St. Paul- Republican of Minnesota Chairman Tony Sutton and Deputy Chairman Michael Brodkorb applauded today’s ruling by the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board finding that Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak violated state campaign finance law by far exceeding the $100 expenditure threshold required for the establishment of a campaign committee.

“Today’s ruling holding R.T. Rybak accountable for his deliberate attempt to circumvent our state’s campaign finance laws is to be commended.  Rybak campaigned for governor across Minnesota for months without lawfully establishing a campaign committee and recording his expenditures.  It appears that the sole purpose of his campaign for mayor was to provide a slush fund for gubernatorial ambitions.  This pattern of deception shows Rybak does not have the judgment to lead our great state,” Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Tony Sutton.

“It’s bad enough that Rybak broke campaign finance law with his relentless statewide campaigning but even worse that he continued to flout state law for weeks even after we brought his actions to the attention of the Campaign Finance Board.  Minnesotans aren’t going to support a candidate like Rybak who thinks there is one set of rules for him and one set of rules for everyone else.  In addition, Chris Coleman has nothing to celebrate:  the Board said Coleman was a candidate and he needs to disclose his personal expenditures,” said Republican Party of Minnesota Deputy Chairman Michael Brodkorb.

7 Responses to “MNGOP RELEASE ON CFB FINDINGS ON RT RYBAK”

1. danbrome Says:
   November 6th, 2009 at 3:50 PM

   Please Tony, you are embarrassing yourself…

   In addition, these two are complete clowns.

2. Chris Says:
   November 7th, 2009 at 8:24 AM

   damnbrone, you are a meathead: dead from the neck up.

3. Chris Says:
   November 7th, 2009 at 8:26 AM

   It interesting that our pal Hector hasn’t chimed in on this decision. Hector was certain that RT Rybak (1) wasn’t running for governor and (2) wasn’t breaking Minnesota’s campaign finance laws. Obviously he was and today’s ruling from the MN Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board settles the issue. A public servant cannot use their campaign accounts as slush funds to run for something else.

4. chile Says:
   November 7th, 2009 at 9:00 AM

   Chris, Hiram has been doing plenty of spin on other threads. He is now backpedaling from his assertions that neither RT or CC were running for governor.

5. Hector Says:
   November 7th, 2009 at 11:05 AM

   I don’t think I am backpedalling on whether either Coleman or Rybak were running for governor, but I am taking into account the CFB’s decision.

   Basically, the CFB ruled that Coleman wasn’t running for governor and that Rybak was, which strikes me as a compromise decision. With respect to Rybak, the CFB made their decision on the basis of the survey. As Chile reminded me, I had previously commented on that issue, and looking back on what I said then, I think my questions I raised then still address significant issues.

   From the CFB’s decision, simply sending out a survey statewide is not enough to prove candidacy. What mattered to the CFB, or at least what they said mattered, were the questions themselves which they felt were intended to advance a run for governor. Taken at face value, I think the CFB’s decision on that issue was disputable for some of the issues I raised previously, basically that lots of people issue surveys who aren’t running for governor. But just beneath the surface of the CFB’s opinion, I sense an irritation with a candidate who crafted his survey in a way they felt was intended to be deceptive, and that the CFB’s rejection of Rybak’s argument was a statement that they were not going to allow themselves to be played for fools.

6. Hector Says:
   November 7th, 2009 at 11:06 AM

   “Obviously he was and today’s ruling from the MN Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board settles the issue. A public servant cannot use their campaign accounts as slush funds to run for something else.”

   They did rule that, by the way, but they did that on their own initiative. Although that issue was discussed on this board, it wasn’t an issue the complaint raised with the board.

7. chile Says:
   November 7th, 2009 at 6:06 PM

   Hiram says: “Basically, the CFB ruled that Coleman wasn’t running for governor and that Rybak was, which strikes me as a compromise decision.”

   Wrong again Hiram, the CFB ruled that BOTH were running for governor.

   “In addition, Chris Coleman has nothing to celebrate: the Board said Coleman was a candidate and he needs to disclose his personal expenditures,”

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