Archive for April, 2007
« Previous EntriesNOTHING TO SEE HERE: SWANSON’S COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR ALSO AFSCME LIASON
Monday, April 30th, 2007Do you find it odd that Attorney General Swanson's communications director is also the AFSCME liason to Swanson?:
"'We never threatened to go to the media; the media came to us. We gave Brian Bergson, our liaison to the attorney general, a heads up about the media inquiries about working conditions in their office,' Seide said. [...]
BIG CHANGES COMING TO MINNESOTA DEMOCRATS EXPOSED
Monday, April 30th, 2007Big changes are coming to Minnesota Democrats Exposed next Monday. My entire blog is in the process of being re-designed and updated. I'm so excited about the new look of Minnesota Democrats Exposed. If you have any layout suggestions, please let me know.
PIONEER PRESS: “HATCH’S RED-HOT TEMPER IS THE STUFF OF OFFICE LORE”
Sunday, April 29th, 2007"Hatch's red-hot temper is the stuff of office lore. [Bob] Stanich described being called into Hatch's office one day when Hatch complained of spotting an assistant attorney general reading a newspaper in the library during a lunch break.
'He called the man lazy and then went off on a couple of other things,' Stanich said. [...]
MDE ON THE RADIO: SHOWTIME
Saturday, April 28th, 2007I'll be on the radio for a two-hour program from 3-5 p.m. with King Banaian of SCSU Scholars on AM 1280 The Patriot.
Before you listen to King and me, make sure you listen to the first four hours of the Northern Alliance Radio Network. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. you can hear Power Line's John [...]
DFL HOUSE RULES CHAIR WON’T PROMISE TO CONDUCT INVESTIGATION OF SWANSON’S OFFICE
Saturday, April 28th, 2007"The House voted Friday for a motion asking the Rules Committee to investigate whether Swanson improperly fired assistant attorneys general or violated AFSCME's labor rights. Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Delano, who made the motion, accused Swanson of 'union-busting tactics' to prevent AFSCME from organizing her staff.
House Rules Committee Chairman Tony Sertich, DFL-Chisholm, said he would [...]
UNION OFFICIAL ON SWANSON’S OFFICE: ATTORNEYS “HAVE SHARED THEIR STORIES ABOUT POLITICAL PATRONGAE, INTIMIDATION, AND HUMILIATING WORKING CONDITIONS”
Saturday, April 28th, 2007"The controversy over the Minnesota attorney general's office boiled over on Friday with more fallout from the recent exodus of more than 30 employees, including top deputies.
At a Capitol news conference, the union trying to organize lawyers in the attorney general's office called on Attorney General Lori Swanson to keep promises a union leader [...]
SEIFERT ON TURMOIL IN SWANSON’S OFFICE: “WE DON’T WANT A COVER-UP, WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON”
Saturday, April 28th, 2007"Meanwhile, House Republicans pressed for hearings into allegations of retaliation against lawyers leading the unionization effort, labeling Swanson a union buster. Minority Leader Marty Seifert of Marshall drew a parallel to congressional inquiries into the firings of federal prosecutors that has U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on the defensive.
'We have firings, allegations of political [...]
BREAKING NEWS: HOUSE RULES COMMITTEE TO DETERMINE IF SWANSON’S OFFICE WILL BE INVESTIGATED
Friday, April 27th, 2007The Minnesota House of Representatives unanimously passed a motion this evening regarding the allegations surrounding Attorney General Swanson's office.
UPDATE: This is from the Minnesota Journal of the House:
"Emmer moved that the House instruct the House Committee on Commerce and Labor to conduct a hearing and report back to this body within the next seven [...]
AP: “UNION OFFICIAL LASHES OUT AT ATTORNEY GENERAL SWANSON”
Friday, April 27th, 2007"ST. PAUL The head of Minnesota's largest state employee union says Attorney General Lori Swanson isn't living up to her campaign promises as labor turmoil continues in her office.
Eliot Seide (side) says he's 'disgusted' that his union endorsed Swanson last fall. He says — quote — 'Lori Swanson is not walking her talk.' Dozens of [...]
STAR TRIBUNE: “UNION LASHES OUT AT STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL”
Friday, April 27th, 2007"Turning up the heat in a rare and rancorous dispute between organized labor and a top DFL official, the head of the state's largest public employee union Friday denounced Attorney General Lori Swanson and expressed regret for having endorsed her candidacy.
'Four words disgust us today: 'AFSCME endorsed Lori Swanson,'" said Eliot Seide, executive director of [...]
MN GOP: THEY SAID IT! LORI SWANSON’S STAFF SPEAKS OUT
Friday, April 27th, 2007"'I've never seen morale lower,' said one employee who asked not to be named. 'The place feels like a morgue.'" (Jennifer Bjorhus, Bill Salisbury & Ruben Rosario, “State Attorney General's Office In Shake-Up,” Pioneer Press, April 27, 2007)
"'People are being micromanaged and fired for any reason at the drop of a hat,' a former staff [...]
PIONEER PRESS: “STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE IN SHAKE-UP” #2
Friday, April 27th, 2007I couldn't resist posting another portion of the Pioneer Press' story about Attorney General Swanson's staff troubles.
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"Past and current employees told the Pioneer Press the stream of resigning assistant attorneys general reflects how demoralized Swanson's staff has become.
'People are being micromanaged and fired for any reason at the drop of a hat,' a former [...]
PIONEER PRESS: “STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE IN SHAKE-UP”
Friday, April 27th, 2007"Minnesota's top law office is undergoing a major shake-up, as at least 25 employees have left the attorney general's office since January, including the departure of two top deputies this month.
Those employees have departed since Attorney General Lori Swanson took office in January. This month, Kristine Eiden, former chief deputy attorney general, and Mike [...]
STAR TRIBUNE: “DFL RIFT EXPOSED IN FIGHT BETWEEN AG’S OFFICE, UNION”
Friday, April 27th, 2007"The state's largest public employees union and the Minnesota attorney general are locked in a dispute over the firing of one of its lawyers who said she had tried to organize a union during a flurry of staff departures in the past three months.
Kari Ferguson, an assistant attorney general, was fired last week after handing [...]
PUBLIC DOCUMENTS REGARDING STAFF DEPARTURES FROM SWANSON’S OFFICE
Thursday, April 26th, 2007As I wrote earlier this evening, I was contacted yesterday by a DFL activist informing me about the staff trouble in Attorney General Swanson's office. I was informed by this activist that attempts were being made organize the lawyers inside Swanson's office into a union.
Yesterday, I made a request for public data regarding the [...]
COMING SOON: PUBLIC DOCUMENTS REGARDING STAFF DEPARTURES FROM SWANSON’S OFFICE
Thursday, April 26th, 2007I was contacted yesterday by a DFL activist informing me about the staff trouble in Attorney General Swanson's office. I was informed by this activist that attempts were being made organize the lawyers inside Swanson's office into a union.
Yesterday, I made a request for public data regarding the staff departures in Attorney General Swanson's office [...]
SWANSON ADMITS 30 STAFF MEMBERS HAVE LEFT THE AG’S OFFICE SINCE SHE TOOK OFFICE
Thursday, April 26th, 2007"The labor tensions came to light as Swanson explained the departures of at least 30 members of her staff, including some in management posts, since she took office in January.
She defended the turnover as natural given the change in administrations. Swanson assumed control of an office led for eight years by her mentor, Democrat [...]
AP: SWANSON ALLEGES UNION BULLYING WITH ORGANIZING EFFORT AFOOT
Thursday, April 26th, 2007"Minnesota's largest state employee union acknowledged Thursday it is attempting to organize lawyers within Attorney General Lori Swanson's office, and the process has apparently turned ugly.
Swanson, a first-term Democrat, accused leaders of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 5 of threatening to launch a campaign to 'demean or disparage' the office [...]
REPRESENTATIVE TOM RUKAVINA COMPARES DFL HOUSE MEMBER TO SADDAM HUSSEIN
Thursday, April 26th, 2007This is a video clip of Representative Tom Rukavina comparing Representative Tom Huntley to Saddam Hussein in today’s debate on a statewide smoking ban. Representative Phyllis Kahn stood up called Rukavina’s comparison “out of line.” Sorry for the poor video quality, but you get the point.
PIM: “FIRST NAMES EMERGING FOR CIRESI”
Thursday, April 26th, 2007"First Names Emerging For Ciresi
The big names are beginning to emerge in support of Mike Ciresi's US Senate run, as illustrated by a fundraiser hosted by close Ciresi family friends and former Skip Humphrey political aide Maureen Kucera Walsh and her husband Michael Walsh. Here are the key names on the invite: Rep. Betty McCollum, [...]