Click photo to hear why Sen. Marty hopes Governor Dayton has a "Smokin' Hot Veto Pen."
Senator John Marty (DFL-Roseville ) counters it deserves a “smoking’ hot veto pen” because it isn’t paid for.
The bill passed the Senate 41-25. Governor Dayton has indicated he does not support the broad business property tax relief but has not said if he will veto or sign the bill.
Click Photo to Hear Sen. Michel Discuss Importance of Keeping Vikings in MN
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
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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.
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.
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.
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 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
Click photo to watch Senator Bakk call out Senator Michel for distorting Governor Dayton's Jobs Bill
Senator Geoff Michel (R-Edina) says the cut will create jobs and legislature will find a way to pay it. He adds that Governor Mark Dayton’s job proposal is also not paid for.
Senator Bakk says that is incorrect. Governor Dayton’s jobs bill is paid for by closing tax loopholes for out of state companies.
Click photo to watch Senator Tom Bakk demand an apology
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.
Click photo to watch video of Senate Majority Leader David Senjem's news conference
Also gone are the team of Republican Senate leaders who apparently kept the Koch scandal under wraps for nearly three months including Deputy Leader Senator Geoff Michel who admitted to lying to reporters about the scandal, claiming he had just learned of it days before Senator Koch resigned. Also resigning was Assistant Leader David Hann who was one of a small number of Republican Senators who confronted Koch about the scandal. They resigned from their leadership positions along with Assistant Leaders Senator Doug Magnus, and Senator Dave Thompson.
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.
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.
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.
Minnesota women in healthcare predicaments met with with HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Sen. Al Franken, Rep. Betty McCollum and Governor Mark Dayton on Friday — the two year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act.
President Obama says many of the factors that are driving up gas prices are out of our control such as unrest in the Middle East. However, he points out there are some things that are in our control such as fraud and manipulation that can cause prices to spike even further.
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.
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.
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 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 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.
One year after the tornado that ravaged North Minneapolis, things are looking up for Anthony and Shemeika Strong. The absence of the Broadway Liquor Outlet has also been a blessing for their neighborhood.
Occupy coalesced activists from many neighborhood and civic groups to protest bank actions: Home foreclosures, refusing Somali funds transfer, voter photo ID, anti-immigrant actions.
Members of the Welfare Rights Committee disrupt the signing of the Vikings Stadium Bill. They claim, “Vikings Got Bailed Out, We Got Sold Out!”
Somali women and men gather to discuss the many aspects of female infertility with medical and social experts.
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.
Occupy backed homeowner successfully re-negotiated her loan with MN based US Bank.
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 (DFL) decides to support the Vikings stadium because of the jobs it will create.
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.
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.
One year after the tornado that ravaged North Minneapolis, things are looking up for Anthony and Shemeika Strong. The absence of the Broadway Liquor Outlet has also been a blessing for their neighborhood.
Occupy backed homeowner successfully re-negotiated her loan with MN based US Bank.
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?
Representative Bobby Jo Champion talks about the challenges facing some of his constituents in North Minneapolis almost a year after a devastating tornado.
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.
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.
Local, Minneapolis non-profit Urban Homeworks works with banks and other community organizations to fight foreclosures.
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.
The Northside Economic Opportunity Network works with small businesses and micro-businesses in North Minneapolis to help them achieve success.
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