“Until the conservatives grow some balls, I will not give any more money to put down the rathole!”
Say, Larry? It’s not the lack o’ ‘nads that’s the real problem with today’s MnGOP that makes donating to it a “rathole” – it’s their Cooked Books that makes it a rathole; it’s things like this!
And, that’s just one of many the MnGOP cut to the Feds to pay for their past misdeeds.
That’s just the past; there’s mighty good reason to think that future donations from The Party Faithful will go to paying for past misdeeds yet again!
Today’s MnGOP is indeed a rathole, and it’s for the old-fashioned reason: they EARNED it.
The call went out, to far and wide (even Facebook!) for The WingNut Faithful to gather at a bar in Arden Hills (where presumably, they didn’t have to tip because Waitrons make $100,000 a year! for a special, heart-searching event: “MnGOP Panel: Where Do We Go From Here? – What went wrong in 2012, and moving forward in 2013″
And what a panel it was! ”Moderated” by EXTREME right wingers Mitch Berg and Jeff Johnson, Senator Dave Thompson, Walter Hudson, Andy Parrish, Sarah Janecek, Dan “Dac” Severson, Marianne Stebbins and Mark Westphal were the main draws!
I didn’t go; watching the action on Twitter Hashtags #wdwgfh & #MnGOP13) was entertainment enough for yours truly, the ol’ TwoPutter!
And clearly, these assembled party faithful have not a clue.
Which, for a Progressive, is GREAT news! But, the best news, is the apparent formation of a “Draft Emmer” clown car – here’s the tweet that clued me in!!!
For those that are interested in what’s REALLY wrong with today’s GOP, Hamline Professor David Schultz recently penned “The Moral Crisis of the Republican Party”. I highly recommend those reading this, read it.
Obviously, those in attendence last night hadn’t.
Here’s an example of the candidacy of Tom Emmer in 2010, and why those GOPers that are electable are not endorsable (and those GOPers endorsable are not electable) in today’s MnGOP – via YouTube:
Monday morning, we did a post entitled “Attila The Hann’s Comment On His Role In The Pew d’ Etat“. Hann’s comment to the Star Tribune about the sacking of Amy Koch was, basically, “no comment.” And there’s a good reason for that, if you’re David Hann: the story he told at the infamous December 2011 Press Conference doesn’t add up (to put it nicely).
How do we know that? Because Monday afternoon, Minnesota Public Radio (“MPR”) did a story – let’s look!
If it smells like a power play…
Posted at 5:01 PM on January 28, 2013 by Bob Collins (9 Comments) Filed under: Politics
Former Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch told WCCO Radio today she’s never watched (or listened to) the December 2011 press conference at which it was announced she’d resigned her leadership post because of an affair with a staffer.
She says she probably won’t ever watch it. That’s too bad, because looking back at it now, coupled with yesterday’s Star Tribune story, her claim that four of her male colleagues were staging a power play gains at least a fair amount of traction. . . . Even before Ms. Koch broke her silence with yesterday’s Star Tribune article, there was a stench around the story and timetable the Republican men — Sen. Chris Gerlach, R-Apple Valley, Sen. David Senjem, R-Rochester, Sen. Geoff Michel and Sen. David Hann, R-Eden Prairie — painted at the news conference announcing Koch’s resignation. . . . Compare that to what Sen. David Hann said when he was asked about the news conference announcing Koch’s resignation. “It’s a total surprise,” Hann told MPR News.
The men insisted it was Koch who brought up the idea of resigning. But in her interview with the Star Tribune, that’s not how she remembers it: (read rest of the story, here)
We know that at that infamous Gang Of Four (Hann, Michel, Gerlach & Senjem) Press Conference in December 2011, Michel clearly smiled at the cameras and proceeded to lie through his teeth.
Now Hann’s role in The Pew d’ Etat – the sacking of Amy Koch and Michael Brodkorb – is becoming clearer, and it sure looks like Hann smiled at the cameras and pulled a Michel.
GOP State Senator David Hann – the GOP’s Minority Leader in the State Senate – is rapidly becoming Minnesota’s most ethically-challenged politician.
Which, as stated in Monday’s post, should make Attila The Hann a shoo-in for the ethically-challenged MnGOP’s endorsement to run for governor in 2014….
Now, to me, The Sacking Of Amy Koch – a/k/a, “The Pew d’ Etat” – is NOT a scandal about sex, as salacious as sex is. This scandal is about a political power play – The Sacking Of Amy Koch (well, and Michael Brodkorb, too). And the real scandal is the brazen lying, which Koch talks about in the story. And we know there was lying going on; one member of the infamous Gang Of Four - then-GOP State Senator Geoff Michel(Attila David Hann, Chris Gerlach, and Dave Senjem being the other three) – lied to reporters at the December 2011 Press Conference talked about in the Star Tribune story liked to, above. And we know Michel lied; he later admitted it – basically saying “I only lied because I had to.”
So we know that at least one member of The Gang Of Four is an admitted liar. So we know that when Amy Koch alleges there’s some lyin’ goin’ on, well, we already knew that. And we also knew that David Hann, the now-GOP State Senate Minority Leader, was deeply involved involved with this sordid affair of calling the Press to attend a Press Conference where this Gang Of Four might tell some of the truth, but certainly some stuff that wasn’t the truth.
Since December 2011, David Hann has been deeply involved in this Pew d’ Etat scandal, the infamous Lunch Hour Lit Drop scandal, and his personal conflict of interest scandal.
Which, of course, should make him a shoo-in for the ethically-challenged MnGOP’s endorsement to run for governor in 2014….
The image to the right is from Republican David Hann’s campaign website (link here for full view). It seems in May 2010, Hann held a Press Conference announcing the beginnings of an ethics complaint about a DFLer who had ethics problems — and is now out of office. This image of Hann’s website shows links to a press conference Hann, along with Republican Senator Geoff “I only lied because I had to” Michel, held — and it’s worth remembering what Hann had to say at that time. Let’s look!
“I think all of us in public office, we need to exercise the best judgement that we can to make sure that what we’re doing, uh, doesn’t send the appearance to the public that we’re, uh, seeking any kind of special treament or doing things that are of benefit to us personally.” — Republican Senator David Hann, 20 May 2010
OK, why bring that up, now? Well, because of what Hann said about HIS behavior, just the other day: From Minnesota Public Radio:
“What I did was perfectly legal and legitimate,” Hann said. “I did not have a license at the time I did that, was not contemplating having a license at the time I did that. After the fact, I got a license, [which] would no different than anybody in the state of Minnesota who decided to get a license after the law was passed.” — Republican Senator David Hann
OK, working hand in hand with an owner of an insurance company – John Tyler – while working in the legislature as Chair of the committee that affects said insurance company owner, and then going to work for said insurance company owner after getting legislation passed affecting said insurance company owner may be “perfectly legal and legitimate” – but it sure gives the impression of, as Hann stated in May of 2010: “…doing things that are of benefit to us personally.”
Because, Hann’s behavior reeks of “…doing things that are of benefit to us personally.”
Since December of 2011, Hann has been involved in three things that really reek: the sacking of then-Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch; the infamous Lunch Hour Lit Drop; and now getting licensed to sell health insurance, taking a job with an insurance company who he worked with for God only knows how long on health insurance issues, and taking a board position with a health insurance trade association.
When the Legislature convenes in January, the Senate’s Ethics Committee needs to take a long hard look at David Hann and the timeline of what he’s done.
Assuming, of course, he doesn’t resign first…
After all, if Hann wants to walk through the ol’ Legislator-to-lobbyist revolving door so common today (except in Hann’s case, it’d be “Legislator to now-employee-of-business-owner-he-helped), he shouldn’t let the door smack him on his way out.
I’m thinking if he doesn’t, Hann will get smacked by an Ethics Committee investigation.
The House should take a long hard look at Gottwalt, too.
The scandal plagued Republican State Senator from Eden Prairie, David Hann, was elected by his fellow Senate Republicans to lead their Caucus as Minority Leader. No surprise there! Beginning in January 2011, when the Senate Republicans took over, it has been scandal after scandal after scandal by these Republican scoundrels.
The latest scandal coming from these State Senate Republicans has to do with their newly elected leader, David Hann, and it has to do with a conflict of interest and his perceived cover up of it. Boiled down, it is in essence: who does Hann work for, what does Hann do, and when did Hann start doing it?
And Hann ducked the only major news outlet in the Metro – Tom Lyden of Fox9 News – that picked up on this scandal. To be fair, MinnPost picked up on Fox9 picking the story up. Everybody else? Cue the crickets!
Now, when Hann’s fellow campers in the scandal plagued Republican Senate Caucus elected him, they also sent out a Press Release describing Hann as follows:
“Senator Hann was elected to his fourth term in the Senate earlier this week. He was first elected in 2002. Prior to his service in the Senate, Hann was elected three times to the Eden Prairie School board where he served as clerk and treasurer. He was also employed at E. A. Sween Co. (Deli Express) for 22 years, where he served in several capacities including Director of Forecasting and Logistics.”
What we’ve found since the Hann Scandal first broke is that Hann is now a licensed insurance agent, works for an insurance company (Boys And Tyler), and serves on the Board of Directors of an insurance industry trade group (Minnesota Association of Health Underwriters).
To no surprise, no mention of what has come to light about Hann (not the industry, nor the company, nor his job, nor his trade association position), in the Senate Republican Caucus’ press release, announcing and describing their newly elected fearless leader’s new job – Minority Leader.
During his recent campaign, David Hann clearly demonstrated he did not believe the public deserved to know his source of employment. Based on the press release by the Republican Senate Caucus he now leads, they don’t think so either.
*** Photo Credit to Minnesota Public Radio for the image above – which pictures the so-called Gang Of Four at the infamous December 2011 Press Conference.
GOP Senator Hann’s problems started with his involvement in The Gang Of Four; which is a scandal because four Republican State Senators called the media to attend a press conference in December of 2011, smiled at the camera — and one of them, for sure, proceeded to lie through his teeth. As of this date, we don’t know what Hann knew, when he knew it, nor what his role in this scandal is – and he ain’t talking.
We’ll skip to late last month, when the story broke about Hann’s apparent concealment of who he works for/what he does. What we know is Hann has a license to sell insurance and works for a company that sells insurance – Boys & Tyler Financial. Fox9 covered this story; that’s where the image to the right came from. It’s a statement Hann sent Fox9; Hann says was “too busy campaigning” to talk to the reporter. Hann’s been ducking reporters ever since.
And here’s something David Hann is probably NOT going to want to talk about either. That facebook image, to the right? That’s Brad Biers’ page. Who is Brad Biers? According to the State Senate HHS website, Biers is the HHS Committee Administrator; a Committee David Hann Chairs. And what does Biers say, in his facebook post?
“All of my political clients won last night! A Sincere Congratulations to Sen. David Hann, Sen. Paul Gazelka, Sen.-elect David Osmek and Rep.-elect Marion O’Neill. These are four of the finest public servants Minnesota has to offer.
Election cycle 2014 begins. Contact me for winning ideas and and strategies anytime.”
RuhRoh… Committee Chair David Hann’s Committee Administrator has David Hann as a political client???
Now we have a name, so it’s off to the Campaign Finance Board to check Hann’s Campaign’s reports. And we do indeed find an expenditure to Capitol Communications.
OK, now we have an address, so let’s look it up! What do we find? It’s owned by Brad Biers.
No doubt about it: a State Senate Staffer – Brad Biers, wages paid by taxpayers – is also doing political work for not only his State Senate Boss, David Hann – he’s also done it for three other elected officials and he’s looking for more.
And not only is he looking for more, he’s looking for more at “anytime.” Let’s look at that facebook post, again:
Election cycle 2014 begins. Contact me for winning ideas and and strategies anytime.
Including the time he’s supposed to be doing the taxpayer’s work??!?
Ladies and Gentlemen, that reeks. Don’t know if it’s illegal, or if it’s against Senate Rules, but I intend to find out.
In the meantime, in addition to all the unanswered questions Hann has regarding his role in The Gang Of Four, The Lunch Hour Lit Drop, his conflict of interest with regards to what he does for a living, Hann can now add the work his staffer did to the list.
To Be Clear: Locally, Fox9News does a pretty good job. This is a quick post about some of the nastiest Republicans in the state of Minnesota – the GOP SD48 – and the National Faux “Fox” News.
It’s the morning after a historic election; locally the ethically challenged Kirk Stensrud got knocked off by Yvonne Selcer in 48-A. Knowing how “classy” the local GOPers are (not), I went to their website – let’s look!
That’s “right” – blame the media. That’s the local GOPers excuse for possibly the worst candidate a party has ever put up for President, the “fiercely conservative” – until he got the GOP’s endorsement – “Multiple Positions” Mitt Romney (who even the Salt Lake Tribune couldn’t endorse).
“Blame the media” from the local Party of Personal Responsibility (from OTHERS). Forget Etch-A-Sketch; forget Romney Shambles; forget the non-existent tax returns; forget… well EVERYTHING – it’s the media’s fault.
These local GOPers are the ones that rallied behind disgraced former Mayor Phil Young. The ones that two years later; still vilify former DFL State Representative Maria Ruud. The ones that… well, I could go on and On and ON. The local “leaders” of the Mn GOP SD48 simply are NOT nice nor classy people.
And their very first post on their website, on the day after an election rejecting their candidate for president, saw the DFL take over the House and Senate in St. Paul (including the defeat of their endorsed candidate in SD48-A, Kirk Stensrud), saw the defeat of two State Constitutional Amendment proposals is a link to the National Fox News, whose message is: ”blame the media.”
Message to GOP SD48: take some responsibility.
You know, like you’re always demanding, from everybody else.
That screen shot, to the “far right” (pun intended)? Those are tweets that were fired off last night by Bob Koss – who bills himself as, and this is a quote: ”Free thinking conservative. Proud staffer at the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus.” Koss is a Legislative Assistant for Joe Gimse.
The target of Koss’ tirade? Republican State Representative John Kriesel, an Iraq War Veteran. Rep. Kriesel’s offense, to “earn” comments such as “RINO” & “Piece of (stuff)” & “SOB” & “shameless self promoter”?
Kriesel had the audacity to speak his mind on the floor of the House of Representatives and then allow that speech to be included in a television ad advocating a “No” vote on the marriage restriction constitutional amendment.
This so-called “twitter war” is simply the latest example of an out of control Republican Senate Caucus.
And where are the Republican Senators? Senate Majority “Leader” Dave Senjem, R-Rochester, is in Rochester trying to save his political skin. Asistant Majority “Leader” David Hann, R-Eden Prairie (the alleged co-chair of the Republican Senate Re-Election effort) is, well, who knows where? He’s been ducking the press ever since Fox9 TV ran a story: “What Does Hann Do For A Living?”.
As far as I can tell, it’s understandable the Senate Republican Caucus’ Communications “Director” – Steve Sviggum – couldn’t jump into the fray and stop Koss, a caucus staffer, from committing poltical hari kari on twitter last night – because as far as I can tell, Sviggum – the Communications “Director” – isn’t even ON twitter.
It’s an insult to clown cars to call the scandal plagued Senate Republican Caucus a “clown car.”
Hopefully next Wednesday, they WILL be called “the MINORITY Republican Senate Caucus.”
The endorsement came in the form of a Letter To The Editor in the local paper; published 18 October 2012.
Now, that’s a nice letter, talking about the great job (“huge contributions”) Hann is doing – seen by the residents that subscribe to the local paper right before election day. But nowhere does Mr. Tyler, of Boys and Tyler Financial, disclose that there might just be a slight conflict of interest: Hann works for Tyler.
One would think the voters of Eden Prairie and Minnetonka, in Senate District 48, should know that.
Should Hann be re-elected, Hann will go back to the State Capitol, in the Legislature, where he’s the Chair of Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee. Why is that committee important? Because it oversees and writes legislation affecting the health insurance industry; the industry Mr. Tyler’s company (Boys & Tyler Financial) is in, which is the company Hann works for. How convenient – for them.
In the story “Conflict of Interest? David Hann, GOP Health Insurance Salesman” (25 Oct 2012), we posted a picture of “an ‘invitation-only” event hosted by the Republican Health Care Task Force (RHCTF) of the MN GOP at the State Capitol on November 3, 2011.” In the caption above the picture, it’s noted that NOT pictured are John Tyler, and David Hann.
We know by this screen shot that Tyler and Hann were scheduled for another health care forum, on 17 October 2012.
Tyler and his employee, Hann, have been involved in working on health care legislation for at least a year. What we don’t know is how long Hann has been an employee of Tyler. In fact, Tyler’s Letter to the Editor failed to disclose Hann even is an employee.
The State House has passed a bill that would raise the state minimum wage to $9.50/hour and index it to inflation so $9.50 in today's dollars is worth an equivalent amount in next year's. The State Senate is dragging its feet, insisting on legislator pay raises *first*. Tell them to get off the sidelines, stop dragging their feet, and help raise up the working poor!
…”Money Down The Rathole!”
“Let’s Do The Time Warp Again!”
YES!!! That’s THE ticket!!!
Monday morning, we did a post entitled 
The image to the right is from Republican David Hann’s campaign website 
The scandal plagued Republican State Senator from Eden Prairie, David Hann, was elected by his fellow Senate Republicans to lead their Caucus as Minority Leader. No surprise there! Beginning in January 2011, when the Senate Republicans took over, it has been scandal after scandal after scandal by these Republican scoundrels.
We’ll skip to late last month, when the story broke about Hann’s apparent concealment of who he works for/what he does. What we know is Hann has a license to sell insurance and works for a company that sells insurance – Boys & Tyler Financial. Fox9 covered 
And here’s something David Hann is probably NOT going to want to talk about either. That facebook image, to the right? That’s Brad Biers’ page. Who is Brad Biers? According to the State Senate HHS website, Biers is the 
Well, and out of touch, too.
