St. Paul Sen. Sandy Pappas may have apologized for a comment made by fellow DFLer Dave Thune of the St. Paul City Council about “puking Republican lobbyists” who might take advantage of a proposed extension of bar hours during the Republican National Convention, but Thune himself sticks by his statement. The PiPress’ City Hall Scoop quotes Thune’s comment on an e-Democracy forum over the weekend, in which he wrote, “Sorry, Sandy, I don’t apologize.”

“I may have unfairly sullied the reputation of lobbyists. My friend Chuck pointed out that lobbyists don’t puke, they’re professionals who have experience holding their liquor. It’s the amateurs who spew. He may be right, but the particular lobbyists we’ll have in town that week are the ones who have initiated this whole discussion. And of course these are the lobbyists who brought us an illegal and tragic war, a recession, polluted water, expensive drugs, and even the moralists who preach family values but play ‘outside the box’ themselves.  They are enough to make me queasy without a snootful…”

Read Thune’s full post.

Update: Thune offers further comment in an earlier Minnesota Monitor piece.