UPDATE AUGUST 5: Rachel Stassen Berger reports Challenger emerges to run against U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar — GOP state Rep. Jim Newberger. Our dream race as a blogger. Please, Republicans, pick the Becker conservative as your man in 2018![end update]
While we read Rachel Stassen Berger's article, Minnesota Rep. Jim Newberger considering running against U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, we regretted the bargeloads of zucchini and pole beans waiting to be picked in garden--and we're only now getting a chance to review the case for Newberger after a million-dollar rain deprived us of watering chores.
A Newberger campaign for the United States Senate would be the paradise of bloggers--and perhaps the Tartarus of Minnesota Republicans.
Sure, the wavering spine of Governor Mark Dayton and Republican Lite DFLers allowed Newberger the classic Gas, Oil and Petroleum (GOP) victory Stassen Berger described in her copy:
Newberger, who is vice chair of the House Job Growth and Energy Affordability Policy and Finance committee, said energy issues would be a major focus of his campaign, should he run.
With support from colleagues — from both sides of the aisle — Newberger shepherded a measure through the Legislature and to Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton that allowed Xcel Energy to convert a retiring coal plant in Sherburne County into a natural gas and renewable energy plant. The energy project had been tied up with regulators before Dayton signed the bill into law this year.
It's nice to see Newberger make sure Xcel got what it wanted. After all, corporations should get what they pay for: the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board released its 2016 Lobbying Disbursement Report last month, revealing that Xcel topped the shopping list at $1,611,734, for persuasion across various government entities. This year? We'll have to wait to know.
The Newberger Legacy
But there's so much more to Jim Newberger than servicing our corporate overlords.
Helping Friends and Influencing Judges
Looking to earlier copy from Stassen-Berger at the Pioneer Press, we see this gem from early January 2016, Minnesota legislator reprimanded for intervening in judgment:
A district judge reprimanded a legislator last month for sending a letter about a case under his review.
“I am respectfully requesting that you not send me any further correspondence regarding this matter,” District Court Judge William Cashman wrote Rep. Jim Newberger. Cashman said the letter Newberger wrote amounted to ex parte communication, barred by court rules.
Newberger, a Republican from Becker, had written to Cashman on behalf of his constituent Jeff Friedrich, who was in a dispute that resulted in a judgment against him of “close to $250,000.”
“I am asking you to reconsider this case and allow Mr. Friedrich to explain his side of this issue before you,” Newberger wrote.
Friedrich, president of CarCo Automotive Inc., contributed $250 to Newberger in 2014 and does not appear in state databases as contributing to anyone else. . . .
Oh.
In Legislator crosses line with letter to judge, the Editorial Board of the St. Cloud Times wrote:
Stunning.
That's the word that comes to mind upon the news that District 15B Rep. Jim Newberger tried to influence a judge on behalf of a business owner in his district.
While sometimes the actions of elected officials can fall into gray areas with regard to ethics, conflicts of interest or inappropriate use of power, Newberger's recent actions to help one constituent's legal battle stretch far across the bright line that's long divided our three branches of government.
Worse yet, Newberger serves on the Public Safety and Crime Prevention Policy and Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over the judicial branch budget.
Voters must not overlook this action as we head toward Election Day. . . .
A two-term state legislator with a bachelor's degree in political science/mass communication most certainly should have known his action was wrong.
Quite honestly, he should do more than issue a statement in response to the initial report. He should apologize and fully explain why exactly he thought it was proper to use his legislative influence on a specific case in the judicial branch.
Read the entire editorial at the St. Cloud Times. Bluestem looked at the news story in Newberger, on committee that oversees judicial budgets, appealed to judge to help job creator. That's what's known as a deadpan headline.
North Star Passenger Rail and the St. Cloud Prison
Newberger stunned Minnesotans with floor remarks that linked Minneapolis neighborhoods of color, the St. Cloud Prison and extension of the North Star Line passenger to the Granite City. At The Uptake, Mike McIntee reported in “Convenient” Prison To North Minneapolis Connection Draws Boos For Rep. Newberger:
Rep. Jim Newberger (R-Becker) is against more funding for Minnesota’s North Star rail, a line that was originally supposed to go between Minneapolis and St. Cloud but has yet to be extended that far. During debate on a transportation bill Newberger said he’s against expanding the route because the tracks would go near St. Cloud’s prison.
“Boy, wouldn’t that be convenient, to have that rail line going from the prison to North Minneapolis,” said Newberger. After hearing some grumbling he quickly added, “or to any section of our state.” Boos were heard in the House chamber.
North Minneapolis is a neighborhood with a racially diverse population.
Newberger quickly apologized for naming North Minneapolis, “but that’s what came into my mind. It doesn’t matter, it could be any part of the city. But if you’re going to connect a large metro to a prison there’s going to be some concerns. I would be lying if I said there wasn’t.”
Newberger said in his “neck of the woods,” there’s a different name for the North Star. “We don’t call it North Star, we call it the black hole because that’s where all the money goes.”
We observed in Mention St. Cloud & visions of prison & North Minneapolis pop into Jim Newberger's head:
Other representatives brought up the presence of St. Cloud State University, which had 17,231 students enrolled in 2011, but Newberger? Mention St. Cloud, and the first thing he's thinking about are 1035 prisoners now living in the state prison. According to the April 21, 2015 facility inmate report, 50 percent of those incarcerated are from non-metro areas, while 23 percent are from Hennepin County.
But on Planet Newberger, those 250-odd souls (and who knows how many of the Hennepin County population of the prison are from North Minneapolis) are the magnet for the North Star line if it's extended to St. Cloud.
The next day, Newberger whined on the House floor about being unfairly labeled as a climate change denier, even as he denied climate change. We looked at this remarkable rhetorical feat in Victims all: climate change denier MN Rep. Jim Newberger totally fears labeling and persecution.
A series of unfortunate quotes
Newberger has been a frequent subject for Bluestem posts, beginning with our December 2012 post, Scary MN: Representative-elect Jim Newberger totally freaks about EQB & Citizens Forums:
. . .For Representative-elect Jim Newberger at the Central Minnesota Tea Party Blog, it's no dogwhistle, but a full-throated tornado siren shrieking across the prairie and Granite City quarries. In Agenda 21 Coming to St. Cloud!, he writes:
It is time to act. The Environmental Quality Board is organizing an Agenda 21-style "congress” for Minnesota. I have received reports from folks who have attended the Rochester and Bloomington “congresses”. This is a huge move by the state to force a “Green Agenda”.
We have an opportunity to attend, to vote, and to speak at these events. The Liberals have been stuffing these rooms FULL. I was told there were 160 at the Rochester event! I was also informed that the majority of these people were government union people, or staff members from one of the MANY agencies behind this “congress”.
St. Cloud is Central Minnesota. This is OUR home turf. We need to be there. If we pull together: Liberty folks, TEA Party folks, Republicans and Conservatives then we CAN make an impact. We must stand together!
GET YOUR PEOPLE to the St. Cloud event. I will be there.
I will also be having an organizational meeting BEFORE this takes place so we are united and can work as a team. Stay tuned. Details to come.
God’s peace,
Jim Newberger
763.482.9486Since Newberger hasn't been sworn into office yet, we suspect open meeting laws don't apply. Will his pre-Citizen Forum organizational meeting for his kindred spirits be open to the public and the press?
Following that introduction, we posted Captured on the Minnesota House floor: Pat Garofalo reacts to Jim Newberger, in which Garofalo indicates with hand signal that his colleague isn't mentally well (watch it for the wonderful visuals); In prolonged rant on anti-bullying bill, Jim Newberger plays Orwell & Hitler cards (the headline speaks for itself); and MN House Coal Caucus votes to keep bill about air pollution away from environment committee.
Goose hater
Finally, the Becker Republican hates Canada geese because they poop too much, prompting domestic waterfowl rescuer and House staffer Amanda Rudi Rudolph to tweet:
"I HATE GEESE." --Rep. Jim Newberger in Env. & Natural Resources Pol. & Fin. Cmte. 😦 #MNLeg#GiveGeeseAChance #SebastianArwenZuzu pic.twitter.com/gnJlFIepuz
— Amanda Rudi Rudolph (@ARudiRudolph) February 2, 2017
We're praying Newberger makes the leap to the U.S. Senate race. Sweet Baby Jesus in a corncrib, make it so.
Photo: Star Tribune photo Glen Stubbe captured Newberger being a little pointy fingery.
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