Minnesota Independent

Bachmann at a Family Research Council event

Religious right rushes to Bachmann’s defense following ‘ex-gay’ reports

By Andy Birkey | 07.13.11 | 4:25 pm

Several religious right groups — including those listed as anti-gay hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center — rushed to Michele Bachmann’s defense following reports that she and her husband Marcus’ Christian counseling clinic performs therapy intended to cure homosexuality. The groups argued that the controversial therapy is successful and that media reports of the practices of Bachmann’s clinic amount to anti-Christian bias.

Pawlenty won’t sign controversial Iowa marriage pledge

By Andy Birkey | 07.13.11 | 3:08 pm

Presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty announced on Wednesday that he would not sign a controversial marriage pledge by Iowa’s The Family Leader. Pawlenty said, “I prefer to choose my own words,” in response to the pledge which has come under fire for references to slavery, its opposition to same-sex marriage, a ban on pornography and an insinuation that being gay or lesbian is a choice. Fellow presidential candidates Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum have signed on while Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney have criticized the pledge.

Religious leaders ask for shutdown’s end, encounter locked doors

By Jon Collins | 07.12.11 | 4:01 pm

Around 100 religious leaders from across Minnesota, bearing symbolic gifts of bread, milk and honey, gathered at the Capitol in St. Paul Tuesday to plead with legislators for a just solution to the budget impasse that has shut down the state government. But they found locked doors, and no legislators accepted their letter — signed by leaders of 235 Minnesota congregations — in person.

End-times preacher and Bachmann friend defends Lynne Torgerson’s anti-Islam statements

By Andy Birkey | 07.12.11 | 10:43 am

Jan Markell, an end-times preacher and longtime friend of Michele Bachmann, defended anti-Islam statements by Lynne Torgerson, Rep. Keith Ellison’s first announced challenger for the 2012 election. In late-June, Torgerson launched her campaign at Tea Party Nation by calling Ellison a “radical Islamist” who “fails to oppose banning Islamic Sharia law in the United States.” Ellison responded by accusing her of running a campaign “based on hate, division, and fear.” In an interview on Friday, Markell defended Torgerson.

Bachmann, Perry to speak at Falwell’s Liberty University

By Patrick Michels | 07.11.11 | 2:00 pm

Rep. Michele Bachmann and Texas Gov. Rick Perry will each be dropping in for speaking engagements at Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University in September, the Lynchburg News and Advance reported Monday.

Religious leaders backed successful push for amendment banning same-sex marriage

By Andy Birkey | 07.08.11 | 11:36 am

Among the donors to the Minnesota Family Council’s efforts to get a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage on the ballot in 2012 is a slew of churches and religious leaders. Some of the churches and pastors who have contributed to the successful seven-year campaign are opposed to homosexuality and advocate “ex-gay” therapy, a controversial faith-based type of counseling that attempts to change gays and lesbians into heterosexuals. The therapy has been condemned by most major medical associations. Among the donors are churches in Minneapolis and greater Minnesota, and, in one case, a large Minnesota financial institution.

Rep. Michele Bachmann. Photo: Photo: Gage Skidmore

Frank Schaeffer: Bachmann’s theology a ‘liability with the general public’

By Andy Birkey | 07.07.11 | 12:06 pm

Author Frank Schaeffer told MSNBC on Wednesday that Michele Bachmann’s beliefs will be a liability for her with the general public if she gets the GOP nomination in 2012. And Schaeffer knows something about where Bachmann stands: His father, Dr. Francis Schaeffer, was the founder of the modern religious right, and both Bachmann and her husband Marcus count Schaeffer as a top influence on their worldview and political ideology.

On MSNBC, Lynne Torgerson claims Ellison doesn’t hold the U.S. Constitution ‘supreme’

By Paul Schmelzer | 06.29.11 | 9:33 am

MSNBC’s The Ed Show on MSNBC turned its focus on Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District race as candidate Lynne Torgerson spoke with Rev. Al Sharpton about incumbent Rep. Keith Ellison last night. The contentious back and forth centered on Torgerson’s claim that Ellison, a Muslim, doesn’t hold the U.S. Constitution “supreme” over Shariah law. Her beef: Ellison said the U.S. Constitution is the “bedrock” of American law, but didn’t say it was “supreme.”

Rep. Keith Ellison. Photo: Kathy Easthagen for the Minnesota Independent

Keith Ellison calls Lynne Torgerson’s campaign one of ‘hate, division, and fear’

By Andy Birkey | 06.28.11 | 7:53 am

Rep. Keith Ellison sent a fundraising pitch to supporters on Monday calling out his newly announced challenger Lynne Torgerson for her comments calling him a “radical Muslim fundamentalist.” Torgerson, who announced her campaign at Tea Party Nation on Thursday, garnered only 3 percent against Ellison’s 69 percent in the last election.

Lynne Torgerson to again challenge ‘radical Islamist’ Keith Ellison

By Andy Birkey | 06.24.11 | 11:00 am

Lynne Torgerson announced on Thursday that she intends to challenge Rep. Keith Ellison for Congress in 2012 and noted that she based her decision on Ellison’s Muslim faith. Torgerson became a lightning rod in the 2010 campaign cycle for her controversial statements about Islam. Calling Ellison a “radical Islamist” yesterday, she announced her intention to run for the seat on Tea Party Nation.