Controversy Swirls Around MnSCU Trustee Appointment
Friday, June 22, 2007 at 9:18 am
- 16 Comments
A controversy regarding the appointment of a new student representative to the Board of Trustees for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system is resulting in strong criticism of a candidate reportedly favored for consideration by Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
The candidate, Luke Hellier, is a graduate of St. John’s University, a private college in Collegeville. He has not attended a MnSCU school previously, though he is enrolled part time in Minnesota State University’s master’s of public administration program starting in the fall.
more insideHellier’s primary qualification appears to be his political connections. According to research by local blogger and former Minnesota State University Student Association chairman Hal Kimball, Hellier served as political director for the campaign of Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., in 2006. He also interned with Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life and served as vice chairman of the Minnesota College Republicans in 2006.
Hellier was not one of the candidates initially recommended to the position by the Minnesota State University Student Association. The group recommended that Pawlenty appoint either Ezra Kazee, a student at Winona State University, or Adam Weigold, a student at Metropolitan State University.
Kimball described Kazee as “highly qualified for a position on the board,” and noted Weigold’s work with the College Republicans before saying, “he is a student-oriented leader and would serve our students well.”
The MSUSA declined to attack Pawlenty for considering someone outside those recommended. In response to questions by Minnesota Monitor, MSUSA Communications Director Shannah Moore said, “At this point, the decision over whom to appoint to the position is in the governor’s hands, and we are awaiting that decision before talking further about the individual appointed.” But a number of local bloggers took the governor to task.
“The fact that Luke never even approached MSUSA for a recommendation, I believe, raises questions about his motivation in seeking this position,” said D.J. Danielson, writing in Minnesota Campaign Report. “Maybe he couldn’t attend that particular MSUSA conference that weekend in March? A conference call could have been arranged, which actually did occur for another candidate.”
And blogger Spot at The Cucking Stool noted that he “thinks the guv wants to give him a platform to ‘foster conservative thought,’ so to speak. What do you bet Hellier winds up as an operative for…whomever runs against Walz?”
16 Comments
Comment posted June 22, 2007 @ 12:06 pm
MSUSA is as lame as the DFL The MSUSA declined to attack Pawlenty for considering someone outside those recommended. In response to questions by Minnesota Monitor, MSUSA Communications Director Shannah Moore said, “At this point, the decision over whom to appoint to the position is in the governor’s hands, and we are awaiting that decision before talking further about the individual appointed.”
WTF? A student organization goes to all the trouble of vetting candidates and makes not one but two recommendations to Pawlenty. And when he rejects them both and considers an up-and-coming political hack who has shown zero interest in public education to date, they decline to call him on it?
If Pawlenty gets away with this crap, I guess MSUSA deserves what it gets. And where is the DFL on this anyway? And the MSM?
Comment posted June 24, 2007 @ 8:32 am
The Narn vented about this The guys in the “Final Word” on the NARN yesterday got the barking fantods over this issue, to the point of challenging Blue Man Hal Kimball’s courage at not responding to their appeals for him to appear on the show or call in.
According to his Facebook page, Kimball has been on vacation since June 20, nor has he posted at Blue Man since then.
Ken Avidor was so moved by one of the appeals to Kimball that he created a slide show.
Comment posted June 24, 2007 @ 3:05 pm
That’s Hilarious! Right up there with Gingrich’s infamous “calling out Democrats” in an empty House chamber. When C-Span dared pull back to show its viewers that the chamber was empty, Newt tried to get its funding cut.
Comment posted June 24, 2007 @ 7:15 pm
Clarification I didn’t invite Kimball until late Friday evening. I sent him an email and left a phone message. I said on the air that he may be out of town and that I wasn’t making an issue out of not hearing back from him. It’s summer time and people are busy.
Comment posted June 25, 2007 @ 10:54 am
Hal Kimball has returned… Hal Kimbal was golfing. Brodkorb just left a comment.
If Brodkorb suspected Hal Kimball was out of town, why didn’t he mention that to King Banian when the professor launched into his rant?
I think Brodkorb and King Banian’s show torpedoed the GOP talking points on affirmative action.
Like Gonzogate, all that “meritocracy-pull yourself up by your bootsraps,-playing by the rules on a level playing field” stuff apparently doesn’t apply to loyal Bushies and Bachmannites.
Comment posted June 25, 2007 @ 11:10 am
The message Actually, Mr. Brodkorb left a message late Saturday morning, which I got later in the day. His message invited me to a radio show with himself and King Banion later that afternoon.
Comment posted June 25, 2007 @ 11:33 am
The Professor Continues the Attack… King Banian goes after Hal Kimball on his SCSU Scholars blog.
Comment posted June 25, 2007 @ 11:42 am
King Banian Makes a Disparaging Reference… …. in his blog to Hal Kimball’s service in the U.S. Army:
“…But in the greatest about-face since Gomer Pyle…”
Comment posted June 22, 2007 @ 7:06 am
MSUSA is as lame as the DFL The MSUSA declined to attack Pawlenty for considering someone outside those recommended. In response to questions by Minnesota Monitor, MSUSA Communications Director Shannah Moore said, “At this point, the decision over whom to appoint to the position is in the governor's hands, and we are awaiting that decision before talking further about the individual appointed.”
WTF? A student organization goes to all the trouble of vetting candidates and makes not one but two recommendations to Pawlenty. And when he rejects them both and considers an up-and-coming political hack who has shown zero interest in public education to date, they decline to call him on it?
If Pawlenty gets away with this crap, I guess MSUSA deserves what it gets. And where is the DFL on this anyway? And the MSM?
Comment posted June 24, 2007 @ 3:32 am
The Narn vented about this The guys in the “Final Word” on the NARN yesterday got the barking fantods over this issue, to the point of challenging Blue Man Hal Kimball's courage at not responding to their appeals for him to appear on the show or call in.
According to his Facebook page, Kimball has been on vacation since June 20, nor has he posted at Blue Man since then.
Ken Avidor was so moved by one of the appeals to Kimball that he created a slide show.
Comment posted June 24, 2007 @ 10:05 am
That's Hilarious! Right up there with Gingrich's infamous “calling out Democrats” in an empty House chamber. When C-Span dared pull back to show its viewers that the chamber was empty, Newt tried to get its funding cut.
Comment posted June 24, 2007 @ 2:15 pm
Clarification I didn't invite Kimball until late Friday evening. I sent him an email and left a phone message. I said on the air that he may be out of town and that I wasn't making an issue out of not hearing back from him. It's summer time and people are busy.
Comment posted June 25, 2007 @ 5:54 am
Hal Kimball has returned… Hal Kimbal was golfing. Brodkorb just left a comment.
If Brodkorb suspected Hal Kimball was out of town, why didn't he mention that to King Banian when the professor launched into his rant?
I think Brodkorb and King Banian's show torpedoed the GOP talking points on affirmative action.
Like Gonzogate, all that “meritocracy-pull yourself up by your bootsraps,-playing by the rules on a level playing field” stuff apparently doesn't apply to loyal Bushies and Bachmannites.
Comment posted June 25, 2007 @ 6:10 am
The message Actually, Mr. Brodkorb left a message late Saturday morning, which I got later in the day. His message invited me to a radio show with himself and King Banion later that afternoon.
Comment posted June 25, 2007 @ 6:33 am
The Professor Continues the Attack… King Banian goes after Hal Kimball on his SCSU Scholars blog.
Comment posted June 25, 2007 @ 6:42 am
King Banian Makes a Disparaging Reference… …. in his blog to Hal Kimball's service in the U.S. Army:
“…But in the greatest about-face since Gomer Pyle…”
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