Polinaut: April 11, 2007 Archive

The Daily Digest: 4-11-07

Posted at 9:44 AM on April 11, 2007 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest

It's pretty thin soup at the Legislature. So let's start with the most controversial (and maybe one of the longer hearings of the day). The Senate Judiciary Committee narrowly approves a bill that would allow medical marijuana.

Minnesota's Indian tribes want wild rice protection.

There's some concerns over big rigs on the roads.

A national report gives Q-Comp some props.

The National Governors Association starts talking about flu pandemics.

Congress

AP says U.S. Attorney Rachel Paulose apologizes to her staff after GOP Sen. Norm Coleman and DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar raise concerns about the recent resignations.

The Senate takes up stem cells. Norm Coleman's proposal is one of the options. The Washington Post, CQ and NPR have stories.

The Star Tribune takes a look at Amy Klobuchar's first 100 days.

CQ says Klobuchar isn't a maverick like those other independent freshman.

DFL Rep. Tim Walz talks about meth.

DFL Rep. Betty McCollum told the president of Pakistan to better secure the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Beekeepers tell Agrinews that they need help. DFL Rep. Collin Peterson is mentioned.

The Hill says the renewable fuels lobby sets up a shingle on K street. DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar is mentioned.

Oberstar is also mentioned in this Star Tribune story on a Duluth to Twin Cities rail line.

Other
Joe Repya is running for chair of the MN GOP against current chair Ron Carey. He holds a news conference at 10 am.

Franken on Larry King Live tonight

Posted at 12:00 PM on April 11, 2007 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)

Al Franken, who is seeking the DFL endorsement for U.S. Senate, will be on CNN's Larry King Live tonight. Franken hopes to challenge GOP Sen. Norm Coleman in the 2008 election. Attorney Mike Ciresi is also seeking the DFL endorsement.

I can just hear Larry now: "Norm from St. Paul, Hello."

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Breaking News! Eagles to play Vikes in the Metrodome

Posted at 12:21 PM on April 11, 2007 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)

Yes, my Philadelphia Eagles are making a trip to the Metrodome on October 28th to play the Vikings. Here's the Vikes schedule. Here's the 'iggles schedule.

My wife (who is a long time Vikings fan) and I are sure to be going. I'm sure it won't be too tough to get tickets since every Vikings fan seems to think the team will stink this year. Fly Eagles Fly!

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Repya to challenge Carey for GOP chairmanship

Posted at 12:31 PM on April 11, 2007 by Tom Scheck

An Eagan war veteran says the Minnesota Republican Party has had lackluster leadership in recent years so he's running to chair the party. Joe Repya says he's challenging incumbent Ron Carey to become Minnesota Republican Party Chair. Repya says he's disappointed that Republicans did poorly in the past two elections. He says he wants to boost morale among activists by building grass roots support.

"This party had two devastating losses in '04 and '06 and that trend got to be reversed. Part of that is because they have been fighting a defensive battle and not taking the offense. Not showing what the Republican Party stands for, not showing what we can do better than the opposition, the Democratic Party."

But Carey says the troubles in the last election had more to do with problems on the national level. He also says there were some GOP bright spots in November.

"There are certain things that are in your control and certain things that are not in your control. I think we look at the results nationwide and we're going to see actually, the Republicans in Minnesota in so many ways, with the reelection of Tim Pawlenty and the election of Michele Bachmann, we actually went against the tide in many ways."

Carey has the backing of Pawlenty, Bachmann and Senator Norm Coleman. The Republican State Central Committee will meet on June ninth to elect their chair.

A push to ban blackberries!

Posted at 12:50 PM on April 11, 2007 by Tom Scheck

No, this isn't coming from the family members of those who are addicted to their "crackberry." It's a push from the Capitol Press Corps to turn the things off during news conferences and committee hearings. The things are screwing up our audio recordings because a nasty buzzing sound occurs whenever a message comes in.

It's gotten so bad that the press corps is now posting signs around the Capitol reminding people to shut them off. One sign is hanging in one of the press conference rooms. That's Rep. Dan Severson, GOP-Sauk Rapids, who isn't endorsing the blackberry ban. He was holding a news conference on a different matter.

Campaign board fines local DFL official over Hatch lawn signs

Posted at 1:08 PM on April 11, 2007 by Tom Scheck

Here's the ruling. AP has the story:

ST. PAUL (AP) - A lengthy investigation into the production and distribution of a batch of lawn signs promoting Mike Hatch for governor has led to fines. The Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board has fined the Lac qui Parle (lak kwih parl) D-F-L and its treasurer three-thousand dollars apiece for violating six campaign reporting regulations. They stem from the western Minnesota party branch's production of ten-thousand signs promoting Hatch. The party chapter and its treasurer, Allen Simonson, didn't properly account or document the sign purchase. The campaign board declined to refer the case for criminal prosecution. Regulators were asked to look into the matter because the timing, scope and design of the sign purchase were peculiar. Also, several Twin Cities donors wrote big checks to the local party in 2003. The board says it couldn't prove that Hatch was intimately involved in the sign decisions or that money was illegally earmarked.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
AP-NY-04-11-07 1523EDT

The GOP also gets fined for a matter regarding Phil Krinkie's reelection campaign. Krinkie lost in November.

Seifert and Clark on TPT tonight

Posted at 5:20 PM on April 11, 2007 by Tom Scheck

DFL Senator Tarryl Clark of St. Cloud and GOP Rep. Marty Seifert of Marshall will appear on TPT's Almanac at the Capitol tonight.