Back in the waning days of the 20th century, the distaff version of poet Robert Bly's drumming guys Iron John movement was the archetype of the wild woman, Women Who Run With The Wolves.
Now making a run for those roses: former auditor and newly-minted RacinoNow lobbyist, Pat Anderson, who was just elected RNC committeewoman by the Republican Party of Minnesota State Central Committee.
What's the problem? As Bluestem explained in Disturbance at the elephant house: MNGOP party platform purity tests RNC candidates, a post about Ben Golnik dropping out in the RNC, there's that litle thing about no public financing of stadiums and no expansion of gambling in the MNGOP party platform. In various incarnations, the racino, an expansion of gaming, has been connected with funding sports facilities. (But as we all know now, funding for that must come from extending the sales tax to some clothing and putting a surcharge on some of Minnesota's high income earners on the part of the no-new taxes party).
But I disgress.
MPR reports in Pat Anderson now a racino lobbyist:
Minnesota's newly elected Republican National committeewoman may have already stepped off the party platform. Patricia Anderson, formerly the State Auditor and now a lobbyist, has added Canterbury Park and its racino efforts to her lobbying portfolio.
That's in spite of a party position against gambling in Minnesota. Here's the relevant section of the 2010 party platform.
We seek to eliminate all state-sponsored gambling and oppose any expansion of gambling in Minnesota. In regards to casinos already in place, current gambling laws should be changed so that Minnesota is allowed to tax profits and revenue of tribal casino gambling in the state.
Anderson registered with Canterbury via email over the weekend. She isn't officially listed on the state Campaign Finance Board website, but the board processed her filing this morning, according to staffer Patricia Waller, and Anderson confirmed she'd signed on with Canterbury.
My, oh my. Anderson is unapologetic, because a racino allowed at just one or two specific sites is, after all, free enterprise. You go, girl! Adam Smith, rapidly spinning in his grave, will take the first purse for that one.
RPM Uber-werewolf deputy chair, Michael Brodkorb, isn't having a good day. MPR reports:
Deputy chair Michael Brodkorb said he thought the party faithful that elected her at the state central committee meeting earlier this month would be unpleasantly surprised by her new duties. He thinks she probably would have best brought this up during her campaign for the RNC.
"She is not starting off her time as national committeewoman in a very strong way," Brodkorb said. "There is an expectation that a national committeewoman can work with people and effectively communicate, and I don't think she's done a good job in this situation. I think she's got some work to do with relationships and internal discussions on these things. But ulimately, it's a conflict."
He stopped short of saying the party would take formal action against Anderson, although he did point out that she's only serving out the last year of Evie Axdahl's term, and will be back before the party sooner, rather than later. But he suggested the situation ought to resolve itself before it came to that.
"Look, I'm not saying by any stretch of imagination that she shouldn't be able to go out and work," Brodkorb said, "but the reality is that she has taken a position and handled this in such a way that I think she's ultimately going to have to make a choice. I don't believe that she can do both."
already, one RPM activist has posted I Agree With Brodkorb, Pat Anderson Must Choose.
Another plot twist in the wild woman story: one of the things that was used against unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer was his registration as a lobbyist for a professional group that is perceived to stand in opposition to Republican principles. PIM's Charley Shaw reported in RNC upset: Johnson spanks Emmer on one ballot:
Lobbying job drew resentment
Emmer’s lackadaisical bid for RNC surprised many Republicans, because the race did feature substantive accusations directed at Emmer over lobbying, campaign funding decisions and media.
The lobbying issue stemmed from the announcement this winter that Emmer had registered to lobby for the Minnesota Radiation Oncology Physicians. That rankled many Republicans - not only because Emmer was turning to lobbying, a profession not much favored among the GOP base, but because of the side he landed on. MROP has spent years lobbying to block the efforts of another group to construct a new radiation facility in the Twin Cities. In signing on with them, Emmer was thought by many to be turning his back on Republican faith in free markets and competition - and on a specific party platform plank that called for more competition as the path to health care savings.
As a legislator, Emmer voted to lift the moratorium on new radiation facilities. His choice to represent the other side as a lobbyist was a subject of discussion at State Central. The only critical piece of literature to circulate on the State Central floor, which was distributed by Tea Party activist and former legislative candidate Nathan Hansen, lambasted Emmer for lobbying for MROP.
And which faction used this to defeat Emmer? Why, the "anti-purity" people who want to win and don't like losers, by picking a guy who lost a couple races, including his AG race to Lori Swanson in 2006 by a margin Mark Dayton would envy.
Buy yourselves a tasty soft pretzel, gentle readers, and enjoy the logic of the show.
Photo: Platus's observation, Homo homini lupus, nussles its way in RPM politics.
I will be blogging about this matter on Friday after I've attended the Elephant Club happy hour featuring Sutton, Brodkorb, Sturrock, Johnson & Anderson the evening before. What's not to like? With luck I'll get a forced group smile picture to tweet.
I comment on your post only now to say that you have it wrong with the "anti-purity" people as you label us (and link to my blog). It really wasn't Emmer being a lobbyist per se for most delegates that was the problem. Instead, he took a diametrically opposite lobbying job on a matter about which he actually introduced legislation in the MN House. In many people's view, that was about as egregious a selling out of principles as one could imagine. It makes running afoul of the ever expanding party platform look like child's play.
Pat Anderson, it must be said, has been on public record supporting various expansions of gambling. To that degree, the comparison with Emmer is not apposite. People may still feel she ought to have divulged her plans before being elected RNC committeewoman but that strikes me as another matter altogether.
John Gilmore
Chair, 65 B
State Central delegate
Bluestem responds: Thanks for the thoughtful comment--I look forward to your post.
Posted by: Shabbosgoy | Apr 27, 2011 at 01:55 PM
I too look forward to see how ShabbosJohn tries to finesse this issue when even Michael Brodkorb not only couldn't, but wouldn't even attempt to do so.
Posted by: Phoenix Woman | Apr 29, 2011 at 08:04 AM