Update #2, December 11: The New York Times reports Supreme Court Rejects Texas Suit Seeking to Subvert Election. That worked out well the Minnesota Republican elected officials named below. [end update]
Update December 11: While he's not a signatory of the letter to the Texas Attorney General, Browns Valley Republican House member Jeff Backer supports the lawsuit and asked Minnesota's AG to join it, we report in "Goose Poop" Backer asks MN Attorney General to join TX lawsuit; Ellison had other plans. Attorney General Ellison has asked the SCOTUS to dismiss the lawsuit. [end update].
At the Star Tribune, Stephen Montemayor reports in Rep. Tom Emmer backs bid to get U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Biden's win:
U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer is among a large group of House Republicans formally supporting a dubious last-ditch bid to get the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the presidential election.
In all, 106 House Republicans signed onto an amicus brief in support of a suit filed last week by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. It attempts to invalidate President-elect Joe Biden's 62 Electoral College votes in four swing states.
Emmer was the only Minnesota Republican to sign on. In a statement Thursday, he said the amicus brief "asserts the democratic right of state legislatures to make appointments to the Electoral College was violated in several states."
Down column, Montemayor writes:
Moves by Republicans to challenge actions taken by governors and state elections officials — many of which were in response to the COVID-19 pandemic — have been a centerpiece of postelection scrutiny both in and outside of the courts.
Minnesota state Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer, R-Big Lake, earlier this week made Secretary of State Steve Simon's preelection agreement to waive witness requirements and extend the counting deadline for mail ballots a key point of inquiry in the first of likely multiple Senate hearings over the election this month.
"Some of my concerns are that we are having the attorney general, the secretary of state and the courts involved in changing election law during the process of actually conducting the election," Kiffmeyer said. "I think that has opened up some doors that are a concern."
Last week, the Minnesota Supreme Court tossed out a Republican lawsuit that sought to stop certification of the state's election results. Simon has repeatedly said his office has received no credible allegations of voter fraud in Minnesota.
Update December 11, around 5 p.m Montemayer now reports Minnesota GOP delegation all on board with call to overturn presidential election. All would be MN01 Congressman Jim Hagedorn and MN08 Pete Stauber. [end update]
Now Kiffmeyer and six other state senators, along with eight house members, go one step further, asking the Texas Attorney general to add Minnesota and Steve Simon as a very naughty, naughty Secretary of State. From the New House Republican Caucus Facebook page:
Our four caucus members, Reps. Drazkowski, Munson, Miller, and Bahr together with 4 other House members and 7 Senators, sent a letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton urging him to include Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon in his lawsuit challenging the settlements he entered into which changed Minnesota's election laws without legislative approval prior to the 2020 Primary and General Elections. . . .
Here's the letter--via Drazkowski's Legislative page (under recent news--upper right hand corner):
Minnesota Republican state house and senate members letter to TX Attorney General Paxton uploaded by Sally Jo Sorensen on Scribd
So far, it looks as if only the New House Republicans are publicizing the letter. It's not on the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus news page on the caucus's website, nor is it on the webpages or Facebook pages of the regular Minnesota House Republican Caucus members who signed the letter: Mary Franson, R-Alexandria; Eric Lucero, R-Dayton; Shane Mekeland, R-Clear Lake; and, Glenn Gruenhagen, R-Glencoe.
House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler responded this morning on Twitter:
It is not just Trump. Contempt for our democracy is the driving force of Minnesota Republican politics. https://t.co/XsH9gvuzML
— Ryan Winkler (@_RyanWinkler) December 11, 2020
Update December 11 10:32 : In the Daily Reformer newsletter, J. Patrick Coolican of the Minnesota Reformer writes:
Via Strib HotDish: State Sen. Kiffmeyer is one of 15 Republican state lawmakers who late Thursday signed a letter asking Paxton to add Minnesota to his suit. The letter was signed by Sens. Kiffmeyer, Mike Goggin, Andrew Mathews, Mark Koran, Bill Weber, John Jasinski and Rich Draheim; and Reps. Steve Drazkowski, Jeremy Munson, Tim Miller, Cal Bahr, Eric Lucero, Mary Franson, Glenn Gruenhagen and Shane Mekeland.
They’ve brought disgrace upon the Minnesota Legislature.
Our subscription to the Strib Hotdish randomly unsubscribes us--our apology to the paper for not mentioning its reporting on the letter [end update]
Photo: Our favorite scary Draz photograph. Winter is coming.
If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, 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.
NEW: I'm now on Venmo for those who prefer to use this service: Sally-Sorensen-6
Comments