Witnesses for Emmer complaint are for most part Republican activists
Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 2:47 pm
- 14 Comments
In a petition filed by the Republican Party of Minnesota and Tom Emmer’s gubernatorial campaign with the Minnesota Supreme Court, election judges from around the state submitted affidavits stating that reconciliation between registered voters and ballots cast was not done correctly in their precincts. The GOP said improper record keeping on election night resulted in thousands of “phantom votes” while the Dayton campaign called the complaint a delay tactic. The vast majority of the witnesses in the complaint are Republican activists or are connected to the tea party movement.
Joel Burns, listed in the complaint as a GOP witness, was chair of the campaign of Republican Deanna Boss who ran for the state House in Minneapolis’ district 62B, according to campaign filings. Boss is a co-founder of the Tea Party Patriots of the Twin Cities.
John Larkin is another witness for the GOP with connections to the tea party movement: He founded the tea party group The 56 Club, which is based in Eagan.
Glydewell Burdick co-chairs the Senate District 44 Republicans in the Golden Valley area and is on the Republican Party of Minnesota Health Care Coalition.
Another witness for the GOP serves on that health care coalition is Diana Bratlie, the recipient of the Elephant Remembers award at the 2nd Congressional District Ronald Reagan Dinner in 2007 and a paid researcher for Rep. John Kline’s re-election campaign in 2008. The UpTake published a story on Thursday questioning Bratlie’s truthfulness.
She was also a delegate to the 2008 Republican National Convention.
Albin Dittli of Minneapolis attended a state GOP convention in 2005.
Several of the witnesses in the GOP petition to the Supreme Court are GOP donors. John Carney was a financial donor to Mark Kennedy’s unsuccessful campaign against Amy Klobuchar in 2006. Betty Walton’s husband donated to the Emmer campaign for governor multiple times in recent months according to Emmer’ campaign finance reports.
And several of the witnesses in Bloomington share a connection with a Republican candidate. Barbara Sutter is the treasurer for the Pat Mazorol Volunteer Committee and was paid by Mazorol’s successful campaign against one-term DFL Rep. Paul Rosenthal in the Edina-Bloomington area.
Financing that campaign was fellow witness Theresa Jacobson. Jacobson and her husband gave money to Mazorol’s campaign this summer, according to campaign finance documents.
Only two of the GOP’s witnesses seemed to have no connection to the GOP on paper: Jill Ingvalson and Tim Reisdorf.
“What this does is enhance the suspicion that this is really based on political factors,” said Prof. David Schultz of Hamline University. “From a legal point of view, it suggests the petition doesn’t have much merit.”
He added that the petition to the Supreme Court is on shaky legal ground as it is. He cited the legal concept of exhaustion of administrative remedies, which means the GOP should take its complaint to the proper government units before a court will hear their case. The Supreme Court may reject the petition under that rationale, he said.
Schultz said the timing of the petition as well as the GOP’s allegations of fraud create the appearance that the GOP is gearing up for a bigger lawsuit.
“I think they are trying to establish doubt over the election results that could lead up to a lawsuit once the recount has concluded,” he said. “They seem to be building an ideological case for a court challenge after December.”
Follow Andy Birkey on Twitter14 Comments
Comment posted November 18, 2010 @ 3:10 pm
Tom Emmer PLEASE just go away.. I find it EXTRAORDINARILY shameful, that the nut balls in my state even got this election this close.. Minnesota went from Middle Class to NO CLASS… If this Terrorist “Emmer”.. Thinks he and King Timmy can Hijack my state .. PREPARE FOR A BATTLE!! My advice to Liberals ………. Embrace the 2nd Amendment!
We are gonna need it to fight the Neo Christio terrorist that are killing Minnesota…..
Comment posted November 18, 2010 @ 3:14 pm
“Only two of the GOP’s witnesses seemed to have no connection to the GOP on paper”
The most telling sentence in the entire article. Again people, always consider the source. Sounds like a bunch of sour grapes losers attacking procedure because they know they don’t have enough votes to beat Dayton.
Comment posted November 18, 2010 @ 3:28 pm
Marcus, regarding “Embrace the 2nd Amendment!
We are gonna need it to fight the Neo Christio terrorist that are killing Minnesota”
You’re not helping. Let the court decide if the legal grounds are that shaky. People can have bad motives but a legally correct case. They’re set up for a fall if it’s pure partisanship. Remember the one attempt to substantiate claims of double counting in the senate recount election contest. Their one witness was a Republican activist who didn’t see anything, but disliked the result so much she thought something must have happened. Something did happen — she and Coleman’s lawyers looked like fools for ever putting her on the witness stand.
Comment posted November 18, 2010 @ 3:40 pm
Marcus
Slow down there young man. I have read several of your posts and you need to learn to stimulate your mind. When enraged, a sluggish mind will trend towards violence while a learned mind will trend towards rational and critical thought. I am in no way trying to “call you out” or demean your intelligence. I find myself struggling with the desire to reduce debates and disagreements into name calling high school brawls.
What I believe the republicans are trying to do is enable TPaw to stay in power past his term. Dayton will not be able to take over as governor as long as this election results are still being questioned. This has less to do with Emmer as it does the republican party in this state. Am I correct on this?? Maybe, maybe not.
Comment posted November 18, 2010 @ 3:50 pm
“EricF”>> I might have agreed with you 10 years ago on ” Let the court decide if the legal grounds are that shaky”.. In Minnesota our court system has been filled with Republican Idiolects The ONLY thing that a repulcan understaqnds is PUNISHMENT…. Let’s give these cowardly Bastards what they deserve.. I myself am sick of doing things the right way and getting Punished.. Libs need to grow a set of nuts and kick in some teeth.. Just some advice to my liberal friends.. SHOW NO MERCY AND KICK THE TEA BAGGERS ASS!!
Comment posted November 18, 2010 @ 4:02 pm
@John…
The same attitude that you have is WHY Dems got smoked in the last election.. Where is the HEART??? Come on!!! .. I AM ready for a brawl?? The ONLY thing these cowardly tea bag Nut Balls know is punishment.. The Dems have not shown that they can do that.. I am ready and willing to give it to them!! I wish our party could grow a spine so these election travesties WOULD NOT HAPPEN!! PS.. I AM NOT THAT YOUNG ..(41) I am just THAT Outraged!!
Comment posted November 18, 2010 @ 6:30 pm
The MN GOP is trying to stall. The people of Minnesota have spoken. We have more dire concerns than to fear than taxes and minorities. Good luck trying to shore up 10,000 votes. Adios Emmer, you’re done.
Comment posted November 18, 2010 @ 7:12 pm
Yes, The GOP is stalling and blocking, thats what they do. There is more than one way to take apart the government. The GOP showed it could be done even from the minority.
However, its no surprise that these are republicans complaining. Emmer lost the election. Who else would be complaining?? Democrats? Not likely.
People from both sides go to the polls to watch for unfairness or mistakes. Only the watchers from the losing side are likely to complain.
Comment posted November 18, 2010 @ 7:14 pm
Marcus – To me, his post sounds like a plant from a right winger looking to point to extremism and calls for violence from liberals.
This is the internet folks. Marcus is not real.
Comment posted November 19, 2010 @ 9:43 am
When Brokeknob took over the Republican Party you should have known corruption and lies were the new Republican platform.
Comment posted November 19, 2010 @ 10:59 am
The problem is that conservatives value an autocratic leader to tell them what to do. They want that top-down model. They say they love Ayn Rand but don’t realize she valued reason above all else, especially violence. they say they love the bible, but can’t follow the teachings of Jesus. The conservatives cannot and do not want to think for themselves.
Comment posted November 20, 2010 @ 6:20 pm
@BOB >>> I AM REAL AND I AM READY!! HOW could U accuse me of being a God Damned Right Winger??? I am ready for a fight.. Where are you?????
Comment posted November 21, 2010 @ 4:15 pm
Still not sure why Emmer was even an option. This entire race was humiliating. I didn’t care much for any of the candidates. Then the green party had to go and nominate Farheen Hakeem to ensure they would no longer play any sort of serious role in local politics.
wtf?
Comment posted November 22, 2010 @ 5:13 pm
Couple things – Most poll officials and poll watchers are actually active on one side or the other of the aisle. They have an interest in politics which would include their own personal beliefs. Being Republican affiliated (attending a convention, etc) isn’t necessarily going to mean they are going to make up stories to support Emmers. But it is troubling that the only people who are willing to support these claims seem to be from the farther right side of the sprectrum. Also, of the non-affiliated people mentioned above, I personally know one of them and that person is a devout Christian with an extremely conservative POV.
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