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KNUTH’S CLIMATE CONFLICT
By Luke Hellier | December 14, 2009
Rep. Katie Knuth, State Representative from New Brighton is currently on a cushy trip to the Copenhagen Climate Conference.
According to the Pioneer Press, Knuth’s travel is being paid for by the Will Steger Foundation. The Steger Foundation is not registered as a lobbyist but is funded by groups that are; such as Sierra Club.
However, a bigger conflict arises due to the fact that Knuth sits on a committee that will vote whether or not to accept a grant proposal from the Will Steger Foundation for $250,000. This grant, linked below, is for educating students about ‘Minnesota’s Changing Climate.’ (Note: This money would be coming from the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources.)
Will Knuth repay her trip coordinators by voting to grant a $250,000 award?
You can view the grant application here.
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Topics: Uncategorized | 5 Comments »
December 14th, 2009 at 4:07 PM
Kate’s a smart person (Masters from Oxford and a Fulbright Scholar) and I’m sure she knows what she is doing.
Also, I’ve known her for years and nobody calls her “Katie.”
December 15th, 2009 at 6:35 AM
“Kate’s a smart person (Masters from Oxford and a Fulbright Scholar) and I’m sure she knows what she is doing.”
Big MAK has a masters from Harvard and judging from her legal troubles, she has no idea what she’s doing.
So what’s your point?
December 15th, 2009 at 7:20 AM
With Margaret, it seems at this point, a case of someone claiming to be too smart for their own good. Somebody claims to have seen a legal opinion supporting what she did, but no one seems to be able to find it now. But in any event, it’s not a good idea to do indirectly what you can’t do directly, and it doesn’t matter how many legal opinions you get that say otherwise.
As for Kate, I don’t know her, but it does surprise me that even at this late date, legislators don’t seem to realize how politically problematic travel on legislative business can be.
December 15th, 2009 at 8:03 AM
I have a tragic tendency to quote myself, one reason I am avoided at parties. That said, one of my favorite things to say is, “Never ask for political advice from lawyers, and never ask for legal advice from politicians.” That’s something Margaret would have done well to keep in mind.
December 15th, 2009 at 11:03 AM
[...] MDE Exclusive yesterday posted the sketchy relationship between State Rep. Katie Knuth and the Will Steger Foundation. In the article by the Pioneer [...]