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MDE EXCLUSIVE: NEW COMMITTEE CREATED BY DFL HOUSE LEADERSHIP RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT CONNECTION BETWEEN SPEAKER-DESIGNATE AND LEGISLATIVE LIASON
By Michael Brodkorb | November 30, 2006
The creation of a new committee by the DFL leadership in the Minnesota House of Representatives that will determining funding for the Minnesota Historical Society is raising concerns in St. Paul. The reason for the concern is that the legislative liaison for the Minnesota Historical Society, David Kelliher, is married to the new Speaker-designate Margaret Anderson Kelliher.
The new committee, Minnesota Heritage Finance, will be chaired by Representative Mike Jaros of Duluth:
"Democrats added some committees, such as the Minnesota Heritage Finance panel headed by Mike Jaros of Duluth. It will determine funding for the state Historical Society and other groups." Source: Forum Communications, November 21, 2006
The Society is technically a "private" institution. But according to the Minnesota Historical Society's website, the majority of their funding comes from the State of Minnesota:
"Currently, the Society receives about 56% of its funding from the State of Minnesota. This is a very important source of funding for the Society, and it is important that the Legislature continues to provide adequate funding for history so that we can maintain our high quality programs." Source: Minnesota Historical Society
Legislators contacted said the creation of a new committee that appears to specifically benefit the job of the Speaker-designate's husband is cause for concern. One legislative staffer I spoke with about this new committee said "the patronage system has started."
An email sent to Represenatative Mike Jaros and a call placed to David Kelliher to comment had not been returned at the time this post was published. I will update this post if and when I receive a comment.
The new DFL leadership in the Minnesota House of Representatives has increased the number of the committees by 30%. I'll have more posts in the next few days discussing the internal caucus politics of who become the chair of which committee and why.
Please check back to Minnesota Democrats Exposed for more information on this developing story.
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15 Responses to “MDE EXCLUSIVE: NEW COMMITTEE CREATED BY DFL HOUSE LEADERSHIP RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT CONNECTION BETWEEN SPEAKER-DESIGNATE AND LEGISLATIVE LIASON”
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November 30th, 2006 at 1:04 PM
Wow. That didn’t take long for the Dems to begin their old-time patronage. Just like the good-old days.
I’m sure Kelliher’s liberal goons will have some half-assed defense of this highly suspicious activity. I’m surprised Kelliher didn’t appoint herself as Chair of the committee — at least then she’d be honest with what she’s doing!
sniff, sniff…..nope….doesn’t pass the smell test to me!
November 30th, 2006 at 1:42 PM
Maybe they should just hold committee meetings at the Kelliher house to determine Historical Society funding.
I think we can safely assume the Society will get a pretty healthy increase in funding this session.
I hope you continue to scrutinize how those clowns are spending the people’s money since it is a pretty safe assumption that they won’t give it back.
November 30th, 2006 at 3:34 PM
I’m a member and supportor of the MHS. I want them to get good funding, but I want it to be done through normal channels. If they ever get tied too close to DFL politics, I will drop my membership.
Jaros, heh. He’s kind of a goofball. He had a quote in the Duluth News-Tribune a few years back saying we should totally eliminate our armed forces.
November 30th, 2006 at 3:37 PM
Dave: I’ve also been a member of the MHS. The scope of this committee as it has been described in the newspaper raises questions.
November 30th, 2006 at 3:54 PM
Let’s be reasonable. The session doesn’t start for over a month and already the evidence starts to build that there is suspicious if not nefarious activity already afoot. How stupid do they think the public is? Well, pretty darn stupid I guess.
Thank goodness we have something other than the Strib or PPress that we can rely on to uncover this garbage. Thanks for watching the chicken coop Michael.
If Margaret wanted to be transparent about this obvious conflict of interest she would have come out publicly and lead the discussion. She could have clearly stated what steps she would take to protect the public interest from this marvelously concocted prelude to the near-occasion of corruption. (reference to The Act of Contrition intended).
Come on Margaret, step up to the mike and explain your intentions here!
Drew Emmer
Publisher
Wright County Republican
November 30th, 2006 at 3:55 PM
So is the concern that heritage preservation has its own committee, or that the spouse is the lobbyist for same? Mr. Kelliher is a smart talented young man who could probably make multiples of what he makes at the MHS. He could easily transition to a more lucrative job if there is a problem. I think preserving Minnesota history deserves its own committee.
November 30th, 2006 at 4:08 PM
bob: I think preserving Minnesota history is important, but the connection raises questions.
November 30th, 2006 at 4:10 PM
Not even a month and the culture of corruption begins. Actually, Tom Daschle’s wife was an airline lobbyist while he was Senate majority leader so this is nothing new for the left. Just more of the same.
November 30th, 2006 at 4:35 PM
I’m sure (soon to be) Speaker Kelliher doesn’t know her husband works for the Historical Society.
What other explanation could there be?
November 30th, 2006 at 6:56 PM
Everyone could be off base here. My first guess would be that this committee was formed at the request of Pelowski of Winona in exchange for not being chair of education. He’s a huge history buff.
December 1st, 2006 at 7:37 AM
DOn’t take offense Michael but, I think we should wait before passing judgement. I’ll remind you people that the previous Speaker had an issue with ethanol subsidies and his own family being one of those who got the payoff. Further investigation found most everything to be n the table.
Before this committee was formed, was there a subcommittee that took up a lot of time going over these issues and warranted their own committee?
Do we know that Mr. Kelliher won’t leave his job?
Do we know the entire scope of the committee? Preserving Minnesota’s history throughout the state seems to be an important venture.
This is a blog, not a news outlet so shooting from the hip is expected.
December 1st, 2006 at 7:45 AM
[...] MDE has the rest. [...]
December 1st, 2006 at 2:34 PM
Dave Ziegler you make some great points man. Really enjoy your posts even though I rarely agree. Ok, I’ve never agreed. Just trying to be nice.
No matter what the outcome of this inquiry (and a valid one at that) there is no doubt the Kellihers are definitely going to make history.
December 2nd, 2006 at 2:06 PM
I think a distiction needs to be made between the non profit sector and or public service (mostly Democrats) and for-profit, industry spectial interests (mostly Republican).
Remember Tim Pawelnty got paid a healthy sum for no specific reason during the 2002 campaign. I don’t remember all the details at the moment but there was a circle of favors that were done that ended up with an investigation into the dealings of a Florida bank being called off.
Repubican corruption (Haliburton, Duke Conningham, the Abramoff scandels, Tom Delay, etc.) tends to involve workings where Republicans profit, as in THEY GET MONEY OR TRIPS OR TANGIBLE BENEFITS IN RETURN FOR LEGISLATIVE FAVORS.
Democrats do help their friends. Yes that is politics. Albeit somewhat rightous, the idea that Speaker Margaret is a supporter of a do gooder cause and now will make it a priority that they get funding, is not that far off. Her passion for the cause probably played a role in the development of her relationship with her husband. However, neither the Kellihers nor Jaros stand to earn addition income, or tangibly benefit due to this arrangement. Will an instituion that they and many other Minnesotans care about benefit? Yes. Will this help Mr. Kelliher professionally? Yes. But will he directly get a check for $10,000 because of this? No.
Politics is about relationships. Lobbying in particular is about relationships. I, for one, think our society is much more threatened by special interests that pollute, sell tobacco to kids, raise interest rates on student loans, utilize predetory lending practices, defend car-only tansportation options, clear cut our forests and make it easier for snowmobilers and ATV users to destroy our enviroment.
Democratic interest groups want better schools, more health care options, more enviromental protections, and yes, a better historical society. None of these are for-profit interest and therefore, true Abramoff type corruption is not taking place here.
December 3rd, 2006 at 3:47 PM
The real joke to me is that the Republicans have done all the heavy lifting. They got us out of a huge mess created by the same people who now will be able-as we are allready seeing- to just throw money into the wind.