At www.racinonow.com, the official website of the group Day will lead, the State Senator figures prominently in a video introduction. Three things about this video struck me as interesting.
First, Senator Day is still a member of the Minnesota Legislature, but he’s already lobbying and extolling the virtues of a racino.
Second, notice what Senator Day is wearing in the opening scene. He’s outside the Capitol, wearing a sport coat (not an overcoat), with no hat, no gloves, and an open collar. I am pretty sure this scene was not filmed this week, given the not insignificant blizzard that graced our great state. That means Senator Day was working for a lobbying group before he even announced that he was going to resign from the Legislature!
Lastly, if you skip to the end of the video, you’ll see Senator Day sitting behind a desk and speaking to the camera. For readers unfamiliar with the Minnesota Capitol complex, that office is very clearly Senator Day’s official office in the State Office Building. Dick Day was literally lobbying from his State Senator’s office.
I don’t know if Senator Day broke the law by lobbying while still a member of the Minnesota Legislature (and using his taxpayer funded office to boot) but even if it isn’t illegal, it sure is unethical.
In case Racino Now pulls the ad off their website, we’ve captured it and put it after the jump.
This going to shock you but, I like Dick Day. I've had drinks with him several times and conversations at the capitol. However, we disagreed on the Racino from beginning.
Anyway, you'll have to prove that this was actually his office at the SOB and it was during session.
We pay these guys a bit over $30,000 for a part time job. In reality it is full time.
Be prepared for the simple minds on the other side to find teachers who are legislators, who advocate for education funding.
Are there any currently practicing teachers in the state legislature? I would think it would be impossible.
Also, they would have to be active state lobbyists in order for the analogy to be accurate.
Regarding use of his Senate office for lobbying purposes - it matters not at all whether the Senate was in session. The issue is, he may have used his office, which was provided to him for doing the people's business, for lobbying. I think this rises to the level of a genuine legal problem for him.
I guess it is important to know when he began getting paid by Racino Now, or perhaps that begins in January. That is the different between this being a hobby/cause or a job. Pretty big distinction in this case.
Yes, there are active teachers, lawyers and insurance employees each crafting legislation that should be almost a conflict.
Again, it doesn't matter when Racino hired him- his legislative job is part time and he can work for whomever as long as its not another elected position. How many law firms have current legislators as partners? Most of the big ones. Doesn't stop them from lobbying.
Make it full-time and pay them a real salary and then we can decide about their employment.
Good post, DJZ. That makes sense.
"How many law firms have current legislators as partners? Most of the big ones. Doesn't stop them from lobbying."
Three "big" firms, actually:
1. Winthrop & Weinsteine
2. Robins Kaplan
3. Briggs and Morgan
Only Winthrop has a state lobbying team and I'd be willing to bet good money that they've had internal discussions on the ethical and legal ramifications of lobbying someone working for their firm.
Why are Democrats turning on each other? The Keliher attack and now the leaking of the Baucus girlfriend situation. When Republicans turned on each other they lost elections. Why are Democrats repeating the same mistakes?
The republicans lost elections because they have no solutions but obstruction.
The charges against MAC were filed by the Republican party of Minnesota, and Bauccus is deserving of whatever scorn he earns
Lojasmo you are wrong again. The source was another Democrat state rep.
http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/7906827...
Your article does not support your claim. Rukavina approached MAC's campaign directly, and the MAC campaign went to the DFL.
Thanks, Sr. Failso.
But, it was not a Republican who outed her. The state GOP made a complaint AFTER the information was made public.
From an outsiders standpoint, here is what it looks like:
The DFL party that has had a tendency to promote unelectable-in-the-general-but-party-darlings likes MAK. Alot. So much that they have her a sweetheart deal on a voter list. Only when called on it did everyone suddenly figure out it was unethical.
After Moe and Hatch, it appears MAK is next in line to be blessed by the DFL, and rejected by the electorate.
Nothing on MAK and the DFL?
I can only imagine the headlines if it was Entenza getting caught setting up a sweetheart deal.
Dan would be all over that. Seriously though…this was a fuck-up by ONE DFL staffer. Non-issue (as much as I want MAC to fail)
Every last person named in the article and involved in this knew damn well it was ridding the fence of the language of the law.
MAK's campaign manager spent several years working with DFL Executive Director (who gave MAK the OK to funnel/earmark those dollars) as the political director and THE person who built that list into the best in the nation. The lobbyist is as familiar as anyone as to when, who and how much money can be donated.
I don't want MAK to fail. I still believe if this is MAK's endorsement to loose, stupid mistakes like this is a step in that direction. She's got plenty of money and enough party insiders supporting her and others know that. So, you don't exploit that over an expenditure that's nothing to your bottom line, even if its December. You see, its December and every campaign will hold off on spending so that the Dec 31 year end cash on hand looks good. MAK, being Speaker, has more connections to easy money than anyone next to Entenza in this race.
Помогите, пожалуйста! ищу уже пол года себе половинку.
После того как последний парень меня бросил уже сил нет жить одному.
Умею отлично делать минет
http://ru-gei.ru/images/4/10/8.jpg
всем, кто готов откликнуться на крик души, просьба отписаться на почту xandermaximov@gmail.com
или по телефону Александр Максимов, Саратовская область, +79023215566
Только прошу вас не оскорблять, что XanderMaximov пидор, гей - это состояние души. Так же как у некоторых к девущкам.
Any politician who would state, in public session and on the public record, that the Minneapolis school system "sucks", is a boorish ogre and should be censured.
Unless they really do.
If you are the parent of student of color, that achievement gap is stunning. Its the worst in the country. It may be enough to say- this sucks, and put your kid in another system or a private school.
Anyone who ignores how that school system is failing minorities is an ostrich with their heads stuck in the sand and needs to be censured.
That's not the point.
Even if the school district does suck (and I'm not taking a position on it), no-one in any public position should level an insult like that.
Dickie Day is a moron and has not concept of tact.