MN GOP questions IOUs tied to election lawyers, Petters

Posted at 10:15 AM on December 30, 2011 by Paul Tosto
Filed under: Politics

Two interesting things that jump out of today's Minnesota Republican Party memo on party finances:

1.) Republicans acknowledge a total of $1.28 million in debts. But they are challenging whether they are on the hook for another $719,000 tied to the gubernatorial election.

Several law firms did considerable work in late 2010 on the Emmer-Dayton recount. These law firms claim they are owed approximately $719,000. The Party's position has been that those obligations belong to a separate corporation set up in 2010 to fund the recount. At least some of the law firms are claiming the obligations belong to the Party. We are not acknowledging these bills as Party obligations, but are reviewing the claims with attorneys.

The Party's position has been that those obligations belong to a separate corporation set up in 2010 to fund the recount.

At least some of the law firms are claiming the obligations belong to the Party. We are not acknowledging these bills as Party obligations, but are reviewing the claims with attorneys.

MPR News reporter Tom Scheck, though, says lawyers believe the GOP owes that debt.

2.) Tom Petters, the Minnesota businessman convicted of running a massive Ponzi scheme, had contributed $75,000 to the Minnesota Republican Party. Now the lawyers dealing with the Petters receivership are trying to get that money back.

From the GOP memo:

The other consideration is a request from the receiver in the Tom Petters receivership to recover funds contributed by Petters to the (Republican Party of Minnesota) in the amount of $75,000. Again, we are not acknowledging that as a Party obligation at this point pending legal review.

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