The Minnesota House DFL released the roster of Minnesota House members' committee assignments on Friday:
BREAKING NEWS: We've announced legislators' committee assignments for the 2021-2022 #mnleg session.
— Minnesota House DFL (@mnhouseDFL) January 1, 2021
Take a look: https://t.co/Wi2ysbxtaw pic.twitter.com/rptiogGi2P
As we noted on Twitter, we're puzzled by the placement of Alexandria Republican Mary Franson on the Climate and Energy Finance & Policy Committee.
First, there's the lack of earlier committee service and policy work in this area on the part of a legislator now entering her sixth term:
Perhaps the oddest #MNHouse 2021 committee assignment is Mary Franson to Climate & Energy Finance & Policy. Nothing in her prior committee service or bill author introduction shows that interest #mnleg https://t.co/k4YwEUi4pM
— Sally Jo Sorensen (@sallyjos) January 1, 2021
That link goes to her page on the Legislative Reference Library's Minnesota Legislators Past and Present. It's a very useful tool for assessing a lawmaker's career in terms of bills introduced or supported and committee service.
And then there's a small past on Franson's part of viral news about her take on this issue. We tweeted:
Students weren't the first to ask about issue. LTE in local paper in 2015; "In March of this year, Representative Mary Franson boasted proudly on her Facebook page, “I do not believe in ‘climate change’ or ‘global warming.’” #mnleg #mnhouse #climateactionhttps://t.co/YTXv08mxRP
— Sally Jo Sorensen (@sallyjos) January 1, 2021
As we pointed out at the time in Why stop with Mary? Alex woman wants Franson to explain benefits of climate change denial, it's been the position of many Republicans in the Minnesota House to deny the climate emergency.
Perhaps Franson and Republican leadership had a few other moments in Franson's career related to this issue in mind when assigning her to a committee on climate and energy policy. This past fall, Franson began answering a campaign debate question about climate change legislation with the remark:
Well, climate is important and it's always changing, so I'm not exactly sure what kind of legislation we can put in to control Mother Nature.
Here's that special moment:
Then there's the January 19, 2019 "RIGHT View Mn" Facebook show featuring noted climate change denier Glenn Gruenhagen, who will also be joining Franson on the newly reconfigured committee, built on the leadership framework of the 2019-2020 session's Energy and Climate Finance and Policy Division of the Ways and Means Committee. (Click on the 2019-2020 minutes to see roll call of members).
Given Franson's current viral moment as COVID denier and anti-vaccine darling, we can't wait. One supposes the Republican caucus would rather let Franson chew the scenery than actually deal with the issues.
Related posts:
- Local doctor scolds Rep. Mary Franson for sharing complete quackery on thermometer guns
- Contact tracing: Is Mary Franson's circle of conservative friends metaphor for COVID romp?
- Mask-shaming Franson doesn't get file photos, deleted anti-Walz take at local paper's Facebook
- State rep hosts meeting in county making national news as COVID hotspot, slams Walz order
- Mary Franson calls Echo Press non-endorsement for MNHouse 8B "an endorsement of sorts"
- Small town MN freedom fighting restaurateur's anti-vaxx pals make us pause about her savvy
Screengrab: That special moment on Pioneer Public Broadcasting's "Meet the Candidates" debate.
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
OMG - she will obstruct everything. This is DOOM.
Posted by: Susanne C Engstrom | Jan 02, 2021 at 09:43 AM