Polinaut: May 4, 2007 Archive

The Daily Digest: 5-4-07

Posted at 9:40 AM on May 4, 2007 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Daily Digest

There are 17 days left in the legislative session. Gov. Pawlenty has signed 35 bills and vetoed 3. Pawlenty will sign the Ag and Vets budget bill today. The House and Senate are scheduled to vote on the state government budget conference committee report, the environment budget conference committee report and the Economic Development conference report. The House will also take up the public safety conference report after passing it yesterday. DFLers in the House and Senate withdrew the good faith provision. MPR, the Star Tribune and Forum Communications have stories.

Pawlenty visited Brainerd yesterday.

The State government conference committee also removes domestic partner benefits language.

The House and Senate move Browns Valley aid through.

Eden Prairie News details what Gov. Pawlenty and lawmakers think of the session so far.

AP says the movement on the smaller budget bills mean the legislature is headed in the right direction but some outstanding issues remain.

A deal reached on economic development.

Forum Communications says northern lawmakers are wielding influence.

Congress

GOP Sen. Norm Coleman wants to fund rural infrastructure.

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar honors the U.S. curling team.

The Gulf Times says Democrats are digging in for the long haul in Iraq. DFL Rep. Tim Walz is mentioned.

GOP Rep. John Kline is pushing for National Guard transition program.

Fox9 does an investigation and finds that there aren't drug and alcohol tests for some truckers. DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar is mentioned.

2008

DFL Rep. Betty McCollum endorses Mike Ciresi

Columnist Barry Casselman says MDE is Al Franken's worst nightmare.

The Hotline says Daily Kos is raising money to defeat Coleman.

Other

Former U.S. Senate candidate Ford Bell is headed to head up the American Association of Museums.

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Which Minnesota donors gave to the presidential candidates?

Posted at 10:59 AM on May 4, 2007 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)

I thought you would appreciate this neat little tool at Open Secrets. You'll be able to see if your neighbors, friends, etc gave to a particular candidate by clicking on the candidate and the state.

Here are some of the interesting donors:

Medtronic CEO Art Collins and Jim DeMay (who headed up the DNC's Get Out the Vote efforts in Ohio for John Kerry in 2004) gave to Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd.

New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton received checks from Mike and Ann Ciresi, former DFL House Minority Leader Matt Entenza and his wife, Lois Quam (with UnitedHealth), and investor/publisher Vance Opperman.

Former North Carolina Senator (and VP candidate) John Edwards received checks from Mike and Ann Ciresi, Keith Halleland (with Halleland Health Consulting) and lobbyist Andy Kozak.

Former U.S. Attorney Todd Jones gave to Illinois Senator Barack Obama.

John McCain received a check from Vikings long snapper Cullen Loeffler.

Rudy Giuliani received checks from KSTP-TV owner Stanley Hubbard, Wheelock Whitney, Harvey Mackay, Denny Hecker and George and Sally Pillsbury

No Minnesota donors gave to Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich or former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee

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Can we get a few more veterans in the room please?

Posted at 2:34 PM on May 4, 2007 by Tom Scheck

Gov. Pawlenty signed the Agriculture and Veterans budget bill this morning before a packed room of veterans. Everyone clapped when he signed the bill. There were photos and glad handling.

The spirit of cooperation may not last too long. The governor says he intends to veto two of the four budget bills being debated in the Legislature right now. Pawlenty says he'll sign the public safety budget bill and the environment budget bill (with a few line-item vetoes) but intends to veto the state government finance bill and the economic development budget bill. Pawlenty and DFLers in the Legislature still haven't agreed on the major spending issues like education and health and human services.

Gov. Pawlenty headed to Michigan to campaign for McCain on Saturday

Posted at 5:57 PM on May 4, 2007 by Tom Scheck

Gov. Pawlenty's campaign manager, Michael Krueger, says the governor is headed to Michigan to do some campaigning for Arizona Senator John McCain. Pawlenty, who co-chairs McCain's campaign for president, will speak at the Muskegon County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner. This is Pawlenty's second trip to Michigan on behalf of McCain. He was there in February to speak to the Michigan Republican Party convention. Pawlenty campaigned for McCain in New Hampshire last weekend and campaigned with McCain in Iowa in March.