Tom Emmer

Capitol Update - February 2, 2010 (02/02/10)

The Capitol has cleared out so lawmakers can go home to attend their precinct caucuses. And many of them will have their names on the straw poll ballot for the race for governor.

The Session That Was (05/22/09)

Mary Lahammer wraps up the wild end to the 2009 legislative session.

Capitol Update - May 18, 2009

Monday, May 18, 2009 - 6:59 pm

The legislative session must end at midnight and a budget deal between legislators and the governor seems unlikely. The House passed a bill to change the way the seat belt law is enforced and debated medical marijuana for the first time. Over the weekend lawmakers failed to override the governor's vetoes.

View the Capitol Update for May 18, 2009.

Capitol Update - May 18, 2009 (05/18/09)

The legislative session must end at midnight and a budget deal between legislators and the governor seems unlikely. The House passed a bill to change the way the seat belt law is enforced and debated medical marijuana for the first time. Over the weekend lawmakers failed to override the governor's vetoes.

Headlines (05/13/09)

A capsule of the week's news.

Headlines (05/06/09)

Mary reviews the happenings of the busy and contentious week at the Capitol.

Capitol Update - April 27, 2009

Monday, April 27, 2009 - 10:07 pm

Both the House and Senate dove into their health and human services bills, and the Senate forced members to vote on the governor's cuts to health care.

View the Capitol Update for April 27, 2009.

Capitol Update - April 27, 2009 (04/27/09)

Both the House and Senate dove into their health and human services bills, and the Senate forced members to vote on the governor's cuts to health care.

Banner Bi-Partisan Day

Monday, April 20, 2009 - 2:38 pm

It's a rare sight:  A board full of green votes.  It was a bi-partisan day in the House.  The Public Safety budget bill passed unanimously with 134 yes votes.  Even the minority leader spoke in favor of it. 

Rep. Tom Emmer got three amendments on, most notably making DWI records private if an offender does not re-offend for ten years.  Emmer had DWIs back in '91 and '81, which the press revealed and now wouldn't know about under this bill.  Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher jokes that Emmer is "excused for the rest of the day" to celebrate after getting his amendments passed.  Republicans Anderson and Zellers got amendments on too.

Brandon's Law also has huge bi-partisan support from authors Speaker Kelliher and Minority Leader Seifert.  It speeds up authorities' reaction when an adult goes missing.  It passed big without opposition.

Meanwhile the Senate had bi-partisan opposition to its Public Safety budget bill that included a 7% cut.   It failed to pass the full chamber and then was laid on the table to get the caucus under control.  Then it came up again and narrowly passed 34-31.

( categories: | | | )

Tax Day Rallies

Wednesday, April 15, 2009 - 12:08 pm

It's tax day.  Thousands people gathered for the "Tea Party."  Sue Jeffers said "we are not alone, our message is simple, repeal the pork, cut taxes, stop spending and get government out of our lives."  Former Republican congressional candidate Barb Davis White said "kudos to the community organizers" who made this event possible and "thanks to Barack Hussein Obama, without him we may not have come together."  There were many anti-Obama signs.  One read "Portuguese Dog Kenyan President."  They dumped tea and dumped on elected officials in general, not allowing any "politicians" to address the large group.  The only lawmakers I saw there were Reps. Emmer and Buesgens.  It felt more grassroots than opponents had claimed.

About two dozen pro-tax people gathered on the Capitol steps to say "bail out the people" and "tax the rich."   Tasha Jackson from the Welfare Rights Committee said "the rich and their gambling ways got us into this" so they should get us out.  The chant that followed was "Hey, politicians here's the fix: Tax the rich!"  Before that the union-funded Alliance for a Better Minnesota wanted to remind people what taxes get.  Denise Cardinal said "taxes pay for schools, teachers, parks."  The group also questioned the grassroots nature of the anti-tax Tea Party today.    She said they're really organized by D.C. lobbyists, big oil and party insiders.  But reporters noted that the person who ran against Pawlenty for the GOP nomination, Sue Jeffers, is kicking off the rally.   More coverage of both rallies tonight on Almanac: At the Capitol.

 

Syndicate content