The Minnesota Independent

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Parry to challenge Walz in 2012, DFL slams him as “angry, ultra-conservative” tea partier

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By Andy Birkey | 10.10.11 | 10:25 am

In his short time as a legislator, Parry has had a penchant for getting into hot water, including posting comments on Twitter calling Pres. Barack Obama a “power hungry arrogant black man.”

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Walz joins repeal of Defense of Marriage Act

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By Andy Birkey | 09.13.11 | 12:26 pm

Walz joins all his Minnesota DFL colleagues in Congress except U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson in support of the repeal.

Rep. Chip Cravaack. Photo: MNGOP, Flickr

Seen as vulnerable, Cravaack picks up three Democratic challengers

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By Andy Birkey | 08.19.11 | 8:00 am

Freshman Rep. Chip Cravaack, who was swept into Congress in the 2010 Republican tidal wave, is widely viewed as vulnerable, and a slate of accomplished candidates from the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party attests to that perceived weakness. Each challenger hopes to win the nomination and take back a district which had been held by the DFL for 63 years.

Lynne Torgerson. Photo: Facebook

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.

Rep. Michele Bachmann. Photo: Bachmann for Congress, Facebook

Bachmann cosponsors bill to condemn Obama for DOMA decision

By Andy Birkey | 03.15.11 | 9:34 am

Rep. Michele Bachmann is one of 81 cosponsors of a House resolution that would condemn President Obama for his decision to discontinue the federal government’s defense of the Defense of Marriage Act. Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder reached a conclusion that parts of DOMA were unconstitutional and therefore the federal government could no longer defend the act.

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Rep. Gruenhagen brings controversial views to Health and Human Services Committee

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By Andy Birkey | 01.05.11 | 8:30 am

With the new Legislature sworn into session on Tuesday, one new official is coming under scrutiny for opinions he’s shared in the letters pages of local newspapers. Republican Glenn Gruenhagen, elected to the Minnesota House in November to represent Glencoe after Rep. Laura Brod retired, has been assigned to the Health and Human Services Committee. His controversial public statements about welfare, anal sex, abortion and alcoholism — areas the committee oversees — could make for interesting political theater in the months ahead.

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Walz donates part of salary to the deficit

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By Andy Birkey | 12.28.10 | 1:53 pm

Rep. Tim Walz is one of three members of Congress to return his congressional pay raise to the U.S. Treasury, ABC News reported Tuesday. According to quarterly disbursement reports, Walz has returned his raises to the treasury each year since he came to Washington. Walz, along with Republican Reps. Spencer Bachus of Alabama and Frank Lobiondo of New York, are the only ones who have rejected raises in Congress despite intense rhetoric from tea partiers and Republicans regarding the growing national debt.

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Tim Walz to head House National Guard and Reserve Components Caucus

By Andy Birkey | 12.22.10 | 10:57 am

Rep. Tim Walz will be the new co-chair of the National Guard and Reserve Components Caucus at the start of the new Congress in January. Walz, the highest ranking enlisted soldier to ever serve in the House, will share the post with Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter of California. Walz will join several other members of Minnesota’s congressional delegation who also serve as chairs of caucuses in the House.

Rep. Betty McCollum (D-St. Paul). Photo: Facebook

Republicans kill McCollum’s anti-child marriage bill

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By Andy Birkey | 12.21.10 | 8:07 am

A bill authored by Rep. Betty McCollum to prevent child marriage abroad was defeated in the House late last week by Republicans who said the bill might fund abortion. The International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act passed the Senate unanimously early last week without Republican objection. McCollum called the GOP’s efforts to kill the bill “blatant phony arguments.”

The House wing of the U.S. Capitol. Photo: Jim Armstrong, Flickr

Bachmann, Ellison, McCollum vote ‘no’ on tax cut, unemployment package

By Andy Birkey | 12.17.10 | 9:11 am

The U.S. House passed the tax cut compromise proposed by President Obama on Thursday night, splitting Minnesota’s congressional delegation in strange ways. Staunch conservatives and liberals voted together, albeit for different reasons. The majority of ‘no’ votes came from Democrats.…