There's an interesting read in the Detroit Lakes Tribune article Minnesota DFL chair discusses infrastructure, recent scandals, redistricting and the future of legal cannabis.
Michael Achterling reports that during a visit to the city to talk up the federal infrastructure bill, Martin hasn't forgot his own party's kerfuffle this summer:
. . . When describing the situation unfolding in the Minnesota GOP concerning former state party chair Jennifer Carnahan, who resigned her post as party chair Thursday evening, and her close-ties to GOP donor Anton Lazzaro, who is facing multiple federal charges for sex trafficking, Martin said there needs to be a full, independent investigation of this because there are "disturbing questions that need to be answered."
"There is no place in our society for people who are going to commit those types of crimes, sex trafficking of underage minors," he said. "The real travesty of this whole thing is, what is lost in this story right now is, people are focused in on who knew what, and when, and there are at least, at least and probably more that we don't know of, six underage minors who were essentially exploited."
Martin added this issue should not be partisan. It should be condemned and there should be no equivocation, he said.
"I do think there are probably people on all sides of this who are using this for political opportunism, to try to take a hit against someone they might not like, or score some political points, or advance their career and that's just also, equally, unseemly to me," said Martin. "This isn't about politics right now, but there does need to be an accounting on this, if there's a political leader, of any office, elected or appointed or otherwise, who is involved in trying to cover this up, then they need to be held to account."
State Rep. John Thompson
Within his own party, Rep. John Thompson, DFL-St. Paul, has refused calls to resign from state DFL leaders following the release of police reports and court records detailing multiple instances of domestic assault. Thompson's wife, through an attorney, said didn't recall making the allegations, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Martin said he was one of the first party leaders to call on Thompson to resign.
"I believe as MLK (Martin Luther King) used to say that, 'it's always the right time to do the right thing,'" said Martin. "These are not about partisan issues, or even race, or gender, or how ever people want to excuse their behavior, the reality is, for me, this is about right and wrong. This is about what are we trying to teach our kids."
He also said he believes in redemption, forgiveness and second chances, but those pathways begin with being remorseful.
"The challenge, as it relates to Rep. Thompson, is the pattern just continues of very disturbing stories of behavior towards individuals, behavior towards women, behavior towards institutions, that does not really justify the second chance that was given to him," said Martin. "At some point, you have to be better than that."
A society, he said, has a responsibility to "call out" bad behavior when it's discovered, even if it involves their own political party. . . .
We'll keep an eye out for more greater Minnesota stories about the Carnahan departure.
Related posts:
- 1st congressional district reportage: on the congressman's wife in southern Minnesota media
- Alleged child sex trafficker Anton Lazzaro contributed $29,000 to Freedom Club State PAC
Photo: Mr. and Mrs. Jim Hagedorn and the alleged child sex trafficker at a Vikings game in November 2017. Via Hagedorn's Facebook page.
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