Replay-Newt Gingrich On Eve Of MN Caucuses

Republican candidate for President Newt Gingrich speaks to supporters and potential supporters on the eve of Minnesota’s precinct caucuses. While the Republican party Presidential straw poll taken at the caucuses isn’t binding upon delegates, it does provide that one thing that candidates want right now —momentum.

Gingrich had some funny lines, some intentional, some not. Read and see more here.

Replay-MN Legislative Leaders Face The Press

Above: Senate Majority Leader David Senjem answers questions from the press about constitutional amendments, a possible lawsuit from former Republican Senate employee Michael Brodkorb, the Republican Senate’s rejection of Governor Dayton’s Public Utilities Commissioner, and his read on Tuesday’s precinct caucuses.

Below: The press asks many of the same questions of House Minority Leader Paul Thissen and Senate Deputy Minority Leader Terri Bonoff

Who Should Know Which Videos You Watch?

U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law, holds a hearing entitled “The Video Privacy Protection Act: Protecting Viewer Privacy in the 21st Century.” The hearing will examine how the Video Privacy Protection Act, passed into law in 1988, protects people’s fundamental right to control personal information about the movies and videos they watch. The hearing will also consider whether the law needs to be updated to continue to protect viewer privacy and will examine a bill that recently passed the House of Representatives that would make it easier for video companies to disclose viewer information to third parties.

The following witnesses testify before the committee: Rep. Mel Watt (D-N.C.), Ranking Member, House Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition, and the Internet; David Hyman, General Counsel, Netflix, Inc.; William McGeveran, Professor, University of Minnesota Law School; Marc Rotenberg, Executive Director, Electronic Privacy Information Center; and Christopher Wolf, Director, Privacy and Information Management Group, Hogan Lovells LLP.

MN GOP “Fires” Dayton Apointee

On a strictly party line vote, Republicans vote to not confirm DFL Governor Mark Dayton’s pick to run the Public Utilities Commission.

Former State Senator Ellen Anderson has been serving as PUC Commissioner for nearly a year. It appears it wasn’t Anderson’s record as Commissioner that Republicans objected to (most of the votes on the PUC during her tenure have been unanimous), but her past work as a Senator where she advocated against “dirty energy”.

In response to the Senate Republican’s rejection of Public Utilities Commission Chair Ellen Anderson today, Governor Mark Dayton issued the following statement:

“A very good person, a very dedicated public servant, and an excellent Chair of the Public Utilities Commission was wrongly maligned and cruelly rejected today by Republican Senators, who showed once again that they are unfit to govern this state.

GOP “too extreme to lead” says Governor Dayton … Continue Reading

Replay-MN Legislative Leaders Evaluate First Week Of Session

Leaders of the Minnesota Republican House and Senate caucus answer questions from the press about the first few days of the legislative session. After that the leaders of the DFL (Democratic Farmer Labor) caucus also answer press questions.

Replay-2012 State Of The Union

President Obama delivers his 2012 State of The Union address outlining what he called a “Blueprint for An America Built To Last“.

He called for both parties to work together to help America succeed.
“We need to end the notion that the two parties must be locked in a perpetual campaign of mutual destruction.”

Video and transcript of President Obama’s State of The Union address … Continue Reading

Press Peppers Governor Dayton With Stadium Questions

Questions from the press about the Vikings stadium dominate Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton’s press availability.

Occupy MN Protesters Have Message For Legislators As Session Starts

As legislators return to Minnesota’s state capitol to start the 2012 session they will be greeted by protesters from the Occupy movement and affiliated groups. Their message: “Stop the Attacks on the 99%! Make the Rich Pay for their Crisis! Put a Moratorium on Foreclosures and Evictions! Bail Out People, Not Billionaires!”

The groups say they will unveil their plans to tax the rich and put a halt to home foreclosures and evictions in Minnesota.

Organized by the Minnesota Coalition for People’s Bailout and the Welfare Rights Committee.
Initial endorsers include: ADAPT MN, Advocating Change Together (ACT), AFSCME Council 5, AFSCME Local 3800, Anti-War Committee, Communities United Against Police Brutality, General Assembly of OccupyMpls, Marriage Equality Minnesota, Minnesotans for a Fair Economy, MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee, MN Neighborhoods Organizing for Change (NOC), MN Nurses Association (MNA), MN Tenants Union, MN Peace Action Coalition, Occupy Homes, Occupy the Hood, Occupy Saint Paul, Occupy Saint Paul Tactical Working Group, Poor Peoples Economic Human Rights Campaign, Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation, Students Association for the Advancement of Children as People (SAACP), Students for Democratic Society (SDS), TakeAction Minnesota, Twin Cities Peace Campaign, United Food And Commercial Worker Union Local 1189, Universal Health Care Action Network of MN, Women Against Military Madness (WAMM).

Your Access To Data May Be Limited

The Minnesota Coalition on Government Information hosts a discussion on initiatives in the next legislative session that could change the public’s access to government information. Issues include no longer requiring elected officials to comply with personnel section of the data practices act, requiring a six month delay between requests for the same data, and increasing the cost for copies of data. Concerns that government officials are too quick to turn to security classifications to deny access to public data will also be addressed. A recent example would be the refusal to list which public employees continued to work during the recent government shutdown.

MN Prepares For Legislative Session

With the start of the 2012 legislative session just days away, Governor Mark Dayton and House and Senate leaders from the DFL and the GOP answer questions from reporters. Click on the above player to watch the session.

Earlier in the day, Minnesota Republican lawmakers revealed their plan for state government reform.
Click here to watch a replay of the Republican government reform news conference and read the Republican Party press release on government reform and a reply from the DFL … Continue Reading