Polinaut: May 1, 2008 Archive

The Daily Digest: 5-1-08

Posted at 8:31 AM on May 1, 2008 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest

It's May Day, the National Day of Prayer (or the National Day of Reason if you're an Atheist) and the 5th anniversary of Mission Accomplished.

There will be rallies all over the place at the State Capitol. RNC Convention protesters start marching this morning. The National Day of Prayer is at noon on the Capitol Lawn. The Atheists have the National Day of Reason at noon in the Capitol Rotunda. Immigrant groups will march to the Capitol this afternoon.

The Minnesota House will take up an increase to the state's minimum wage bill today.

Governor Pawlenty held a news conference yesterday to discuss his latest budget offer to DFLers. He said he wants to meet face to face with them this weekend. MPR, the Star Tribune, Pi Press and AP have stories.

Pawlenty put Central Corridor back on the table but with conditions.

DFL Rep. Alice Hausman said she's encouraged by Pawlenty's action but is worried that the U of M is working to scuttle the Central Corridor. Folks were joking during bonding bill negotiations that a U of M lobbyist should name his next dog HEAPR. They scuttle this deal and the dog may have to be named MnSCU (ba da bing!)

Pawlenty says he has some reservations about the current Mall of America expansion proposal.

Forum Communications says get your budget negotiation dancing shoes.

UPDATE: There may be a deal on the bridge victim's compensation fund.

New MnDOT Chief Tom Sorel sits down with the Pi Press and AP.

MnDOT inspects the gusset plates on a Duluth bridge.

A Delta exec will appear before a House Committee next week.

A Senate Committee also questions Northwest.

NWA and Delta execs say the deal is a plus for Detroit.

A bill to honor Korean War Vets is headed to the governor.

New census numbers say Minnesota is getting older. Funny, since the state doesn't look a day over 150 (ba da bing!).

Congress

GOP Sen. Norm Coleman will lobby President Bush to support the Farm Bill.

But President Bush rejects the deal because he doesn't like the subsidy proposal.

Farm Bill conferees are now working to craft a veto proof bill.

Crop subsidies are switched to feeding the needy as food prices rise. DFL Rep. Betty McCollum is mentioned.

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar will help negotiate toy safety.

Minnesota's pork producers are struggling. Klobuchar is mentioned.

The New York Times says Coleman was one of six Republicans who voted for the Fair Pay act.

The House votes on requiring combustible dust rule changes. GOP Rep. John Kline is mentioned.

Newport tries to revive the levee issue. DFL Rep. Betty McCollum is mentioned.

A security guard union looks to expand after contract victory. DFL Rep. Keith Ellison is mentioned.

A housing package advances and moves to the House Committee vote. GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann is mentioned.

$11 million in transportation funds are headed to northern Minnesota. DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar is mentioned.

2008 Race for President

John McCain blames the Minneapolis bridge collapse on wasteful spending. What happened to the "Let's keep politics out of the bridge collapse" line?

The Star Tribune says Pawlenty's health care proposal is similar to McCain's.

Barack Obama will be on Meet the Press this weekend.

A study says public opinion isn't advancing health reform.

2008 Race for U.S. Senate

MPR says Al Franken is working to repair campaign damage.

DFL leaders tell the Star Tribune that they still back Franken but his accountant is told to say "No comment."

WCCO Reality Checks Franken's tax issue.

Politico and Roll Call (subscription required) also write about Franken's tax issue.

Franken sits down with Almanac At the Capitol and KARE.

MinnPost says Franken is ok for now.

2008 Race for Congress

Roll Call (subscription required) says the Blue Dog Democrats back 6th District DFL candidate Elwyn Tinklenberg.

Pawlenty for VP Watch

CQ starts VP Madness.

2010 Race for Governor

Campaign and Elections says 2010 will be a big year. Pawlenty is mentioned.

St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis tells the St. Cloud Times that he doesn't want to be governor. Raise your hand if you thought Kleis would run for governor.

Walz not considering U.S. Senate run

Posted at 10:38 AM on May 1, 2008 by Tom Scheck

DFL Rep. Tim Walz held a conference call this morning. MPR's Sea Stachura says he is not considering a run for the U.S. Senate. His name popped up after Democrat Al Franken said he owed $70,000 in taxes to 17 states.

Pawlenty ups the ante on illegal immigration

Posted at 2:57 PM on May 1, 2008 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)

As immigrant groups march to the Capitol, Governor Pawlenty has reiterated his criticism of DFLers in the Legislature for failing to act on illegal immigration issues. Here's the release:

A STATEMENT FROM THE GOVERNOR

~ Governor Pawlenty statement regarding the failure of DFLers in the Minnesota legislature to consider proposals to combat illegal immigration ~

Saint Paul - According to news reports, thousands of immigrants and activists are holding rallies and protests across the country today, including in Saint Paul, demanding immigration reform.

In January, Governor Pawlenty announced executive actions and legislative proposals to counter illegal immigration. Actions taken by the Governor included executive orders to enhance cooperation regarding immigration enforcement between state and federal officials and to require that state employees, contractors doing business with the state and recipients of state grants electronically verify employment eligibility.

The Governor also proposed legislative measures to prohibit city "sanctuary" ordinances that prevent police from inquiring about immigration status, strengthened human trafficking laws, increased penalties for identify theft, enhanced penalties for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants, and establishing the crime of aggravated forgery regarding underlying documents used to obtain identity documents.

Nearly four months into the 2008 session, the DFL-controlled legislature has refused to even hold a hearing regarding the Governor's immigration reform proposals. The following is a statement from Governor Pawlenty regarding the failure of DFLers in the Minnesota legislature to consider proposals to combat illegal immigration.

"This week's revelation that police in Lakeville, Minnesota recently stopped a vehicle carrying 15 illegal immigrants who had been traveling for a week highlights the fact that illegal immigration is a real problem and it's here in our state. It's time for DFLers to admit that and address this real concern. At a minimum they should hold hearings to debate the common sense immigration reform measures I've proposed. It is inconceivable that anyone would oppose measures to combat human trafficking and fight identity theft. I'm hopeful these important issues can be considered before the end of this session."

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Wiggle room?

Posted at 3:08 PM on May 1, 2008 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)

Governor Pawlenty was asked today whether he stood by past statements to serve his full four years in office. Pawlenty, who has been mentioned as a possible running mate to Republican John McCain, said when he announced his reelection bid in 2006 that he would serve out his full term. After being pressed on whether he still stood by those comments today, Pawlenty said "That is my intention."

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McCain Campaign: Obama started it!

Posted at 4:42 PM on May 1, 2008 by Tom Scheck

I'm sure you've heard about John McCain's comments regarding the I-35W bridge collapse. During a conversation earlier today, a McCain spokesman blamed Democrat Barack Obama for bringing up the bridge collapse first. McCain's camp even directed me to a YouTube video showing Obama's comments from last Saturday.

Even though I was calling to get questions as to why McCain made the comments regarding the bridge collapse, McCain's spokesman kept bringing up Obama's comments from last Saturday (and Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak's support for Obama). He even followed up with this e-mail:

Timeline: 12/12/07: Rybak Endorsement Noted In This Obama Press Release:

4/26/08, among other times: Obama Uses Minnesota Bridge Tragedy As Defense for Opposing Gas Tax Holiday (ignoring the fact that McCain's Gas Tax Holiday has no effect on Federal Highway Fund):

4/30/08 John McCain responds to a question about Obama's assertions on the stump.

5/1/08 Obama Supporter Rybak Accuses John McCain of Politicizing a Tragedy, Yet He's Silent on the Fact That Barack Obama Has Been Using the Minnesota Bridge Tragedy for At Least 5 Days

The problem is this isn't the first time McCain made these comments on the Minneapolis bridge. The New York Times reports that he made similar comments in August.

When pushed on McCain's comments, the spokesman said "The Senator stands by his statements."

Apparently McCain didn't stand by those statements for too long since the AP says McCain softened those comments while campaigning in Iowa.

Tyin' one on

Posted at 4:52 PM on May 1, 2008 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)

One of the blogs favorite songs is Outkast's Bow tie. Mostly because of the crazy beats but also because of the catchy lyrics:

Crocodile on my feet

Fox fur on my back

Bowtie `round my neck

That's why they call me the gangsta mack

Apparently, GOP Rep. Neil Peterson loves that song too since he's always wearing Bow ties around the Capitol. Many of Peterson's colleagues were also playin' the gangsa mack today. Peterson said he brought in about two dozen bow ties for folks to wear.

Many Republicans from the corner of the House Chamber (known as the Dog Pound) wore the neckwear. Peterson made a crack that some in the Dog pound may be showing solidarity with someone in the dog house. Peterson lost the GOP endorsement but said he'll run in the primary.

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Please veto my bill!

Posted at 5:57 PM on May 1, 2008 by Tom Scheck

You hear plenty of squawking from lawmakers who get upset when the governor either vetoes or threatens to veto their legislation bill. But you very rarely hear a situation where a lawmaker asks to have a bill vetoed. That occurred today when Gov. Pawlenty vetoed a bill dealing with civil commitments. In his veto letter Pawlenty wrote:

"This legislation was requested by the Minnesota County Attorney Association (MCAA) as the result of a Supreme Court decision. The Court held that a person who is subject to a petition for civil commitment as a Sexually Dangerous Person (SDP) or Sexual Psychopathic Personality (SPP) has the right under Minnesota Statutes Section 253B.08 to demand a hearing be hold on the petition within 15 days of the demand. Although this provision of law is appropriate to most civil commitment proceedings, the complexity of SDP and SPP civil commitment proceedings makes trial within the statutory 15 day time period unrealistic.

Unfortunately, the bill mistakenly exempts SDP and SPP petitions from all of the trial timeframes in statute, rather than just the 15 day trial by demand provision.

The bill authors now acknowledge this mistake and have requested this bill be vetoed"

A spokesman for the Minnesota House says a drafting error was made so the bill authors decided the best course was to have the governor veto the bill (which he did) and insert the correct language into the Omnibus Judiciary Policy Bill. The governor said he hopes there is still time to correctly address the concerns.