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MINNESOTA DEMOCRATS HAVE A HISTORY PUNISHING OTHER MINNESOTA DEMOCRATS FOR STRAYING FROM PARTY IDEOLOGY
By Michael B. Brodkorb | February 26, 2008
Over the next few days, I'm sure Democrats in Minnesota will cry foul if the six Republicans (the Override Six) in the House of Representatives who voted to override Governor Pawlenty's veto of the DFL transit bill are reprimanded.
But before Minnesota Democrats attempt to label Republican as being unfair, let's remember that it is Minnesota Democrat who have the long history of punishing other Democrats for straying from the party ideology. Please read the complete post after the page break.
In 1998, the Senate DFL Caucus voted to remove State Senator Bob Lessard from his role as chairman of the Environment and Natural Resources because he endorsed Norm Coleman's campaign.
"DFL Sen. Bob Lessard expects to be able to work well as the Environment and Natural Resources chairman despite an attempt to remove him because of his endorsement of Republican Norm Coleman.
'These things fade,' the International Falls lawmaker said Thursday after the DFL caucus failed to support his removal from the leadership post.
The DFL caucus voted 20-19 to remove him. But to bring the matter to a vote before the entire Senate, at least 34 DFLers would have had to support it, Majority Leader Roger Moe of Erskine said. That's because the removal would need a vote from the majority of the Senate and it's unlikely many of the 24 Republicans or the one independent would support it.
Some DFLers were unhappy with Lessard because he endorsed Coleman in the 1998 gubernatorial election. In 1994, he also supported Republican Rod Grams over former DFL Rep. Ann Wynia of St. Paul in the U.S. Senate race." Source: Associated Press, December 18, 1998
Representative Ann Lenczewski is currently being challenged within her own party because her challenger claims she's "votes against the best interest of her constituents":
"State Rep. Ann Lenczewski of Bloomington faces a challenge from within the ranks of her own DFL Party in running for a sixth term representing District 40B. John Adkins, an electrical engineer with Medtronic, contends that Lenczewski has lost touch with her constituents." Source: Sun Newspapers, February 13, 2008
If you know off another example of Minnesota Democrats punishing other Minnesota Democrats for straying from the party ideology, please leave a comment on this post.
Tags: Override Six
Topics: Override Six | 14 Comments »
14 Responses to “MINNESOTA DEMOCRATS HAVE A HISTORY PUNISHING OTHER MINNESOTA DEMOCRATS FOR STRAYING FROM PARTY IDEOLOGY”
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February 26th, 2008 at 3:36 PM
Randy Kelly.
February 26th, 2008 at 4:25 PM
That’s Bush though, I mean come on… Bush….
February 26th, 2008 at 4:26 PM
So, one previous example of a guy who endorsed two Republicans over Democrats is a ‘history’ of punishing other DFL’ers over straying from party ideology?
You are a very, very funny man.
Sean
February 26th, 2008 at 4:57 PM
I think instead of Blue being their color I think Brown would better suit their idiology.
February 26th, 2008 at 6:10 PM
Who cares what Democrats say?
February 26th, 2008 at 7:36 PM
hey sean Randy Kelly was a great mayor of Saint Paul yet your party went out and tried to defeat him. It had something to do with he supported Bush! That is a major example which you decided to ignore.
Another example is Tim Penny who was twisted to vote for President Clinton’s tax increase and felt so guilty betraying his values he announced the next day he wasn’t running for reelection.
Another thing your members were being threatened. One person was told if you vote to support the veto you’ll lose your chairmanship! That person voted to override instead of supporting the override so shut up!!!!
Besides I don’t think the DFL has had a historic vote like this where the definition of the party was harmed by a vote. Someday the DFL will have that type of vote and I bet you won’t complain about the DFL punishing the people who cause that vote. Either that your party is mind numb robots who ignore the will of the voters.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
February 26th, 2008 at 7:39 PM
How about Wellstone Democrat Norm Coleman? Oh, that’s right, Norm left on his own before he could be thrown out.
February 26th, 2008 at 8:39 PM
This is the core principle of our party. It would be like Democrats voting to undo the tribal gaming monopoly or not bowing to the wishes of the teachers’ union. Except that our core principle is rooted in what’s best for the people and theirs is rooted in their campaign accounts.
February 27th, 2008 at 12:09 AM
So, you have yet to provide an example of a demotion coming from the party for a non-party vote.
Lessard was threatened, and Randy Kelly lost an election at the hands of his constituents, but no examples of any such ham handed action as those of Meltdown Marty.
Good of you to point this out.
February 27th, 2008 at 8:07 AM
Think about how the DFLers responded to Martin Sabo’s indirect support of Tammy Lee and Amber Reichgott-Young’s direct support of Tammy Lee. I mean, it’s not like Tammy was even a conservative. She was a moderate/liberal and they still went ape-shit crazy.
February 27th, 2008 at 8:54 AM
Mary Elen Otremba. Oh wait, she caved to the threats of her party thugs. At least the six Republicans have a shred of honor left.
February 27th, 2008 at 12:09 PM
[...] As I predicted yesterday, Democrats in Minnesota have started to cry foul because the six Republicans (the Override Six) in the House of Representatives who voted to override Governor Pawlenty's veto of the DFL transit bill are being reprimanded. [...]
February 28th, 2008 at 12:54 AM
How soon former State Senators Sheila Kiscaden and Martha Robertson (an incredibly strong fiscal conservative) seem to have been forgotten by the MDE stalwarts. Victims of party totalitarianism.
February 28th, 2008 at 10:36 AM
Mary Elen Otremba was by far the most transparent in this whole debacle. She votes against the bill. But when it comes to override the veto, she puts herself above her constituents. Because she doesn’t want to lose DFL support. That behavior shouldn’t be acceptable.