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Ethics Complaint Against Sen. Michel May Never Be Resolved

April 17, 2012 by Michael McIntee MN Senate Comments Off


An ethics complaint against Senator Geoff Michel may never be resolved. Late Tuesday night, the Senate ethics subcommittee voted 3-1 to adjourn “to the call of the chair”, which may or may not ever happen. Chair Senator Michelle Fischbach indicated she would reconvene the committee if something changed.

The committee is investigating an ethics complaint against Senator Geoff Michel and has deadlocked 2-2 on almost all votes. Senators can’t agree to drop or go forward with an investigation into Senator Michel misleading the public about what he knew about Senator Amy Koch’s affair with one of her employees.

Senator Michel has admitted lying to the media about when he knew about the affair the Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch was having with one of her staff.

Senator Sandy Pappas who brought the complaint says she would like Senator Michel to apologize publicly to the Senate. Senator Michel says the investigation is not about ethics but about politics.

The ethics committee is made up of two Democrats and two Republicans. The committee had deadlocked along party lines about whether to proceed with the investigation or dismiss it.

Full video of Senate ethics committee hearing … Continue Reading

DFL Chairman Ken Martin Speaks on Suspension of Ethics Hearing

March 29, 2012 by Allison Herrera Issues, Minnesota, MN House Live, MN Senate Live, Party Propaganda Comments Off

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DFL Chair Ken Martin released a statement to reporters regarding the Senator Michelle Fishbach’s unilateral decision to suspend the Senate Ethics Committee hearing on former Deputy Majority Leader Geoff Michel.

“Bizarre” is how Martin describes Republican actions to avoid finishing an ethics hearing on a complaint against Senator Michel. Martin wonders why the GOP doesn’t get it over with because he plans to talk about it until it is resolved.

On Friday, the Senate ethics committee deadlocked on whether to dismiss or investigate charges that Senator Michel lied to the press about an affair Senator Amy Koch was having with staffer Michael Brodkorb.

Tense Ethics Hearing On Sen. Michel Complaint

March 23, 2012 by Michael McIntee MN Senate Comments Off


A Senate ethics committee cannot agree to dismiss or press forward with a finding of probable cause against Senator Geoff Michel. The complaint says he lied and misled the public about Senator Amy Koch’s affair with her staffer Michael Brodkorb.

The committee has recessed until today’s Senate floor session has finished.

Republicans Ditch Ethics Committee Meeting

March 23, 2012 by Michael McIntee MN Senate Comments Off


Where are the Republican members? GOP ethics committee members are a no-show for a late night meeting.

Two Republican members of the Senate ethics committee decided not to return as promised Friday night to deliberate what to do about a complaint against Senator Geoff Michel, who is also a Republican. The committee was scheduled to reconvene after the Senate finished its business for the day. Chair Senator Michelle Fischbach posted a notice saying “I do not intend to reconvene” the meeting. She cited advice from legal counsel saying the committee members should discuss whether or not to press ahead before reconvening the meeting.

The complaint from DFL Senators says Senator Michel lied to the press when he claimed he had only recently learned about the affair Senator Amy Koch was having with her staffer Michael Brodkorb, when in fact he had known about it for months.

During the hearing earlier in the day, Senator Fischbach stopped testimony several times when saying that discussing it any more could adversely impact a pending lawsuit against the Senate from Brodkorb.

DFL Files Ethics Complaint Against Senator Michel

March 19, 2012 by Michael McIntee MN Senate Comments Off

Click photo to watch ethics complaint against Senator Geoff Michel (left) who lied about what he knew about Senator Amy Koch (right) and her inappropriate relationship with a staffer.

The fallout from the affair between Senator Amy Koch and her staffer Michael Brodkorb leads to an ethics complaint against a Senator Geoff Michel. All of them Republicans.

The ethics complaint says Senator Michel, who was also Deputy Majority Leader at the time he found out about the inappropriate relationship, failed “to act swiftly to restore a safe working environment for senate employees,” and “betrayed the public’s trust by making false and clearly misleading statements” about what he knew of the affair.

Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk holds a news conference in his office along with Senator Sandra Pappas to discuss the ethics complaint.
Read the ethics complaint against Senator Geoff Michel (PDF)

Full video of the DFL news conference on the ethics complaint against Senator Geoff Michel. … Continue Reading

MN Senate Majority Leader Can’t Say Why Brodkorb Fired

February 3, 2012 by Michael McIntee MN Senate Comments Off

Michael Brodkorb when he was MN GOP Deputy Party Chair

Why was Michael Brodkorb fired? The press wants to know. Click photo to watch answer from Senate Majority Leader.

Senate Majority Leader David Senjem is asked why Republican Senate staffer Michael Brodkorb was “let go” about the same time former Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch resigned her leadership position for having an “inappropriate relation” with a Republican Senate staffer. Senator Senjem says he could say why Brodkorb was fired and without a lawyer present he really couldn’t say more.

It’s the hiring of that lawyer that has DFL leaders a bit upset because Republicans have yet to tell them the details about Brodkorb’s potential suit against the Senate…which presumably would include all Senators including DFL Senators.

Assistant Senate Minority Leader Terri Bonoff says the whole lawsuit “casts a cloud” over the Senate when they should be focusing on jobs.

Brodkorb Lawsuit Comes Up On MN Senate Floor

February 2, 2012 by Michael McIntee MN Senate Comments Off

Michael Brodkorb when he was MN GOP Deputy Party Chair

Click Michael Brodkorb's photo to watch the discussion on the Minnesota Senate Floor

Minnesota’s Senate may be sued by a former employee and DFL Senators would like the Republicans to not keep all of the details about it to themselves.

Republican operative and deputy party chair Michael Brodkorb was fired from his job at the State Senate in December. His firing came just after his boss, Senator Majority Leader Amy Koch, resigned her leadership position after other Republican Senators learned she was having an “inappropriate relationship” with a Senate staffer.

Since then, Brodkorb has hired an attorney and the Senate has also hired an attorney, but the Republicans leaders haven’t told the Democrats any other details. That led to this exchange on the Senate floor today between DFL Senator Richard Cohen and Senate Majority Leader David Senjem.

MN Senate “Tarnished” And GOP Should Apologize Says Senator Bakk

January 20, 2012 by Michael McIntee MN Senate Comments Off

Senator Tom Bakk

Click photo to watch Senator Tom Bakk demand an apology

Senate DFL leader Tom Bakk says the Senate has been “tarnished” by the actions of former Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, Senator Geoff Michel and other Republicans, and they should apologize to the Senate.

Senator Koch resigned as Majority Leader last month. Republicans say she had an “inappropriate relationship” with a male staffer. Senator Michel lied to the media about the story saying he had known about the relationship only for a few days before the resignation, but later admitted he had known about it for months.

New Senate Majority Leader David Senjem says no one in his caucus has any intention of filing an ethics complaint in the matter, meaning the Senate Democrats would need to do so if there is going to be any more public investigation into the matter.

Governor Dayton Rips MN GOP For Reformless “Gut And Cut”

January 15, 2012 by Michael McIntee Minnesota Comments Off

Governor Mark Dayton at 2012 Blue State Ball

Click on photo to hear Governor Mark Dayton at 2012 Blue State Ball

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton showed his frustration of working with a Republican legislature that he says has sacrificed “the spirit” of Minnesota to protect the wealthiest two percent of the state’s residents.

“Property taxes increased, school funding withheld, borrowing from our future with tobacco bonds, cutting funding for family PCA care, cutting funding for emergency medical care for people. Everything and anything so as not to make the wealthiest two percent of Minnesotans pay their fair share of taxes,” he told a crowd gathered Saturday night for radio station AM950′s annual “Blue State Ball.”

Governor Dayton was particularly angry that Republicans had not tried to reform government to make it better. They just wanted to defund it to make it ineffective.

“Cut here, cut there. Gut and cut. No reform, just gut and cut so the rich don’t have to pay their fair share of taxes.

“Starve our schools, starve people who are in need of help and dependent upon government for their survival. Take emergency care away from people. Cut the spirit of Minnesota only so the rich won’t have to pay their fair share of taxes.”

Minnesota Republicans have promised government reform this session called “Government 2.0″, but have not announced any details of the plan.

Republicans governing “in the worst possible way” … Continue Reading

MN GOP Discloses Its True Debt: Nearly $2 Million

December 30, 2011 by Michael McIntee Minnesota Comments Off

Kelly Fenton Acting MN Republican Party Chair

Click on photo to hear Kelly Fenton Acting MN Republican Party Chair reveal party's financial problems


Acting Minnesota Republican party chair Kelly Fenton holds a conference to talk about the party’s finances. It is nearly $2 million dollars in debt. About $719,000 of that is from 2010 Governor race recount bills. The party is contesting the money it owes for the recount.

MN GOP financial documents and video of press conference … Continue Reading

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Click on photo to watch Senator Al Franken's news conference on college financial aid reform

Sen. Franken Announces “True Cost Of College” Act

Senator Al Franken announces the “Understanding The True Cost Of College Act” that would require colleges to use easier to understand language in their financial aid package offers to students.

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First Somali Delegate Headed to Democratic National Convention

Hindia Ali, Youth Leadership Development Coordinator at Somali Action Alliance is a delegate the the 2012 National Democratic Convention, the first Somali-American to be a delegate.

Click photo to watch President Obama's speech

Obama Rips GOP’s “Radical Vision” For US

Speaking to the press on Tuesday, President Obama ripped into Republicans for their lack of compromising and for the first time mentioned his likely Republican opponent, Mitt Romney, by name.

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“Being a Woman Shouldn’t be a Pre-existing Condition”

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Obama:Fraud, Middle East Conflict, Driving Up Gas Prices

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Obama Makes Case For Alternative Energy

President Obama talks about an all-of-the-above American energy strategy at a Daimler manufacturing plant in North Carolina that’s making trucks that run on natural gas.

No recount this time. Click photo to watch the MN Congressional Cookoff

Another Close One For Sen. Al Franken- Ties In Hotdish Cookoff

Senator Al Franken is used to close elections. This time he didn’t beat his opponents, but had to settle for a tie with Representative Chip Cravaack in the second annual Minnesota Congressional delegation hotdish cookoff.

Click photo to watch President Obama address business roundtable in Washington, DC

Obama:Tax Reform Like “Pulling Teeth”

President Obama would like to reform taxes so we reward companies that invest in the US, not ones that send jobs overseas. But there are some barriers, such as Congress.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Obama

Israel-US United Against Iran Says Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu uses his photo op with President Obama today to talk up how the US and Israel are united against Iran, which is suspected of trying to create a nuclear bomb.

President Obama speaks to the American-Israel Lobby

Obama:Military Force Against Iran Possible To Thwart Nuclear Program

President Obama warns that “loose talk” of war was only helping Iran, while pushing back against charges from GOP presidential contenders that he has been less than a loyal ally to Israel.

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“Vikings Got Bailed Out, We Got Sold Out!”

Members of the Welfare Rights Committee disrupt the signing of the Vikings Stadium Bill. They claim, “Vikings Got Bailed Out, We Got Sold Out!”

Click on this photo to see video of conference.

Minnesota Somali Women And Men Discuss Infertility Issues

Somali women and men gather to discuss the many aspects of female infertility with medical and social experts.

3M Demo

MN Activists Call on 3M to Remove Corporate Funds From Politics

3M shareholders at annual meeting were asked to stop all corporate contributions to political campaigns and to disclose corporate political lobbying efforts. As expected, the resolutions were voted down, but the activists pledged to continue efforts.

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Occupy-Backed Homeowner Monique White Wins Loan Modification, Keeps House

Occupy backed homeowner successfully re-negotiated her loan with MN based US Bank.

Courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society

Healing Minnesota’s Darkest Period: Pardoning a Dakota Indian

After the six-week US-Dakota War of 1862, 38 Dakota men were hung in one of the largest mass executions in US History. Many argue that the trials were a sham, that is was the largest injustice in the nation’s history. Today, Representative Dean Urdahl, Chair of the Legacy Committee in Minnesota and the Civil War Task Force, seeks to, “rub a little salve in the wound,” by seeking a pardon for one of those warriors who was hung on that fateful December day. His name is Chaska.

Rep. Ryan Winkler on the House Floor before 2011 Special Session

Stadium Opponent Rep. Winkler Decides To Vote For Stadium.

Rep. Ryan Winkler (DFL) decides to support the Vikings stadium because of the jobs it will create.

Governor Dayton and Vikings Owner Zygi Wilf

Vikings Stadium Bill Sent To Governor Dayton

The Minnesota House and Senate have each approved different versions of a Vikings stadium proposal. So now it is up to a conference committee to reconcile the differences.

Governor Mark Dayton Vetos GOP Tax Bill

Dayton Tax Veto Imperils Vikings Stadium Says GOP

Principle or politics? On Friday, Governor Mark Dayton went heavily with principle and imperiled the politics of his top legislative priority — thousands of jobs from building a new Vikings football stadium.

Joh Marty

MN Tax bill deserves ‘smoking’ hot veto pen’ says DFL

A bill that would give business owners a tax cut is hailed by Senator Geoff Michel (R-Edina) as the “best piece of legislation” to be considered his year. Senator John Marty (DFL-Roseville ) counters it deserves a “smoking’ hot veto pen” because it isn’t paid for.

Click on photo of Sen Jungbauer to hear why accident prone people like himself should use fireworks.

MN Fireworks Veto Override Is A Dud

A Minnesota Senate attempt to override Governor Mark Dayton’s veto of a bill expanding the kinds of fireworks that can legally be sold in Minnesota fails to get the 2/3rds majority needed.

Sustaining Solutions

Sustaining Solutions

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Occupy-Backed Homeowner Monique White Wins Loan Modification, Keeps House

Occupy backed homeowner successfully re-negotiated her loan with MN based US Bank.

Click Photo to Hear Opinions on How the City Should Help North Minneapolis

Does North Minneapolis Need Pie in the Sky Ideas or Roofs Overhead?

Nearly a year after the tornado that ripped through North Minneapolis, opinions vary greatly on what the poverty-stricken community needs most from local and state government. Should the City introduce “pie in the sky” ideas or focus on more immediate problems?

Click photo of Rep. Bobby Jo Champion  to View Video Interview

Rep. Bobby Jo Champion Touts Legislation to Rebuild North Minneapolis

Representative Bobby Jo Champion talks about the challenges facing some of his constituents in North Minneapolis almost a year after a devastating tornado.

Click photo to watch video about how tornado damaged North Minneapolis is being rebuilt right.

Rebuild It Right in North Minneapolis: Quality Design Isn’t Just For Rich People

Rebuild It Right, an organization made up of architects and designers from Minneapolis, is helping homeowners advocate for quality design in the wake of the May 22nd Tornado.

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New Stadium Deal Promises Jobs for North Minneapolis Residents

The Vikings stadium deal got the support of Minneapolis City Council members. Council member Don Samuels says that this is a good deal for his constituents. It will provide jobs to a part of the city that has the highest rate of unemployment.

Click photo to watch how Urban Homeworks is helping homeowners in north Minneapolis

Urban Homeworks: Fighting Foreclosures in North Minneapolis

Local, Minneapolis non-profit Urban Homeworks works with banks and other community organizations to fight foreclosures.

Monique White celebrates a delay on evicting her from her home. Click photo to watch video.

Occupy-Backed Homeowner Monique White Seeks Jury Trial

Embattled homeowner Monique White took one more step Friday toward what could become an improbable victory that would let her stay in her North Minneapolis home. Judge Mark Labine will decide on Monday whether White will get a jury trial in District Court.

Click on Photo to View Video of Northside Economic Opportunity Network

Northside Economic Opportunity Network Boosts Business in North Minneapolis

The Northside Economic Opportunity Network works with small businesses and micro-businesses in North Minneapolis to help them achieve success.

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    DFL State Convention-Day 1- Rochester, MN Saturday, June 2 – Sunday June 3, 2012 Mayo Civic Center (30 Civic Center Drive SE, Rochester, MN 55904) […]
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