Gov. Mark Dayton said Thursday he told Steve Sviggum, the Senate Republican official and University of Minnesota regent, that he was "embarrassing" both himself and the university by attempting to hold both jobs.
The DFL governor made his comments as the university's board of regents was scheduled Thursday to consider the situation regarding Sviggum, who became the Senate Republican communications director in January while he continued to serve as a university board of regent.
A three-regent panel said Sviggum's attempt to hold both offices created a "fundamental, systemic conflict" and that he should choose between the two jobs.
"I saw him at the Gophers hockey game last Friday and I told him that this situation was embarrassing him, embarrassing the university, and he needed to resolve it," the governor said. "I think he should make a decision between one or the other."
Dayton said his comments to Sviggum were "my advice as a friend."
"I told him I had great respect for his years of service," said the governor.
