Minnesota Independent

‘Under God’ becomes campaign issue in 4th District race

By Andy Birkey | 10.26.10 | 2:49 pm

An 8-year-old video of Rep. Betty McCollum leading the U.S. House in the Pledge of Allegiance has become campaign fodder for her Republican opponent, Teresa Collett. Collett says the video shows McCollum omitting the phrase “under God” from the pledge, and she uses it to assert that McCollum doesn’t respect “our heritage of Judeo-Christian values.” McCollum says she’s said the words “under God” many times when she’s led the pledge on the House floor and called Collett’s questioning of her Christian faith “blatantly anti-American.”

President Barack Obama campaigned for DFL candidate Mark Dayton at the University of Minnesota Saturday. Photo: Kathy Easthagen

Slideshow: President Obama rallies for Dayton, DFL at university

By Paul Schmelzer | 10.25.10 | 5:00 am

“Hello, Minnesota! Hello, Gophers! Oh, it is good to be back in Minnesota!” So began President Barack Obama Saturday, rousing a crowd of 11,000 at the University of Minnesota. In town at the tail end of a four-state campaign swing intended to bridge an “enthusiasm gap” among Democrats — which, according to a new Newsweek poll, appears to be having some success — the president hailed DFL gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton as “the only candidate who can actually deliver change, who’s actually delivered change before.”

Franken takes on Family Council, anti-LGBT bullying

By Andy Birkey | 10.05.10 | 4:36 pm

Sen. Al Franken called the words of Minnesota Family Council president Tom Prichard “unbelievable” in an interview with the Advocate on Tuesday. Prichard wrote last week that “homosexual activists” share in the blame when LGBT students commit suicide because “they’ve embraced an unhealthy sexual identity and lifestyle.”

Administrative judge rejects Jack Shepard complaint

By Andy Birkey | 09.03.10 | 12:43 pm

Dr. Jack Shepard, perennial political candidate and an American fugitive living in Italy, lost his campaign complaint against GOP-endorsed candidate Teresa Collett earlier on Tuesday. Shepard, who challenged Collett in the Republican primary, filed a complaint against Collett…

Shepard files campaign complaint against Collett

By Andy Birkey | 08.25.10 | 8:25 am

Candidate Jack Shepard has filed a complaint with the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board alleging that his opponent in the Aug. 10 Republican primary falsified information about him in her campaign materials. Shepard, a fugitive living in Europe,…

Minn. delegates among Dems backing long-odds bid for public option

By Sahil Kapur | 07.30.10 | 6:00 am

Four months after President Barack Obama enacted the Affordable Care And Patient Protection Act, House Democrats have revived a top liberal priority that was eliminated from the sweeping health care law in the latter stages of a grueling year-long debate: the public option.

Bachmann votes against act to help Native American police combat rape ‘epidemic’

By Paul Schmelzer | 07.28.10 | 11:03 am

A bill aimed at helping Native American law enforcement investigate rape and other crimes by non-Indians on tribal lands passed the U.S. House of Representatives last week with overwhelming bipartisan support, and now it heads to President Obama’s desk where it’ll be signed into law. Only one Minnesotan — Rep. Michele Bachmann — voted against it.

Ellison poorest, Oberstar richest among Minnesota Congress members

By Andy Birkey | 06.29.10 | 8:12 am

The U.S. House of Representatives released personal financial disclosures of its members last week in a process intended to announce possible conflicts of interest and to provide a glimpse at the relative wealth of each legislator. A review of Minnesota’s delegation finds Rep. James Oberstar is the state’s wealthiest representative, while Rep. Keith Ellison the poorest. Rep. Bachmann benefited the most from special interest–funded travel, while neither Rep. Tim Walz nor Rep. Betty McCollum traveled on trips paid by interest groups.

McCollum pushes nonprofit bill

By Andy Birkey | 06.18.10 | 8:15 am

Rep. Betty McCollum introduced a bill on Wednesday that would direct the federal government to study the nonprofit sector. H.R. 5533 would create the United States Council on Nonprofit Organizations and Community Solutions. In Minnesota, one out of every nine…

Collett cited twice for drinking and driving

By Andy Birkey | 06.16.10 | 5:00 am

Teresa Collett, the GOP-endorsed candidate to take on Rep. Betty McCollum in November, has been cited for drinking and driving twice in the past 4 years, the Star Tribune reports. Collett is a law professor at the…