The most recent Montevideo American News looks at the race in Minnesota 17A, profiling each candidate in a pair of related article articles. There's Dolan seeks to unseat Miller in District 17A and Rep. Tim Miller seeks re-election to District 17A seat.
It's fair and balanced, but in the case of Miller's own statements about his small business, we're wondering about accuracy.
Here's what Mike Milbrandt reports in Rep. Tim Miller seeks re-election to District 17A seat:
When he is not in session with the Minnesota Legislature, Miller is busy with his own consulting firm Development Partners. He said: “We work primarily with Christian non-profit organizations. We help them with their fundraising and advertising needs. I’ve also done some work with private companies as well, and some years ago I did a lot of work at the Minnwest Technology campus.”
That's curious, since his Economic Interest Statement online with the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Board shows a slightly different story. Here's a screengrab, in which he lists the "Business or professional activity categories" of his self-employment as "Construction - specialty trade contractors."
We were reminded of similar accuracy issues we considered in a 2017 post looking at Miller's economic interests during his brief congressional bid, #MN07: Tim Miller's Financial Disclosure Report now online at Office of Clerk of U.S. House:
. . . Miller lists his occupation as "business owner" on his official website at the legislature and claims on his campaign website that:
. . .Tim currently runs his own consulting firm, Development Partners, that assists corporate and non-profit entities with strategic development needs
there's no income or listing of this firm on the congressional candidate form, just as it isn't on his state Economic Interest filing, although he does call himself "self-employed" on the later form.
In 2012, the West Central Tribune reported in Miller will run for GOP endorsement in new 17A district:
Miller is currently employed by the University of Minnesota at the newly developed Mid-Central Research and Outreach Center at the MinnWest Technology Campus in Willmar. He also owns his own consulting business, Development Partners, that specializes in project management for agriculture and renewable energy businesses.
When he ran and won in 2014, Miller worked for Willmar's Habitat for Humanity, but resigned after being elected, the West Central reported in Reps.-elect Dave Baker and Tim Miller gear up for the legislative session:
Miller, meanwhile, will be re-tooling his career while he begins his new role as a legislator.
Miller said he had an agreement with his employer, Habitat for Humanity of West Central Minnesota, that if he won the election that he would resign his position because the job requires a full-time presence. [note: Minnesota law prevents employers from terminating employees because they are serving in the legislature] . . .
As for the job hunt, Miller said he will likely return to consulting for non-profit or for-profit entities. “I’m confident God will provide,” he said.
Since Miller hasn't reported income from the business on his federal form and it's never appeared on the EIS filing (minimum $2500 income), we're curious whether Miller has served any paying clients at all since late 2014. . . .
Why did Miller tell the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board that his business was construction as a specialty trade contractor when he now says he's helping Christian non-profit organization with their fundraising and advertising needs?
What's perhaps more puzzling is that Miller--or the reporter--leaves out the work for Daughtery Farms. It's peculiar because Miller frequently posts pictures of his work in the fields on his campaign Facebook page. A screenshot of a recent example, in which he's chopping corn for silage:
In a very agricultural district, we'd think Miller would insist that the media report that he works for a farmer (we're thinking it's this one, with land in Kandiyohi and Renville Counties).
To be fair, we reviewed Dolan's claims in Dolan seeks to unseat Miller in District 17A :
For Dolan, home is where the heart is and after graduating from [University of South Dakota Law School], he returned to make his home in Appleton. “My family lives in the area, and our roots in Swift County go back about a hundred and fifty years,” he said. “After graduating, I decided to come back home. I could have lived anywhere else in the state and done a lot of different things, but this is home to me. Greater Minnesota is the best place to live!”
Dolan has been putting his law degree to good use. “Currently, I’ve been doing a clerkship for the State of Minnesota. I do legal research and legal writing as a clerk,” he said.
That story matches Dolan's EIS. He's a law clerk. He didn't go straight to law school from college, though, so check out his background in the Monte News story.
Related posts:
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Beet coop PAC pours sugar on Renville Co RPM; Renville Co RPM sweetens Tim Miller committee
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Did Renville County RPM have money to cover a $4500 check to Miller's committee on 7/17/2016?
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Ilhan Omar focus of Minnesota state house candidate fundraiser on the lone prairie
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Montevideo American Legion withdraws use of hall for controversial Tim Miller fundraiser.
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Scared Tim Miller can attend special session remotely if he's that worried about his safety
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Fundraising on truth, Tim Miller seems confused about quarterly, MN campaign finance deadlines
Photo: Tim Miller in a grandiose photo at the doors of the Minnesota House chambers earlier this year.
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