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Capitol View: September 1, 2010 Archive

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PoliGraph: Bachmann right on beer, wrong on bacon

Posted at 12:39 PM on September 1, 2010 by Catharine Richert (5 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2008: U.S. MN CD6, Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, PoliGraph

Beer. Bacon. Corn dogs.

What sounds like the recipe for a great day at the Minnesota State Fair is also the subject of Michele Bachmann's latest ad against her DFL opponent Tarryl Clark.

"While you're at the fair, you should know that Tarryl Clark here voted to raise taxes on your corn dog, and your deep-fried bacon and your beer," Jim the Election Guy, a fictional character featured in Bachmann's ads, tells viewers. "So, if you see Tarryl Clark while you're at the fair, just ask her: What's up with voting to tax my beer?"

Here's what's up with that: When it comes to corn dogs and bacon, Bachmann's claim is on shaky ground. But she's right that Clark voted for higher taxes on beer.

The Evidence

Bachmann's staff points to a handful of votes Clark cast during her time in the state senate as support for the claim.

Corn dogs and bacon

First, it's important to note that Minnesota's sales tax does not apply to food bought at the grocery store. But it does apply to food that is sold in restaurants or by other food vendors, including those at the state fair.

In 2008, Clark voted for a constitutional amendment that would have raised the sales tax by 3/8 of 1 percent to protect water and land - commonly known as the Legacy Amendment. After the Legislature passed it, voters approved the tax increase.

So, it's wrong to say that Clark voted for the sales tax increase. Rather, she voted to let Minnesotans vote on the Legacy Amendment.

Bachmann's campaign also points out that Clark voted twice in 2007 and 2008 respectively against amendments that would have allowed a referendum on a metro area sales tax increase meant to help pay for transportation improvements.

Bachmann reasons that, without the referendum, voters did not have the opportunity to stop the sales tax. But that's a stretch: voting against a referendum is not the same as voting for a sales tax increase on corn dogs and bacon as the ad says.

Beer

In 2009, Clark voted several times to increase taxes on beer, wine and liquor. But the legislation was vetoed, so the beer sold at the state fair is not subject to a recent tax increase as the Bachmann ad implies.

The Verdict

It's true that Clark voted for a sales tax increase on beer. But Bachmann's ad is wrong when it comes to corn dogs and bacon: Clark never voted to increase taxes on either.

Sources

YouTube, "State Fair," accessed Aug. 31, 2010

Minnesota Department of Revenue, Fact Sheet: Food and Food Ingredients, accessed Aug. 31, 2010

Michele Bachmann for Congress, Script and Fact Sheet, accessed Aug. 31, 2010

Tarryl Clark for Congress, Fact Check: Michele Bachmann Uses Voter-Approved Legacy Amendment to Attack Tarryl Clark, Aug. 31, 2010

Senate Journal, April 3, 2006, page 4525

Senate Journal, March 23, 2007, page 1267

Senate Journal, Feb. 21, 2008, page 6637

National Trust for Historic Preservation, Minnesota Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, accessed Aug. 31, 2010

Senate Journal, May 8, 2009, page 4466

Senate Journal, April 24, 2009, page 2754

Interview, Zach Rodvold, campaign manager, Sen. Tarryl Clark, Aug. 31, 2010

Interview, Sergio Gor, spokesman, Rep. Michele Bachmann, Aug. 31, 2010

More

The Humphrey Institute

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Emmer says a plan is coming soon

Posted at 11:35 AM on September 1, 2010 by Tim Pugmire (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

nfib 005.jpg
Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer says he will begin rolling out a plan next week that should be of interest to small business owners.

Emmer isn't offering specifics, but he provided a few clues today to state leaders of the National Federation of Independent Business. The NFIB presented Emmer with its Guardian of Small Business Award. During a brief speech to the group, Emmer repeated his pledge to reduce taxes and state regulation. He said his plan is aimed at creating more opportunities for businesses to expand and develop in the coming years.

"It's not about having no government," Emmer said. "The idea is not to be the discount stop for business in the United States of America. We have a great state. We need to maintain our quality of life, but we've got to start competing again, not only with other states, but the world, in order to keep our business."

Emmer said he was told that France is currently courting a major Minnesota company. He didn't name the company during his remarks, and remained closed lipped later when talking to reporters. Emmer also refused to answers questions about his forthcoming plan.

"You'll see it when do it next week," Emmer said.

DFLer Mark Dayton and the Independence Party's Tom Horner have regularly criticized Emmer for not yet releasing a detailed plan for balancing the state budget.

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Bachmann starts to dole out PAC money to state republicans

Posted at 3:51 PM on September 1, 2010 by Annie Baxter (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010: U.S. House

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann is using funds from her political action committee, MICHELE PAC to support republican Congressional candidates in Minnesota to the tune of $1000 each.

Her PAC money recipients are as follows:

Randy Demmer in the 1st Congressional District, challenging incumbent Rep.Tim Walz (DFL)
Teresa Collett in the 4th Congressional District, challenging incumbent Rep. Betty McCollum (DFL)
Joel Demos in the 5th Congressional District, challenging incument Rep. Keith Ellison (DFL)
Lee Byberg of the 7th Congressional District, challenging incumbent Rep. Collin Peterson (DFL)
Chip Cravaack in the 8th Congressional District, challenging incumbent Rep. Jim Oberstar (DFL)

A press release from her PAC says the money aims to "end the reign of Nancy Pelosi as Speaker."

It's the first contribution this election cycle from her PAC.

Bachmann has also thrown a grand from her campaign account at each of the five candidates.

Last week during a chat with media on her bus tour, Bachmann spoke about the goals of her PAC:

I'm hoping to be able to help a few candidates out with funds. It's all about trying to bring in like voices, constitutional conservatives who want to roll back spending, tax increases, and create more of a job friendly environment.

Bachmann said she wanted to model her PAC on Sen. Jim DeMint's Senate Conservatives Fund. DeMint has defied the Republican establishment by supporting more conservative candidates, like Tea Party candidate Ken Buck in Colorado.

However, all the candidates Bachmann's supporting with the PAC money so far are GOP-endorsed, according to her PAC.

In other Bachmann news, Bachmann spokesman Sergio Gor says an updated campaign ad was sent to TV stations this morning.

Bachmann's latest ad, released yesterday, had drawn criticism from the Minnesota State Fair. Officials there said the ad used the Fair logo without their permission. Bachmann's camp agreed to swap the logo out.

I haven't found the new ad online yet.

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State Fair still questions whether Bachmann's ad passes muster

Posted at 5:26 PM on September 1, 2010 by Annie Baxter (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010: U.S. House

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann's campaign posted a revised ad today, which uses a generic State Fair logo instead of the actual one.

Fair officials had objected to the campaign's use of the logo. The Bachmann campaign said yesterday they believed they had the legal right to use the logo but agreed to pull it and substituted it with a generic logo.

But the matter still isn't resolved. Brienna Schuette at the Minnesota State Fair says Fair officials are talking to the Minnesota Attorney General's office about whether the new, generic logo is okay. Schuette says "there's still discussion" about this.

The actual content of Bachmann's ad hasn't changed, despite the fact that the claims in the ad were not altogether accurate.

UPDATE 5:49 p.m.: State Fair spokeswoman Brienna Schuette says "the AG is now involved in getting the Minnesota State Fair name and logo pulled. It appears that the ads with the original logo are still running on some stations."

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The feature examines statements made by Minnesota politicians and checks them for accuracy. Based on data analysis, document reviews and interviews with non-partisan analysts, statements are rated true, misleading, false or inconclusive. More

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