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With an insider’s eye, Hot Dish tracks the tastiest bits of Minnesota’s political scene and keep you up-to-date on those elected to serve you.

Contributors in Minnesota: Jennifer Brooks, Baird Helgeson, Mike Kaszuba, Patricia Lopez, Jim Ragsdale, Brad Schrade and Rachel E. Stassen-Berger. Contributors in D.C.: Kevin Diaz and Corey Mitchell.

Posts about 1st District

Past statements haunt in First Congressional Republican race

Posted by: Rachel E. Stassen-Berger Updated: July 27, 2012 - 11:22 AM

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A little Googling, using of Nexis, digging into archives and searches through microfilm are roiling the First Congressional District Republican primary race.

Both Republican Mike Parry and Allen Quist, who are vying in a primary for the right to take on Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, have made current their rival's past statements.

Parry, a state Senator from Waseca, got it started by reminding that when Quist was in the state Legislature decades ago he won some attention for: investigating a porn shop undercover to check for gay sex hang-outs; comparing counseling for gays to the Ku Klux Klan and for saying that men have a genetic predisposition to the head of households.

Quist, in various forums and in various ways, denied the charges.

But late Thursday, the former state representative admitted there was some truth to them, sort of.

In an email to supporters he said that indeed he did visit an adult book store to investigate the goings on  but not in disguise -- and besides, he says not, he was right to do so. 

"I entered the adult bookstore dressed normally in shirt and blue jeans. The real story that won’t be printed is that I did the right thing. There was in fact a huge public health risk involved—a problem that was immediately remedied because someone had the courage to bring the issue to the light of day," he told supporters.

He also said that yes, he did compare counseling to the KKK although he doesn't remember it, and now says it was wrong to do so.

"I have no memory of having said anything like that, but apparently I did. In light of that evidence I now offer my apologies. The words were poorly chosen. I would not say anything like that today. How many of us can remember all that we may have said 24 years ago? The Parry campaign had to dig pretty deep and pretty far back to find something to attack. But those attacks are a shallow substitute for addressing the serious issues facing our nation," he wrote.

He also said that his statement about men's roles from years ago was about religion.

"I believe there is natural order to the family that is part of the genetic code. This negative attack is being taken out of context because I was speaking of religious beliefs, not public policy—beliefs that have no part in political campaigns or political discourse. In addition, I was not speaking of what the Bible says directly, but was speaking of inferences based on the Bible, inferences that others may not agree with," he wrote.

That still conflicts with what he told a reporter two decades ago. In 1994, he said was asked if his discussion about men's "a genetic predisposition" was "a biblical one.” He said: “I don’t know about that. That’s not where I’m coming from.”

But Quist says Parry also has a questionable past -- and present.

"Three years ago, Mike Parry put Democrats and pedophiles in the same category. He also said President Obama was a “Power Hungry Arrogant Black Man," he said.

He earlier hit back against Parry's brickbat over Quist personal financing of his own campaign by suggesting Parry would do the same, if only he could: "He says he’s a businessman, but either he’s not successful, or he’s unwilling to invest some of his success in this effort.”

Parry admitted that on Twitter just before he was elected to the state Senate, he made some inappropriate comments.

“I stood up, I apologized, said I was sorry, it wasn’t going to happen again and I moved on," Parry said. "You’ve got to be responsible about what you do.”

Parry also said that his business has struggled but he has worked hard to keep it afloat.

 

Legislative hearing planned on constitutional amendments

Posted by: Jim Ragsdale Updated: July 16, 2012 - 2:59 PM

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A Republican state senator wants Democratic state officials to explain their work regarding the ballot questions voters will see in November.

Sen. Mike Parry, R-Waseca, who is also a candidate for Congress in the 1st Congressional District, called a meeting of the Senate Government Innovation and Veterans Committee, which he chairs, for Friday.

"In light of recent developments, the committee expects Secretary of State Mark Ritchie and State Attorney General Lori Swanson to explain their involvement surrounding the constitutional ballot questions on the November ballot," read a statement from Parry.

Ritchie has given titles to the two ballot questions -- one prohibiting gay marriage and the other requiring photo ID for voters -- that differ from titles approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature. Republicans have objected that he did so to make them harder to pass in the November election.

The marriage amendment was originally titled by the Legislature as "Recognition of Marriage Solely Between One Man and One Woman." Ritchie has titled the amendment "Limiting the Status of Marriage to Opposite Sex Couples." Gay marriage foes have gone to court to challenge Ritchie's proposed language.

The voting amendment was originally titled "Photo Identification Required for Voting." Ritchie determined it will be titled "Changes to In-Person & Absentee Voting & Voter Registration; Provisional Ballots."

Ritchie has said he consulted Swanson and determined that the Secretary of State, not the Legislature, has the authority to determine the titles of ballot questions. Both Ritchie and Swanson are DFLers.

A spokesman for the Senate Republican Caucus said Parry is interested in exploring political activities that Ritchie and Swanson may have engaged in regarding the ballot questions.

The committee meeting is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. in Room 123 of the state Capitol.

 

Walz's veterans jobs bill set to become law

Posted by: Corey Mitchell Updated: July 13, 2012 - 8:20 AM

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U.S. Rep. Tim Walz's legislation to make it easier for veterans to find work after they leave the military won widespread support from the House and Senate and is now headed to President Obama's desk for final approval.

The Veterans Skills to Jobs Act would speed up the licensing process for veterans, allowing them to bypass federally required training for jobs they're already qualified for because they learned how do them while serving in the military.

The legislation, introduced by Walz and Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Calif., passed the House and Senate this week with bipartisan support and should resonate in Minnesota, which has one of the nation's highest unemployment gaps between veterans and civilians

At almost 23 percent, Minnesota also has one of the highest unemployment rates for post-Sept. 11 veterans in the country. That's twice the national average of 11.5 percent more than three times higher than the state's overall unemployment rate.

During his visit to Minnesota this summer, President Obama called for a "Veterans Jobs Corps" to find work for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. The Obama plan shares similarities with Walz's legislation, which the White House praised this week.

"No veteran who fought for our nation overseas should have to fight for a job when they return home," a statement from President Obama read, in part."... we must all continue our efforts to ensure that these talented men and women whould be an asset to any company have every opportunity to succeed after they serve our nation."

This week, the U.S. House Committee on Veterans Affairs Committee also approved Walz's HIRE at Home Act, which would streamline the state certification process for returning veterans.

Quist outspending Parry in race to challenge Walz

Posted by: Corey Mitchell Updated: July 16, 2012 - 6:52 AM

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Former Republican state Rep. Allen Quist is largely self-funding his Congressional campaign, loaning or donating to his own campaign most of the $243,160 in contributions he's reported so far.

Through the end of June, outside donors have contributed less than 10 percent of his total fundraising haul. But Quist still has more resources than his primary opponent, state Sen. Mike Parry.

Allen Quist generated $178,230 in the second quarter of 2012, and had more than $165,000 in the bank at the end of June. Parry has $36,400 banked after raising almost $52,000 during the months of April, May and June.

Quist and Parry will face off in next month's Republican primary with the winner advancing to take on Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Walz in November for the right to represent the First District, which covers southern Minnesota.

Walz has more than $800,000 stored away for his re-election bid after raising more than $237,000 during the second quarter.

National Democrats have also pledged to back Walz's campaign. The three-term incumbent is part of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's "Frontline" program, which lends support to vulnerable incumbents. In 2010, the committee spent a quarter million dollars to help Walz retain his seat in Congress.

The National Republican Congressional Committee poured significant resources into the race in 2010, spending more than half a million dollars in an effort to unseat Walz. But, as Quist and Parry continue to slug it out, support for this year's crop of Republicans has yet to materialize. Neither candidate secured enough votes to win the party endorsement during the First District Republican convention in April.

As the primary nears, Quist plans to ramp up his fundraising efforts with help from U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann. A longtime Quist associate, Bachmann plans to speak at two of his campaign fundraisers next week in Rochester. Quist is also spending $100,000 on television advertising in southern Minnesota prior to the August primary.

The former state representative made a play for the Republican endorsement to run against Walz in 2010, but dropped out of the race when party leaders endorsed former state Rep. Randy Demmer.

Ellison, McCollum skip 'Fast and Furious' contempt vote in protest

Posted by: Corey Mitchell Updated: June 28, 2012 - 5:26 PM

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U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., and his Congressional Black Caucus colleagues left the House floor during today's votes to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress for his refusal to surrender document concerning "Fast and Furious," a controversial gun-tracking operation.

When the U.S. House voted this afternoon, Ellison, other black caucus members and much of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which Ellison co-chairs, hosted a press conference on the steps of the U.S. Capitol building during the vote.

"I agree that the 'Fast and Furious' operation deserved a methodical Congressional investigation -- this is our oversight responsibility," Ellison said in a statement.

"However, the investigation has ignored the fact that the Bush Administration started this program, which let weapons traffickers by thousands of guns. The Obama Administration acted decisively to stop the program and Attorney General Eric Holder condemned the approach.

"Yet, once again the Republicans won't take 'yes' for an answer and have turned this tragedy into a political football."

Holder is the first black to serve as attorney general and was the first to face a contempt vote by the full House or Senate. The measure passed the House of Representatives, 255 to 67.

The Fast and Furious investigation is trying to determine whether the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms deliberately allowed guns to fall into the hands of drug cartels in Mexico while agents sought to track how the weapons are smuggled to criminal groups. A Customs and Border Protection Agent was shot and killed with one of the trafficked guns.

Democrats pushed for a mass walkout, but two of Minnesota's Democratic representatives -- Collin Peterson and Tim Walz -- supported the contempt resolutions against Holder. The Washington Post reported that the National Rifle Association, which supports the contempt vote, may have influenced Peterson's decision.

"To do its job, Congress must have access to all the information it needs to make independent, sound judgments on behalf of the American people," Walz said in a statement.

"Five years ago, when I voted to hold President Bush's Administration officials in contempt, I said we have to stay consistent in our oversight of executive branch officials. After reviewing the facts carefully, I have come to the same conclusions as I did in 2007. There are just too many unanswered questions surrounding "Fast and Furious," and the American people deserve to know more."

U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum, the only other Minnesota Democrat in the House, joined Ellison in denouncing and skipping the contempt votes.

"This Tea Party Republican resolution is a shameful and shameless political witch hunt intended to destroy an honorable man's character," her statement read, in part.

Minnesota's U.S. Republican representatives -- Michele Bachmann, Chip Cravaack John Kline and Erik Paulsen -- all voted to hold Holder in contempt.

"While I had hoped the Attorney General would have produced the subpoenaed documents, I remain hopeful that these votes are a step forward as Congress continues its investigations into 'Fast and Furious,'" Bachmann said in a statement.

inside the StarTribune