State Representative Steve Drazkowski (R-Mazeppa), has assumed a high media profile of late--one might even wonder if he's fishing for a lieutenant governor berth or something.
One piece of grandstanding? Legislation related to abuses of traffic ticket diversion programs.
Not everyone's impressed. The editorial board of the Rochester Post Bulletin writes in Our View: Drazkowski isn't helping conflict-weary Wabasha County:
The Post-Bulletin's editorial board doesn't make a habit of predicting the outcome of lawsuits. Therefore, we won't weigh in on whether people who took a "safe driving course" in Wabasha County or elsewhere in Minnesota deserve a refund, now that a judge has declared those courses to be illegal.
. . .But Rep. Steve Drazkowski is attempting to leapfrog that legal process. The Republican from Mazeppa, who has a habit of introducing provocative-but-unlikely-to-pass bills, not only wants to prohibit so-called "diversion programs" but also wants the Legislature to force counties and cities to refund the class fees paid by offending drivers during the past decade.
The editors approvingly note that Senator Matt Schmit (DFL-Red Wing) has offered a bill to clarify the rules for local diversion programs. But they chide The Draz for stoking flames in Goodhue County:
Sadly, Drazkowski's outlandish proposal has further fanned the flames of anger and conflict in Wabasha County. The ongoing battle between Sheriff Rodney Bartsh and Commissioner Deb Roschen is ugly enough, but by taking Roschen's side in this way, Drazkowski will attract even more statewide attention to a county that, quite frankly, should be weary of the spotlight.
. . . We see no reason for Drazkowski to come in and help them beat a dead horse.
If Draz is trying to raise his statewide profile via ugly local politics in order to run for higher office, the Post Bulletin deserves around of applause for calling attention to the horse he rode in on.
Image: Beating a dead horse.
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