MNGOP dials phones that rarely ring.

Posted at 5:56 PM on February 9, 2010 by Tom Scheck (0 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, MN Legislature

Several DFL members of the Minnesota Senate say something happened that rarely occurs. Their phones within the Senate chambers were ringing.

That may seem odd but the phones, according to members, are only supposed to be used by Senate members and staff. But at least six Democrats say they got calls today from unhappy constituents. They were being urged to vote against a $1 billion bonding bill. DFL Sen. Don Betzold of Fridley says he got a call while the Senate was debating the bill.

"I've never gotten a phone call like that from the floor," Betzold said. "I have never gotten a phone call like that from a citizen, a lobbyist, anyone, until today."

DFL Sen. Terri Bonoff of Minnetonka said she got six calls from constituents. She said the callers said they were contacted by the Minnesota Republican Party and were patched through to their senators.

DFL Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller said the calls are a violation of Senate protocol. He said the phone numbers for the phones are unlisted and are only meant for internal business. He urged the Senate to stop the practice at the end of today's floor debate.

But it doesn't look like that will happen. Michael Brodkorb, a spokesman for Senate Republicans who also serves as Deputy Chair of the MNGOP, said he didn't know the calls were taking place until after the fact. He also said he didn't give the internal phone numbers to the MNGOP. But Brodkorb defended the practice stressing that the phones are paid for with taxpayer dollars.

"I don't know that's it's problematic," Brodkorb said. "They're public phones but I don't know how often the party is going to do it or not."

He said it's up to MNGOP Chair Tony Sutton and MNGOP executive director Ryan Griffin to decide whether the practice will continue.

Question of the day: What do you think? Should members of the Minnesota Senate get calls on the floor?

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MNGOP rips itself

Posted at 5:21 PM on February 9, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature

The Chair of the Minnesota Republican Party issued a news release criticizing the Minnesota Senate for voting for a $1 billion bonding bill:

"Today's vote by the Senate to add to our state's debt is irresponsible and it is wrong. Minnesotans can't afford more wasteful government spending and business as usual pork barrel projects. Instead of providing critical funding for the sex offender facility at Moose Lake, this bill is replete with millions for sculpture gardens and gorilla and polar bear exhibits. Minnesotans deserve better."

It appears that nine Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Dave Senjem, are getting caught in Sutton's crossfire. Republican Senators Steve Dille, Dennis Frederickson, Joe Gimse, Bill Ingebrigtson, Michael Jungbauer, Paul Koering, Gen Olson, Pat Pariseau and Dave Senjem all voted for the bill.

Two Democrats, Satveer Chaudhary and John Doll, voted against the bill.

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Pawlenty: No Vikings stadium proposal from me

Posted at 12:57 PM on February 9, 2010 by Tom Scheck (0 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, MN Legislature, Minnesota Governor, Tim Pawlenty

Late last week, DFL legislative leaders said they won't act on a Vikings stadium proposal until Gov. Pawlenty puts his own proposal forward. This morning, Pawlenty said the plan won't be included in his supplemental budget plan and that he doesn't have a stand alone proposal.

The political hot potato is up in the air like a Chris Kluwe punt.

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Pawlenty wants tougher penalties on sex offenders

Posted at 11:34 AM on February 9, 2010 by Tom Scheck (0 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Tim Pawlenty

Pawlenty wants to get tougher on sex offenders from tommy scheck on Vimeo.

Governor Tim Pawlenty is proposing tougher penalties for sex offenders that would more than double their time in prison.

Pawlenty announced today that he wants to increase the presumptive sentence for those convicted of first degree sexual conduct from 12 years to 25 years. The Republican governor said the move would result in long-term savings because prison costs are significantly less than civil commitments to the state's sex offender treatment program.

"Sex offenders continue to be a scourge to public safety across this country and in Minnesota. IN many cases they are individuals who we have a very difficult time trying to remediate or change behaviors. They are individuals who in my view need to be taken off the streets and locked up for as long as possible."

Pawlenty also announced a new Internet safety education program aimed at warning children about the dangers of online predators. State officials will distribute program materials to all public schools in the next two weeks.

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Pawlenty ushered check on behalf of Texas home builder

Posted at 11:07 AM on February 9, 2010 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Pawlenty travel, Tim Pawlenty

Gov. Pawlenty said this morning that the $100,000 check he delivered to the Alabama GOP on Friday night was from Texas homebuilder Bob Perry.

If you think the name sounds familiar, it should. Perry is a big-time GOP donor who contributes to the Republican Governors Association and several conservative 527 groups (including the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth organization in 2004). He also gave $500,000 to A Stronger America Minnesota, an independent 527 that worked to get Pawlenty reelected in 2006.

Pawlenty says he met with Perry a few weeks ago and mentioned that he was speaking to the Alabama Republican Party. He said Perry, who gave to the Alabama GOP in the past, asked him to deliver the check to the group:

"I understand they (Alabama GOP) asked him for the contribution. I was there on behalf of the RGA in my capacity as vice-chair of the RGA and he said 'Look, they asked me to give this contribution would you deliver it to them?' I said sure."

Pawlenty said he met with Perry a few weeks ago when he was raising money in Houston and Dallas on behalf of the RGA and his federal political action committee. At the time, the spokesman for Pawlenty's PAC would only say that Pawlenty was raising money in Texas but wouldn't provide additional details.

Pawlenty's meeting with Perry also signifies that he's meeting with some wealthy GOP donors as he considers whether to run for president in 2012. As I wrote in a 2006 profile about Perry, one campaign finance watchdog called Perry "an 800 pound gorilla."

At that time I also noted on the blog how many groups he contributed in the 2006 election cycle.

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The Daily Digest

Posted at 6:53 AM on February 9, 2010 by Tom Scheck (0 Comments)
Filed under: Daily Digest

The Senate is set to vote on a nearly $1 billion bonding bill today.

Gov. Pawlenty will hold a news conference today to announce that he wants longer prison terms for sex offenders.

House and Senate DFLers will introduce legislation to limit Pawlenty's unallotment powers.

Senate Democrats push for a $50 million jobs bill. AP, MPR and the Pi Press have stories.

MMB officials say quick action on a bonding bill may complicate the state's cash flow.

State Economist Tom Stinson says unemployment is likely to remain high.

The State Ag Commissioner's stance on an EPA plan regarding global warming is drawing criticism.

The Minnesota Senate wants to quickly pass a bill to fix GAMC.

The House Taxes Committee approved a measure that would allow taxpayers deduct donations to Haiti earthquake relief efforts when they file their 2009 taxes this spring.

Officials representing the southeastern Twin Cities say they should be next in line for a rail project.

There's an effort to redesign state government and lawmakers want citizen input.

A former member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission was at the Capitol Monday to tell lawmakers now is not the time to repeal the state's ban on new nuclear power plants.

MnDOT remains short of the goal of hiring minority contractors.

The Rochester Tea Party Patriots are pushing for voter id at the polls.

Congress

President Obama hits his lowest approval mark.

The U.S. will commit $78.5 million to try to halt the Asian carp in the Great Lakes.

House Republicans may refuse to participate in President Obama's health care summit.

AP wonders whether the summit is just for show.

RIP John Murtha.

GOP Rep. Erik Paulsen held a jobs fair on Monday.

Think Progress says GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann said "we must wean everybody off of social security."

Bachmann's office is also collecting valentine's for veterans.

DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar hears about the success of a drug court in International Falls.

2010 Race for Governor

Republican Tom Emmer pushes a horse-lover license plate.

Eight of the candidates for governor participated in a forum on KFAI last night.

2010 Other

The Star Tribune says the MNGOP feels like it's gathering steam.

Pawlenty for President Watch

Gov. Pawlenty arrived in Alabama on Friday with a $100,000 check to the Alabama GOP to buy some goodwill. But who paid for it?

Gov. Pawlenty spoke in North Carolina on Monday morning. You can listen to his speech and the q and a with reporters here.

Mike Huckabee will visit Minnesota in April.

Sarah Palin had a cheat sheet on her hands during the Tea Party convention.

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Pawlenty buys some Alabama goodwill, but who paid for it?

Posted at 3:19 PM on February 8, 2010 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Pawlenty travel, Tim Pawlenty

On the same weekend that Sarah Palin was collecting a $100,000 appearance fee from the Tea Party Convention, Gov. Tim Pawlenty was the courier for a $100,000 check to the Alabama Republican Party.

On Friday, Pawlenty gave a 25 minute speech to Republican activists in Montgomery, AL. Before Pawlenty spoke to the group, Alabama GOP Chair Mike Hubbard announced that Pawlenty showed up at the speech bearing gifts. Hubbard told the audience of about 700 GOP activists that Pawlenty hand-delivered a $100,000 check from an unnamed donor.

"Gov. Pawlenty told him 'Well, I'm going to speak in Alabama and I know Gov. Bob Riley and I've heard with what they're doing in the Republican Party. I think they're going to make a a real difference. They have an opportunity to take the House and Senate for the first time in over 100 years and he urged him to support our efforts because he thought it was a great investment. So when Gov. Pawlenty came through the doors of the hotel today, he brought with him a check for $100,000. It's made to the Alabama Republican Party. So not only is Gov. Pawlenty not charging us, he's bringing money with him. He's our favorite speaker." Listen

Philip Bryan, a spokesman for the Alabama Republican Party said Pawlenty's check came from a donor, but he wouldn't disclose the individual's name. He said the funds were earmarked to help Republicans win the Alabama House and Senate and would comply with disclosure laws. Bryan then referred other questions to Pawlenty's spokesman. Pawlenty's spokesman referred me to the Alabama Republican Party.

It looks like the next filing deadline for campaign finance activity in Alabama is April 12th.

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Stinson says unemployment likely to remain high

Posted at 2:49 PM on February 8, 2010 by Mike Mulcahy (0 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature

State economist Tom Stinson was the guest on Midday today, and he provided a wealth of background information about the state's economic troubles and the actions government is taking to try to get out of them.

Among other things he expects a positive job growth in March because of hiring by the U.S. Census. But he says the national unemployment rate, and by extension the state unemployment rate, is likely to remain high for some time.

"The best guesses are that we're going to see the national unemployment rate go back up to more than 10 percent again and to stay at the 10 percent level more or less through the end of this year," he said. "That is a pretty discouraging and pretty dismal outlook, but the real concern is that it looks like it's not until even in 2012 we would have more than 8 percent."

Stinson said the Obama administration generally reacted well to the economic crisis and he said the federal economic stimulus is helping with employment. He said it's a bad idea for the federal government to raise taxes now, but he said it's a more difficult call at the state level.

"That's a little harder because if you increase taxes at the state level that costs jobs," he said. But if you don't increase them it costs jobs because you're going to have lay off people in state and local government as well, so that's a little trickier."

As for the next state revenue forecast due next month, Stinson told me he hadn't yet looked at the national economic forecast which he received today from Global Insight. But he said he expected the outlook to vary by plus or minus a couple hundred million dollars, which means lawmakers will still have to confront a serious financial problem.

"Anybody that thinks we're going to generate $1.2 billion in new revenue and solve the problem, they're dreaming," he said. "But anybody who's having nightmares we're going to give them $2.5 billion rather than $1.2 billion problem, they're probably going to be relieved that we're not going to be there."

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KFAI hosts a gov debate tonight.

Posted at 2:44 PM on February 8, 2010 by Tom Scheck (0 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Minnesota Governor

KFAI Radio is hosting a debate for governor tonight and it will feature eight candidates. Here's the info from KFAI's website:

Co-hosts Bob Hines and Marty Owings will moderate the first forum featuring DFLers Margaret Anderson Kelliher, John Marty and Tom Rukavina; Independents Rob Hahn and Tom Horner; and Republicans Tom Emmer, Bill Haas, and Marty Seifert.

KFAI News Director Ahndi Fridell says there will be three of these forums. The next one is scheduled for March 25th.

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Teacher's union cancels PAC Board meeting

Posted at 2:41 PM on February 8, 2010 by Tom Scheck (0 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Minnesota Governor

Today's Education Minnesota PAC meeting has been postponed due to the weather, meaning there will be no endorsement today from the union in the race for governor. (though even if there had been a meeting, there was no guarantee the PAC board would have necessarily made such a move). The PAC Board has not rescheduled the meeting yet.

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