Pawlenty's political payback?

Posted at 8:31 PM on April 11, 2008 by Tom Scheck

DFL House Majority Tony Sertich said this afternoon that a staffer in Gov. Pawlenty's office threatened him after he made comments to MPR regarding the governor's level of engagement with the Legislature.

"He had a message from the governor to me and the direct words were -- it's a hockey analogy. 'Cheap shots are cheap, but they're not free.' That the governor was looking forward to seeing my area's bonding recommendations when they come across his desk. A direct threat to veto the projects in my district, from the governor."

Sertich's northeastern Minnesota district lost $1.5 million for projects in Chisholm, Floodwood and Hibbing after the governor vetoed more than fifty projects from the bonding bill.

Sertich wouldn't name the staffer but AP is reporting that Sertich did have discussions with Pawlenty's Chief of Staff Matt Kramer. The governor's spokesman denied that such threats took place.

Sertich said the reason he is bringing this up is because he's concerned about the funding for a study of cancer deaths on the Iron Range. The governor has threatened to veto a bill that would fund the study because he doesn't like the funding source.

The Pawlenty Administration has been criticized because of how it handled those Iron Range cancer deaths. Pawlenty's former Health Commissioner Dianne Mandernach did not release the news of the findings for nearly a year, outraging many lawmakers on the Iron Range.

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