Capitol View: May 10, 2012 Archive

The Daily Digest

Posted at 6:57 AM on May 10, 2012 by Catharine Richert (1 Comments)
Filed under: Daily Digest

Welcome to the Daily Digest, where the House approved the Vikings conference committee report, the Senate sends a smaller tax bill to Dayton, and Obama comes out in favor of same sex marriage.

At the Capitol

Only a state Senate vote, the governor's signature and approval from the Minneapolis City Council stands between the Vikings and a $975 million stadium, MPR's Tim Nelson reports.

The House passed the stadium conference report early Thursday by a 71-60 vote.

The conference committee report asks the Vikings to spend $477 million, $50 million more than the $427 million the Vikings initially committed.

Lawmakers worked behind closed doors to resolve differences between the House and Senate Vikings stadium bills.

Here's who voted for and against the bill.

St. Paul DFLers voted for the bill to get something for their city.

The Minnesota Senate approved a tax bill smaller and less expensive than one Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed earlier.

PoliGraph says a claim that the Metrodome was a good deal is correct.

Here's a list of retiring lawmakers.

Around Minnesota

Ron Paul will address Republicans at the state's convention next week.

The Washington Post looks at what Paul is up to by staying in the race with so few delegates.

"In Nevada, Maine, Massachusetts and elsewhere, his supporters have flooded the party's snoozy state conventions -- and then elected themselves to delegate slots... With these numbers, the perennial outsider could gain the leverage to demand a speaking slot, or changes to the party platform" at the Republican convention in August.

The Chamber of Commerce is running an ad in support of Rep. Chip Cravaack in the 8th Congressional District.

3M rejected proposals regarding the company's political spending and lobbying.

In Washington

President Barack Obama says that he supports same-sex marriage.

He's the first president to support the idea.

The annoncement comes after Vice President Joe Biden said last week he supports same-sex marraige, and a day after North Carolina voters approved a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.

Some of Obama's key donors are gay, the Washington Post reports.

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar introduced a bill that would ban companies from asking current or future employees for their passwords to social networking sites.

The Postal Service is scaling back plans to close some post offices.

Conservative columnist George Will writes about the medical device tax.

The federal government is proposing a temporary increase in Medicaid payment rates for primary care doctors in Minnesota and nationwide.

Tim Pawlenty closed his Freedom First PAC.

The Daily Digest (Dayton celebrates passage of stadium bill, Fight over legislative accomplishments looms, Fishing Opener)

Posted at 11:16 PM on May 10, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest

The Vikings stadium bill is now in the hands of Gov. Dayton and the Minneapolis City Council. Dayton held an evening presser with the stadium supporters and Vikings owner Zygi Wilf.

AP says Vikings owner Zygi Wilf's patience paid off.

The Minneapolis City Council appears ready to approve the bill in a few weeks.

The news comes after the Minnesota Senate passed the stadium conference committee report on Thursday.

The city of St. Paul intends to use its portion from the stadium bill to pay off its RiverCentre debt.

The Senate adjourned Sine Die, finishing a rocky session.

2012 Legislative Session

The battle to define the legislative session will continue today. GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers is holding a media avail this morning to discuss the session. Gov. Dayton has a presser in the afternoon.

MPR recaps the year's highlights and says there is a dispute over what was accomplished and who's responsible.

13 members of the Minnesota Senate delivered retirement speeches on Thursday.

Republican lawmakers called and then canceled a confirmation hearing for Health Commissioner Ed Ehlinger.

Dayton signed a bill on newborn blood screenings.

Supreme Court

Gov. Dayton will get his first chance to appoint someone to the Minnesota Supreme Court. Justice Helen Meyer is retiring.

Fishing Opener

Gov. Dayton attends the annual Fishing opener today in Waconia. He intends to drop his first line at midnight. Saturday's fishing event appears to be a bipartisan affair. GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers, GOP House Majority Leader Matt Dean. Rep. Joe Hoppe, R-Chaska, Rep. Ernie Leidiger, R-Mayer, Rep. Deb Hilstrom, DFL-Brooklyn Center, have all registered to attend the opener and fish. GOP Rep. John Kline is also expected to attend.

DNR officials expect a "pretty darn normal opener."

Congress

The U.S. records its first monthly budget surplus since 2008.

JP Morgan Chase lost $2 billion as a unit had a difficult time managing risks.

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann moves to withdraw her Swiss citizenship.

DFL Rep. Keith Ellison unveils a bill to end fossil fuel subsidies.

Accretive Health's CEO intends to fully comply with DFL Sen. Al Franken's request for further information about the company's debt collection practices.

Franken also pressed the Justice Department to explain phone-tracking practices.

The House voted to replace mandated cuts to the Pentagon that were negotiated in the debt deal.

Senate Democrats leaped into the debate over gay rights.

Race for the Legislature

The Alliance for a Better Minnesota, which works to elect DFL candidates, has launched a campaign to help Democrats win back control of the Legislature.

Race for Congress

GOP Rep. Chip Cravaack called global warming "bunk."

Race for President

President Obama characterized Mitt Romney's comments on the auto industry as an "etch-an-sketch moment."

Mitt Romney apologizes after reports of bullying as a teen.

President Obama's campaign pushes the issue of gay marriage.

Vice President Joe Biden apologized to President Obama for his comments on same-sex marriage on NBC's Meet the Press.

Romney will use his commencement address at Liberty University to appeal to evangelical Christians.

Romney is also trying to shift the focus of the campaign from gay rights to the economy.

Mr. Obama attended a fundraiser at the home of George Clooney. The event is expected to bring in $15 million.

Finally

There won't be a Digest next week. We'll still be posting blog entries but the grind of the legislative session has prompted us to take a much needed break.