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MDE EXCLUSIVE: MOMS PAINT DISTURBING PICTURE OF BONOFF’S HANDLING OF SENSITIVE LEGISLATION #2
By Michael B. Brodkorb | March 31, 2008
This is the second installment of a three-part post about an interview I did with Elizabeth Lavang and Sandy Maclean about State Senator Terri Bonoff’s handling of the Grieving Parents Act in the Minnesota Senate. Click here to read the first post.
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On March 8, 2007, four days before the Grieving Parents Act was formally introduced in the Minnesota Senate, Bonoff e-mailed Levang and thanked her for bringing this issue to her attention. Bonoff added that she would be “happy” to author this legislation in the Minnesota Senate:
Dear Elizabeth,
Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I would be happy to carry this initiative in the Senate. My staff has been in touch with Rep Brod’s office today and I have signed and submitted the Senate Jackets. The bill will get introduced in Session om [sic] Monday and my staff has informed me that we will get a hearing on this probably next week, possibly Wednesday. In the meantime, I would love to meet with you either over the phone or in person. My staff will be in touch with you to schedule something.
I look forward to meeting you,
Terri
Bonoff ended her e-mail to Levang by stating that she should “love to meet [her] with over the phone or in person.” Levang and Maclean would later learn that scheduling a meeting with Bonoff or having their e-mails and phone call returned would become very difficult.
While the Grieving Parents Act moved through committees in the House of Representative, the legislation stalled in the Minnesota Senate. Levang and Maclean finally meet with Bonoff in late April 2007 to discuss why the legislation Bonoff was “honored” to author, wasn’t moving in the Minnesota Senate.
According to Levang and Maclean, Bonoff claimed that someone had gotten to the committee chair and that Bonoff had been told the legislation wasn’t going anywhere. Levang and Maclean claim that Bonoff told them that she personally believed in the bill and that she promised them that she would carry the legislation in 2008.
Less than a month later, the Mankato Free Press reported that Bonoff would push the Grieving Parents Act during the 2008 session:
“‘I was nervous I was being set up,’ said Bonoff, who nevertheless intends to move the bill forward in the 2008 session. ‘I do plan to go forward with it. I’m not going to be hesitant.” Source: Mankato Free Press, May 15, 2007
Bonoff’s promise to carry the legislation would not be kept.
On November 5, 2007, Bonoff announced that she would be running for Congress. After announcing her campaign for Congress, it would appear that Bonoff’s interest in authoring the Grieving Parents Act died.
On March 7, 2008, after hearing rumors that Bonoff would not author the Grieving Parents Act from another legislator, Maclean spoke with Bonoff on the phone. Maclean claims Bonoff told her that she “didn’t really know this congressional seat would be coming available and I’ve been very busy with the campaign.” Maclean said Bonoff coldly told her that “your bill is no longer a priority for me.”
According to legislative records from the Minnesota Senate, Bonoff was replaced as the chief author of Grieving Parents Act on March 13, six days after she reportedly told Maclean the bill was “no longer a priority” for her.
Please check back to Minnesota Democrats Exposed later today for at least one additional update to this post.
Topics: Uncategorized | 6 Comments »
March 31st, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Is any democrat really going to believe this? The fact is the republican party was going to make this an issue of when life begins to try to make abortion illegal or weaken a woman’s right to choose. they will even stand in the way of a grieving parents rights. I guess the anti-choice people should be outraged… put this to bed where it belongs.
Madia should maybe explain why Ciresi endorsed Bonoff and why he isn’t supporting a former employee. Perhaps Ciresi know more about Ashwin Madia then we do.
March 31st, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Jack you need to read many of the posts over on MNPublius by attorneys who worked closely with Ash Madia before you throw slime. This whole issue was important months before Ash Madia or Jim Hovland entered the race. Your mind ought to be able to comprehend this: this issue arose in March of 07. Ashwin Madia entered the race at the end of Oct. 07. This was under discussion with Terri Bonoff (and in the April 07 article in the Mankato Free Press) for months before Ashwin decided to run.
April 1st, 2008 at 11:40 am
here is something from MNPublius Weapons of Mass Destruction: tell the whole story… desperation from Madia and his clan.. he must really be afraid people are catching on to the fact he has nothing to offer… has he gotten a lot of calls asking him why Mike Ciresi doesn’t support him? Don’t tell me the firm is large and Ciresi doesn’t know who Madia is. I have met Mike and he knows everything that is going on around him.
You don’t buy those nice suits and shoes on Madia’s salary. He makes the big bucks because he is an awesome attorney… really stuck it to big tobacco! Ciresi is very successful and he knows a winner when he sees one.
He jumped on Bonoff’s support right away from what I heard. He gave her the maximum contribution and I saw the firm even has given her support. A few young lawyers or posers on MNPublius isn’t going to impress me. Madia shouldn’t worry though.. I doubt Ciresi would say anything bad about him being as he is a lawyer he knows better… but I have not heard any statement like “we would take him back” I know that is totally legal to say… don’t think we will hear it!
anyway, this issue is dead! the right wingers decided to make it an anti-choice issue… if Madia supports a woman’s right to choose, he and his army would not discuss it. it makes him appear more like a republican.
http://mnpublius.com/2008/03/grieving-parents-act-the-whole-story/#comment-69104
April 1st, 2008 at 12:27 pm
[...] On March 31, Terri got hit with a broadside of posts by Michael Brodkorp at MDE. Moms paint disturbing picture #1 Moms paint disturbing picture #2 Bonoff campaign releases statement Moms paint disturbing picture #3 [...]
April 2nd, 2008 at 11:12 pm
Moms Paint Disturbing Pictures #1, by the numbers.
Moms Paint Disturbing Pictures #2, by the numbers.
Moms Paint Disturbing Pictures #3, by the numbers.
A sequel could be Moms brush-up on Painting Disturbing Pictures.
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:48 pm
Anyone watching the embarrassing display of cowardice by the DFL spitting on the legislative process to keep from passing a single pro-life amendment can see how flimsy Bonoff’s argument is.
It is clear as the blue sky that there is no way on Earth even the slightest bit of pro-life legislation will pass when the DFL controls the legislature, so Bonoff saying she dropped the bill because it would do pro-life things is just a lie. As blatant a lie as the moderate image she (and a whole host of other DFLers) work so hard to fool Minnesotans into believing.