Capitol View: September 30, 2009 Archive

McCollum introduces her own ACORN bill

Posted at 7:04 AM on September 30, 2009 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)

DFL Rep. Betty McCollum's office announced today that she's introducing legislation that would forbid companies that were convicted of felonies from receiving any federal money. She dubs it the Against Corporations Organizing to Rip-off the Nation Act. Here's the news release.

Washington, DC -Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04) is circulating a 'Dear Colleague' encouraging Members of the U.S. House to co-sponsor the Against Corporations Organizing to Rip-off the Nation Act of 2009 (ACORN Act). The bill prohibits corporations with a felony conviction from receiving any federal funding for the five years after the conviction, prohibits corporate felons from making federal campaign contributions for five years, and limits the lobbying the corporation can do during that period. Congresswoman McCollum will formally introduce the ACORN Act on Wednesday, September 30, 2009.

Comment on this post

GOP candidates call for ACORN probe

Posted at 1:15 PM on September 30, 2009 by Tim Pugmire (3 Comments)

Five Republican candidates for governor signed a letter today asking Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson to investigate the community organizing group ACORN.

Pat Anderson, Tom Emmer, Bill Haas, Paul Kohls and Marty Seifert say they're concerned about possible voter irregularities that might be linked to ACORN. They joined the political Minnesota Majority in calling for the investigation. Minnesota Majority President Jeff Davis has raised voter fraud allegations before that have been rejected by state and county election officials. But Davis says 15 other states are already investigating ACORN.

"I just say that we need to look at this, scrutinize it," Davis said. "There's more than ample evidence that would justify a formal investigation into this matter."

Kevin Whelan, ACORN's national deputy political director, says the organization stands by its voter registration efforts in Minnesota.

Comment on this post

Ron Paul supporters lining up behind Pat Anderson

Posted at 5:07 PM on September 30, 2009 by Tom Scheck (10 Comments)

Pat Anderson's campaign for governor is getting support from the supporters of Texas Congressman Ron Paul. Anderson, who served as State Auditor between 2003 and 2007 is seeking the GOP endorsement for governor.

Her Facebook Page features a photo with Paul and her. She also thanks Minnesotans for Limited Government for their endorsement. Minnesotans for Limted Government is a coalition of Ron Paul supporters (known as Liberty Republicans) from Minnesota's 4th Congressional District. Meanwhile, Marianne Stebbins, who managed Paul's campaign for president in Minnesota, penned an e-mail backing Anderson.

"Pat's words are not just political rhetoric. Her libertarianism - her father is a life-long member of the Libertarian Party - is not just an ideological faith; she has in the past and pledges to continue in the future to govern by those principles because they work.

Pat's not perfect; she's not going to call out the National Guard and run the Federal Government out of Minnesota. But she does support pulling Minnesota out of No Child Left Behind. She does support passage of a medical marijuana bill. She does support 10th Amendment Sovereignty legislation that has teeth. She's against a National ID. And most importantly, she has the executive experience to turn these issues into workable policies, supported by legislation, that actually change the way Minnesota is governed. Most importantly, Pat is right on fiscal issues. She joined us at our Freedom of Economics conference with Tom Woods.

Pat understands that government does not create wealth. She understands that every dollar spent by government is a dollar taken from somewhere else in the economy. While other candidates are proposing tweaks to the state budget to close projected deficits, Pat is the one who recognizes that the state cannot address the budget deficit without fundamental reform - more economic liberty that encourages wealth-building economic development and fundamental reform that reduces spending by getting government out of areas where it has no legitimate constitutional authority.

I often talk about whether a candidate has a "core," whether they actually believe in liberty or whether they'll need babysitting. We won't have to feel like we need to watch over Pat's shoulder with every move. She has liberty in her heart, and this is important to me."

Stebbins said the so-called Liberty Republicans will have a presence at this weekend's GOP straw poll and at future state party conventions. She said about a third of the state delegates consist of the group.

But it's unlikely that every Ron Paul supporter will back Anderson. Stebbins said Anderson will likely get a majority of the votes at this weekend's straw poll but said other candidates are getting some support from them as well. She said several Ron Paul supporters, including the 6th District GOP Chair, are backing state Rep. Tom Emmer.

Comment on this post

Pawlenty: PAC to be announced on Thursday

Posted at 11:46 PM on September 30, 2009 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)

Gov. Pawlenty told Greta Van Susteran with Fox News that details about his federal Political Action Committee, the Freedom First PAC, will be official Thursday morning. The Wall St. Journal also reports that the official paperwork will be filed Thursday. Here's the rough transcript from Pawlenty's Fox News appearance.

VAN SUSTERAN: i know tomorrow there will be another pac launched. if it were president pawlenty would it be transparent? i am teasing you.

GOV. PAWLENTY: next monday night, the vikings and the packers.

VAN SUSTERAN: this is so painful. this is so powerfully painful, but it will be a big gain. brett favre wearing that color. all right, let me ask you about your pac.

GOV. PAWLENTY: yes, details out tomorrow.

VAN SUSTERAN: do we get a sneak peak tonight?

GOV. PAWLENTY: it is going to be a federal pac to advance conservative ideas, and it is going to be called freedom forest, putting emphasis on freedom and liberty as a focus for our public policy. -- freedom first.

VAN SUSTERAN:: you are in sort of a left-leaning state of minnesota, and yet, you have a very high approval rating, and you are starting a pac tomorrow, but you certainly are not saying no to this, are you?

GOV. PAWLENTY: i really do not know what i am going to do. this is to benefit other candidates. what i am going to do down the road, i do not know. i will continue to speak out on these issues, but i do not know what the future holds.

More later...

Comment on this post