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Abeler T-shirt makes a statement

Abeler heads into health and human services budget bill debate with shirt questioning "the power of stupid people in large groups."

By Baird Helgeson

April 6, 2011 at 5:21PM

(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

State Rep. Jim Abeler is generally not known as a legislator who keeps his feelings to himself.

Abeler at news conference (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The Anoka Republican verbally sparred publicly with former state Rep. Tom Emmer and defied former Gov. Tim Pawlenty by helping override his veto of a gas tax hike in 2008.

At a news conference Wednesday, journalists took note of the black T-shirt Abeler wore under his white dress shirt.

"What's on the shirt?" journalists asked.

Abeler smiled.

"Please," he said. "No pictures."

He unbuttoned his dress shirt and underneath an image of a government dome, the T-shirt read: "Never Underestimate the Power of Stupid People in Large Groups."

Was it supposed to be the St. Paul Capitol? Washington, D.C.?

Abeler wouldn't say. "It's one of my favorites," he said.

Abeler then left for what was expected to be hours of debate on the health and human services budget bill he crafted.

about the writer

Baird Helgeson

Deputy editor

Baird Helgeson is deputy local editor at the Star Tribune. He helps supervise coverage of local news. Before becoming an editor, he was an award-winning reporter who covered state government and politics. He has worked for news organizations in Minnesota, Florida and North Dakota.