Minnesota

Minnesota GOP Legislators Eye 'Right-To-Work' Constitutional Amendment

Eric Kleefeld | February 2, 2012, 2:30PM

The Minnesota State Capitol

Republican legislators in Minnesota are now setting out to make their state the newest front in the push for "right-to-work" laws hindering labor union organization. But can they pull it off?

State Sen. Dave Thompson (R) and state Rep. Steve Drazkowski (R) announced the proposal Thursday, calling it the "Employee Freedom Constitutional Amendment."

In order to pass an amendment to the Minnesota constitution, both houses must pass the proposal under a simple majority threshold, then send it to the voters in November -- thus bypassing the state's Democratic Governor Mark Dayton, but also triggering what would likely be a very heated referendum campaign. The Republicans currently have a 72-62 majority in the House, and a 37-30 margin in the Senate.

Right-to-work laws are very common in the South and the West. This week, Indiana became the 23rd state -- and more importantly, the first Rust Belt state -- to adopt such a measure. Interestingly, Indiana Democrats had proposed a compromise of sending the bill to a referendum, which the majority Republicans rejected in favor of sending the bill directly to Gov. Mitch Daniels. In this case, Minnesota Republicans are seeking a referendum, in order to pass the bill over the head of a governor who opposes it.

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Minnesota

'Behind The Eight Ball': Terrible Times For The Minnesota Republican Party

David Taintor | January 13, 2012, 12:58PM

Minnesota State Capitol Building

The Minnesota Republican Party is having a hard time.

This week, the liberal watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed a complaint with the FEC that alleges the party and its now-former chairman, Tony Sutton, violated the Federal Election Campaign Act.

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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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Barack Obama

Obama Heads To Iowa Just Days After Republicans Leave

Susan Crabtree | August 12, 2011, 4:11PM

Just after Republicans leave the critical presidential election state of Iowa over the weekend, President Barack Obama will make his own sweep through the state as part of a Midwest bus tour focused on creating jobs and boosting the economies of rural America.

The trip has attracted its fair share of criticism from the White House press corps who have questioned whether it's simply a taxpayer-funded campaign spring through the upper Midwest, a pivotal swing region that could play a crucial role in determining whether Obama wins a second term.

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Minnesota

Pawlenty vs. Bachmann On Abortion, Taxes: Who Was Right?

Benjy Sarlin | August 11, 2011, 10:44PM

In a very fiery exchange, Tim Pawlenty and Michele Bachmann dueled over the ins and outs of Minnesota's 2005 budget standoff, wading into abortion politics along the way.

For non-Minnesotan observers, however, the debate was likely a blur. So here's a quick and dirty explainer. The big -- and most currently relevant -- compromise on Pawlenty's behalf was a 75-cent fee on cigarette packs, dubbed a tax by critics, in order to free up cash for K-12 education.

"I did agree to the cigarette fee," Pawlenty said in the debate. "I regretted that. The courts held it to be a fee. But nevertheless it was an increase in revenue."

But Bachmann charged, noting that she had been "very vocal against that tax, and I fought against that tax." However, she did in the end vote for the bill that contained it. So what happened?

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House '12

Minnesota Rep. Cravaack's Family Is Moving -- To New Hampshire

Eric Kleefeld | July 18, 2011, 10:02AM

Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-MN)

Freshman Minnesota Congressman Chip Cravaack, a Republican who defeated long-time Democratic Rep. Jim Oberstar in a massive upset during the 2010 Republican wave, will now be traveling frequently to New Hampshire. But it's not because he's running for president -- in fact, his family is moving there.

As the Star Tribune reports, Cravaack's wife Traci works as an executive at a medical company, and her job has involved frequent travel to Boston. She has just gotten a promotion and will now be moving to New England.

For his part, Cravaack is leaving their old house, but also buying another home in the district and thus maintaining residency in Minnesota as required by the Constitution. He will maintain his in-district work schedule in Minnesota, but also plans to travel to New Hampshire in order to his family on his Sundays off.

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

Dayton Offers Compromise On GOP Budget Offer

David Taintor | July 14, 2011, 2:10PM

Gov. Mark Dayton (D-MN)

Could the gridlock which has shut down Minnesota's government for two weeks finally be over?

Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton on Thursday offered to compromise on a Republican budget offer, the Star Tribune and others report, which the GOP submitted June 30 just before the shutdown. While Dayton doesn't like many proposals included in the offer, he said in a letter to Republican legislative leaders, "this is the only viable option that's potentially available."

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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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Mark Dayton

Furloughed In Minnesota - The Story Of One State Worker

David Taintor | July 11, 2011, 5:50AM

Minnesota state Capitol building

For more than 20 years, Jim Lundy could count on the stability of a government job. But that changed July 1 when Minnesota's government shutdown after lawmaker's couldn't agree on how to close the state's $5 billion projected budget deficit.

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Minnesota

Budget Panel Offers Framework To End Minnesota's Gov't Shutdown

David Taintor | July 8, 2011, 4:14PM

Minnesota State Capitol

There are few signs that Minnesota's state government shutdown -- now dragging on into its second week -- will let up anytime soon.

So a nonpartisan panel has offered an alternative, hoping cooler heads will prevail.
The panel -- composed of former Vice President Walter Mondale, former Minnesota Gov. Arne Carlson and other business leaders and academics -- believes that "everyone in Minnesota needs to contribute to the budget solution," according to a budget blueprint released Friday.

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Tim Pawlenty

Pawlenty: I Heart The Minnesota Shutdown

Eric Kleefeld | July 8, 2011, 6:05AM

Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN)

Tim Pawlenty, who retired as governor of Minnesota and almost immediately moved towards a national campaign for president, is now back in the thick of politics back home -- with Pawlenty vocally supporting state Republican legislators in a government shutdown fight against Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton.

Pawlenty, who is struggling to break out in the presidential field, has been cheering on the Republicans in his home state -- and likening them to Republicans in Washington who are holding out on the debt ceiling. On Thursday, during an Iowa/Facebook Townhall event, he boasted in remarks that were e-mailed out on his campaign press-list:

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Minnesota

How Much Is Minnesota's Government Shutdown Costing The State?

David Taintor | July 7, 2011, 5:50AM

Minnesota state Capitol building

With state parks and rest stops shuttered, and the state lottery frozen, Minnesota's government shutdown is losing the state money.

But how much, exactly? Thursday marks the seventh day of Minnesota's deadlock over a projected $5 billion deficit. Because some of the people who would calculate those costs are currently laid off by the shutdown, Minnesota Management and Budget spokesman John Pollard told TPM it's difficult to come up with an exact number.

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Minnesota

No Sign Of Budget Deal As MN Lawmakers Dig In Their Heels

David Taintor | July 6, 2011, 6:00AM

Gov. Mark Dayton (D-MN)

Minnesota lawmakers took the holiday weekend to cool off from the heated budget negotiations that led to the state's government shutdown last week.

But the time apart hasn't eased the deadlock. Lawmakers are grappling over how to close a $5 billion projected budget deficit. Republicans -- who control the state's legislature -- want to balance the budget with spending cuts, while Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton is looking to combine spending cuts with a tax increase on Minnesota's millionaires.

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Michele Bachmann

Michele Bachmann's Foster Care Contradiction

Benjy Sarlin | July 6, 2011, 5:45AM

U.S. Rep Michele Bachmann (R-MN) with husband Marcus Bachmann, launching her campaign for President. June 27, 2011.

Michele Bachmann's extended family of 23 former foster children have become the unexpected stars of the Republican primary even though few details are known about them individually. The Minnesota Congresswoman brings them up frequently in debates, speeches and interviews as a showcase for her commitment to family values.

But Bachmann's personal devotion to disadvantaged youth may be at odds with her public record on foster care. Critics warn that her zeal for budget cuts threatens vulnerable youngsters, while a leading Congressman on the issue says she's been AWOL on foster care policy.

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Iowa caucus

New Ad: 'Pawlenty Won' In Govt. Shutdown, Union Strike (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | July 5, 2011, 10:33AM

Tim Pawlenty TV Ad: "Results, Not Rhetoric"

Tim Pawlenty has a new ad up in Iowa, boasting of his performance in a 2005 Minnesota government shutdown -- just as his state finds itself in the middle of a new government shutdown.

"Minnesota, gripped by one of the longest transit strikes in history," The announcer says. "Why? Because Governor Tim Pawlenty refused to cave in to government unions. Result? Pawlenty won. Minnesota government shut down. Why? Because Tim Pawlenty would not accept Democrats' massive tax-and-spending demands. Result? Pawlenty won. Tim Pawlenty -- results, not rhetoric."

Minnesota is now trying to find its way out of budget gridlock, due to disagreements between Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton and the Republican-led legislature over how to fix the deficit they inherited from the previous mirror-image administration of GOP Gov. Pawlenty and a Dem-led legislature.

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Tim Pawlenty

Tim Pawlenty Tells Minnesota GOP To Shut 'Er Down!

Benjy Sarlin | July 1, 2011, 9:38AM

Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN)

Minnesota's government is shutting down amid a fight over -- what else -- raising taxes, but former governor Tim Pawlenty couldn't be happier. In fact, he wishes his own shutdown standoff in 2005 had lasted even longer.

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Minnesota

Lights Out: Minnesota Government Shuts Down Without Budget Agreement

David Taintor | July 1, 2011, 5:30AM

Minnesota State Capitol Building

Minnesota lawmakers just couldn't get it done.

After many consecutive days of intense budget negotiations, the state's government has begun shutting down ahead of the Fourth of July weekend. That means state parks and rest stops are closed -- as well as other government services the court doesn't deem "core" functions of government. More than 22,000 state employees will be forced out of work.

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Minnesota

Hours Before State Government Shutdown, No Budget Deal In Minnesota

David Taintor | June 30, 2011, 6:04PM

Minnesota State Capitol

Minnesota lawmakers have just hours to avert a state government shutdown. And while talks continued on Thursday a deal did not yet appear close.

Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton again held meetings with Republican leaders Thursday, the Star Tribune reports. A couple of jibes against Democrats were launched via Twitter, but lawmakers have mostly maintained their "cone of silence" while negotiations are underway.

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Minnesota

Judge: 'Core' Gov't Functions Must Be Funded In Event Of MN Shutdown

David Taintor | June 30, 2011, 5:45AM

Minnesota state Capitol building

Details of what a state government shutdown in Minnesota would look like are becoming a bit clearer. A Ramsey County District Court judge on Wednesday ruled that "core" government functions must continue if the government shuts down.

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Minnesota

Is It Still Possible To Avert A State Government Shutdown In Minnesota?

David Taintor | June 29, 2011, 6:00AM

Minnesota state Capitol building

Another day and more gridlock in Minnesota.

Budget negotiations continued Tuesday to try to avert a state government shutdown, but no deal has stuck yet.

Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton again met with Republican leaders of the legislature, calling the talks "constructive." But he said they still have their differences. Beyond that, details of the negations have been been intentionally vague, as lawmakers have committed not to speak publicly about the specifics of the meetings.

With a June 30 deadline to avert a shutdown, how realistic are the chances of a deal?

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Minnesota

Lawmakers Tight-Lipped As Minnesota Government Shutdown Looms

David Taintor | June 28, 2011, 6:00AM

Minnesota State Capitol

Budget negotiations are going down to the wire in Minnesota -- where the state is heading for a government shutdown if a budget deal isn't passed by the end of the week. And lawmakers are keeping tight-lipped about the progress of their negotiations.

Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton met with Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers and Republican Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch Monday evening to continue hammering out a deal. But details of the meetings have, for the most part, been kept under wraps. The meeting Monday follows negotiations over the weekend that broke off abruptly Sunday.

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Minnesota

MN Gov. Outlines State Gov't Shutdown Plans, Asks Court To Appoint Mediator

David Taintor | June 16, 2011, 5:45AM

Gov. Mark Dayton (D-MN)

In preparation for a looming state government shutdown in Minnesota, Gov. Mark Dayton (D) on Wednesday outlined his worst-case scenario plans.

In a petition filed in the Ramsey County District Court, Dayton called for the court to appoint a mediator to avoid shutdown. Dayton's petition was in response to an one filed earlier by Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson.

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Minnesota

Minnesota Prepares For Possible Government Shutdown

David Taintor | June 15, 2011, 5:45AM

Minnesota State Capitol

Things are heating up in Minnesota this summer where the state government is facing a $5 billion deficit. If a budget deal isn't reached by the end of the month, it's lights out.

Gov. Mark Dayton (D) is looking to increase taxes on the top 2 percent of wealthy Minnesotans and cut spending, while Republicans propose balancing the budget entirely with spending cuts.

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Minnesota

Minn. State Rep. Writes Constituent, Calls Unions 'Communist' And Invokes Hitler And Castro

Eric Kleefeld | June 14, 2011, 12:24PM

State Rep. Tom Hackbarth (R-MN)

A public employee union in Minnesota is publicizing an e-mail that Republican state representative Tom Hackbarth sent as a reply to a union member who sent him a constituent letter, in which he called unions communists and compared them to Hitler and Castro.

As MinnPost reports, one of the state's public employee unions, the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE), has coordinated a letter-writing campaign in support of Gov. Mark Dayton's (D) budget proposals including a tax increase on the top 2% of incomes in the state, compared to the Republican-led legislature's proposals to balance the budget entirely through spending cuts.

Union member Robin Seifert's constituent letter to Hackbarth was one such message. "We have a choice. We can either protect the richest Minnesotans and large corporations or we can protect the vital services that average Minnesotans depend on," Seifert wrote in part. "Are you willing to take away health care from 140,000 Minnesotans just to protect the 40,000 richest people in Minnesota?"

She then received an interesting reply from Hackbarth, which the union has released. As readers will see, Hackbarth went quite a bit above and beyond the standard reply that a politician might send to a constituent, which would usually involve a cordial response explaining the legislator's own position.

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Deficit

Progressive Groups: Polls Show Deficit Panic Is Republican Illusion

Evan McMorris-Santoro | May 25, 2011, 8:41AM

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD)

A day after House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (MD) confirmed that cuts to Medicare are a part of deficit reduction negotiations, progressives are out with new polling they say shows Democrats falling into a Republican trap.

The fresh numbers from Ohio, Missouri, Montana and Minnesota jibe with what national polls have shown in the past: Americans are far more concerned about job creation than they are about deficit reduction. Progressives say that shows Democrats should be leaving the deficit panic to the GOP and getting back to an agenda that protects entitlements and stimulates job growth.

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Social Security

New Polling Says Overwhelming Majority Wants Social Security Left Alone

Evan McMorris-Santoro | May 23, 2011, 8:44AM

Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT)

Ask the voters and they'll tell you: Social Security cuts are off the table when it comes to cleaning up the budget mess in Washington.

Fresh polling from Ohio, Missouri, Montana and Minnesota published first by TPM show voters in the states overwhelmingly oppose any cuts to the Social Security entitlement program, even in the name of reducing the national debt. The coalition of progressive groups which sponsored the survey say the polls send a clear message to the Democratic Senate incumbents up for reelection in each state: cut Social Security and you'll incur the wrath of an angry electorate.

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Michele Bachmann

High Schooler Challenges Michele Bachmann To Constitutional Facts Test

Jon Terbush | May 16, 2011, 8:50AM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

Is Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) smarter than a 10th grader? One high school sophomore wants to find out, throwing down the gauntlet and challenging the congresswoman to a debate and test on the U.S. Constitution.

In a letter to Bachmann, New Jersey high schooler Amy Myers wrote that she was troubled by Bachmann's, "factually incorrect, inaccurately applied or grossly distorted," facts about the United States. As a result, Myers wrote, she hoped to test her own knowledge against Bachmann's, to see who really knew more about the Constitution and the country.

"Rep. Bachmann, the frequent inability you have shown to accurately and factually present even the most basic information about the United States led me to submit the following challenge, pitting my public education against your advanced legal education," Myers wrote.

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Voter ID

Minn. GOP House Speaker Backs Off Calling Voting A 'Privilege,' Not A Right

Eric Kleefeld | April 22, 2011, 3:46PM

Minnesota State House Speaker Kurt Zellers (R)

Minnesota state House Speaker Kurt Zellers (R), who is strongly pushing for passage of a voter ID law, has now backed away from comments he made in a radio appearance on Wednesday -- when he said of the act of voting: "I think it's a privilege, it's not a right."

"When you go to even a Burger King or a McDonald's and use your debit card, they'll ask you to see your ID," Zellers said during a late-night interview, the Star Tribune reports. "Should we have to do that when we vote, something that is one of the most sacred -- I think it's a privilege, it's not a right. Everybody doesn't get it, because if you go to jail or if you commit some heinous crime your rights are taken away. This is a privilege."

In fact, voting is referred to as being a right in numerous amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The next day, Zellers walked back the comment. "I fully understand it's a right we all have," Zellers said on Thursday. "I probably should have said it a little bit better at that late hour at night."

According to the Star Tribune, the comment occurred some time after 11 p.m.

David Hann

MN GOPer: Parents Need To Know When Their Kids Get Medical Care

David Taintor | April 20, 2011, 3:44PM

Minnesota state Sen. David Hann (R)

Minnesota state Sen. David Hann (R) says health care decisions should be made within the family, not by "strangers." So he's sponsored a bill that would change a current law that allows minors to see a doctor without their parents' consent.

The bill would require minors to get parental consent before seeking medical care for sexually transmitted diseases, drug abuse and pregnancy. It would also allow parents to have access to their child's medical records. The bill has been approved by the Minnesota Senate Health and Human Services Committee, which Hann chairs. No action has yet been taken by the House.

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