Post Bulletin: Senjem working on pickup truck, not CD1 run, whatever disgraced Senate aide sez

By Sally Jo Sorensen

Last week, fired senate aide Michael Brodkorb blogged in Buzz of Activity Growing for Senjem to Run Against Walz that his anonymous sources were carrying on about a congressional run by Senator David Senjem (R-Rochester).

Later that day, state government reporter Heather Carlson posted Senjem for Congress? in the Rochester Post Bulletin's Political Notebook. The only buzz seems to be coming from vehicle repair:

I reached out to Senjem today to talk about the prospects of a congressional run He was in the middle of replacing the blower motor in his pickup truck. At this point, Senjem said he doesn't know where the buzz is coming from.
"I can only speculate that Washington is vetting me. I am a very appreciative state senator and have not been approached to make, or personally contempleted, a congressional run," he said.

Former Mike Parry for Congress manager Brodkorb had written in Buzz of Activity:

I contacted Senator Senjem last evening and he didn’t rule out a run for Congress, stating “in politics, one never rules anything out.”

One wonders about how awkward this phone call must have been.

Brodkorb launched his lawsuit--since settled with an admission by the former communication director that "the facts of the case [didn't]support any of the claims made against the Senate"-- when Dave Senjem was majority leader.

The Star Tribune's Rachel Stassen-Berger reported in Ex-Senate employee Brodkorb files suit against Senate, state:

The Senate this year hired a private attorney, Dayle Nolan at Minneapolis firm Larkin Hoffman, to deal with the litigation threat. The Senate has already paid Nolan’s firm $85,000 for work done through May.

Senjem said Monday: "Along with our attorneys, we will do everything in our power to protect the interests of the taxpayers. The Minnesota Senate is and always has been responsible in its employment procedures and practices."

And given Brodkorb's known habit of recording phone conversations with senators (and making those recordings public), one wonders whether Senjem would have ruled anything out even if Brodkorb asked about his favorite flavor of ice cream.

Maybe the buzz was just lingering cicadas the political operative heard singing in the trees.

Photo: Senjem hits a target at a 2012 zombie eradication shoot fundraiser for Republicans. And no, that's not an assault rifle; it's a shotgun. Twitter picture by Mike Parry.

If you enjoyed reading this post, consider giving a donation via mail (P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 563260) or paypal: