Representative Dean Urdahl may not have a DFL opponent yet, but he's under attack by the DFL and his presumptive Republican challenger for belonging to forces outside of his central Minnesota district. In both cases, Urdahl is fighting back.
Meeker County DFL: Dean's heart belongs to ALEC
Litchfield Independent Review editor Andrew Broman reports in DFL loses appetite for taking on Urdahl:
Missing from Saturday’s Meeker County-Cokato DFL Convention was any mention of an opponent to run against Rep. Dean Urdahl, R-Acton Township. . . .
During an interview Monday, Urdahl said he’s open to working with people in both parties. “I would hope that they recognize that I try to do things for all the people I represent. I don’t ask them if they’re Democrats or Republicans when they call my office for help,” he said....
Unable to field a candidate, some DFLers are accusing Urdahl of belonging to the American Legislative Exchange Council, Broman reports:
The only mention of Urdahl at Saturday’s DFL convention was as part of resolution identifying Urdahl as a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council. The group, known as ALEC, represents a “corporate takeover of our democracy,” the resolution states, and acts as a “dating service” to hook up “Republican state legislators with powerful corporations that bankroll them.”
Asked on Monday about his ties to the group, Urdahl denied being a member. “Dean Urdahl has never been a member of ALEC,” he said.
Urdahl said he previously sponsored legislation, known as the Cheeseburger Bill, which ALEC also supported. But, he said, he was unaware of ALEC’s support for the bill before deciding to sponsor it.
Having looked into ALEC activity in Minnesota, Bluestem believes Urdahl's claim. He's admitted being approached to sponsor the bill, but he's not a member. Moreover, he's not the only non-ALEC member to sponsor an ALEC bill. Mary Franson, who isn't an ALEC member, co-sponsored an ALEC model bill to repeal renewable energy standards,as we reported in Inspired by ALEC bill? Beard, Draz & Franson hating on MN renewable energy standards.
Kyle Greene on Wilf's $200 contribution
Over at Urdahl opponent Kyle Greene's campaign website, the Republican challenger asks, Your current Representative has sold you out?, accusing Urdahl of trading his vote for $200:
Few wanted a new Vikings Stadium, yet we have one. Several have made the allegation that Dean Urdahl was bought. Dean Urdahl, at McCloud [sic] County's Republican convention on March 1, 2014, addressed the issue saying, "Yes, I did vote for a new stadium, my vote was not bought, I was asked to vote for the stadium by the Speaker of the House."
Might I remind you, "nothing is confirmed until it is officially denied".
According to Dean Urdahl's Campaign Finances, Ziggy Wilf (owner of Minnesota Vikings) "Donated" $200 to Dean Urdahl's campaign.Click here for Dean Urdahl's financial contributors. Do you think Ziggy Wilf "donated" money to Dean Urdahl's campaign under the impression that Dean would vote against the new stadium? Ziggy Wilf's $477 million business will grow with a projected $975 million price tag. The stadium is going to cost a Billion. Of that Billion, "We the People" are paying $348 million with an additional $150 million hospitality tax, that is 35% of the new stadium. When Ziggy Wilf sells the Vikings and their stadium, will the Minnesota taxpayer's general fund get back the $348 Million Ziggy Wilf got to grow his business? With interest?
If The Speaker of the House did in fact, ask Dean Urdahl to vote for the Stadium, why didn't Dean Urdahl say no? Is the Speaker of the House a constituent of district 18A? Did District 18A want the new stadium? Since The Speaker of the House (DFL) persuaded Dean Urdahl, via political "sleight of Hand", to vote for the stadium, apparently offering political gamesmanship regarding Urdahl's vote for funding the stadium, Urdal needs to be retired.
A May 15, 2012, newspaper article stated the following: Click here for full story. "Was the vikings bill the most important thing? No, it wasn't!" Urdahl shouted as about 20 people listened inside a small room at the back of the cafe. "But it was what the people wanted us to do." Urdahl told the group that "all the things you cry for" would have been sacrificed if he and other Republicans had failed to pass the stadium bill. "This was a vote to help preserve our majority," Urdahl said. Wait, was this vote for the "Republican majority" or "what the people wanted"?
Bluestem thinks it's unfortunately that Greene doesn't understand that the Speaker of the Minnesota House was Kurt Zellers, a Republican, at the time of the Vikings Stadium vote--and that $200 is a drop in the bucket of contributions to Urdahl's campaign. Perhaps if Greene created a campaign committee and filed with the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure board, he'd be able find and read Urdahl's reports in context.
Kyle Greene v.s. Dean Urdahl Email
A source in the district forwarded the following email, under the subject head, "Kyle Greene v.s. Dean Urdahl":
Sent: Saturday, March 08, 2014 8:45 PM
Subject: Kyle Greene v.s. Dean Urdahl w/attachment
This is about facts and not about personal beliefs or stories. This is about taking action to get the people the facts they deserve if that haven't done it on their own. We as Americans need to start learning how to research those who want or are voted for or backed by any group of people. This is not about Republicans or Democrats, this about educating yourself to understand how voting works, how elections work and getting a perspective on what will happen if somebody is in office that was from the very beginning not competent enough to be voted for in the first place.
-Dean Urdahl
Education:
B.S. in Social Studies from St Cloud State and was an American History teacher and coach for the New London-Spicer School District from 1971-2006.Experience:
He began his political career in 1970 and was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2002 and has been reelected every 2 years since then.Accomplishments:
Dean Urdahl has served on the Minnesota Education in Agriculture Leadership Council, the Minnesota Commission on Public Service Reform, and on the Minnesota State Board of Nursing. In July 2008, he was appointed as the Minnesota representative to the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. Dean Urdahl has also authored some books such as,
Touching Bases with Our Memories the Players Who Made the Minnesota Twins 1961 to 2001
Lives Lived Large Minnesotans in the Public Eye
Uprising
Retribution
The Collar and the Gun
Public Record: 2/16/1996 Nonsufficient Check 8/20/2008 Speeding 65/55 11/13/2009 Speeding 69/55-Kyle Greene
Education:
G.E.D.
Some college creditsExperience:
No Known political experienceAccomplishments:
National Army Guard- 5 months of service
There may be many personal, but no known political accomplishments. Although, counting the many Contempt hearings for non-payment of child support and his vast driving record, I would say Kyle Greene has accomplished staying out of jail.Public Record: 05/23/2003 No Seatbelt
02/09/2004 Speeding 75/55
10/15/2004 Exhibition Driving
12/01/2004 Speeding 70/55
04/12/2005 Exhibition Driving
11/29/2005 Marijuana possession in Motor Vehicle
08/24/2006 Violation of Motorcycle Permit-Driving at Night & Must Carry Proof of Insurance
09/30/2009 Driving after Suspension
10/07/2009 Must Carry Proof of Insurance
01/20/2011 Driving after Suspension
09/07/2011 Driving after Revocation
01/04/2012 Driving after Revocation10/09/2008 Child Support Judgment 4,964.96
08/11/2009 Child Support Judgment 2,465.78 p>03/07/2014 Child Support owed 20,654.94 of this 15,006.93 is owed to the mother of his child.---Additionally I have attached a document to the email typed personally by Mr. Kyle Greene. [Download File Here] These pages will prove that Mr. Greene's agenda is blurry as far as what exactly he is arguing. The only injustice I see is the complete and utter disrespect he has for law officials. He seems to think that when the law is not on his side, it is not because the law is the law, or law officials are doing their job, or that maybe just maybe he has no case, but because he feels that law officials are racist. He has used the N word more times than necessary to try to prove a point and unfortunately, there is no point. He is not above the law, nor will he get the sympathy card. He, like everybody, whether black, white, brown, yellow, or purple need to work to get out of poverty. When is the last time Kyle Greene has worked? How can anybody including the County keep Kyle Greene from finding work? He is currently receiving welfare, MFIP, and yet he argues government needs to be accountable, but is this before or after the government helps support his family and him?
I also suggest reading this article, I have provided the link below. It sheds some light on some of what Kyle may be trying to convey about his injustices? It also lends a statement, a statement I think everybody should wonder, "Let's hope that Greene is sincere in his bid for office and files with the campaign finance board." I also suggest asking, those who back him, why? What is their agenda, why didn't they run themselves, and did they do their homework on Kyle Greene before deciding he would be a good nominee. Does he have any other ideas besides "baggin the good guys who are really bad guys?"
P.S. Please share with all who you feel should see this. This is all about getting the information to the people.
Bluestem is surprised that both sides are distributing our earlier post.
Photo: Dean Urdahl
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If Urdahl was an ALEC member in good standing, I don't think Matt Dean (who sits on ALEC's International Relations Task Force, last I looked) would have attacked him using Neil Gaiman, of all people, as his unwitting and unwilling bludgeon: http://www.bluestemprairie.com/bluestemprairie/2011/05/dean-v-dean-whats-the-pressure-on-urdahl.html
Posted by: Phoenix Woman | Mar 16, 2014 at 09:33 PM