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Governor Dayton Blasts GOP For “Hare-Brained” Vikings Stadium Proposal

May 2, 2012 by Michael McIntee Minnesota Comments Off

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton says a Republican plan to build a roof-less Vikings stadium with bonding money is “cynical gamesmanship” and “playing poker with Minnesota jobs.” He said the proposal unveiled yesterday is “hare-brained” because not only does he oppose it but so does the city of Minneapolis and the Vikings.

DFL Legislative leaders joined Governor Dayton in calling for an up or down vote on the Vikings stadium proposal on the House and Senate floors.

GOP, DFL Hold Weekly News Conference

April 5, 2012 by Jacob Wheeler Live Coverage, Minnesota Comments Off


This morning, the Minnesota Republican and Democratic leadership held their weekly news conference before breaking for Easter. Topics discussed included a bonding bill and the GOP’s passage of a controversial Voter Photo ID constitutional amendment that will now appear on the November ballot. Watch the GOP press conference above, and the DFL address below:

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

Foreclosure Moratorium Not On MN GOP Agenda

March 16, 2012 by Michael McIntee Minnesota, Occupy Movement Comments Off

Click photo to hear why DFLers Paul Thissen and Tom Bakk are upset about Republican inaction.

Minnesota House Speaker Kurt Zellers says any state foreclosure moratorium should wait for federal legislation and lawsuits to play out. DFL leaders say foreclosures are about to increase and state action is needed.

GOP: Photo Poll books Not A Substitute For Voter Photo ID

March 9, 2012 by Michael McIntee Minnesota Comments Off

Click photo to watch Senator David Senjem talk about voter photo ID and Vikings stadium.

Minnesota Senate Majority Leader David Senjem indicates that Republicans are willing to look at Secretary of State Mark Ritchie’s proposal of electronic poll books for visual voter verification.

However, he says that will not stop the passage of a voter photo ID amendment.

Vikings stadium talk and full video of Republican and DFL legislative leaders news conferences
… Continue Reading

Untargeted Business Tax Cuts Won’t Create Many Jobs Say DFL Senators

February 22, 2012 by Michael McIntee Economy/Jobs, MN Senate Comments Off

Senator Tom Bakk

Click photo to watch Senator Tom Bakk press Republicans on how property tax cuts create jobs

Untargeted business tax relief that would go to out of state retail corporations such as McDonalds and Costco would be a “race to the bottom” says Senator Scott Dibble (DFL- Minneapolis)

Senator John Pederson (R-St. Cloud) is proposing spending $126 million to give all businesses property tax relief, but his proposal has no mechanism to pay for it. Senator Tom Bakk (DFL-Cook) says if this were a “serious” proposal, there would be a way to pay for it, particularly when the state still owes more than a billion dollars to schools and this money would be paid to businesses before the schools would be paid back.

Senator Bakk also says he does not believe such broad based property tax relief would create jobs as the Republicans claim it would. … Continue Reading

State Should Get Illegally Generated Donations To GOP Says DFL

February 17, 2012 by Michael McIntee Campaign Finance, Minnesota Comments Off

Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk

Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk wants the GOP to return donations. Click photo to watch video.

Senate Majority Leader David Senjem says inclusion of a donation link for the Republican party on government funded literature for caucus night was inadvertent.

Minnesota Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk wants the Republican party to send any donations it got from that link to the state of Minnesota. Republicans have already agreed to reimburse the state for printing costs.

Senator Bakk is calling for a rules committee hearing on the campaign finance infraction.

Vikings Stadium May Wait For Special Session

February 17, 2012 by Michael McIntee Minnesota Comments Off

Minnesota House Minority Leader Paul Thissen

"No" says Rep. Thissen on a special session for Vikings stadium. Click photo to watch video.

Senate Majority Leader David Senjem says if a Vikings stadium deal is not struck by the end of April, there may need to be a special session.

DFL leaders indicate they would not support a special session but that is up to Governor Mark Dayton.

No Comment On Provisional Ballots From MNGOP

February 17, 2012 by Michael McIntee MN Senate, Voter Suppression Comments Off

Minnesota Senate Majority Leader David Senjem

Click on photo to watch Senator Senjem not talk about provisional ballots

This week Minnesota Republicans added “provisional balloting” to a proposed constitutional amendment that requires a photo ID to vote. Public hearings have not been held since that provision was added and today Senate Majority Leader David Senjem refused to comment on whether there would be public hearings.

Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk says provisional ballots could add a week to determining an election winner. He is against such a constitutional amendment and says any requirements should be done in statute instead. He said Technology is changing and suggested it might be smarter to have the state take pictures of voters and have them on a website than it would be to have voters carry around an photo ID card.

“Partisan Attack” Says DFL about GOP Plans To Oust PUC Commissioner

January 27, 2012 by Michael McIntee MN Senate Comments Off

Senator Tom Bakk

Click on photo to hear Senator Tom Bakk complain about Republican "partisan attack" on Governor Dayton.

Minnesota Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk says plans by the Republican caucus to remove Ellen Anderson as Public Utilities Commissioner are based upon her past votes as a Senator and not her current record as Commissioner. Senator Bakk called the move the the Republican caucus “strictly partisan” and an attack on DFL Governor Mark Dayton’s administration.

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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.

Click this picture to play video.

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.

Click on Photo to View Women's Discussion About Health Care and the Affordable Care Act

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

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.

Click photo to watch President Obama's weekly address

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

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.

Click photo to hear President Obama speak about alternative energy

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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Click on Photo to Hear Interview with Northside Resident Anthony Strong

Lack of Liquor Store Reduces Crime in North Minneapolis Neighborhood

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.

99 pct Mall

Boisterous Protests At Local Banks Stay Non-Violent

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.

Click Image to View Video

“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.

Click on Image to View Video

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.

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Sustaining Solutions

Click on Photo to Hear Interview with Northside Resident Anthony Strong

Lack of Liquor Store Reduces Crime in North Minneapolis Neighborhood

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.

Click on Image to View Video

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.

Don Samuels Talks Jobs

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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  • Sunday, May 20, 09:00 AM
    Through negotiations and persistence and the good will of all, Phil Freshman and Jim Roth have worked with Beth El Synagogue and obtained a weekend (5/18-20)in residence of a Torah Scholar, Rabbi Kahn-Troster, on the issue of human rights and torture. The issues will be addressed from religious, legal, medical, ethical and practical perspectives. Open to the […]
  • Saturday, Jun 02, 09:00 AM
    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) […]
  • Sunday, Jun 03, 09:00 AM
    DFL State Convention-Day 2- Rochester, MN Sunday June 3, 2012 Mayo Civic Center (30 Civic Center Drive SE, Rochester, MN 55904) […]

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