minnesota. She's inviting all composer-lyricists to participate in a theme song contest for her campaign. The theme song can be any style of composition (pop, rock, jazz, rap, country, musical theatre, classical) and any length, although 3 minutes and less are preferred. The contest will be held on Friday, April 14th 7 pm at Patrick's Cabaret. Admission for audience members will be a $10 donation to the campaign (Participating song writers admitted free and no one turned away due to lack of funds). There will be a cash prize to the winning song writer. All entries will be presented live or can be taped. Attendees will vote for their favorite. (If you¹re a singer/songwriter and can¹t be there due to a prior conflict, we¹ll be happy to accept a taped entry). All song rights will be reserved by Becky Lourey for Governor. The winning song will be featured on Senator Lourey's website and at least part of a recording of it will be used at the DFL Endorsing convention in June. Composers/Lyricists: Pre-registration of your intent to enter is encouraged by April 10th at: http://www.beckylourey.org For more information on Senator Becky Lourey, please visit her website at http://www.beckylourey.org If you have further questions, please call 651-917-8400 extension 13 and ask for Claire Wilson.

Tags: Tim Pawlenty, Steve Kelley, Mike Hatch, Kelly Doran, Sheila Kiscaden, Becky Lourey, Russ Koch

LEGAL UPDATE: MOTION TO DISMISS SLAPP LAWSUIT

2006-03-28T22:10:00.000-08:00

It has been 90 days since Blois Olson decided to a file a lawsuit against me over material posted on Minnesota Democrats Exposed. While Blois Olson has claimed he filed this lawsuit to have a dialogue with me, no such dialog has occurred. Blois Olson has done nothing to resolve this lawsuit. As I have said before, the lawsuit filed against me by Blois Olson was never about defamation, but about the right to blog anonymously. Because Blois Olson has done nothing to resolve the lawsuit in over 90 days, I believe Blois Olson filed this lawsuit to intimidate and silence me. This is called a SLAPP lawsuit. SLAPP is an acronym for "Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation." SLAPPs are lawsuits aimed at silencing a plaintiff's opponents. The purpose of the SLAPP is not to win, but to intimidate the SLAPP defendant and to chill petition and/or free speech rights. One court has explained the characteristics of SLAPP suits as follows: SLAPP suits are brought to obtain an economic advantage over the defendant, not to vindicate a legally cognizable right of the plaintiff. Indeed, one of the common characteristics of a SLAPP suit is its lack of merit. But lack of merit is not of concern to the plaintiff because the plaintiff does not expect to succeed in the lawsuit; only to tie up the defendants' resources for a sufficient length of time to accomplish plaintiff's underlying objective. I believe Blois Olson's lawsuit is intended to stifle or inhibit the exercise of my right of free speech and participation in government and, accordingly, is prohibited by Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 554 (1994). I have filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed against me.

Copies of all of the court documents are available for download on the right side of my blog.

Technorati Tags: First_Amendment, Bloggers, Blois Olson, Michael Brodkorb

KISCADEN MOCKS KELLY DORAN

2006-03-28T11:29:00.000-08:00

Classy move Sheila. "Kiscaden, a 14-year legislative veteran, has refrained from criticizing the man to whom she had hitched her political wagon, calling him an 'exceptional leader' and a 'bright man.' But the stress and frustration of the last week might have peeked through when she joked at the Olmsted County DFL Convention this weekend, 'There's a vacancy at the top of my ticket,' and then, more mockingly, 'Stand by your man. Ha. Ha. Ha.'" ## Doran's exit leaves politicians gasping It is hard to exaggerate the amazement and sheer dumfoundedness that many people felt at the sudden decision of businessman Kelly Doran to quit the race for governor. It wasn't just the more than $1.6 million squandered or the thicket of "More Principles, Less Politics" billboards strewn across the state. It was the swiftness of it all -- coming just three months after state Sen. Sheila Kiscaden of Rochester gambled her political future on an outsider's shot of becoming governor by becoming his running mate. "I think it's absolutely the most astounding thing I've heard in ages," said Nancy Brataas, a former state senator from Rochester and a political observer. Kiscaden, a 14-year legislative veteran, has refrained from criticizing the man to whom she had hitched her political wagon, calling him an "exceptional leader" and a "bright man." But the stress and frustration of the last week might have peeked through when she joked at the Olmsted County DFL Convention this weekend, "There's a vacancy at the top of my ticket," and then, more mockingly, "Stand by your man. Ha. Ha. Ha." Doran had at first run for U.S. Senate, but then, citing the strains the race was having on his family, switched to the governor's race. Certainly, the other DFL candidates for governor -- Attorney General Mike Hatch, Sen. Becky Lourey of Kerrick and Sen. Steve Kelley of Hopkins -- didn't see it coming. Mike Hatch, considered by many to be the odds-on favorite to win DFL nomination, said he had seen Doran as a "very formidable candidate." "For a first-time candidate, I thought he was exceptional in terms of being disciplined," Hatch said. "Usually, it takes a long time to develop that type of discipline when it comes to staying on message and keeping your platform, and he did a very good job with that. He also had significant financial resources." Doran, a shopping mall developer from Eden Prairie, came across as informed and articulate. Tall and husky, he exuded a certain commanding presence. He also could seem testy. During one appearance in Rochester, a reporter asked him about his health care plan, and Doran told him to go check out his Web site. Gubernatorial candidate Lourey said she enjoyed debating Doran in forums, and she thought he was enjoying himself. "He and I actually had a lot of fun together. We'd joke back and forth. We ended up building a relationship that was enjoyable," Lourey said. But while Doran seemed to enjoy the give-and-take of politics, Lourey suspected that Doran's wife, Maria, did not. "There wasn't a lot of joy," Lourey said. Doran's quick exit also underscored the toll political campaigns take on candidates and their families, politicians said. That reality has echoes here in Olmsted County. At a time of political resurgence, the Olmsted County DFL Party has struggled to recruit candidates for House and Senate seats, although that problem might have been partly remedied by the announcement of Wes Urevig for House seat 29A. The fact about political life, Lourey says, is that it is all-consuming. "Your life is no longer your own. You really do belong to the people, and your life is just completely open and every minute is used up, so you have to have that strong family support," she said. Sudden Impact The political ramifications of Doran's departure aren't yet clear, but they might be minimal. Hatch, who had been focusing his energies and resources on the primary in an anticipation of a battle with the well-heeled Doran, said he doesn't plan to alter his strategy now. "You're limited in Minnesota to what you can spend, and we were going to spend it on (the primary and general elections)," Hatch said. "This frees up (money)." Kelley argues differently. The departure of Doran, who had long committed himself to the primary, means that Hatch and Lourey no longer have an excuse not to abide by the endorsement process, he says. "There shouldn't be an impediment to the candidates committing (to) the endorsement," he said. Hatch said he's sticking to his strategy. "This whole thing has been about the primary and not the endorsement," he said. Source for complete article: Post Bulletin, March 28, 2006

Tags: Tim Pawlenty, Steve Kelley, Mike Hatch, Kelly Doran, Sheila Kiscaden, Becky Lourey, Russ Koch

BREAKING NEWS: YANISCH ENDS CAMPAIGN FOR CONGRESS

2006-03-28T11:20:00.000-08:00

She was only officially in the race for 5 days. "Just a quick note to let you know that I've decided not to continue to pursue the race for Congress. Watching the conventions and candidates last weekend, it is very obvious that we are spending too much in staff, volunteer and financial resources to run against fellow Democrats instead focusing on winning against Republicans. I also strongly believe that having 12 people in the race makes it very difficult for delegates to come to a consensus. We need to endorse a candidate on May 6th and hopefully, my stepping aside now will help that happen." Source: Yanisch for Congress email, March 28, 2006

Tags: Martin Sabo, Keith Ellison, Paul Ostrow, Gail Dorfman, Gary Schiff, Mike Erlandson, Rebecca Yanisch, Ember Reichgott Junge, Jorge Saavedra, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, Anne Knapp

EMBER ANNOUNCES FOR CONGRESS...AGAIN.

2006-03-28T09:23:00.000-08:00

I was just informed that Ember Reichgott Junge will again announce her campaign for Sabo's seat tomorrow at 10 a.m. at the state capitol. Reichgott Junge already announced her campaign last week: "At the same time, civil rights lawyer Jorge Saavedra and former state Sen. Ember Reichgott Junge formally entered the increasingly crowded race for the DFL nomination for the Fifth Congressional District seat, which includes a number of inner-ring suburbs and is considered one of the safest Democratic seats in the nation." Source: Star Tribune, March 24, 2006

Tags: Martin Sabo, Keith Ellison, Paul Ostrow, Gail Dorfman, Gary Schiff, Mike Erlandson, Rebecca Yanisch, Ember Reichgott Junge, Jorge Saavedra, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, Anne Knapp

FLIP-FLOP OF THE WEEK: DISCLOSING PUTTING FAMILY MEMBERS ON STATE PAYROLL

2006-03-28T07:54:00.000-08:00

Flip-Flop of the Week: Volume 1, Issue 19 Hatch Flip-Flops on Disclosing Putting Family Members On State Payroll

1990: Candidate Hatch Called For Disclosure When Immediate Family Members Are Hired As Lobbyists Or By Companies That Contract With The State. "DFL gubernatorial candidate Mike Hatch joined the chorus of ethics critics Wednesday with a proposal for cleaning up state government that includes a ban on campaign contributions from lobbyists. … Hatch said his proposals include… Requiring disclosure when immediate family members of public officials are hired as lobbyists or by companies that contract with the state." (“Hatch Wants To Do Away With PACs,” Pioneer Press, February 15, 1990) 1991: Press Accounts Revealed Hatch Had Put Niece On State Payroll As Commerce Commissioner. "Mike Hatch, who sought the DFL gubernatorial nomination last year, acknowledged Tuesday that putting his niece on the state payroll when he was commerce commissioner looked bad. But he defended the hiring and also denied any impropriety in his relationship with a company to which he awarded an $800,000 state contract. The company has employed both Hatch's top campaign aide and his niece, and people close to the company contributed money to Hatch's 1990 campaign, the Star Tribune reported Tuesday." (“Hatch Admits Putting Niece On State Payroll Looked Bad,” Pioneer Press, August 7, 1991)

Tags: Tim Pawlenty, Steve Kelley, Mike Hatch, Kelly Doran, Sheila Kiscaden, Becky Lourey, Russ Koch

UPDATE: MDE EXCLUSIVE: HATCH - KISCADEN #2

2006-03-27T13:36:00.000-08:00

Rambling from the North has thoughts on the possibility of Hatch - Kiscaden: ## "Anyways, one of the highlights of the day was Shelia Kiscaden spoke. She brought a Kelly Doran sign up, and folded it halfway, hiding Doran's name, to leave her own. She said she was persuing it with several of the current candidates, and then gave a heartwarming speech about the slogan Doran had used: More principal, less politics. It was a good speech, but one thing is very clear Kiscaden has made it her mission to be on the ballot in November under someone. My theory is Hatch." Source: Rambling from the North, March 26, 2006

Tags: Tim Pawlenty, Steve Kelley, Mike Hatch, Kelly Doran, Sheila Kiscaden, Becky Lourey, Russ Koch

WANKE: BUNNY FLAP REVEALS TREND THAT IS NOT SILLY

2006-03-27T10:16:00.000-08:00

This commentary was written by one of my good friends Randy Wanke. ## Bunny flap reveals trend that is not silly The city of St. Paul has apparently developed a serious case of Leporiphobia (fear of rabbits) and chased that long-eared fluffy menace, the Easter Bunny, out of city hall. While someone like Elmer Fudd might applaud St. Paul's expulsion of the bunny rabbit from city hall, the rest of us should be a little less pleased. That's because what has happened in St. Paul is part of a growing movement to remove every symbol with any connection to faith from the public arena. We are used to seeing this kind of nonsense around Christmas time, when nativity scenes are treated as if they threaten the secular sanctity of every city hall and public place in America. Now the protectors of public faith-free-zones have apparently set their sites on Easter and the most secular of its symbols — the bunny rabbit. Not a religious symbol. Let's be clear, as far as symbols go, the Easter Bunny isn't exactly a religious symbol for Christians celebrating the resurrection of Christ and the forgiveness of sins. Yet, the way the city of St. Paul reacted, one would think that a life-sized crucifix had been planted in the middle of city hall, while right next to it, Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" was running on a continuous loop. As a kid, to me (and I am guessing to most Christian and many non-Christian kids) the Easter Bunny was about eggs and candy. It was about getting up early in the morning to find a basket full of chocolate Easter Bunnies, jelly beans, and Peeps. It was about shoveling down as many of them as I could before I threw up or my parents woke up and told me to save the rest for later. For me, the real symbolism of Easter Sunday didn't come until later in the day at church when the shroud was lifted from the cross and the pastor said "He has risen," to which the congregation responded "He has risen indeed." Tolerance, please. But even if the Easter Bunny did represent some greater religious symbolism – I say "So what?" Have we as a nation become so intolerant of displays of faith that we are willing to allow them to be banned from every public place? Unfortunately, it already appears that the answer to that question is "yes." And that's a shame. Because to deny the role that faith played in the founding and growth of this country is to re-write our history. And to do so is to also deny the pivotal role that faith plays in the great American experiment. After all, Americans motivated by their faith led the charge to eliminate slavery, advanced civil rights and fought for women's suffrage. I would like to offer this word of caution regarding the bunny ban at St. Paul City Hall. St. Patrick's Day has its roots as a religious holiday, celebrating the life of a Catholic saint. So, it may only be a matter of time before emerald green and leprechauns are banned from St. Paul's city hall on St. Patrick's Day. Sounds silly, doesn't it? But it is no sillier than showing the Easter Bunny the door at city hall. Wanke is a communications consultant from Plymouth and a Republican Party activist. Source: Pioneer Press, March 26, 2006

DOMAGATE: JOHNSON'S CONSTITUENTS REASSESS THEIR SENATOR

2006-03-27T08:59:00.000-08:00

"Johnson's constituents reassess their senator While folks debate whether he lied or should have been taped, opponents look to unseat him. WILLMAR, MINN. - Dean Johnson is a pastor, a politician and a military chaplain and, one of his co-pastors said this week, 'I don't know how he gets everything done.' After admitting that he 'embellished' a conversation with a Minnesota Supreme Court justice on same-sex marriage -- a conversation that justices say never happened -- the DFL Senate majority leader may find it harder to get everything done this year as he seeks reelection in his central Minnesota swing district. Even before an ethics complaint was filed, Johnson's constituents debated in churches, coffee shops and bars, whether he is a liar and should admit it or a good man who misspoke; whether he has betrayed his constituents and the Bible on issues such as abortion and gay marriage or shows a compassionate courage in following his conscience; whether a one-man, one-woman marriage amendment is worthy of a vote or a ploy to bring out conservative voters, and whether another minister should have surreptitiously taped Johnson's comments at a private meeting of local clergy members." Source for complete story: Star Tribune, March 27, 2006

Tags: Republican Party of Minnesota, Ron Carey, DFL, Brian Melendez, Dean Johnson, DOMAgate

UPDATE: MDE EXCLUSIVE: HATCH - KISCADEN

2006-03-27T07:40:00.000-08:00

Based on information sent to Minnesota Democrats Exposed, I will STILL report that Shelia Kiscaden will be Mike Hatch's lieutenant governor pick. If I'm wrong, well so be it. But I believe my source. Check back for updates.

Tags: Tim Pawlenty, Steve Kelley, Mike Hatch, Kelly Doran, Sheila Kiscaden, Becky Lourey, Russ Koch

THE HARDEST WORKING TWINS IN AMERICAN POLITICS

2006-03-27T07:16:00.000-08:00

I have worked with Nick Erickson more than Tom, but they are both great guys. Tom's not very athletic, so don't have him play on your kickball team. Nick reputation as a hard working is going downhill because he is in love and he walks around the office with his head in the clouds. But seriously, these two guys have a very bright future in politics and someday I (and many others) may be working for both of them. ## A fellow who looked a lot like Tom Erickson -- a genial, clean-cut young press aide in Gov. Tim Pawlenty's office -- walked through the Capitol press offices recently to deliver a news release from the Republican Party. Erickson was sharply questioned by a reporter who wondered whether he knew it would be improper, if not illegal, to be doing political work on the taxpayers' time. Erickson informed the reporter that he was actually Nick Erickson, Tom's identical twin, and employed by the GOP. Improbable as it sounded, the story checked out. Tom and Nick, just 22 years old, are a precocious duo and may have a long future, maybe as a different kind of power couple, in GOP politics. Nick is older by one minute and a bit beefier than rail-thin Tom, [Tom, that hurts] but their identicalness is comprehensive and their bond is tight. Both were swimmers at Willmar High School; both attended the University of St. Thomas (Nick has graduated, but Tom is still a bit short); both were College Republicans, and both majored in business. They started their jobs on the same day about a year ago. They share an apartment in St. Paul. Tom, it is mutually agreed, is the more evil twin. He once dressed up as a cow [I thought he dressed up as Nick's old girlfriend] at a rally for presidential candidate John Kerry to draw attention to the Republican allegation that Kerry would "milk Minnesota taxpayers dry." And Tom is the one more likely to make mischief with identity games. "We would just shake our heads over them," says their mom, Deb Erickson, a financial adviser. "They'd find something they were interested in, they'd get passionate and focused and play off each other and complement each other. This interest in politics and current events goes back to eighth grade and by the time they went to college it was their entire focus, 24/7." Source: Star Tribune, March 27, 2006

IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT FIGHT

2006-03-27T07:11:00.000-08:00

This is a very informative article about the 5th CD race. ## Full DFL field raises plenty of uncertainty A dozen candidates are out for the DFL endorsement to replace Rep. Martin Sabo, and more still could run. The race for support from 219 delegates could decide the election -- or undermine the process. A week after Rep. Martin Sabo announced his plan to retire after 28 years, the race to succeed him is so packed that it's tough to keep track of the candidates even with a scorecard. A dozen DFLers are running, creating a bare-knuckled grab for the 219 delegates who can confer endorsement May 6 -- but also creating uncertainty about how valuable that endorsement will be. Delegates "will be bombarded from every angle," said Sean Broom, chair of Minnesota Young DFL and a delegate. "I've already received phone calls from several campaigns." The complement of candidates was on comical display Friday night on public television's "Almanac" show. All 12 of them stood in a box and stepped over a line in response to questions such as whether they wanted immediate withdrawal from Iraq, would abide by the party endorsement or opposed domestic spying. The debate also showed the difficulty that candidates will have distinguishing themselves, as each had about 10 seconds to answer complicated questions. Already there is talk the field of Democratic candidates may swell even after the endorsing convention. Minneapolis City Council Member Lisa Goodman, for one, said she may enter the race later. That raises the question of the endorsement's significance. And others are hinting they may run in a Sept. 12 primary with or without the party's endorsement. The GOP may yet find a known candidate, but the Fifth District is deep blue DFL turf. Republicans privately say the Green Party has a better chance of winning than the GOP. Will endorsement help or hurt? While the party endorsement is a boost, it's not a guarantee of a primary victory. In recent years in statewide races, DFL delegates have been prone to endorse candidates who lost to bigger names. Former Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman won the gubernatorial endorsement in 1998 but lost the primary to Attorney General Hubert Humphrey III. That same year, state Sen. Ember Reichgott Junge won the endorsement in the attorney general's race but lost the primary to Mike Hatch. Fifth District delegates may be more reflective of the pool of voters than state delegates were in those cases. "I don't think there's a big disconnect between what the endorsers might do and what the voters might do in a primary," said Steven Schier, a Carleton College political science professor. "It's a very homogenous district. I think it matters." DFL activist Lisa Vecoli said the endorsee will get lots of help. "There are a lot of races this year, and a lot of campaigns will be working together," she said. The endorsee will appear in literature with school board and legislative candidates that is distributed throughout the district. But the power of the endorsement may depend on who gets it. "Somebody who has name recognition or who has money always has a chance of beating the endorsement," she said. Blois Olson, co-publisher of PoliticsinMinnesota.com, said what happens at the convention could shape the rest of the race. If the endorsee is "perceived not to be able to raise the money and build the base, it will invite all comers to the primary," Olson said. "If a strong candidate who has a proven track record of organizing people receives it, then it could essentially clear the field." Delegates could deadlock and fail to endorse, but Olson and state party Chair Brian Melendez said they doubted that would happen. The delegates are culled from the pool of thousands who attend state Senate District conventions after going to the March 7 precinct caucus meetings. Of the 219, 153 will be from Minneapolis. The remainder are from the inner-ring suburbs that make up the rest of the district, including New Hope, Crystal, Robbinsdale, Golden Valley, St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Richfield, Columbia Heights, St. Anthony, Hilltop, Fridley and Spring Lake Park. To receive the endorsement, a candidate needs to get 60 percent of the delegates seated at the May 6 convention. Hennepin County Commissioners Mark Stenglein, an independent, and Mike Opat, a DFLer, said the delegates shouldn't endorse anyone because Sabo's retirement decision came so late. "It would be better to have more time to shoot questions at the candidates and ask what are the differences among them. I doubt you're going to find anybody who favors how George Bush handles anything," Opat said, adding that he would like to hear how they want to handle Iraq, whether health care expense accounts should be adjusted and what exactly they mean when they talk about universal health care. Stenglein said, "You're 100 percent sure a Democrat is going to win the race. Why would you let 60 percent of 219 people pick your next congressman?" But Jorge Saavedra, a civil rights lawyer and a candidate who plans to abide by the endorsement, said because a Democrat seems likely to win in November, it's better to settle it early and focus on making gains in other places, such as the state House and Senate. "I don't want to see this race that becomes a race that consumes a lot of resources," he said. Source: Star Tribune, March 27, 2006

KELLY DORAN WAS A CLASS ACT

2006-03-24T15:05:00.000-08:00

I attended a few DFL gubernatorial debates and had an opportunity to talk with Kelly Doran. While I disagree with his politics, Kelly Doran is a class act. He always razzed (sic) me for showing up at DFL debates and I appreciated his humorous demeanor.

DOMAGATE: ARE DEMOCRATS WAIVING THE WHITE FLAG? #2

2006-03-24T13:56:00.000-08:00

I should have called this post "DFL CRIES 'UNCLE.'" This from their latest press release: "Yet all week, the Republican Party has been a one-trick pony - kicking Dean Johnson while he's down. They even complained that the bonding bill had moved through the Senate too efficiently even though most of their own members were on board. Minnesotans don't appreciate mudslinging. The Republican Party should follow Senator Johnson's example, get back to work and quit their bullying." Source: www.dfl.org

Tags: Republican Party of Minnesota, Ron Carey, DFL, Brian Melendez, Dean Johnson, DOMAgate

MN GOP STATEMENT ON DORAN WITHDRAWAL

2006-03-24T13:17:00.000-08:00

St. Paul - Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Ron Carey today issued the following statement regarding Kelly Doran's withdrawal from the governor's race. "With Kelly Doran's withdrawal, the race for governor is now between four liberals and one common sense reformer, Governor Pawlenty. "When it comes to immigration and education reform, the protection of traditional marriage and opposition to tax increases, Governor Pawlenty represents a clear contrast to the liberal policies of Becky Lourey, Steve Kelley, Mike Hatch and Peter Hutchinson. "Kelly Doran's early exit from the race further underscores how difficult it is for centrists to find a warm welcome in a DFL party dominated by far-left activists."

Tags: Tim Pawlenty, Steve Kelley, Mike Hatch, Kelly Doran, Sheila Kiscaden, Becky Lourey, Russ Koch

MN GOP STATEMENT ON DEAN JOHNSON'S ETHICS COMPLAINT

2006-03-24T13:12:00.000-08:00

St. Paul- Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Ron Carey today issued the following statement regarding the Senate ethics complaint against Dean Johnson. "By extracting a formal apology from Dean Johnson, the Senate Ethics Committee has taken the first step in restoring the integrity of the Minnesota Supreme Court and Senate. "In addition to apologizing for the incident referenced by the Senate Ethics Committee, Dean Johnson must also acknowledge the numerous occasions in which he told similar falsehoods. "For the sake of Minnesota, it is our hope Dean Johnson will provide a clear and comprehensive explanation for his actions."

Tags: Republican Party of Minnesota, Ron Carey, DFL, Brian Melendez, Dean Johnson, DOMAgate

DOMAGATE: CNN REPORTS ON DOMAGATE

2006-03-24T12:48:00.000-08:00

CNN writes about the GOP response. The Republican Party of Minnesota deserves compliments for a job well-done! "Johnson's political opponents have issued daily press releases, called news conferences and even launched a Web site, www.sandingoffthetruth.com, to track Johnson's 'ever-changing stories.'" ## Secret tape stirs Minnesota gay marriage debate One of Minnesota's top Democrats is catching grief after getting caught on tape telling a lie -- or, as he put it, "sanding off the truth." Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson was recorded assuring a group of pastors that several state Supreme Court justices had told him they would not legalize gay marriage. His remarks, which surfaced last week, drew a rare public rebuke from the chief justice, who denied the statements, and caused a firestorm of criticism from Republicans and gay marriage opponents. Johnson, who is also a pastor, said he did not lie, but admitted "embellishing" and making misstatements. He has tried hard to get past the issue, but Republicans and foes of gay marriage have seized on it. Johnson's political opponents have issued daily press releases, called news conferences and even launched a Web site, www.sandingoffthetruth.com, to track Johnson's "ever-changing stories." This week, Senate Republicans also filed an ethics complaint; to resolve the complaint, Johnson agreed to apologize on the Senate floor. "Dean Johnson has certainly made a fool of himself, hasn't he?" said Adrienne Christiansen, a professor of political science at Macalester College. The story behind the tape is rooted in the tense fight over whether Minnesota should have a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Johnson has consistently blocked the proposal, calling gay marriage opponents mean-spirited and divisive. Speaking in January to a group of rural pastors, Johnson said he had spoken with at least three current or former Supreme Court justices, who told him the high court would never overturn the state's Defense of Marriage law. In other words, a state law banning same-sex marriage was safe, so why amend the constitution? Unknown to him, a pastor with close ties to gay marriage opponents was in the audience, with a tape recorder clipped to his backpack. "Dean, we're not going to do it," Johnson, on the tape, quotes one justice as saying. When the controversy broke, Johnson revised his story, saying the remarks were based on a quick encounter with one justice. That was not enough for Supreme Court Justice Russell Anderson, who called a news conference to deny that any justices spoke with Johnson about the issue. Anderson criticized the senator for "attacks on the integrity of court members and this institution." It is unclear whether the mess will affect the proposed amendment's chances; some Democrats say the blowup has hardened their opposition. Johnson was elected as a Republican in 1978 and rose to that party's top Senate post before defecting to the Democrats in 2000, saying the GOP had moved too far to the right. In 2004, Democrats chose him as their Senate leader, where he has been a formidable opponent for Republicans. Besides being a longtime pastor, he is also a brigadier general in the Minnesota National Guard known for folksy asides about the upright Scandinavian descendants who populate his central Minnesota district. Some of Johnson's allies say it is a dangerous precedent to punish a politician for exaggerating. But Republican Sen. Mike McGinn, a former police officer, said some lies are too big. "The consequences of this lie are far more serious than lying about the size of the fish you caught at the governor's fishing opener," McGinn said. "It's not just a little white lie. It's a huge lie." Source: CNN, March 24, 2006

Tags: Republican Party of Minnesota, Ron Carey, DFL, Brian Melendez, Dean Johnson, DOMAgate

AP: DORAN'S OUT

2006-03-24T11:36:00.000-08:00

Democrat Doran pulls out of governor's race ST. PAUL (AP) _ Shopping center developer Kelly Doran, who put more than $1.6 million into his first shot at political office, quit the race for the DFL gubernatorial nomination Friday. Doran, of Eden Prairie, announced his decision at a Capitol news conference. He was briefly a U.S. Senate candidate before switching to the governor's race in September. His willingness to commit his personal fortune to his campaigns made him a legitimate contender despite his political inexperience. His departure changes the race. Democratic candidates can save more of their money for a general election campaign against Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty instead of trying to keep up with the free-spending Doran through the primary. "It's big because it means the primary is not going to be as contentious as it would have been,'' said Democratic strategist Blois Olson, co-publisher of the online Politics in Minnesota newsletter. The major Democratic candidates remaining are Attorney General Mike Hatch, state Sen. Steve Kelley of Hopkins and Sen. Becky Lourey of Kerrick. Former Gov. Jesse Ventura's Independence Party is backing consultant Peter Hutchinson. Doran had struggled for tractin with DFL activists, and drew just 6 percent in a straw poll during precinct caucuses. Hatch grabbed nearly 40 percent of the vote, and Lourey and Kelley both attracted about 22 percent. Before and after the caucus poll, Doran insisted he wasn't depending on the party endorsement and was focusing his campaign on a September primary. He had already run a wave of television commercials introducing himself to voters and plastered billboards along highways across the state. Doran, 48, had tried to claim the political middle, selling his outsider status as an asset and recruiting a moderate legislator _ state Sen. Sheila Kiscaden of Rochester _ as his running mate. But his campaign might be most defined by his balance sheet as he tried to build a political base from scratch. Doran spent $750,000 on his short-lived Senate campaign and another $900,000 through Dec. 31 on his run for governor. He entered the year with $1 million at the ready, but that too came from his own pocket. Source: Associated Press, March 24, 2006

Tags: Tim Pawlenty, Steve Kelley, Mike Hatch, Kelly Doran, Sheila Kiscaden, Becky Lourey, Russ Koch

BREAKING NEWS: DETAILS ON DORAN'S ANNOUNCEMENT

2006-03-24T09:09:00.000-08:00

Kelly Doran will be holding a press conference at 1:00 p.m. in room 181 of the State Office Building to announce the end of his campaign for governor.

Tags: Tim Pawlenty, Steve Kelley, Mike Hatch, Kelly Doran, Sheila Kiscaden, Becky Lourey, Russ Koch

CONFIRMATION OF DORAN'S DEPARTURE

2006-03-24T09:02:00.000-08:00

I have been informed by captiol sources that Kelly Doran has officially ended his campaign for governor and a formal announcement will be made this afternoon. Checks and Balances broke this story yesterday, but this my first confirmation of Doran's departure.

Tags: Tim Pawlenty, Steve Kelley, Mike Hatch, Kelly Doran, Sheila Kiscaden, Becky Lourey, Russ Koch

CONTACT MR. SPONGE

2006-03-24T08:01:00.000-08:00

I would encourage the readers of Minnesota Democrats Exposed to contact Mr. Sponge and ask that he continue blogging at Minvolved. Mr. Sponge's work should be respected by all bloggers, regardless of political affiliation.