How Long Did Pawlenty’s Lawyers Work On Not Applying For Grants?
Governor Tim Pawlenty has discovered a loophole in Minnesota’s law that was intended to require him to apply for federal grants. Commissioners for the Governor today told legislative leaders that the law required them to apply for “one or more”, but not “all” grants from the recently passed federal health care reform legislation.
Speaker of the House Margaret Anderson Kelliher said that was not the intent of the law, and suggested to legislators who will “be here in the future” to learn from the experience. Kelliher is not running for re-election to the House.
She then wondered how long Governor Tim Pawlenty’s lawyers had worked to figure out a way not to apply for the Federal grants. She called the Governor’s actions “disappointing” and wondered what Representative Tom Emmer who is running for Governor would do.
Kelliher pointed out that the dollars in the federal grant the Governor did not apply for were tax dollars paid to the federal government by Minnesota taxpayers.