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STAR TRIBUNE: “DAY WILL URGE STATE SENATE TO WITHDRAW FROM BRIDGE PROBE”
By Michael B. Brodkorb | January 18, 2008
This is a very prudent move by Senator Dick Day:
"State Sen. Dick Day, R-Owatonna, on Thursday said he will ask the Senate to withdraw from its independent investigation on the reason for the I-35W bridge collapse, saying that the investigation was 'redundant' and wasteful in the wake of an interim report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)." Source: Star Tribune, January 17, 2008
I'm sure King and I will discuss this on tomorrow's radio show. Check back later today for a preview of tomorrow's show.
UPDATE: There's a good chance that Day will be a guest on tomorrow's radio show.
Topics: Dick Day | 24 Comments »
24 Responses to “STAR TRIBUNE: “DAY WILL URGE STATE SENATE TO WITHDRAW FROM BRIDGE PROBE””
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January 18th, 2008 at 10:40 am
Will Dick Day ask the Governor to withdraw from his $2 million no-bid contract with Wiss, Janney, Elstney Associates to investigate the bridge collapse?
January 18th, 2008 at 10:50 am
The NTSB investigation is the only investigation needed. The rest is all liberals flailing in cow shit looking for rubies.
January 18th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
If the Republicans have nothing to fear, then why should they be afraid of a second opinion? The contract is already signed anyhow, so all Dick is doing is trying to get in the news to support his hopeless Congressional bid.
January 18th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
It seems to me, Rick, the people who have to have the most to fear in this situation are those who, in their rush to judgment to score political points and advance their own political agenda, blamed the collapse of the bridge on a “lack of funding,” when, as the NTSB report now indicates and common sense dictated then, the bridge collapsed because of a flawed design.
January 18th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Rick
Sadly it appears that the Democrats are searching for a report they can agree with. I suspect that’s why they hired a DFLer to head their inquiry – they had some idea of what caused the tragedy, but wanted something to point the finger at the governor.
Similarly, I disagree with the final report regarding Mark Ritchie. Do I respect it? Yes, because the auditor who conducted the investigation knows alot more about it than I ever will. If Republicans were to do their own investigation, I label that as partisan too.
And anyone who thinks the NTSB is covering up for Pawlenty is just plain nuts. Pawlenty may be in the news here, but I guarantee that no one else in the country – especially a federal agency – gives a darn about him. These professional investigators would not put their reputations on the line for a politician they’ve probably never heard of.
January 18th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
If the Republicans have nothing to fear, then why should they be afraid of a second opinion?
It is exactly that sort of question that allows us all to know the real reason for a Senate “investigation”.
Politics. That’s all it’s about. Not truth, but how to use the tragedy of people dying to extract political gain.
Pathetic.
January 18th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
May there have been a “design flaw” sure, but the bridge lasted for 40 years! MnDOT had 40 years to figure that out and correct it or at least shut down the bridge until they figured out how to correct it. They dispelled numerous reports that suggested the bridge needed repair. They also allowed the construction crew and their weight on the bridge which I still believe had a part in the collapse.
What I find downright odd though, is the NTSB and Pawlenty both having big press conferences telling everyone it’s a design flaw, but then saying don’t jump to conclusions it is not complete. Well hell if it isn’t complete don’t have the damn press conference, finish your work. If you have concerns about other bridges having the same problem, call their transportation departments, don’t have a big press conference.
If you think this bridge collapse doesn’t involve politics on Pawlenty’s part you are crazy! He will do anything possible to wiggle out of any responsibility for the collapse, because he knows if he doesn’t he has no chance at being considered for VP.
January 18th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
I’m surprised Dick Day didn’t blame the ramp meters for the bridge collapse!
If he wants to complain about wasting money look at all the time and money wasted on that stupid ramp meter study he authored.
January 18th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
The same people who are covering up the REAL reason for the bridge collapse are the same people who blew up Wellstone’s plane and were the masterminds of the 9/11 attacks. Next their going to suspend the elections next year to stay in power. Lets find the REAL reason for this bridge collpase.
January 18th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
[...] Ace of Spades HQ wrote an interesting post today on Comment on STAR TRIBUNE: “DAY WILL URGE STATE SENATE TO WITHDRAW…Here’s a quick excerptPolitics. That’s all it’s about. Not truth, but how to use the tragedy of people dying to extract political gain. Pathetic. [...]
January 18th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Granny
You failed to mention the DFL press conference held following release of the NTSB report. You can’t swing a dead cat without Senator Murphy mugging it up for the 6PM news. He’s pathetic and irrelevant. What’s sad is the main stream press covers this clown, even though he has nothing new to say.
Your claim that Pawlenty is covering something up is baseless and just plain silly. Now go lay by your dish.
January 18th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
To help Rick: The contract can be cancelled at any time, and the state only owes for time served. That means they can stop their sham investigation now, and only get paid a fraction of the money.
To Cranny: What’s worse: Pawlenty saying that a prelim report seems to headed in a different direction than the DFL had hoped? Or several DFL/anti-administration members saying on the day the bridge collapsed that Pawlenty was responsible because he didn’t back a reckless attempt to raise taxes?
January 18th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Jimmy, didn’t you hear? The report came back and it turns out Wellstone death was of his own doing.
He realized just how bad his policies were and rather than live with the errors he made he felt it better to just end it all and let the world correct it’s self.
What?? My theroy is as good as yours.
What is it with tin foil hat liberals??
January 18th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Newton, nice use of the “go lay by your dish”.
I approve.
January 18th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Funny thing is most minnesotans know full well that it is our DFL who has been sucking money from roads for union transit projects to keep their base happy. Not only should the bridge disaster be laid at the feet of our DFL but also the deaths caused by light rais thus far.
Funny, the bridge has been up for 40 years but it is all Pawlenty’s fault.
How about all the liberals who have been running things all the years before? Oh that is right, the local DFL needs things like this to happen so they can use it to get more tax dollars from the rest of us.
Seems no matter what the issue, the DFL sees the answer as time to raise taxes.
I really question why anyone would vote DFL anymore.
January 18th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
I cannot make the connection that had the light rail not been built, the bridge would not have collapsed.
All I am saying is that people who know more about bridges (NTSB) have released a preliminary report. Agree or disagree with it, you have to admit they’re the experts and we are not.
I feel the same way about the Mark Ritchie situation. I disagree with the findings of the auditor who investigated, but I respect the process and we have to live with that.
January 18th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
The problem with design defects is that it usually takes an accident to figure out there was a design flaw. Nobody expects MNDOT to periodically dismantle the bridge to figure out if the design is proper.
The reason the final judgement has not been ascertained by the NTSB is that we don’t know the extent to which the weights of the vehicles on the bridge, construction activity and other factors such as weather had on the bridge failure.
What we do know is that it’s pretty ridiculous that the DFL hired lawyers (who are already suing MNDOT on behalf of private clients) instead of waiting for the NTSB to do its work.
January 18th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Hey Rigormaroll,
If you’re worried about time and money being wasted, turn the stupid ramp meters off. I spent 15 minutes at one, wasting 1/3 a gallon of gas when there wasn’t even any traffic on Hwy 36 the other morning.
January 19th, 2008 at 10:05 am
“Funny thing is most minnesotans know full well that it is our DFL who has been sucking money from roads for union transit projects to keep their base happy.”
Complete Bullshit, the gas tax is constitutionally dedicated to funding roads you dumbass! You guys think if you keep repeating your crappy propoganda long enough, people will believe it.
January 19th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
That’s right Rig – keep believing that – what a dope.
January 20th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Rig,
Yes, the gas tax is dedicated to roads and bridges. But for years half of the MVST went into the general fund to be spend on education, health and human services, etc. The DFL refused to move all of the MVST to transportation. The only way the MVST got put into transportation was because the people of Minnesota voted to amend the state constitution. Even there, the DFL added language that at least 40% went to transit.
You can’t name one major road and bridge package sponsored by the DFL in the last 10 years. But I bet you can name half a dozen transit packages. Let’s face it, the DFL doesn’t want more roads. They want the government to control how people move around in this state.
January 20th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
I spent 15 minutes at one, wasting 1/3 a gallon of gas when there wasn’t even any traffic on Hwy 36 the other morning.
That was the same day Chris was stuck for an hour, on an escalator.
January 20th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
Did anyone see Pat Kessler’s report the other night? Of course, it featured Senator Murphy, who in my opinion, has become the biggest whiner in Minnesota.
Kessler “reported” that Senator Murphy is skeptical of the NTSB report on the 35W bridge collapse, and that’s why they hired an “independent investigator” – in Kessler’s words.
Isn’t the “independent investigator” hired by state lawmakers (the majority of whom are DFL) a DFL lawyer who has run for public office before?
If that’s the case, Kessler has proven again that he and the other main stream reporters are biased, subjective pawns of the DFL.
January 21st, 2008 at 7:36 am
Say, Chris?
Do you see the fallacy of your statement, here?
“Let’s face it, the DFL doesn’t want more roads. They want the government to control how people move around in this state.