A couple of items in Politics in Minnesota allow shadowy glimpses at the form of the contemporary Republican Party, and its attendant legislative caucuses for those of us Minnesotans restrained from a view of the full monty.
In Capitol party crasher, PIM reported on Wednesday:
. . .Republican legislative leaders stood before microphones at a news conference last week and attempted to brush off comments made by the Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Tony Sutton, who had recently characterized the governor as “privileged,” “erratic” and “Machiavellian.” No one in leadership professed to agree with the remarks. . . .
. . .Facing a certain special session and the possibility of a government shutdown, GOP leaders and legislators seem to be distancing themselves from the state party chairman’s words. But moves to distinguish themselves now could prove difficult after a session that has seen the state party involved in legislative affairs to an unusual degree, sources say. From Sutton’s strongly worded letters to legislators railing against tax hikes to Michael Brodkorb’s dual role as Senate caucus communications head and deputy party chairman, some Capitol hands point to a level of closeness between the state party and its legislative caucuses that is unprecedented.
Actually, Brodkorb serves a triple role. As the Star Tribune reported in A man of many jobs, but do any of them conflict? he's not merely Senate caucus communications head and deputy party chairman, he also works as Senator Amy Koch's executive assistant.
He retains this position, if the report on WCCO News about the March Madness betting pool is correct (via Minnpost Daily Glean's That wasn't really a 'Shutdown Office Pool,' GOP says):
‘It’s incredibly inappropriate,’ said Michael Brodkorb, Executive Assistant to the Senate GOP Caucus, who said neither he nor any Republican leaders were aware of the pool.
But Majority Leader Brodkorb would have us believe that he doesn't have much pull in the Caucus, despite his dual roles in the body, as well as his volunter work for the party.
Even more fascinating? Senator Dave Thompson's appearance in the PIM story:
GOP Sen. Dave Thompson said he understands that the Legislature and the party serve different functions. “The job of the state party is to promote Republican ideas and principles and message in a way that they feel informs the state about what is going on in Minnesota politics,” he said. “Within the caucuses, we have a very different function to promote our message and principles and also we have to get the work done and deal with the governor. Do I agree with everything Tony Sutton says? Nope, and I doubt Tony Sutton agrees with everything I say.
“Is the level of activity [by the state party] ramped up?” Thompson continued. “I don’t know. And if it is, it’s because of the circumstances. The GOP majorities are butting up against a government shutdown. We are living in different times.
Who is better to clarify the division between party and caucus than Thompson? Bluestem knows of no other more emblematic figure in Brodkorb's caucus, since Thompson himself ran as a candidate, while serving as a communications consultant to Lee Byberg' congressional campaign and doing "General Party Media Consulting" for the Republican Party of Minnesota.
Bluestem reported in From the fascinating FEC reports of the Republican Party of Minnesota: of counties, committees, and candidates:
Back in June 2010, PIM's Paul Demko reported that Thompson was pulling double-duty, serving as communications director for CD7 challenger Lee Byberg. Byberg's own FEC statements show that the congressional campaign appears to be on a separate contract; Byberg paid Thompson $1500 in early October. Perhaps Thompson was doing triple duty: candidate, congressional campaign comm director and general party media consultant (whatever that is).
In the next amended report for the RPM(Febuary 2011), also filed on April 25, 2011, Dave Thompson was owed $18750.00 during the month of January. Thus, one might infer that the Republican Party of Minnesota retained Senator Thompson for $11,250 worth of additional services for "General Party Media Consulting." Thompson was not paid in January 2011 though March 2011 for any of the 2010 debt.
This changes in the May report, which details financial activity during April 2011. Thompson received two equal payments during April for the $7500 owed for 2010, when he was a candidate and consultant, while the $11,250 of consulting work from January 2011 remains charged as a debt.
One final gem from the PIM report: a fascinating correction:
After our story “Capitol party crasher” was published online late yesterday afternoon, Sen. John Howe contacted us to say we had misinterpreted a comment of his that appeared at the end of the piece. As published, the remark was framed to suggest that the state GOP had played a leading role in setting the initial Republican budget target of $34.2 billion. That is “factually inaccurate,” Howe said: In referring to the “party,” he meant legislative caucus leadership, not the Republican Party of Minnesota.
In an email to Capitol Report, Howe wrote, “The reporter in this case was talking about the GOP state party and I was talking about the GOP Senate caucus (I use the words ‘party’ and ‘caucus’ interchangeably)…. I attended the caucus meeting where we decided what numbers to use for the budget. It was a lengthy discussion; I thought starting at $34.2 billion was too high. But to suggest or even imply that Tony Sutton, Michael Brodkorb, or the State Republican Party had any input into the budget numbers is factually inaccurate. It just did not happen.”
PIM/Capitol Report regrets the error.
We do not. Bluestem thinks it's a natural reading of the situation.
It must be so difficult for Koch to work without her executive assistant or communications director involved in any caucus meetings or discussions. And how grand of triple-dippers like Senate Majority Leader Brodkorb and Thompson to struggle to keep these lines straight.
Image: Nothing to it, really.
Bleg: Like what you're reading? Throw a few coins in Bluestem's tip jar for the blog's June reader support drive. Need more information? Read all about it here.
Cookie jar, cookie jar,
What do I see,
It's only the hand of the GOP.
Nice gotcha' Sally Jo!
Jeff Wilfahrt, Rosemount, MN
Posted by: Jeff Wilfahrt | Jun 10, 2011 at 08:51 AM
So, How much is STB making off those three conflicting gigs. I always love when an anti Gummint, anti public sector employee is sucking off the public teat themselves (at least x 2) It's a campaign commercial that writes itself!
Bluestem note: For now, Deputy Chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota is a volunteer position. I do not know what his salary or salaries are for the state senate positions, though an enterprising report might be able to pry that information out.
Posted by: Flash | Jun 10, 2011 at 09:40 AM
via -> http://www.startribune.com/politics/114022089.html
==
At the Capitol, his salary was less than $54,000 when he was the Senate Republican communications director. When he added the duties as executive assistant to the majority leader, his pay rose to $94,000
==
Posted by: Flash | Jun 10, 2011 at 01:10 PM