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MN CLIMATE-GATE PART 1: DFL LEGISLATORS SECURED FUNDING FOR LEFT-WING ENVIRONMENTAL FOUNDATION THEY WORK WITH
By Andy Post | December 2, 2010
Part 1 in a series:
In December, 2009 DFLers Rep. Kate Knuth (New Brighton) and Rep. Jeremy Kalin (North Branch) took to the skies for Copenhagen. Their destination? The United Nations Climate Change Conference of 2009 known as “COP15″. Funding for Kalin’s portion of the trip is unclear, but multiple sources confirm Knuth’s portion of travel and/or additional compensation was paid by the Will Steger Foundation-a progressive group that funds education programs pushing a global warming agenda.
Reps Knuth, Kalin and Sen. Ellen Anderson
Rep. Knuth has made no effort to hide her affiliations with the Foundation, as she expresses in this press release and this press release on her state website claiming, “Knuth is traveling as a policy mentor to the Will Steger Foundation youth delegation.”
It should come as no surprise, then, that after Knuth received extensive compensation from the Steger foundation for international travel, etc. in late 2009, Knuth and Kalin were part of, and supported, a measure in early 2010 to include $250,000 in funding through the LCCMR (Legislative Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources) to the Will Steger Foundation. The Steger Foundation even commemorated the moment with a press release to thank their loyal servants at the Capitol. The LCCMR recommends uses for Minnesota Lottery Funds to the legislature for approval.
As a piece of background information, LCCMR’s website outlines their role as:
The LCCMR is made up of 17 members: 5 Senators, 5 Representatives, 5 citizens appointed by the governor, 1 citizen appointed by the Senate, and 1 citizen appointed by the House. The function of the LCCMR (formerly LCMR) is to make funding recommendations to the legislature for special environment and natural resource projects, primarily from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund.
But if neither Knuth nor Kalin sit on the LCCMR, who carried their water for them?
THE LEGISLATION
In the Senate, Sen. Ellen Anderson (St. Paul) was the Senate author for the bill that would include the funding (HF 2624) and line 17.3 shows the section devoted to the funding for Steger. Anderson is a member of the LCCMR.
The LCCMR and Sen. Anderson made the papers this year when a controversial documentary called “Troubled Waters” (which raised eyebrows this fall) was played at the U of M. Roughly $349,000 was given by the LCCMR to the making of this documentary, according to Rep. Wagenius, quoted in the Star Tribune. Sen. Anderson has long supported ridiculous projects out of the lottery fund, which many in the legislature say has become a slush fund for special-interest spending.
Rep. McNamara(R-Hastings) moved an amendment on this bill during House floor debate to remove the Steger funding from the bill. The amendment was defeated, but Knuth excused herself from voting on the motion, found in the House Journal HERE. If Knuth has no conflict of interest to hide regarding this funding, why would she recuse herself from voting?
Knuth also decided to recuse herself from voting on Final Passage, despite being present during the rest of the day’s legislative activities. However, when the bill passed out of committee earlier in the spring (House Environment and Nat. Resources Committee on Feb 11, 2009) containing the measure, Knuth was present and no note was made that she had excused herself from voting. A voice vote was held on the measure and a quorum present, the audio of the vote can be heard HERE.
STAY TUNED for Part II of this important public issue…
Tags: DFL, DFL Legislators, MDE Files, Senate DFL Caucus, Uncategorized
Topics: DFL, DFL Legislators, MDE Files, Senate DFL Caucus, Uncategorized | 8 Comments »
8 Responses to “MN CLIMATE-GATE PART 1: DFL LEGISLATORS SECURED FUNDING FOR LEFT-WING ENVIRONMENTAL FOUNDATION THEY WORK WITH”
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December 2nd, 2010 at 10:27 PM
Shouldn’t the Legislative Auditor look into this matter?
December 3rd, 2010 at 3:33 AM
We never seem to have enough money for edjamacation but we need more money for indoctrination?
BTW: considering the increases in the cost of so-called higher education when are our liberal friends going to call for an investigation?
December 3rd, 2010 at 11:28 AM
MN Climate-gate part 2: Pawlenty signed it into law
December 3rd, 2010 at 1:52 PM
I agree with you minnesnowta, Governor Green should be removed from consideration for President over his green agenda.
December 3rd, 2010 at 4:09 PM
jpmn, he was only “green” his first few years…. if you can call it that.
my point is that if MDE has such an issue with this bill then they should take a closer look at the republican members who voted for it’s passage and then pawlenty for signing it into law.
December 3rd, 2010 at 5:07 PM
minne, I don’t disagree.
However, back to TPaw, his renewable fuels mandate is going to cost Minnesotans buckets of money this year and even more in the future. All because he mistakenly believed he could buy (with our money)some “enviromentalist”(Red Greens) votes.
December 3rd, 2010 at 11:54 PM
The Legislative Auditor should look into the conflict of interest. The fact that that bill was bad is a matter for the voters. That is a big reason so many Republicans opposed Marty Seifert’s endorsement for Governor. It was a bad bill, and no conservative should have voted for it. Pawlenty will lose support from many Republicans in his run for President due to his left-leaning environmental “quick-fix” stances. However, I don’t think he cares. He probably thinks he will make up those votes by picking up Rinos and democrats.
December 4th, 2010 at 7:55 PM
The Climate Change Morons are at it again in Cancun. Calling on us (Little People) to ration our consumption.
http://michellemalkin.com/2010/12/03/un-climate-summit/
However, they don’t seem interested in rationing for themselves. If these people are given a chance we will all be standing in Soviet style bread lines.
Did members of our State Government or our Federal Representatives attend? If so do they agree that we should be forced into a ration program?