The Rochester Post Bulletin covers the Walz-Kind resolution on flood victims in Walz seeks House flood recognition.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports Shaler reservist questions possible discrimination:
Army Sgt. Eric Grenesko recites his armed forces resume with pride: five years of active duty; a 377-day stint as a military police officer in Mosul, Iraq; service with the Pennsylvania National Guard.
The Shaler citizen-soldier, 38, wants to know whether that military career cost him a job.
On Aug. 28, after two weeks of National Guard training and a decision to re-enlist for six years, Grenesko was fired from a $50,000-a-year service manager post with Sunbelt Rentals, a Ross construction equipment rental company.
Grenesko worries he might have been fired because of his military status, though he said his employer chalked it up to "restructuring." A company manager, who refused to provide his name Monday, called the allegations "absolutely ridiculous."
Walz's work for employment rights for the troops is mentioned:
We need to protect people like him," said Altmire, who cosponsored the Reservist Access To Justice Act with U.S. Reps. Artur Davis, D-Ala., and Tim Walz, D-Minn. "They are the bravest and brightest this country has to offer, (and) I would ask the employers to continue to support our brave men and women."
The bill, introduced Aug. 3, says workplace disputes will not be subject to arbitration. It expands availability to monetary damages and allows veterans to bring a case against an employer in state or federal court.
It's difficult to say how many discrimination cases there are based on military service, mainly because incidents are self-reported, officials said. The state Human Relations Commission, which tracks discrimination based on race, age and other categories, does not follow cases involving military status.
The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve said it received 8,158 inquiries last fiscal year, 3,065 of which its volunteers helped mediate. The group has helped mediate 2,255 cases so far this fiscal year, a spokeswoman said. One was Grenesko's.
In the netroots, the Northwest Progressive Institute blog posts that Mr. Hegdahl Goes to the Other Washington and meets Tim Walz at a VoteVets reception.
The Crypt's Blog at Politico reports that NRCC buys newspaper attack ads against 19 House Dems, in an attempt to finish the job on Walz's CHAMP Act vote that special interests groups began. Who knew of the close connection?
Given the NRCC's recent dismal fundraising, the committee might consider saving its money and attempt holding on to Minnesota's Third next year now that Ramstad is retiring. In Run Away! Run Away!, Phoenix Woman writes at Firedoglake:
Ramstad’s departure will almost certainly cause Democrats at the state and national levels to take a long, hard look at this race. With several notable names already connected with this race (led by Andy Luger, the 2006 DFL-endorsed candidate for Hennepin county attorney), the 3rd represents an opportunity for DFLers to “move the goalposts” on their Republican opponents and help spread Republican resources a bit thinner as the GOP seeks to unseat first-term DFL congressman Tim Walz.
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