The Minnesota Campaign Finance Board has dismissed a complaint filed by Rep. Tom Emmer against Minnesota 2020, a think tank founded by former House DFL Leader Matt Entenza.
A letter informing Minnesota 2020 of the Board’s actions was dated January 8th. The complaint was filed January 4th. That means it took the Board just one full business day to conclude that Emmer’s complaint was completely without merit.
Emmer, who is a lawyer, alleged that Minnesota 2020 and its agents should have registered as lobbyists. Though I am only a first year law student, I can already tell you where Rep. Emmer went wrong - he failed to do any research whatsoever. If he had, he would have discovered that there is no statutory requirement that “lobbying entities” register.
The complaint alleges that Minnesota 2020 failed to register as a lobbying entity. Because Minnesota statutes do not include any provision requiring lobbying entities to register, the complaint does not allege a violation of Minnesota Statutes Chapter 10A with respect to Minnesota 2020.
I bet Rep. Emmer’s Legal Research professor is very disappointed in him.
The Board also rejects the argument that Entenza and Minnesota 2020 fellow Conrad deFiebre should have registered as lobbyists:
The complaint also alleges that Mr. Entenza and Mr. deFiebre failed to register with the Board as lobbyists. Board records indicate that neither of the subject individuals are registered as lobbyists. However, the complaint does not include allegations of fact that would trigger a requirement that either Mr. Entenza or Mr. deFiebre register as lobbyists.
So, Emmer filed a complaint that included one claim that has no basis in law and one claim that has no basis in fact. Impressive.
I hope no one ever makes the mistake of taking Rep. Emmer’s complaints seriously ever again.
You can find a copy of the Board’s letter dismissing the complaint after the jump.
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Tom Emmer’s motto: “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.”
The Legislative Auditor’s conclusion that public officials can use their day jobs to raise cash was wrong and will be fixed.
Emmer wass right then, is right here and was also right when he questioned Dean Johnson’s hall pass to check in with the Supreme Court to see how they were going to rule on pending legislation.
As I am sure you have already learned in law school, not gett’n caught dont make it right.
“The Legislative Auditor’s conclusion that public officials can use their day jobs to raise cash”
purpleblogdog, you apparently are employing the research strategy as Emmer - which is to not do any research and just make things up. If you read the actual report, that was not the legislative auditor’s conclusion.
And even if the law is changed, Mark Ritche did not break the law in place now. How does that make Emmer right?
If Tom Emmer’s name is attached to something, you can pretty much guarantee that its a complete waste of time.
Emmer is the Rukavina of Republicans. They both think they are smarter and more important than they are.
What Ritchie did was wrong even if not illegal. If the complaint ends with a new law it is a good thing. This more recent complaint by Emmer seems like a much bigger stretch.
The pattern is clear: file nuisance complaints against Democrats and their allies, waste taxpayers’ money by having the Campaign Finance Board process the complaints, then repeat the charges over and over again, regardless of the lack of merit in the original complaint.
This strategy works with providing political coverage at the Star Tribune. Interviewed by Brian Lambert, D.J. Tice admitted to covering a lot of nothing. Lovely: Minnesota politics & journalism as Seinfeld reruns.
Knowing Emmer, he’ll probably find a recess field and pick a fight with some 3rd graders to make himself feel better.
How many times has he done this?
Emmer’s frivilous filings and failures will make great campaign material when he runs against Lori Swanson for A.G.
Zack,
I don’t know where you are in your law school education, but one of the reasons someone files a complaint such as this is to have grounds for an appeal that could lead to changing the law that entities should have to register as lobbyists. It’s pretty amazing how all of these front groups for the DFL can get away with advocating for legislative action and not have to register with anyone. That’s why I believe full disclosure of activity, fundraising, etc. is the only way to clean up politics.