Archive for May, 2007
« Previous EntriesSTAR TRIBUNE: “PAWLENTY VETOES TAX BILL (AND MORE)”
Thursday, May 31st, 2007"Capping a regular legislative session defined by his vetoes, Gov. Tim Pawlenty fulfilled a threat and vetoed a tax bill on Wednesday, taking down with it more than $70 million in local government aids and $33 million in direct homeowner property tax relief. Also falling to Pawlenty's veto pen were public subsidies for expansion [...]
MyDD: “IF FRANKEN’S FAVORABLES REMAIN IN NEGATIVE TERRITORY, THERE IS NO WAY HE CAN WIN THIS RACE”
Thursday, May 31st, 2007"Minnesota. Al Franken's entry into the race, along with his strong fundraising, appears to have scared off other Democrats from challenging highly vulnerable Republican incumbent Norm Coleman. However, as much as many of us might like Al, there are reasons to be worried about this. Polling has consistently shown Coleman hovering either just above or [...]
SD 45 CHILI & CHAT: JUNE 19
Thursday, May 31st, 2007I've been invited to attended the SD 45 Chili and Chat on June 19th. Click here or read below for the details. ### Here's a great opportunity to hear some inside war stories from this year's stormy session. Just how bad did it get? Please join us to find out at our second Senate District [...]
OPEN THREAD
Wednesday, May 30th, 2007I'm not feeling well today, so it's a great time for an open thread. I may post later tonight.
PIONEER PRESS: “THEIR PEERS FORGIVE BUT DWIS HAUNT LAWMAKERS”
Tuesday, May 29th, 2007"Shortly after 2 a.m. Tuesday, Minnesota Senate President James Metzen was caught on a road Minnesota lawmakers have driven before: He was arrested for drunken driving. South St. Paul police say they spotted him weaving between lanes on U.S. 52 Tuesday morning, two hours after the Legislature adjourned for the year. According to police reports, [...]
FRANKEN ON “TODAY” SHOW
Tuesday, May 29th, 2007Al Franken is on the "Today" show talking about his campaign for the U.S. Senate. I'll post more after the interview.
WEST CENTRAL TRIBUNE: “SESSION OVER, DFL AGENDA IS FAR FROM COMPLETE”
Monday, May 28th, 2007"ST. PAUL — On a sunny day last August, House Democrats told reporters gathered at the Minnesota State Fair their top three issues in the 2007 legislative session would be health care, education and property tax relief. Senate Democrats later embraced those three priorities, while adding more of their own. But if success is defined [...]
ST. CLOUD TIMES REPORTER: LAST TWO HOURS OF FLOOR DEBATE IN MINNESOTA HOUSE MADE HIM “NAUSEOUS AND ANGRY”
Sunday, May 27th, 2007"But Monday night shook me out of that complacency. The last two hours of debate on the floor of the House of Representatives made me nauseous and angry. I don't know if House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher and Democrats' decision to run roughshod over the GOP minority to finish on time was within the rules, [...]
MDE ON THE RADIO: SHOWTIME!
Saturday, May 26th, 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. King and I will be talking about the final results of the 2007 legislative session. Before you listen to King and me, make sure you listen to the first four hours of [...]
PRESS RELEASE: HD 39A CHAIR ASKS METZEN TO RESIGN
Friday, May 25th, 2007Mark Mohr, the Chairman of the House District 39A Republicans made the following statement regarding the arrest of State Senator Jim Metzen: "It is sad to see this happen to anybody. Senator Metzen and his family are in my prayers, and I and wish him well. That being said, I am asking Senator Metzen, for [...]
STAR TRIBUNE: “SEN. METZEN DUE IN COURT JUNE 14 FOR DWI ARREST”
Friday, May 25th, 2007"State Senate President James Metzen, DFL-South St. Paul, is due in court June 14 for his first appearance related to his drunken-driving arrest near his home early Tuesday, according to the city's police chief. Metzen had been arrested at 2:13 a.m. Tuesday and registered 0.15 percent blood-alcohol content, nearly twice the legal limit for driving. [...]
NRCC RELEASES “TWINKLE TOES” YOUTUBE VIDEO ON WALZ
Thursday, May 24th, 2007### Click here for more information on the “Real” Tim Walz.
ROCHESTER POST-BULLETIN: “REPUBLICAN AD CAMPAIGN TARGETS WALZ”
Thursday, May 24th, 2007"Contending that the first-term congressman is vulnerable, the Republican National Congressional Committee is taking out a week-long radio ad targeting Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Walz. Ken Spain, a spokesman for the Republican committee, declined to say how big the ad buy is, but said it would air on six stations in the 1st District starting [...]
MDE FROM THE ARCHIVES: FRANKEN SAID HIS “LIFE” IS IN NEW YORK, NEVER SAW HIMSELF MOVING BACK TO MINNESOTA
Thursday, May 24th, 2007"Q: Do you ever see yourself moving back here (Minnesota)? A: I visit family a lot, but no, I think I'm in New York pretty much permanently. My life is here, my kids grew up as New Yorkers." Source: Minnesota Monthly, November 1998 ### This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community [...]
MN COLLEGE REPUBLICANS RELEASE END OF SESSION WEB VIDEO TITLED “SILENCING THE MINORITY”
Thursday, May 24th, 2007### “The people of Minnesota deserve to be made aware of the DFL’s tactics on the House floor in the name of pushing forward their own political agenda. The Minnesota College Republicans feel that the DFL’s destruction of years of legislative precedent in the final hours of session is unacceptable,” said MNCR State Chair [...]
TOP TEN THINGS SENATOR METZEN SAID AT ADJOURNMENT
Thursday, May 24th, 2007A dedicated reader of Minnesota Democrats Exposed sent me this list. ### 10. "WOULD SENATOR JACK DANIELS YIELD FOR A QUESTION?" 9. "THERE BEING 66 AYES AND MY BIG RED NOSE, THE MOTION PREVAILS." 8. "WHY DO I ALWAYS GIGGLE WHEN I SAY 'PRETTNER-SOLON'?" 7. "YA KNOW, SENATOR POGEMILLER IS A RATHER HANDSOME MAN." 6. [...]
METZEN’S ATTORNEY CALLS TALK OF METZEN DRINKING AT CAPITOL “PURE TRASH SPECULATION”
Thursday, May 24th, 2007"State Senate President James Metzen, DFL-South St. Paul, won't face an ethics investigation after his arrest on suspicion of drunken driving early Tuesday, about two hours after he gaveled the chamber to adjournment. Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis, issued a statement Wednesday expressing that conclusion as well as backing for Metzen, a member of [...]
HOW MUCH DID METZEN DRINK?
Wednesday, May 23rd, 2007WCCO's Jason Derusha suggested that Senator Metzen would have needed to drink 6 cocktails in approximately one-hour to be as drunk as he was when he was arrested. This is more than the "three or four" drinks he apparently claimed he had: "Later, after his arrest, Metzen told police that he had had three or [...]
LIBERAL BLOGGERS EXPRESS FRUSTRATION ABOUT DFL LEADERSHIP DURING 2007 SESSION #2
Wednesday, May 23rd, 2007The list of liberal bloggers expressing frustration wth the DFL's leadership during the 2007 session is growing: "…I think the DFL caucuses got thrashed in the public relations war. While DFL leaders were and remain on the right and just and upstanding side of the issues, they crafted no coherent narrative of why their stands [...]
STAR TRIBUNE: “SEN. METZEN IS ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF DWIâ€
Tuesday, May 22nd, 2007"Just hours after a gathering at a Capitol haunt to celebrate the end of the legislative session, state Sen. James Metzen, DFL-South St. Paul, was arrested early Tuesday on suspicion of drunken driving near his home. Metzen, 63, who is president of the Senate, said in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller that [...]
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