Bluestem Prairie

Dan Feidt: Remembering Sarah Janecek

by Dan Feidt
Contributed post adapted from Facebook

Shocked to hear that my friend (and publisher for 4.5 years) Sarah Janecek died while doing what she loved, international traveling. The memorial notes about Sarah have not really addressed how good Politics In Minnesota (PIM) actually was (especially in the notoriously sexist fields of media and politics), so I should share a tiny slice.

Sarah hired me on the basis of a single phone call in January 2005 - I was still reeling from Bush getting re-elected and needed to find some political job to correspond to my last semester poli sci class in college.

I got a lot more than that: a full-blown years-long insider education into Minnesota politics and journalism. Until July 2009 I worked on three editions of Politics in Minnesota: The Directory, a thick tome requiring interviews with dozens of state politicians. When there was enough money, I also worked on the Weekly Report and prepped the HTML on Morning Reports.

After she split the business from Blois Olson (in an exciting Friday afternoon battle I totally reversed Blois' attempt to kick us off the digital systems!), Sarah trusted me to build a new Drupal website that weekend. We added new features like a complete legislative election directory, and a Yahoo! Pipes based Capitol Twitter aggregator. She gave us green lights as long as she felt we could "corner" something on the Internet.

She had a lot of faith in me and the others on our scrappy team that we could build a viable model for statehouse Internet news coverage - she totally accepted that this Internet stuff was the future and we knew how to deal with it. Countless times she would work the phones for hours to figure out some story and let me eavesdrop on whatever the PR honchos had to share. If someone at the Capitol knew you were a friend of Sarah's and under the PIM flag, they would often open up and tell you WTF was *really* going on, off the record.

She was a great writer who would turn out excellent pieces on topics that got little attention, and even though I had a totally opposed worldview and ideology, I learned to appreciate the importance she put on gathering the facts, the numbers, putting a substantial analysis and only after that putting the opinion on top.

Our prime directive was to keep digging on topics where the major media was not - and there was always so much to find at the Capitol unreported. We accelerated forwards the Age of Twitter, ever more "in the mix" kind of curving into the event horizon of unfolding news.

Believe it or not, we spent a bunch of time tracking Jared Kushner back then, since it seemed like he was trying to corner statehouse reporting as "Politicker" also using Drupal sites like we were!

Sarah really wanted to give us on staff some economic security, a major reason she sold her businesses to Dolan Media Company. In the deal she personally negotiated a higher salary for me than Dolan's standard reporter package, which I am really thankful for. CEO Jim Dolan knew that our model was vital to the survival of his company.

Working for Sarah at PIM was perhaps the best possible way I could have applied both my poli sci and geography major/minor. Although it was intensely stressful it was also really rewarding to break ahead of the pack.

Sarah and the unstoppable office manager, copy editor and brain of the things, Ricé Davis, always respected me so much up to the minute I walked out the door. If Sarah had not given me that chance then I would basically be ignorant of what really constitutes the political scene and how it works. I decided after PIM I would work commercially in web development because of what we had reported about the state of the media industry itself, but I still worked on noncommercial media projects every year thereafter.

In my life I have usually been reluctant to develop mentoring relationships but in early 2005 I figured I had to do something wildly out of pattern, so I worked for this Republican insider with a great sense of humor, who would grab her desk as if she were on a spaceship spinning out of control, who would make hilarious faces and cross her eyes in reaction to something absurd on a speakerphone convo. (I won't specify Ricé's favorite gesture for the many bloviating males on the phone, but it was wholly appropriate).

I should add one other memory, I sat in on a long and kind of exciting conversation she had with her dear friend David Carr (the NY Times media industry guru). It is bewildering I'm the only person still alive from that convo.

You could not possibly ask for a better mentor in this field, and I am not alone in this conclusion. "Kudos" to you, Sarah, and "Ciao".

Photo: Sarah Janecek (front) and Dan Feidt (standing, second from left). Via Facebook.

A native of Hudson, WI, Dan Feidt lives in Boston, MA, where he works as a full-stack web developer at kor group and CEO/Owner of Dan Feidt Design LLC. He is a founding member of Unicorn Riot, a decentralized, educational 501(c)(3) non-profit media organization of artists and journalists. He asked that Bluestem lightly edit and reprint this memorial.

To contribute to Unicorn Riot, click here.

#Mnleg ordered study: Appleton private prison bed rent more expensive than county jail cell

A study mandated by the state legislature of the CoreCivic-owned Prairie Correctional facility in Appleton, Minnesota has been posted online, and the conclusions drawn by the third-party architectural firm might not make folks like state representative Tim Miller, R-Prinsburg, happy.

The Klein McCarthy Architects team concluded "Total Capital Expenditures recommended by the [Facility Condition Assessment] over the next 15 years is a cost of $78,695,780" and "Provided there are enough beds available to rent, it is cheaper for the State to rent beds from counties at $55/day rather than lease from CoreCivic for a 5 year lease of $98/day/offender."

As far as purchasing the facility, the report notes: "Total fifteen year purchase and construction value invested by the State of $196.5 million."

Here are the first 22 pages of the assessment:

MN Prairie Correctional Facility - Architectural Assessment (Summary Material) uploaded by Sally Jo Sorensen on Scribd

 Read the entire 241-page MN Prairie Correctional Facility - Architectural Assessment online.

There's another longer report, MN Prairie Correctional Facility - Facility Condition Assessment (FCA) online as well.

CoreCivic is the corporate penal human trafficking rebranding of the firm formerly known as Corrections Corporation of America. Learn more about the purpose of the rebranding in Shane Bauer's Mother Jones article, A Stray Email Exposes a Prison Company’s Rebranding Efforts.Teaser: "CoreCivic enlists help from a PR firm that boasts an “aggressive media strategy” for countering journalists."

As we reported in our 2016 post, Swift Co Monitor endorses Falk, & all Tim Miller got was some lousy cash from CCA execs:

[Tim Miller] did manage to snag some campaign cash from Corrections Corporation of America's executives and their spouses, as well as from a couple of CCA corporate lobbyists. From his pre-general election report to the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board (available here):

There's $250.00 each from CCA Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President David Garfunkle and his wife Carrie, both of Franklin, Tennessee, followed by the same amounts from CCA Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer Anthony Grande and his wife, as well as  from CCA President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director Damon Hininger and his wife (page 4 of Miller's 2016 pre-general report).

Former Appleton warden Daren Swenson, now CCA's Tennessee-based Vice President, Facility Operations, Business Unit 2 also gave Miller $250 (page 6 of Miller's 2016 pre-general report).

Finally, there's the $500 each of CCA's corporate lobbyists (Kelly Durham and Brad Regens, page 7 of Miller's 2016 pre-general report) handed over.

 All that money must be smooth as Tennessee whiskey for blunting the blow of rejection by Swift County's finest news source (We're not being snarly about the Monitor, whose editor is highly respected among country newspaper people).

An we haven't even touched on CCA's contributions to the Republican State Leadership Committee, which has given $755,000 in the last ten days to the MN Jobs Coalition Legislative Fund. . . .

There's money in that sort of thing.

Photo: The shuttered CoreCivic prison at Appleton.

If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the  paypal subscription button.

Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email [email protected] as recipient.

Brown County: MN Well Owners Organization Veep thinks well testing opponents misinformed

Bluestem explored Brown County Farm Bureau activist Harley Vogel's letter to the New Ulm Journal in our post, Blame bison for dirty water, not farmers, Farm Bureau Honorary Life Member tells NUJournal.

Geologist and Vice President of the Minnesota Well Owners Organization Jeffrey Broberg responded to Vogel in a letter posted Monday in the New Ulm Journal, Well test opponents mistaken:

Mr. Vogel, in his letter opposing Brown County water testing, is misinformed about groundwater and about what sampling our drinking water will reveal about local aquifers. Vogel is also mistaken because the families want to know about the quality of their drinking water.

The Brown County Geologic Atlas was just completed in 2016. The new geologic maps can be found online. This new information might change the opinion of the County Board about the benefit of free water testing.

The new Brown County mapping shows the areas where groundwater is rare, and shows where it is abundant. The maps also show the areas subject to contamination risks. The nitrate testing would tell us if is too late to protect this precious resource.

The new maps shows that Brown County has many buried valley aquifers filled with sand and gravel. Here hydrologists believe that the aquifers are rapidly recharged. We believe the groundwater in Central Brown is at a higher risk of contamination. People living in the area south of Sleepy Eye use these sand aquifers for their drinking water and should have their wells tested…for FREE.

Now that the groundwater recharge area is known professionals are advising frequent nitrate testing for drinking water wells, especially if there are infants in the homes. The water sampling could tell whether children and families are at risk from their own drinking water.

Individual test data would be private and free. If nitrates are found, officials might propose bottled water or treated water for at-risk children. If nitrates are still low, Ag service providers could design cropping systems to help reduce nitrate contamination risks. There are positive things that can be done to protect, enhance and restore our drinking water.

Information will give us the knowledge. For our drinking water we need to make the right decisions to allow us to protect, enhance, and restore the aquifers that we rely on for our drinking water.

Jeffrey S. Broberg

Mn Licensed Professional Geologist #30019

Vice President, Minnesota Well Owners Organization (MnWOO)

Rochester

Broberg just finished a stint as co-chair of the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR). His bio:

Jeff Broberg of Elba Township, is a Licensed Professional Geologist and Vice President of McGhie & Betts Environmental Services, Inc., a Rochester-based environmental consulting firm. Jeff formerly practiced as a petroleum geologist in South Louisiana for 9 years before returning to Minnesota in 1986 to own a farm and breed and raise thoroughbred racehorses in the Whitewater Watershed. Joining McGhie & Betts in 1990 Jeff's professional consulting practice is focused on geological and environmental assessment, permitting and regulatory affairs including geologic hazards, wetlands, soil and groundwater contamination, asbestos and mold. He currently serves on the Winona County Planning Commission, is the President of the Minnesota Trout Association, and has served on Whitewater Watershed Project citizen Advisory Committee, the DNR Budget Oversight and the Trout and Salmon Stamp Oversight Committees and is active in natural resource and conservation efforts in the bluff lands and ag-lands of SE Minnesota. Broberg will serve a term which ends January 1, 2018. Appointed by the House of Representatives.

Check out Brown County Geologic Atlas. It's a series of pdfs, or we'd embed it here.

Moment of Minnesota Capitol Zen: Under its "Board of Directors" tab, the Minnesota Well Owners Organization's website notes that the group's lobbyist is Bruce Kleven. Mr. Kleven also represents the Minnesota Corn Growers Association; the Brown County Corn and Soybean Growers Association leadership is against the well testing program.

We usually follow the money and sometimes it leads us to the same place, but not usually on both sides.

Bluestem first posted about the Brown County well testing revolt on December 20 in Nitrates: Brown Co turns down MDA well testing aid because somebody might blame farmers. Another post about this issue: An enemy of the people; or, agriculture as usual: Strib editorial dings Brown Co commissioners.

Photo: Brown County's Board of Commissioners. Never mind the possibility for a blue baby here and there.

If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the  paypal subscription button.

Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email [email protected] as recipient.

Rep. Tina Liebling calls out Parrish, asks GOP candidates to condemn Islamophobic remarks

Rochester area state representative and DFL gubernatorial candidate Tina Liebling is calling on Republican candidates to denounce GOP gubernatorial candidate Phillip Parrish's historically ignorant Islamphobic remarks.

On Thursday, in Republican gubernatorial candidate Phillip Parrish won't talk with interfaith leader about faith because "Islam is ultimately not a faith" Bluestem reported on Phillip Parrish's Islamophobic response to interfaith leader and former CD1 congressional candidate Regina Mustafa.

Mustafa had requested a meeting after Parrish attended a presentation by anti-Muslim speaker Usama Dakdok (read the post below).

Here's Liebling's statement:

Rochester resident Regina Mustafa, founder of Community Interfaith Dialogue on Islam (CIDI), recently reached out to Phillip Parrish, a candidate for the Republican nomination for governor, to arrange a a meeting to discuss Islam. Mr. Parrish responded with a shocking diatribe that establishes his lack of fitness for any elected office. He refused to meet with Ms. Mustafa unless she would “discuss and accept these truths”: that Islam is not a faith and that “Islam, Sharia and the Quran are the antithesis of the U.S. Constitution.” Parrish said he would call on Mustafa to “publicly denounce Sharia and swear to adhere to, protect, comply with, accept, and defend the United States Constitution.”

Muslims have been part of the fabric of America for over 200 years and have made enormous contributions in all areas of American life, including science, medicine, music, and military service. American Muslims are Americans. Parrish’s demand regarding the constitution is particularly offensive because Regina Mustafa’s grandfather and father are American military veterans and her brother is currently a Commander in the U.S. Navy serving overseas. Parrish’s comments violate the spirit of our constitution and display an intolerance unbecoming in a person seeking high office. [Emphasis added]

I call on all Republican candidates for elected office to denounce Mr. Parrish’s ignorant, islamophobic statements and pledge to encourage peace and understanding among Minnesotans regardless of race, religion, or national origin.

 Liebling is right to stand up for the Rochester interfaith leader and point out Parrish's ignorance.

Our post from Thursday includes the text of the email exchange between Mustafa and Parrish:

After reading Taylor Nachtigal's article in the Rochester Post Bulletin, About 80 attend meeting critical of Islam, interfaith leader and former CD1 DFL congressional candidate Regina Mustafa sent Minnesota Republican gubernatorial candidate this email:

According to Mustafa's personal Facebook page, Parrish replied:

Greetings,

Thank you for reaching out to me. Please note my campaign manager, Connie Thorp, in the Cc line. We can do our best to arrange a time.

Before we agree to meet. I must say up front and ask you to accept a few things. I have a very unusual in-depth level of training, experience, and understanding regarding multiple faiths and the practice of Islam. I separate Islam from the word faith because faith takes belief and Islam requires only submission. I will not participate in any faith dialog because Islam is ultimately not a faith. I am not concerned with what you may or may not believe. Example, I personally have chosen to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior and he is the only true path to my Father in heaven.

I will however talk about law, United States Law, and the Constitution. I will be asking you if you are willing to publicly denounce Sharia and swear to adhere to, protect, comply with, accept, and defend the United States Constitution. Sadly, if you are a “practicing Islamist” you will most likely not agree to such a stance which is why the conversation will most likely end before it begins.

The whole point of America is you are free to believe what you freely choose to believe regarding your personal faith which requires belief. Our Constitution and the law of the land allows you and all other persons the freedom to believe. It does not provide for nor allow you or anyone else to set up and practice law of any kind that is the antithesis of the U.S. Constitution and our rule of law. Islam, Sharia, and the Quran are the antithesis of the U.S. Constitution. It is not compatible with nor any version of it will ever be compatible with our Constitution.

If you are willing to discuss and accept these truths I look forward to meeting you soon.

Best regards,

Phillip

The notion that Islam is not a faith is a standard talking point of the anti-Muslim conservative right; those espousing it conceive that it would allow them to deny First Amendment protections to Muslims.  We'll refrain from considering how many pinheads dance on Parrish's divisions between faith, belief and obedience, and remark only how convenient this is for those who want to deny fellow human beings basic civil rights.

The Post Bulletin article reported that Parrish wasn't the only Republican leader at the meeting:

The two-and-a-half hour event drew about 80 people to the library's auditorium, including Rep. Cindy Pugh, R-Chanhassen, and Phillip Parrish, a Republican gubernatorial candidate.

The event's purpose, Dakdok said, was to draw attention to Islam, which he called a violent religion; he said that ISIS was a "true representation of Islam."

"There are plenty of Muslims here and we need to reach out with the truth of the gospel," Dakdok said.

Dakdok's critics say he delivers a negative and distorted view of Islam. He is known for telling listeners that Muslims are in the U.S. to behead Christians and Jews.

Today, Mustafa issued this press release, which Bluestem found posted in the thread on her Facebook page:

We've posted about Dakdok's visits to Minnesota since 2014.

Bluestem last reported about Parrish in a 2014 post about his US Senate bid, Guy worried about Dem "globalists” & “elitists” returns to work overseas as intelligence officer. As we noted then, Phillip Parrish knows dark things you don't, or so he tells the Owatonna People's Press. The paper had reported earlier: "In 2006, he launched his first campaign and attempted to enter the Minnesota gubernatorial race."

This is getting close to Allen Quist perennial candidate territory--and all of the paranoia but none of the endorsements

Photo: Perennial candidate Phillip Parish in 2014.

If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the  paypal subscription button.

Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email [email protected] as recipient.

Republican primary happening in MN House 23B special election--plus write-in candidate wildcard

There's going to be a Republican primary in the MN House 23B special election to replace disgraced state representative and serial sexual harasser Tony Cornish as endorsed Republican candidate Jeremy Munson and Watonwan County Commissioner Scott Sanders battle to be their party's nominee.

Voters' choices are made even more complex by the presence of general election declared write-in candidate Nick Schmitz, whose positions on gun and property rights suggest he's more right than left. Write-in candidates aren't on the ballot, but under the special election rules, write-in requests are due by February 5, 2018 to get write-in votes for an unfiled candidate counted.

DFL contender Melissa Wagner, unopposed in the primary, will face Schmitz and the Republican nominee in the February 12 general election. Although this is a red district, Wagner is working hard to introduce herself to voters. A source in rural Blue Earth County told Bluestem that around 40 people doorknocked the district on Sunday.

Getting a jump start in this South Central Minnesota district of small towns and rural acres is a good idea, since many voters cast their ballot by mail. At the Mankato Free Press, Trey Mewes reports in Sanders files for 23B, setting up special primary:

The upcoming special election already was expected to cause difficulties for local officials mailing out ballots to smaller townships and cities with no polling places. With a looming special primary, county officials will have an even tighter deadline to certify its results before sending out mail-in election ballots at the end of the month.

"We just have a super-tight turnaround," said Michael Stalberger, Blue Earth County Taxpayer Services director.

Though the candidate filing deadline expired at 5 p.m Thursday, filings aren't made official until 5 p.m. Friday, meaning county officials have to wait a day for anyone who wishes to drop out of the race.

Stalberger said county officials will mail ballots Tuesday at the earliest. Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. 

"Residents will likely see ballots Wednesday or Thursday of next week, depending on their postal delivery, and Stalberger recommends people mail in their ballots or drop them off at the county elections office in Mankato as soon as possible.

 Sanders sent the letter below to a voter in a rural precinct in Blue Earth County that's sent mail-in ballots:

MN23B Primary: Scott Sanders' Letter upoladed by Sally Jo Sorensen on Scribd

On the DFL side, Melissa Wagner sent an email to supporters early this afternoon with the subject head, "Tomorrow: US Senator Tina Smith in Lake Crystal to help us win 23B!" announcing door knocking and a phone bank in the rural Blue Earth County small city:

Hello [redacted],

I wanted to make sure you knew that U.S. Senator Tina Smith is going in town and helping us get out the vote tomorrow at our Doorknock/Phonebank event tomorrow at the Lake Crystal Rec Center. . . .

As Lt. Governor and now as United State Senator, Tina Smith is all about getting things done for Minnesota. I’m thrilled that she has taken time in her busy schedule to come out and help us make positive changes here in greater Minnesota.

I know it’s cold and this is short notice, but don’t miss this chance to meet your new U.S. Senator and help us reach out to as many voters as possible!

The details follow for the 10:30 a.m. through 3:00 p.m. event. Those wishing more information can contact Collect Millard - [email protected] or (507) 571-2579

Smith isn't the only elected jumping in to help an endorsed candidate. Last weekend, Munson got an assist from Republican gubernatorial contender Matt Dean, the Mankato Times reports. According to his campaign Facebook page, Munson and crew will be doorknocking tomorrow in St. James, a small city is Watonwan County.

Photo: Melissa Wagner, the sole DFL candidate and woman in the field of four.

If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the  paypal subscription button.

Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email [email protected] as recipient.

MN Campaign Finance Board can't resolve beet PAC money & Miller complaint, closes case

The Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board spent several meetings considering and discussing a complaint by Appleton attorney and DFL activist Brian Wojtalewicz regardingTim Miller, Citizens for Tim Miller (the Miller committee), the Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative PAC (SMBSC PAC), and the Renville County Republican Party of Minnesota (Renville RPM).

With the board deadlocking without reaching a consensus about what occurred, the "investigation of this matter is concluded and hereby made a part of the public records of the Board . . ."

Bluestem Prairie first alerted readers to this matter in two posts back in July 2016, Beet coop PAC pours sugar on Renville Co RPM; Renville Co RPM sweetens Tim Miller committee and Did Renville County RPM have money to cover a $4500 check to Miller's committee on 7/17/2016?

Although some folks with complaints will issue press releases about the filings they're making, Wojtalewicz did not do so when he filed this case on October 10, 2016.

As per state law, the board kept the matter confidential as it moved through the process of reviewing whether there was a prima facie case for the complaint (yes), then whether the case merited investigation (yes) and then a report of findings, conclusion and order. Thus, while we had heard that a complaint had been filed, Bluestem had no informaiion until now to report.

The report lays out the case and the investigation in the embedded pdf below. Here's some of the discussion of the evidence:

The SMBSC PAC acknowledges that it wanted to assist Rep. Miller’s campaign financially beyond the $1,000 that it could directly contribute. It initially planned to conduct a fundraising event where cooperative members could make their own personal contributions to the Miller committee. However, there was concern about getting enough members to attend a fundraiser to make it successful for the candidate. Mr. Long contacted Rep. Miller to talk about the problems with holding a fundraiser. There is incons istent testimony as to whether it was Rep. Miller or Mr. Long who suggested that as an alternative to the fundraiser the SMBSC PAC contribute to the Renville County RPM. Mr. Long testified that Rep. Miller suggested that in lieu of a fundraiser a contribution to the Renville RPM would also benefit him, but Rep. Miller denied making this suggestion.

The record also contains copies of email communications between Mr. Long and the members of the SMBSC PAC board on the subject of cancelling the fundraiser for Rep. Miller and instead contributing to the Renville County RPM. In the emails a board member raised the concern that the Renville County RPM could use the suggested donation to support candidates running against Sen. Lyle Koenen and U.S. Congressman Collin Peterson; two DFL candidates that the SMBSC PAC supported. During the exchange of emails a board member also stated that the SMBSC PAC would not be able to require that any part of the contribution be directed to any specific candidate. After these concerns were raised Mr. Long called Mr. Kulberg, the chair of the Renville County RPM. Both Mr. Long and Mr. Kulberg testified that this was the first time

they had ever communicated. During the call Mr. Long informed Mr. Kulberg that the SMBSC PAC was considering making a contribution to the party unit, and he asked for a mailing address to which to send the contribution if it was approved by the SMBSC PAC board. Both Mr. Long and Mr. Kulberg testified that Mr. Long stated that the SMBSC PAC members appreciated and supported the work being done by Rep. Miller. During his testimony regarding the phone conversation Mr. Kulberg recalled that “[s]hortly after he mentioned Tim’s name, [Long] said, I understand, you know, about not being able to control the funds once we make the donation.” Mr. Long provided a similar description in his testimony regarding the phone conversation.

There's more of that in the document-and it proved difficult for the board to come to a decision (and according to a footnote in the document, board members' opinions fell on both sides of the question). Here's the inconclusive conclusions the lack of a four-vote consensus created:

The Board considered and discussed this matter over a period of several meetings, was advised multiple times by Board staff, and heard arguments from legal counsel for the parties at multiple meetings. Board members studied all of the conflicting evidence, assessed the credibility of the witnesses, and drew reasonable inferences where supported by the evidence.

In order to find that one or more violations had occurred at least four Board members would have to conclude that a preponderance of the evidence established the existence of those violations. . . .Three Board members concluded that the evidence was sufficient to find that violations had occurred. Three other members concluded that the evidence did not establish any violations by the required standard of proof. . .Because the concurring vote of four members could not be obtained for either conclusion, the Board cannot resolve this matter by finding either that violations did occur or that violations did not occur.[emphasis added]

Based on the body of evidence before it, the Board makes the following: Findings of fact

1. On July 15, 2016, SMBSC PAC mailed a $5,000 contribution to the Renville RPM. The Renville RPM received the contribution on July 18 and on that same day issued its own check to the Miller committee for $4,500.
2. Although reasonable inferences could be drawn from the facts in the record to support the conclusion that the contribution was given with the implied condition that it be directed to the Miller committee, other reasonable inferences could be drawn to support the conclusion that the contribution was given without condition on its use.

Based on the above findings of fact, the Board makes the following:

Conclusion of law

Being unable to reach a consensus of four votes for any outcome other than the one expressed in this document, the Board is unable to resolve the question of whether violations did or did not occur in this matter. [emphasis added]

Based on the foregoing findings and conclusion, the Board issues the following:

Order The Board investigation of this matter is concluded and hereby made a part of the public records of the Board pursuant to Minnesota Statutes section 10A.022, subdivision 5.

Here's the report from the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board's website In the matter of the Complaint of Brian Wojtalewicz regarding Miller, Tim; Miller, Tim House Committee; Ren... posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Scribd. It's an interesting read.

Miller dropped his congressional bid in December, citing how hard it was to raise money. Indeed.

His likely opponent is former Clara City representative and senator Lyle Koenen, who was wrapped up in a 2013 fine for wrong doing by the DFL Senate Caucus in 2012.

Photo: Representative Tim Miller.

If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the  paypal subscription button.

Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email [email protected] as recipient.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Phillip Parrish won't talk with interfaith leader about faith because "Islam is ultimately not a faith"

After reading Taylor Nachtigal's article in the Rochester Post Bulletin, About 80 attend meeting critical of Islam, interfaith leader and former CD1 DFL congressional candidate Regina Mustafa sent Minnesota Republican gubernatorial candidate this email:

According to Mustafa's personal Facebook page, Parrish replied:

Greetings,

Thank you for reaching out to me. Please note my campaign manager, Connie Thorp, in the Cc line. We can do our best to arrange a time.

Before we agree to meet. I must say up front and ask you to accept a few things. I have a very unusual in-depth level of training, experience, and understanding regarding multiple faiths and the practice of Islam. I separate Islam from the word faith because faith takes belief and Islam requires only submission. I will not participate in any faith dialog because Islam is ultimately not a faith. I am not concerned with what you may or may not believe. Example, I personally have chosen to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior and he is the only true path to my Father in heaven.

I will however talk about law, United States Law, and the Constitution. I will be asking you if you are willing to publicly denounce Sharia and swear to adhere to, protect, comply with, accept, and defend the United States Constitution. Sadly, if you are a “practicing Islamist” you will most likely not agree to such a stance which is why the conversation will most likely end before it begins.

The whole point of America is you are free to believe what you freely choose to believe regarding your personal faith which requires belief. Our Constitution and the law of the land allows you and all other persons the freedom to believe. It does not provide for nor allow you or anyone else to set up and practice law of any kind that is the antithesis of the U.S. Constitution and our rule of law. Islam, Sharia, and the Quran are the antithesis of the U.S. Constitution. It is not compatible with nor any version of it will ever be compatible with our Constitution.

If you are willing to discuss and accept these truths I look forward to meeting you soon.

Best regards,

Phillip

The notion that Islam is not a faith is a standard talking point of the anti-Muslim conservative right; those espousing it conceive that it would allow them to deny First Amendment protections to Muslims.  We'll refrain from considering how many pinheads dance on Parrish's divisions between faith, belief and obedience, and remark only how convenient this is for those who want to deny fellow human beings basic civil rights.

The Post Bulletin article reported that Parrish wasn't the only Republican leader at the meeting:

The two-and-a-half hour event drew about 80 people to the library's auditorium, including Rep. Cindy Pugh, R-Chanhassen, and Phillip Parrish, a Republican gubernatorial candidate.

The event's purpose, Dakdok said, was to draw attention to Islam, which he called a violent religion; he said that ISIS was a "true representation of Islam."

"There are plenty of Muslims here and we need to reach out with the truth of the gospel," Dakdok said.

Dakdok's critics say he delivers a negative and distorted view of Islam. He is known for telling listeners that Muslims are in the U.S. to behead Christians and Jews.

Today, Mustafa issued this press release, which Bluestem found posted in the thread on her Facebook page:

We've posted about Dakdok's visits to Minnesota since 2014.

Bluestem last reported about Parrish in a 2014 post about his US Senate bid, Guy worried about Dem "globalists” & “elitists” returns to work overseas as intelligence officer. As we noted then, Phillip Parrish knows dark things you don't, or so he tells the Owatonna People's Press. The paper had reported earlier: "In 2006, he launched his first campaign and attempted to enter the Minnesota gubernatorial race."

This is getting close to Allen Quist perennial candidate territory--and all of the paranoia but none of the endorsements

Photo: Perennial candidate Phillip Parish in 2014.

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Antisocial media: Willmar citizens renew call for City Council Member Christianson's resignation

In the public comment period of Monday night's Willmar City Council meeting, city residents once again used the forum to call for  council member Ron Christianson to resign.

The West Central Tribune reports in Calls continue for Christianson's resignation from Willmar council:

Members of the public again filled the Willmar City Council chambers, with several speaking out Monday night against Councilman Ron Christianson and his alleged liking of Facebook posts that people are calling racist and Islamophobic.

Two speakers read passages from the Facebook page in question and then asked Christianson which parts of those comments he supports, comments which included lines about the intelligence of immigrants and how Muslims are a dangerous threat.

In a December interview with KWLM Radio, Christianson said he could "like" a post but not support everything in it.

While at one point Christianson used the word "post" in the interview, he and host John Cola mostly discussed liking a "page." Here's the part of the interview with KWLM that's about the social media issue:

Ronchristiansoncityofwillmar.audio (1)

Supporter Sue Quist used the same language about "pages" in defending Christianson at a council meeting in December.

However, Christianson has done more than simply like a page, as his defence and supporters suggest. Many Facebook users "like" pages simply to keep track of a party, organization, or cause. Posts, on the other hand, tend to be much more specific, so the defense weakens.

However, the issue has never been just about pages and posts, but comments council member Christianson has also made--and these are comments that aren't balanced by any expressing tolerance or hope for an inclusive community. Moreover, Christianson also told Cola in the KWLM that he's attacked for having conservative Christian beliefs. He did not define which "like" or comment was specifically conservative and Christian.

Let's look at some of these items

In Concerns raised over Ron Christianson’s Facebook account activity; Professor: Elected officials are rightly held to a higher standard, Shelby Lindrud used this lede:

Community members have raised concerns about the supposed likes and comments from Willmar City Council member Ron Christianson’s Facebook account, specifically on the page of a Willmar woman whose posts are frequently critical of Muslims.

Some of the comments:

Christianson’s account is shown to have commented on a post on the woman’s Facebook page dated Nov. 12 in which the author says she is under attack “about my reaction to the unchecked Muslim invasions of the cities of the world. In not one instance have these invasions been a positive thing.”

The comment from Christianson’s account said, “Your antagonists are ill-educated and really don’t know sh_ _” and in a reply to other commenters, “Best to ignore their ill conceived replies. They’re definitely walking around with blinders on and very confused.”

As recently as Thursday the woman’s Facebook page showed a new post that included statements about the rise in hate crimes against Muslims.

“Could it be because Islam wants us and the Jews dead and are determined to destroy our country as well as Europe?” the post said.

Christianson’s account is shown to have commented: “You speak for many more people than you’ll ever know. You have blessed us with your ability to put into words exactly what we are thinking, but don’t know how to express in writing.”

Given the consistent pattern of likes on specific posts, plus the comments, it seems disingenuous for Christianson to claim that he's not agreeing with the anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant and anti-Latino posts--and that these "likes" are simply done out of friendship.

Nor is the material he's liking and commenting on specifically conservative Christian. Indeed, one of the metro area's strongest refugee re-settlement organizations is Arrive Ministries, conducted by evangelical Christians--and it's an affiliate of World Relief. Hardly a bunch of dirty hippies. Assuming conservative Christians share this set of nasty values is pretty risky stuff.

Here are more reactions to the post likes and comments, from Monday night's open forum, via the Willmar Town Crier Facebook page. A representative of the faith-based group ISAIAH, active in Willmar for a number of years, speaks toward the end of the clip.

Note: Link to location of entire KWLM "Open Mic show: 12-19-2017 City of Willmar. Excerpt above used with permission of the host.

Photo: Willmar City Council Member Ron Christianson.

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An enemy of the people; or, agriculture as usual: Strib editorial dings Brown Co commissioners

The editorial board of the Star Tribune has weighed on the Brown County Board of Commissioners' refusal to take Minnesota Department of Agriculture funds to test wells for nitrates.

Bluestem's been looking at the board's actions since our December 20 post, Nitrates: Brown Co turns down MDA well testing aid because somebody might blame farmers. At the Star Tribune, Josephine Marcotty took on the issue with the December 31 article, Test our water for nitrates? Minnesota county says no thanks.

In Brown County commissioners failed citizens by rejecting well testing, the editorial board reveals some new insights from one of the county commissioners:

To his credit, Brown County Commissioner Tony Berg responded last week to an editorial writer’s pointed questions about the board’s failure to support the testing. Berg, a farmer who opposed the plan, said he didn’t think the tests should be paid for by state tax dollars. He also had questions about accuracy and cost.

But the key reason, Berg said, is that many farmers believe the state will unfairly blame agriculture for any nitrate pollution they find. And then, they fear, state officials will use the data to heavily regulate fertilizer use. “There’s a lot of mistrust,” he said.

That explanation is appreciated but still frustrating. Berg and the influential special interests who cheered the decision, such as the Brown County Farm Bureau, are apparently more afraid of regulation than the contamination that might be found. That’s ludicrous, given nitrates’ potential to harm infants. Parents in the area should be up in arms.

Berg’s comment about “mistrust” is also disappointing. No one representing the state was at the County Board meeting to answer questions, resulting in misinformation and incomplete information about the testing. Conscientious leaders would have recognized that and tabled the issue to ensure that they had accurate information. . . .

Why does the response of the servants of the ag industry--rather than the citizens who elected them--remind a reader commenting on the editorial of a play by Norwegian author Henrik Ibsen?  There might be something in the water. Don't look into it.

On the other hand, at least Commissioner Berg wasn't pivoting from agriculture to wildlife, as we observed a Farm Bureau leader did in our post Blame bison for dirty water, not farmers, Farm Bureau Honorary Life Member tells NUJournal.

What else might be in that well water?

 At the Clean Water Council Meeting on December 18, 2017, MDA staffers presented a slide show, Nitrates and Pesticides in Private Wells. We embed it here:

MDA slide show for the Clean Water Council posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Scribd

Meme: That's how this works.

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Houston MN's International Owl Center Executive Director: "Use Non-Lead Ammo to Save Eagles"

Yet another woeful tale of the death of a bald eagle from ingesting lead has crossed our online reading.

This time, it's in the Spring Grove Herald. Spring Grove is a pretty neat small town in Houston County in southeast Minnesota.

International Owl Center Executive Director Karla Bloem writes in Use Non-Lead Ammo to Save Eagles:

On Dec. 10, Karen Kragness spotted an adult bald eagle, with its beautiful white head and tail, standing on the ground in her yard.

Bald eagles often scavenge, so it isn’t that unusual to see one on the ground. But it was still there the next day.

Another eagle came down to visit it and eventually flew away. Karen was getting suspicious that something wasn’t right.

On the morning of Dec. 13, she called the DNR in Caledonia and reported the bird to forester Valiree Green.

Valiree called me, but I didn’t hear my phone ring. It wasn’t until afternoon that I saw I had a message and called Karen back.

Because we get so many calls about sick and injured raptors in the area, we use volunteers to pick up and transport the birds, which need to go all the way up to The Raptor Center in St. Paul.

Dean Ellingson is my go-to person for the Spring Grove area, and he has rescued several eagles already. Karen knew Dean and gave him a call.

Dean arrived as soon as he could, later in the afternoon. He caught the eagle without too much trouble and put it into his very large dog carrier.

Since it was too late to get it to The Raptor Center that night before it closed, he kept it overnight in his heated garage and we made arrangements with another volunteer to bring it to St. Paul the next day.

According to Dean, once it got settled at his place it stood with its beak pointing straight down.

Not a good sign. This normally means the bird has lead poisoning.

Lead poisoning is difficult and expensive to treat, and most lead poisoned eagles I’ve dealt with have died or been euthanized.

Where would the lead come from? It’s almost always lead ammunition. Bald eagles scavenge, so they eat deer gut piles, dead deer that haven’t been recovered and other dead animals left outdoors.

Every year the lead poisoned eagle admissions soar at The Raptor Center shortly after gun deer season opens.

How common is lead poisoning in eagles? VERY. The vast majority of eagles admitted to raptor centers across the country have measurable levels of lead in their bodies.

Eagles are particularly susceptible to lead for some reason, and it only takes tiny, tiny fragments in their digestive tract to weaken them, cause respiratory distress and nasty seizures.

I deal with an average of one to three seriously lead poisoned eagles every year from this area, usually during or shortly after gun deer season (or after a snow melt exposes carcasses again.)

The eagle survived the night at Dean’s and Dean met me and another volunteer at the International Owl Center in Houston the next morning.

We transferred it to one of the Owl Center’s dog carriers so Dean could have his back.

In the process the eagle was making hoarse grunting sounds, indicating the respiratory distress of lead poisoning. It didn’t struggle much.

Our other volunteer got it up to The Raptor Center that day, where they also suspected lead poisoning.

An x-ray revealed lead fragments in the digestive tract, and although they could flush them out, the eagle had already absorbed too much lead. It was euthanized since it wouldn’t recover.

Lead poisoning in Bald Eagles is a huge problem. Ask any wildlife rehabilitator. It is totally preventable: people just need to switch to non-lead ammunition. . . .

You CAN make a difference. Just ask the deer hunter who stood watching an eagle having severe seizures from lead poisoning out in the woods last year by Nodine.

He had hunted archery for years and had just switched back to gun. He went pale and vowed he would never use lead ammunition again.

A few dollars more is nothing to prevent an eagle’s agony from lead poisoning and to keep your family safe.

Read the entire article at the Spring Grove Herald. The Owl Center is located in Houston, Minnesota, so this isn't some "evil metro" lecture, but an informed opinion by a local resident (if that's an issue for accepting the facts of lead poisoning in wildlife).

The Minnesota Legislature may not be courageous enough to keep lead out of public upland hunting areas, but individuals can make the choice to buy non-lead ammunition. We urge our readers who are hunters to make it so.

Earlier BSP posts about this issue:

Lead shot debate: bald eagles keep dying and here's what the MN House had to say about it (April 3, 2017)

MN rep says lead is a-okay because it's natural; or, poisoning is life on Planet Josh Heintzeman (April 24, 2017)

The Timberjay on lead: Heintzeman may be a loon, but he has plenty of company in St. Paul (May 4, 2017)

The unbearable burden of being Draz when a constituent emails about bald eagles & lead shot (July 24, 2017)

Save an eagle or hawk: thirteen-year-old girl bagged eight-point buck with copper shot (November 20, 2017)

Photo: A sick eagle rescued. Via Use Non-Lead Ammo to Save Eagles in the Spring Valley Herald.

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Deerwood man offers Rep. Lueck helpful advice for locating Cuyuna Rec mystery landowners

UPDATE: See our update about the tax records at the end of the post. A reader took Mr. Spencer's suggestion and found Crow Wing County tax records ASAP. [end update]

Articles like the Star Tribune's Mining the magic: Cuyuna Range reinvented by influx of silent sports  report "Thousands of tourists come for award-winning bike trails, trout-stocked lakes, deep waters for scuba diving and quiet bays for paddleboarders and kayakers."

But all Deerwood resident Nolan Spencer wants is a public access to Mahnomen Lake, located inside the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area. In a letter published in several papers, Spencer wrote in part:

I took the time, on the afternoon of Dec. 7, to drive out to the "public" access at the east end of Mahnomen Lake which is in the Cuyuna Recreational Area. The access is still a mass of deep, washed-out gullies. It is unusable.

Both summer and winter fishermen would like to use it. The landing on the west end isn't accessible due to uncontrolled high water. Both landings were in good shape and useable before the recreational area was established.

I had previously contacted Rep. Dale Lueck and made him aware of this problem. At a meeting in Ironton in 2016 I asked him why nothing had been done to solve the problem and I was astounded when he said it wasn't known who owned the land. The recreation area was established in 1993 and the officials don't know who owns the land within the boundaries after 24 years?. . .

Not so fast, said Dale Lueck, perhaps leery of the state acquiring more land, even within a popular recreation area. In a press release published in the letters section at the Aitkin Age, "Clarification on Mahnomen Lake access" we read:

Rep. Dale Lueck, R-Aitkin, issued the following statement regarding a recent letter to the editor alleging a “public” access exists on Mahnomen Lake. The letter appeared in several area newspapers. The letter incorrectly describes a public access on the east end of Mahnomen Lake which is located within the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area.

“It is a fact no public access exists on Mahnomen Lake.” Lueck said. “The unimproved accesses that have been used to reach the lake over the years are located on private property. The state does not have authority to grant access across private property, nor can the state unilaterally develop and maintain a public access on the private properties in question.”

Despite Mahnomen Lake being located within the state recreation area, the unimproved access being described as a public access is located on private property, not on state administered property. No easement or access agreement exists with the property owners authorizing the general public to cross private property to reach the lake. Accessing the lake is a matter between the individual desiring access and the property owners. The fact that both Mahnomen Lake and the private property in question are within the statutory boundaries of the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area does not change that relationship. . . .

Over the past 24 years, the land under state administration has grown from 120 to the present 2,773 acres. The option of acquiring additional land remains. That process is severely limited by the availability of willing sellers and the complication of undivided interest ownership of many of the properties. Of the 2,148 acres of private property within the rec area boundary, approximately 1,385 acres is held in undivided interest ownership. Many years before the first operating mine was established in 1907, land speculators sold many hundreds of undivided interests in single parcels of land to investors. Tracking down the heirs of the undivided interest owners and getting all parties to agree to sell a particular parcel presents a major challenge. . . .

Mr. Spencer offers a simple solution in Lack of lake public access:

Rep. Dale Lueck, District 10B, recently responded to a letter I had written to three local newspapers about the lack of public access to Mahnomen Lake. I will quote portions of his letter.

"It is a fact no public access exists on Mahnomen Lake. The unimproved accesses that have been used to reach the lake over the years are on private property." "No easement or access agreement with the property owners authorizing the general public to cross private property to access the lake."

Lueck goes on to state that 1,385 acres of the 2,148 acres in the recreation area are privately held, mainly by undivided interest ownership. "While records exist identifying those interests, tracking down the heirs of the undivided interest owners and getting all parties to agree to sell a particular parcel presents a major challenge."

Lueck states that he was the chief author, in the Minnesota House of Representatives, which resulted in a $3.6 million dollar investment to improve the lands in the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area.

Someone must be paying taxes on these the lands Rep. Lueck describes must they not? Otherwise, they would be tax forfeit. Couldn't a small portion of that $3.6 million be used to identify these owners and negotiate a sale of the very small area required for an access to the lake?

Let this be a challenge to you Rep. Lueck.

Bluestem called a source who works in the land business about Spencer's proposal and he said, yes, that should work.

Another option to buying the land--since so many Republican lawmakers need to stoke fear of the DNR--is negotiating an easement for public access. Indeed, if the "access" was used by anglers and boaters before the creation of the recreation area, we're surprised there's no historic cart way or such there.

Not everyone who uses a state recreational area is going to hop on an expensive mountain bike, so re-opening access to guys with fishing boats shouldn't be rocket science or another ground zero for the property rights movement fear tactics.

Maybe Lueck could just help some guys get back to the fishing holes they remember. "Mahnomen Mine Lake is the deepest mine lake in the recreation area at 525 feet," according to the DNR's Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area and Cuyuna Lakes State Trail Snapshot Tour.

UPDATE: A friend in South Central Minnesota sent us this email last night after reading the post and diving into Crow Wing County's GIS database:

I am scratching my head about this issue. It appears as though the MN Department of Transportation owns a strip of land on the southwest edge of the lake and you would have to go through one person’s property from the north. The following people own it:

Owner ID 145214
Owner Name FISH, JEFFREY P TRUST (1/2 INT) &
Owner Address DOREEN MILLER-FISH TRUST (1/2 INT)
Owner Address 2 20730 BEAVER DR
Owner Address 3 CROSBY, MN 56441
Owner Address 4
Tax Falc 1
Tax ID 145214
Tax Name FISH, JEFFREY P TRUST (1/2 INT) &
Tax Address DOREEN MILLER-FISH TRUST (1/2 INT
Tax Address 2 20730 BEAVER DR
Tax Address 3 CROSBY, MN 56441

Owner ID 145214
Owner Name FISH, JEFFREY P TRUST (1/2 INT) &
Owner Address DOREEN MILLER-FISH TRUST (1/2 INT)
Owner Address 2 20730 BEAVER DR
Owner Address 3 CROSBY, MN 56441
Owner Address 4
Tax Falc 1
Tax ID 145214
Tax Name FISH, JEFFREY P TRUST (1/2 INT) &
Tax Address DOREEN MILLER-FISH TRUST (1/2 INT)
Tax Address 2 20730 BEAVER DR
Tax Address 3 CROSBY, MN 56441

Perhaps the Fish Trusts wouldn't want to allow an easement or sell enough land for a road--or perhaps the lakeshore (an old iron ore pit after all) wouldn't allow creation of a lake public access, but searching public records for land ownership and addresses of property taxpayers isn't rocket science in this day of electronic records. Did the Fishes have so many heirs that tracking them down would be another labor of Hercules?

Map: Part of the recreation area, including Mahnomen Lake. Via Cuyuna Lakes Trail.

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Trump condones elder abuse; does Trump policy fan & US senate wannabe Karin Housley agree?

The Star Tribune reports in U.S. easing of nursing home penalties could imperil Minnesota's crackdown on elder abuse:

The Trump administration is taking steps to roll back federal penalties on nursing homes violating health and safety rules, a policy shift that’s alarming state officials and advocates for the elderly who say it could undercut Minnesota’s emerging moves to crack down on violence and criminal abuse in senior homes.

In recent months, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has directed its regional offices to ratchet back some Obama-era enforcement practices that the nursing home industry has found most onerous. The new directives are likely to reduce both the number and severity of monetary penalties, even for violations that lead to serious injury or death.

“This absolutely takes us down the wrong path,” said Mary Jo George, associate state director of advocacy at AARP Minnesota and chairwoman of a new state work group on elder abuse. “It will make our work more challenging at a time when we are trying to take swifter action against facilities that are harming residents.”

On Twitter, Minneapolis activist and writer Stacy Burns was having none of it.

 

Trump Condones Elder Abuse #improveaheadline pic.twitter.com/GdEuu16u7Q

— Very Stable Stacey Burns (@WentRogue) January 7, 2018

We'll be curious how Republican U.S. Senate contender Karin Housley positions herself on the Trump administration rollbacks on elder protection.

Chair of the Minnesota Senate Aging and Long-Term Care Policy Committee, Housley has been outspoken about recent reports of elder abuse in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

She also declared herself supportive of Trump policies in Dave Orrick's article for the Pioneer Press, Washington County Republican Karin Housley wants Al Franken’s Senate seat:

Alliance for a Better Minnesota, a Democratic-allied group, quickly put out a statement criticizing Housley titled “Karin Housley Will Bring Trump-style Economic Agenda to the Senate.”

“Karin Housley has the same agenda that has made Donald Trump historically unpopular — tax giveaways for a handful of the wealthiest and tobacco companies while hardworking families feel the squeeze,” said Joe Davis, executive director of the group. “This is the wrong direction for Minnesota and our country. We need a leader who will invest in our schools, healthcare, and continue to make our state and country better for all Minnesotans.”

Housley said she voted for Trump and supports his policies.

As for Trump as a person and his style, she said, “I think everybody’s presidential style is different. His is not one that would be mine, but it’s his, so I focus on his policies. …

Does Housley support rolling back federal penalties for organizations that thrive financially but don't protect the elders in their care? Or is elder protection just a talking when an administration is led by the opposing party?

Perhaps some Trump policies are more equal than others.

Photo: Karin Housley, via Joe My God.

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Oops! Driver distracted by device tips over semi load of soil contaminated by Keystone spill

Reverend Peyton warns us all to stay between the ditches, but William Connors of Show Low, Arizona, distracted by an electronic device while hauling contaminated soil from the Amherst incident, must not have been listening.

At the Aberdeen American News, Katherine Grandstrand reports in Semi tips, spills contaminated soil from oil leak site in Marshall County:

Charges are pending against an Arizona man after a semi filled with contaminated soil from the Keystone Pipeline leak site tipped and spilled Friday morning.

William Connors, 37, of Show Low, Ariz., was driving a 2002 Peterbilt semi north on Marshall County Road 11, also known as 415th Avenue, said Tony Mangan, spokesman for the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.

The semi tipped shortly after 9 a.m. It was 8 miles west and 5 miles south of Britton, Mangan said

According to the South Dakota Highway Patrol report, the driver was distracted by an electronic device, drifted onto the wrong side of the road, overcorrected and tipped, Mangan said. Connors was wearing his seat belt and was not injured, according to the report.

The crash is under investigation, Mangan said.

When the semi tipped, a half ton to a ton of contaminated soil spilled, Mangan said.

About 10 gallons of diesel fuel from the vehicle also spilled, said Brian Walsh, environmental scientist manager for the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The soil was contaminated with crude oil from a leak in the Keystone Pipeline.

Read the rest at the American. Meanwhile, Reuters reports in Canadian oil exports to U.S. dip in November: StatsCan data:

The 80,000 bpd drop in exports to Canada’s biggest customer came in the same month TransCanada Corp’s Keystone pipeline, which carries crude from Alberta’s oil sands to U.S. refineries, was shut down following a leak in rural South Dakota.

Keystone restarted in late November but the 590,000 bpd pipeline is still running with a 20 percent cut in pressure on the orders of U.S. regulators. . . .

Photo: The Amherst Incident spill.

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Blame bison for dirty water, not farmers, Farm Bureau Honorary Life Member tells NUJournal

Farm Bureau Honorary Life Member Harley Vogel is for taking no responsibility for nitrates in Brown County's water--and he's not much for water quality in area ditches either.

Instead, blame wild animals for the problem, especially long-gone herds of American bison, and allow no free well testing or regulation of nitrates and manure.

Really.

Readers may recall our post from December 20, Nitrates: Brown Co turns down MDA well testing aid because somebody might blame farmers and Josephine Marcotty's December 31 article, Test our water for nitrates? Minnesota county says no thanks.

 Vogel writes:

So you did not like how the County Board handled the well testing. Yes, they said it was free. Then please pay our taxes, as I am sure it would have been paid for by the taxpayers.

There are already notices to us livestock producers how we should spread our manure and it is to be plowed in, etc., not just spread on top.

When we heard that a county ditch had been declared impaired I became worried as that county ditch empties through my pasture or into the stream that goes past my yard, so we took samples and had them tested, well they came back as good to drink.

Let’s get back to manure. It shall not be spread near streams, tile, ditches, inlets, etc. In a state west of here I saw a sign that there were once more bison than there are beef cows, and there were also more deer than the state now has sheep and horses. They did not mention all the other animals that run wild, nor the geese, etc. that create manure. I am sure they did not spread their waste near streams? I am sure they had a way of getting water to drink well away from the streams.

In the Lewis and Clark journals it talks about seeing bison (buffalo) drinking in the river, then another herd pushing the first herd in so they went over the falls. There is comment that the stench of dead buffalo was so strong the captains walked on shore. There is an article about wildlife in Minnesota telling about dead animals out in rivers.

In my mind we really need to know what, when, where and how our Earth works, not the taxpayer is paying out money and cutting our own throats.

As a landowner, taxpayer, living in Milford Township, Brown County, Minnesota I am so thankful Brown County Commissioners killed the FREE well testing as you did, before we get another set of rules which are hard to understand and hard to follow.

Harley M. Vogel

New Ulm

Those poor oppressed farmers in Brown County. At least they don't have to contend with bison pooping in the creek anymore. Vogel's ranting seems like the utterances of a rural naif. Alas, no.

Sadly for Mr. Vogel's kvetching, the Environmental Working Group's farm subsidy database notes, "Farming Subsidies from farms in Brown County, Minnesota totaled $217,425,000 in from 1995-2016."

That's a lot more change to farmers from taxpayers than the price of well testing.

According to the database, Vogel Saw Mill, received $727,996 in farm subsidies between 1995-2016 for acreage in Brown County and Renville County in Minnesota, and McLean County, North Dakota. Vogel Saw Mill is run by Amos Vogel and Caleb Vogel, according to the database, but other sources associate Harley with the enterprise.

While Harley isn't getting the subsidy checks, it does appear that these gentlemen are his relatives. Senator Gary Dahm's March 11, 2011 E-Newsletter included this photo of Harley Vogel and two grandchildren, who were identified as the children of Amos Vogel:

In Brown County Farm Bureau receives state-wide recognition, readers learn more about Harley:

Harley has been an active director on the Brown County Farm Bureau Board for 20 years, serving in many leadership roles including board secretary and membership chair. He is strong, vocal advocate for agriculture, as illustrated by his participation in membership, promotion and public policy initiatives. Harley and Joan continue to enjoy life on their Minnesota River Valley farm northwest of New Ulm.

As for those bison, Bluestem doesn't think that their roaming presence in the Minnesota River Valley prior to statehood relieves the livestock industry from responsibility for water quality stewardship.

After all, the buffalo herds never brought in livestock or dairy subsidies on the taxpayer dime.

Photos: From the New Ulm Journal and Senator Dahms' E-Newsletter.

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If citizens comment after city council meeting & no one televises them, do they make a sound?

Those who are following the self-induced melodrama suffered by the North Mankato City Council over citizen comments at meetings should check out Trey Mewes' North Mankato comment forum debuts with criticism of format.

Citizens can now show up to speak for the 15 minutes after the meeting, but their comments won't be televised, as is the custom in the Nicollet County city.

Mewes reports in the Mankato Free Press:

The North Mankato City Council heard an earful on about its public comment policy at an open forum after the council's public meeting Tuesday night.

Several residents used the council's first open forum to urge council members to drop the stringent public comment rules they passed last summer.. . .

Critics say the public comment period suppresses fair criticism of the city and harms the public's ability to hold its elected officials accountable.

"What is it about several citizens that so annoys or terrifies you that you cannot tolerate them for three minutes at a council meeting?" Tom Hagen asked council members Tuesday.

Some residents objected to the council describing its critics as bullies over some issues they've brought forward. Former Council member Kim Spears said residents who repeatedly brought issues before the council had positively changed city policy in the past, while others said the council mischaracterized critics as bullies.

"It's important to remember that facing negative feedback is different from being bullied," Stefanie Jaquette said.

Dehen and city staff decided on the open forum concept as a compromise. The council will stay for at least 15 minutes after its public meetings to hear resident concerns and potentially respond to issues. While the forum has some rules, it's run a little more loosely than regular council meetings.

Yet the open forums aren't televised the way regular council meetings are, which some speakers felt was just as bad as restricting public comment.

Dehen said after the forum City Attorney Michael Kennedy recommended the forums not be televised, though the mayor said forum minutes will be included as part of meeting agendas in the future. . . .

Read the rest at the Mankato Free Press.

Our earlier coverage of this issue includes:

Free speech & Greater MN cities: the rewards for speaking out in North Mankato and Little Falls

ACLU of MN: erosion of citizens' ability to directly engage with local elected officials undermines government & democracy

Snowflake alert: North Mankato city council member walks out after citizen gets sassy

N. Mankato Snowflake alert, pt 2: Angst over personnel conflict prompted councilman's flight

A tale of a few cities: St. Cloud & No. Mankato councils take different paths on public comments

A related story about citizens not being heard at a county board meeting: Meeker County commissioners repent freak out about family's plan to donate 153 acres to DNR.

Photo: Tom Hagen's silent protest at a North Mankato city Council meeting. Photo by Trey Mewes at the The Free Press.

If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the  paypal subscription button.

Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email [email protected] as recipient.

Is billboard on Highway 52 for real?; or, who are those "Republicans for Honesty in Government"

Update: Campaign Money lists this group, which has been around since 2004 but never spent anything:

Group Name	Republicans for Honesty in Government
Stated Purpose	Political Action Organization designed to provide information about election and political processes.
Email Address	no@email
Established Date	09/02/2004
Contact Person	A M Holland
Contact Address	PO Box 2402 Saint Paul, MN  55102
Mailing Address	PO Box 2402 Saint Paul, MN  55102
Contributions Received (since 09/02/2004)	$0
Expenditures Made (since 09/02/2004)	$0

The group "Republicans for Honesty in Government" filed a 8871 in 2004 with the Internal Revenue Service, but no other filings are available.

Does the billboard itself actually exist of Highway 52? The leaves on the trees look a bit too green for Minnesota in the winter. [end update]

[Update #2] There's another, earlier version of the billboard shot from a different angle reported by Grant Nelson (grantnel2002) on reddit  in from October 2017. The discussion notes:

[–]grantnel2002[S] 1 point 2 months ago 

Yeah basically. Was on the frontage road of a highway.

[–]Alyeskas_ghost 1 point 2 months ago 

What city is this in?

[–]MrVJTod 3 points 2 months ago 

It's in Hampton, MN

Best viewed driving North on Highway 52

I've driven past this sign a few times.

Google Maps street view is out of date : https://goo.gl/maps/2yXXvR2y8Hq

If this discussion is honest, it's real. Campaign finance records indicate Hampton is the home of Robert Johnson, president of "Republicans for Honesty in Government and a major DFL donor on the federal level.

On Sunday, "Paladin Cornelia" tweeted the photo above. Today, a friend of Bluestem provided a bit on research into just who those "Republicans for Honesty in Government" are:

step 1 look up "Republicans for Honesty in Government" on the MN Sec. of State website https://t.co/PwtEiKjNz5
step 2 google the address listed, which leads you here https://t.co/ccIWvgDNJ7
step 3 look up AEI on MN SOS, realize they are located in Delaware https://t.co/QYmlc70XfW

— Andy (@tacomachine) January 2, 2018

Looking at those links, we learn that Republicans for Honesty in Government is registered at the Minnesota Secretary of State's Office to President Robert Johnson at 30 7th Str E 1300 Wells Fargo Place St Paul, MN 55101 USA. The non-profit corporation name was first registered in 2006, became inactive in 2009, then was reinstated in 2017.

The second link leads to AEI Capital Corporation 1300 Wells Fargo Place, 30 East Seventh Street, St. Paul, MN 55101. Here's the top of the management team:

He looks nice. It's not unusual for corporations to register in Delaware, so that's no big whoop.

Is Mr. Johnson a Republican in deed as well as word? A search of the database by TacoMachine yielded this:

He also gave $7000 to John Kerry's presidential race.

On the state level, Johnson gave $250 to Secretary of State Steve Simon's 2014 campaign, according to state Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board records. There are other Robert Johnson contributions in the mix--without the P-- but we're not ambitious enough to see if it's the same cat.

Whatever the case, this project looks to be sketchy--or a belief system in which the only Republicans for Honest Government are indeed Democrats. Decide for yourself, but Bluestem thinks Johnson is probably a Democrat--and that this is the billboard version of fake news.

Photos: The tweeted photo and a screengrab of a portrait of Robert P. Johnson, as well as some of his political giving.Hat tip to TacoMachine. 

If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the  paypal subscription button.

Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email [email protected] as recipient.