Capitol View: June 9, 2011 Archive

Senate Ethics Committee schedules hearing on Hoffman complaint

Posted at 1:15 PM on June 9, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature

The Senate Ethics Committee has scheduled a Monday morning hearing to discuss DFL Sen. Ann Rest's complaint against GOP Sen. Gretchen Hoffman.

Rest filed the complaint in the final days of the 2011 legislative session. She said Hoffman mischaracterized DFL Sen. Barb Goodwin's comments during a Senate debate on her Twitter feed.

"Sen Goodwin just called people with mental illness- idiots and imbeciles- while debating HHS bill #offensive #mndfl #mnsrc #mnleg"

Hoffman's tweet was redistributed when Senate Republican Caucus spokesman Michael Brodkorb retweeted it so his 2,500 followers could read it.

Both Goodwin and Rest said Hoffman misrepresented Goodwin's remarks. Goodwin said she was talking about the history of developmental disabilities and mental illness in Minnesota during a debate over the Health and Human Services budget bill. Hoffman refused to apologize and said she was "offended" by Goodwin's remarks.

The four member Ethics Committee will decide whether Hoffman published material that she knew was false and whether Hoffman violated a rule that says members of the Senate should adhere to the highest standard of ethical conduct.

GOP Sen. Michelle Fischbach, GOP Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen, DFL Sen. John Harrington and DFL Sen. Kathy Sheran are the members of the Senate Ethics Committee and will determine whether Hoffman violated Senate rules.

Vote No campaign launching June 20

Posted at 1:50 PM on June 9, 2011 by Tim Nelson
Filed under: MN Legislature

The campaign to defeat the proposed constitutional amendent banning same-sex marriage will make its debut in coming days.

There's going to be a fundraiser at Lush, a Nordeast bar, on Monday night. A week later, the Loring PlayhouseTheater is hosting the official kickoff of the campaign asking voters to vote "No" on the proposed amendment. The effort's been titled Minnesotans United for All Families.

Both events are touting appearances by Gov. Mark Dayton, but we haven't been able to confirm he'll be there. Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis, is listed as a featured speaker at the Loring.

The campaign is being organized by Project 515 and OutFront Minnesota, the two major players in the failed effort to stop the amendment at the Capitol last month.

They're hoping for a success this time -- as evidenced, perhaps, by the organizer for the June 13 event: Cristine Almeida. She was a senior advisor to the successful campaign to pass the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Campaign amendment, and a former chief of staff for DFL Senate majority leader Dean Johnson.

(She's also on the Project 515 board, and a contract lobbyist for a number of organizations, including MPR.)

UPDATE:Dayton spokeswoman Katharine Tinucci confirms that Dayton will speak at June 13 fundraiser. Location has been changed to Thom Pham's Wondrous Azian Kitchen in Minneapolis.

No negotiations, but panel airs budget beefs

Posted at 2:53 PM on June 9, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (3 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

There were no private budget meetings today between DFL Governor Mark Dayton and GOP legislative leaders, even though a potential government shutdown is just three weeks away.

Republicans instead held a public meeting of the Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy to try to poke holes in Dayton's proposal to raise income taxes on the top two percent of earners. Sen. Julianne Ortman, R-Chanhassen, chair of the Senate tax committee, questioned the need for a tax increase.

"I mean it's one thing to take all those risks and put our economy in jeopardy," Ortman said. "But to do it for no reason other than the fact that the governor just wants what looks like a political win is not going to be done. It's not going to happen."

Dayton's revenue commissioner, Myron Frans, defended the tax increase as a necessary step in difficult times. Frans said no one wants to increase taxes unless they have to.