Amy Koch

On Behalf Of All Gays, Man "Apologizes" For Destroying GOPer's Marriage

David Taintor | December 23, 2011, 5:57AM

Minnesota state Sen. Amy Koch (R)

After now-former Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch (R) resigned her leadership post over an "innappropriate relationship," a Minneapolis gay man -- on behalf of the entire gay community -- is pouring salt on the wound.

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Minnesota

MN GOPer Resigns Leadership Post Over Alleged 'Inappropriate Relationship'

David Taintor | December 17, 2011, 10:15AM

Minnesota state Sen. Amy Koch (R)

Minnesota's Republican Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch abruptly resigned from her leadership post this week, and there are now allegations that she had an "inappropriate relationship" with a subordinate staffer.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that Koch's fellow Republicans confronted her about the alleged relationship. When Koch was confronted, she neither confirmed nor denied the relationship. "I think I need to consider resigning," she said, according to the paper.

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Minnesota Shutdown

Lawmakers Still Hammering Out Details To End Minnesota's Government Shutdown

David Taintor | July 18, 2011, 9:36AM

Minnesota State Capitol

What seemed like a quick end to Minnesota's government shutdown is proving to take a bit longer.

Lawmakers worked over the weekend on language that reflects the budget deal Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican lawmakers agreed upon last week. The deal is a compromise on a GOP budget offer made on June 30, just before the state's shutdown. It involves delaying more money to K-12 and borrowing money from future tobacco payments. Critics describe it as a quick fix, not a long-term budget solution.

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Minnesota

Lawmakers Reach Deal To End Minnesota's Government Shutdown

David Taintor | July 14, 2011, 7:45PM

Minnesota state Capitol building

After two weeks of government shutdown, Minnesota is on its way to being open for business. Lawmakers on Thursday evening announced they had reached an budget agreement to end the shutdown.

Earlier Thursday, Dayton agreed to compromise on the GOP's budget offer from June 30, just before the state's government shutdown. But he did so under certain conditions: that the GOP remove its policy issues from the budget, drop a 15 percent reduction to the number of state employees in all agencies and support a $500 million bonding bill.

Now that they have a deal, Dayton said the shutdown will end "very soon," according to local reports.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch said the final details are still being worked out, but they have reached a "framework agreement," Minnesota Public radio reported:

Koch said the agreement includes delaying more payments to schools, and borrowing against the state's future tobacco payments. The agreement would raise $1.4 billion in new revenue.

Dayton met with Republican lawmakers for three hours Thursday. Appearing after the meeting with Koch and Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers, Dayton expressed the tough reality of the agreement. "No one's going to be happy with this, which is the essence of compromise," he said. That means, for the time being, the governor will shelve his plan to raise taxes on Minnesota's millionaires.

Read more at MPR.

Minnesota Shutdown

No Budget Talks Scheduled In Minnesota; Dayton Offers More Proposals To End The Shutdown

David Taintor | July 12, 2011, 5:45AM

Gov. Mark Dayton (D-MN)

No budget talks are scheduled in Minnesota, where the state's government shutdown has entered its second week.

But in a letter to Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers and Republican Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton said he is willing to meet the legislative leaders to work out a deal.

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