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Capitol View: May 24, 2012 Archive

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The Daily Digest

Posted at 6:08 AM on May 24, 2012 by Catharine Richert (1 Comments)
Filed under: Daily Digest

Welcome to the Daily Digest, where voter ID supporters want a boycott of AARP, Franken is backing a pay equality bill, and Obama is redoubling fundraising efforts.

Around Minnesota

Supporters of Minnesota's voter ID constitutional amendment are calling for a statewide boycott of the seniors' group AARP for opposing the ballot question.

AARP has created a political fund to oppose the amendment.

The Senate has been billed for legal services for the Michael Brodkorb case, the Star Tribune reports.

Rep. Sandra Peterson, DFL-New Hope, is retiring.

Three environmental groups kick off a campaign to educate Minnesotans about copper-nickel mining.

The Minnesota Supreme Court reversed the conviction of a mother found guilty of killing baby.

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak has hired League of Minnesota Cities lobbyist Jennifer O'Rourke to be his Chief of Staff.

Rep. Keith Ellison and his Republican opponent, Chris Fields, debate federal assistance for North Minneapolis after a tornado hit the area last year.

A federal funding change has put broadband expansion on hold.

In Washington

The U.S. Secret Service director apologized for a prostitution scandal that played out in Columbia last month.

Sen. Al Franken is among Democrats who are backing a bill that would update laws about equal pay between men and women.

The U.S. Senate Race

The PoliGraph says Rep. Kurt Bills' health care law claim leaves out key details.

The Presidential Race

Mitt Romney laid out his plans for education and defended his record at Bain Capital in a speech Wednesday.

Romney promoted school vouchers in his speech.

Romney surrogate Tim Pawlenty defended Romney's time at Bain.

Obama's attacks on Romney's Bain experience could damage Obama's ability to fundraise among wealthy Wall Street donors.

Democratic polling firm Public Policy Polling says Romney has an advantage in Arizona, a state President Barack Obama has been eyeing.

Romney promised 6 percent unemployment.

Obama gave the commencement address at the Air Force Academy, where he challenged the idea that America's influence is waning globally, the Washington Post reports.

Obama's campaign is redoubling fundraising efforts.

NOTE: There will be no Digest Friday or Monday.

(1 Comments)

Marriage amendment supporters fundraise off Target t-shirt sale

Posted at 12:34 PM on May 24, 2012 by Catharine Richert (2 Comments)
Filed under: Marriage Amendment

Minnesota for Marriage, a group that supports a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, is trying to raise money off Target's recent announcement that it will raise money for a group that opposes the amendment.

Minnesota for Marriage wants its supporters to give up to $100 to offset the up to $120,000 Target has pledged to raise for the Family Equality Council. To raise the cash, Target will be selling gay pride t-shirts throughout June.

Two years ago, Target was the subject of consumer backlash after giving to an organization that supported Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer, who opposed same-sex marriage.

This year's t-shirt sale is an attempt to make amends with the gay community, wrote Minnesota for Marriage Campaign Manager Andy Parrish in the fundraising email. He said the company should be prepared for more alienated customers.

"Clearly this is to make nice with the homosexual marriage community for their donation to support Tom Emmer two years ago," Parrish wrote. "It's wrong for a mega-corporation to take sides in an important social issue that has nothing to do with its business objectives. In doing so, Target has alienated the strong majority of Minnesotans who support traditional marriage. They also risk alienating the overwhelming majority of their customers in the 32 states in this country that have voted to support traditional marriage."

(2 Comments)

Franken's courthouse safety bill clears committee

Posted at 1:27 PM on May 24, 2012 by Brett Neely
Filed under: U.S. Senate

WASHINGTON - Legislation introduced by DFL U.S. Sen. Al Franken after a shooting at a Grand Marais courthouse left three people injured last year cleared a key hurdle in the U.S. Senate Thursday.

The legislation, entitled the Local Courthouse Safety Act, was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee by a voice vote with two Senators registering no votes. It now heads to the full Senate for consideration though no floor vote has yet been scheduled

The bill will allow the Justice Department to work with local law enforcement organizations to train and prepare for possible mass shooting incidents, will allow states to use existing federal grant money to pay for security upgrades at courthouses and will let the federal government transfer surplus metal detectors and X-ray machines to local courts.

"Our local sheriffs, judges, and other court personnel, as well as the public, should be able to carry on business in our local courthouses knowing they are safe," said Franken.

Three fundraising events planned for Obama's MN visit

Posted at 3:42 PM on May 24, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012: Presidential Race, Mark Dayton

With MPR's Tom Scheck contributing.

President Barack Obama will attend three big-ticket fundraising events during his visit to Minnesota next week, according to a campaign official.

Two smaller events at $40,000 and $50,000 a head are planned for Friday, June 1. Obama will also deliver remarks at a luncheon for approximately 100 people who've each paid $5,000 to be there, according to the official.

Gov. Mark Dayton said he will be going to the luncheon, which will be held at The Bachelor Farmer, a Minneapolis restaurant owned by his two sons.

MPR News will post more details as they become available.

Update:

All the events will be held at The Bachelor Farmer, according to a campaign official.

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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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