The DFL has released a video of this week’s statement by Burnsville Republican Sen. Dan Hall on school integration. “I watched Minneapolis get destroyed, so I not only didn’t want my kids in the school system,” he said. “I took them out of Minneapolis because they ruined our neighborhoods with integration and [de]segregation.” Hall made his remarks during debate about a move by Minnesota Republicans to repeal school integration laws, specifically a decades-long program that aims to diversify schools in the Twin Cities metro area and Duluth.

The video concludes with the text, “When the vote was taken, every Republican agreed with Sen. Hall and voted to cut desegregation funds.”

During his State of the State address on Wednesday, Gov. Mark Dayton renewed his call for higher taxes on wealthy Minnesotans, a central position of his successful campaign for governor in 2010. He quoted the Bible in urging the rich to support his proposal for more progressive taxation.

“Some will criticize me for proposing next week to ask those successful businessmen and women and other wealthy Minnesotans to pay higher taxes,” Dayton said. “I ask them for their forbearance during this fiscal crisis, which I did not create, but inherited, and now, with you in the Legislature, must solve. I ask Minnesota’s business leaders and other most successful citizens to give us two years to turn this Ship of State around.”

He continued, “Not by savaging essential public services, upon which you and your employees also depend, but rather by transforming the ways in which government operates here in Minnesota. And, with your help, to reduce the need for those services by putting people back to work throughout our state.”

He cited scripture to that call for the wealthy to help fix the state’s budget deficit.

“My father’s favorite quote was from the Bible. ‘To whomsoever much has been given, of him shall much be required.’ You have achieved so much. I ask you, please, to help your state, your children and grandchildren, your friends and neighbors, to regain what you and I have enjoyed so much and benefited from so greatly during our lives here in Minnesota. Please — help us restore Minnesota to greatness.”

Dayton faces a tough battle with Republicans in the Legislature, most of whom have made campaign promises to fix the budget deficit with cuts only and no increases in taxes.

In Dayton’s address he also called for an increase in spending on education and said that he would work with the Legislature to avoid a government shutdown.

Two weeks ago, Republican leadership in the Minnesota Senate introduced a bill to ban state funding for abortion, and on Monday, two more bills with identical language were introduced in the Senate and another in the Minnesota House.

The text of all three bills reads, “Funding for state-sponsored health programs shall not be used for funding abortions, except to the extent necessary for continued participation in a federal program.”

The bill also includes language that anticipate a court challenge. A ban on state funding for abortion has already been ruled unconstitutional in Minnesota in the case of Doe v. Gomez in 1995.

When the issue originally came up in late-January, reproductive rights advocates said the bill was a distraction.

“Minnesotans know that we have different views on issues like abortion, and even though we may not agree on all points, our state Constitution has made sure all women have had the right to choose for more than 15 years,” said Linnea House, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Minnesota. “The anti-choice lawmakers want to focus on this issue at the expense of our state’s other priorities. They are overstepping in trying to force an anti-choice agenda that weakens our state’s Constitution. The budget crisis is critical, which makes it even more unbelievable that some lawmakers are attacking choice.”

She added, “Making the option of abortion accessible to all women did not create a budget crisis. In fact, this is a distraction from the state’s priorities.”

The bills now have 41 sponsors — all Republicans — in the House and Senate combined.

SF 265 was introduced by Republican Sens. Al DeKruif of Madison Lake, Michelle Benson of Ham Lake, Sean Nienow of Cambridge, Benjamin Kruse of Brooklyn Park and Joe Gimse of Willmar.

SF264 was introduced by Republican Sens. Warren Limmer of Maple Grove, John Carlson of Bemidji, LeRoy Stumpf of Plummer, Julie Rosen of Fairmont, and Paul Gazelka, R-Brainerd.

HF391 was introduced by Republican Reps. Peggy Scott of Andover, Ron Shimanski of Silver Lake, Bob Dettmer of Forest Lake, Greg Davids of Preston, Mike LeMieur of Little Falls, Roger Crawford of Mora, Kathy Lohmer of Lake Elmo, Steve Drazkowski of Mazeppa, Mike Benson of Rochester, Bruce Anderson of Buffalo Township, Doug Wardlow of Eagan, King Banaian of St Cloud, Tony Cornish of Good Thunder, Joyce Peppin of Rogers, Mary Franson of Alexandria, Paul Anderson of Starbuck, Joe McDonald of Delano, David Hancock of Bemidji, Tim Sanders of Blaine, Kurt Daudt of Crown, Debra Kiel of Crookston, Rich Murray of Albert Lea, Paul Torkelson of Nelson Township, Rod Hamilton of Mountain Lake, Gene Pelowski of Winona and Mary Liz Holberg of Lakeville.

Senate DFLers are seeking an ethics investigation on Republican Sen. Scott Newman of Hutchinson whose legislative assistant sent an email to the Minnesota Nurses Association stating that he would not meet with groups who backed his opponent, Hal Kimball. The DFLers claim that Newman violated Senate Rule 56.3, which prohibits senators from limiting access only to those who have made political contributions.

“Requesting an ethics hearing is a very serious matter, and we spent considerable time reviewing the facts and public comments made by Sen. Newman,” said Sen. Sandy Pappas, DFL-St. Paul. “We still have many questions regarding this incident, and we hope that a complete and full investigation by the Senate ethics subcommittee will provide Minnesotans with some much-needed answers.”

One such question, posed by Bluestem Prairie, the blog that broke the story earlier this week: How did Newman’s legislative aide know that the Minnesota Nurses Association backed Newman’s opponent?

It’s one that was echoed by the West Central Tribune on Thursday. “The remaining issue is where Newman’s staffer got the idea to write this e-mail in the first place and what discipline the staffer received,” the paper’s editorial board wrote.

Pappas and the DFL sent a letter to Senate President Michelle Fischbach on Thursday requesting an investigation.

“Should the citizens of our state see their elected officials segregating their interests due to their political affiliation, the integrity of both individual members and the reputation of the Senate is damaged,” the letter stated.

Here’s the letter:

ethics_subctee_letter

The Minnesota Family Council has launched its “Ignite” campaign to “achieve cultural transformation” over the next two years. According to a brochure put out by the group, MFC plans to spend $4.71 million with the main aim of getting a constitutional amendment banning relationship rights for same-sex couples onto the ballot and passed by Minnesota voters.

“‘Ignite’ is a two-year plan designed to fan the embers of November 2010 into a lasting movement built to achieve enduring cultural transformation,” the brochure states, “starting with passage of a constitutional amendment to preserve marriage as God designed it, the foundation of strong families and a strong society.”

MFC also believes it was picked by God for such a mission. “You see, God has uniquely positioned Minnesota Family Council (MFC),” the group writes. “God has blessed MFC with the unique opportunity to be a catalyst for enduring cultural transformation rooted in spiritual renewal, for the glory of Christ and the good of our state.”

The overarching plan will have three branches: Education, legislation, and accountability.

The education track will train leaders “of all ages and backgrounds” in a “biblical worldview” and activate those leaders using a budget of $1.71 million.

The legislation track includes $1.04 million to pass an anti-gay marriage amendment. The group also plans legislation to make getting a divorce more difficult and to ban taxpayer funding for abortions.

“Cultural transformation requires a system of laws that remain true to the vision of our Founding Fathers, rooted in a biblical worldview,” the group said. “MFC’s legislative programs will not only ensure there’s a voice for timeless values at the Capitol but also engage the faith community across Minnesota to advocate on behalf of those values.”

The group plans to spend $2.5 million at election time to get out the vote and make “elected leaders be accountable for their actions.”

The programs “serve as an antidote for political spin to ensure that Christians are faithful to vote, based on their faith, on Election Day.”

The brochure includes an endorsement by Republican state Sen. Warren Limmer of Maple Grove, who has already told media outlets that he will be introducing an anti-gay marriage amendment. “There is no one else that does the work of the Minnesota Family Council. They are absolutely vital,” he said.

Here’s the Family Council’s brochure outlining their plans for the upcoming session:

Minnesota Family Council Ignite

Republican Sen. Scott Newman of Hutchinson told the Minnesota Nurses Association late last week that they would not get a meeting with him because they endorsed his DFL opponent Hal Kimball, according to DFL-leaning blog, Bluestem Prairie. In fact, Newman’s office said that no groups who supported his opponent will get a meeting and, according to the Associated Press, Newman said he will not speak to the media regarding his office policy. Update: The Star Tribune spoke with Newman who said the policy was a mistake.

In an email to Minnesota Nurses Association’s Eileen Gavin, Newman’s legislative assistant said the group would not get a meeting:

Hi Eileen-

Unfortunately, Senator Newman will not see any organizations that donated to/supported his opponent Hal Kimball. After some careful checking, I discovered that the MNA had donated to Kimball’s campaign. Your association will be unable to schedule an appointment with Senator Newman.

Kim Kelley

Legislative Assistant

The Associated Press attempted to follow up on Bluestem Prairie’s reporting, but was told that Newman would not speak with the press over the issue. “[Kim] Kelley says Tuesday she can’t comment on her e-mail and says Newman won’t be interviewed about it,” the AP reported.

But, according to the Star Tribune, Newman said it was his new legislative aid who made a mistake.

“It’s clearly my responsibility,” he added. “But this is a brand new [legislative assistant]. . .what she put out is not – it is not my policy.”

“If this nursing organization wants to see me, they will see me,” said Newman. He said he was unsure whether similar emails were going to other groups. “I certainly hope not, but I don’t know,” he said.

The Minnesota Catholic Conference, an organization representing “the united voice of the Catholic bishops of Minnesota on public policy matters,” has released its legislative priorities for Minnesota’s 2012 session. At the top of the list is a constitutional amendment banning relationship rights for same-sex couples. The group also says it will work to protect the safety net for the poor, even advocating tax increases if necessary.

In the Catholic Spirit, a newsletter of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Peter Noll, the MCC’s education director, said, “It’s a clarion call from our faith… to get involved and stand up for the common good, stand up for the poor and vulnerable. If that requires us to be in the political arena, that’s where we’ll be.”

According to the group’s legislative plan, “The MCC will work to develop and identify sponsors for a marriage amendment that could appear on the ballot in 2012 for approval by Minnesota voters if the proposal passes with a majority vote in both the House and Senate. The procedure bypasses the governor’s office. Republicans proposed similar amendments in the past but ran into opposition from DFL leaders.”

MCC’s Father David McCauley, said the push for an amendment stems from concern for heterosexual families.

“One of the things that concerns me is that we are able to present the whole thing in a context that suggests we are concerned about marriage and family and all that has happened to it in our state and country over the last 30 years,” said Father McCauley, who cited concerns about the number of children today raised out of wedlock and the effects of no-fault divorce laws.

Same-sex marriage has been illegal over the last 30 years, and, in fact, since Minnesota’s founding. No-fault divorce became legal in Minnesota in 1978. In the last decade, no serious attempt has been made to outlaw no-fault divorce nor has an attempt been made to amend the state constitution in regards to divorce.

In addition to banning gay marriage, the MCC is also concerned about how budget cuts might affect the poor.

Having already used up one­time solutions and reducing services in past legislatures, we are fearful for how the next round of budget cutting may impact health and human services. Some services are not negotiable in a just society. The MCC is concerned about the impact on the poorest, most vulnerable members of our society, especially since unemployment, housing and food security are all growing issues in our state. Therefore, we will continue to support and advocate for the reforms recommended by the Legislative Commission to End Poverty, as well as support an increase in tax revenue should it become necessary.

Among the other initiatives the group says it will work on is supporting anti-bullying measure — so long as they don’t include specific provisions for LGBT students — a ban on taxpayer funding for abortion, legislation that provides health care for all Minnesotans, and laws that allow medical workers to opt out of prescribing birth control or working with issues that violate their religious beliefs, such as LGBT families.

The full MCC agenda can be viewed here.

When state legislators checked their office mailboxes Wednesday, they found an invitation to attend a Minnesota Family and Marriage Summit featuring a group that the Southern Poverty Law Center identifies as a hate group. The summit, to be held next week, is organized by the Minnesota Family Council and the Family Research Council and will teach legislators how to pass a constitutional amendment banning rights for same-sex couples.

The summit includes courses for legislators such as “Bullying bills: The homosexual agenda in your child’s public school” and “Why family matters,” but the bulk of the summit appears to be focused on getting an amendment on the ballot in 2012 banning gay marriage.

Sessions entitled “Effective marriage protection amendment strategies” and “What’s the harm in same-sex marriage?” are aimed at getting the amendment passed, and the latter is taught by a man who once said gays should be “exported” and that homosexuality should be outlawed: Peter Sprigg of the Family Research Council.

The SPLC cited Sprigg’s often controversial statements in its rationale for listing the Family Research Council as a hate group. According to the SPLC, Sprigg said, “I would much prefer to export homosexuals from the United States than to import them.”

And last year, he told MSNBC’s host Chris Matthews, “I think there would be a place for criminal sanctions on homosexual behavior.” When Matthews asked, “So we should outlaw gay behavior?” Sprigg replied, “Yes.”

Also scheduled to spea is the Family Research Council’s Cynthia Hill. Last summer she said that LGBT candidates shouldn’t be elected to office.

“Americans should take a cold, hard look at the consequences of significant wins by openly lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT) candidates in last night’s races,” she said. “This is the fruition of that community’s methodical efforts to further homosexualize America.”

Invited, but not confirmed, is David Barton of Wallbuilders. Barton’s name has become known in political circles as the man who will teach part of Rep. Michele Bachmann’s tea party Constitution classes in the 112th Congress.

Here’s the invite:

Minnesota Marriage _ Family Summit –

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.

The HHS committee deals with the state’s safety net programs — programs Gruenhagen has compared to prostitution schemes, as Bluestem Prairie reported after his GOP endorsement in May.

“Government run welfare programs are little more than a government subsidized prostitution program paying extra money to women who have children out of wedlock,” he wrote. “This has contributed to over a 70% out of wedlock birth rate for Americans with an African heritage. Also, welfare provides financial support to able bodied men instead of incentives for an honest days [sic] work.”

On abortion and substance abuse, two health issues the committee will deal with, Gruenhagen has been vocal about his beliefs.

“The pro-death abortion crowd continually attempts to lie to themselves and the American people that unborn children are not really human,” he wrote in a letter to the Hutchinson Leader. “Of course, medical science has completely proven them wrong, but just like the blind leading the blind, they continue to regurgitate the mantra of Planned Parenthood and the Democratic Party.”

Gruenhagen has said that alcoholism is not a disease and has no genetic basis, despite evidence to the contrary.

Labeling alcoholism and drug addiction as a disease is not only medically inaccurate (since there is no germ or gene), it also sends a false message to the abuser that they are a victim rather than to accept some level of personal responsibility for their abuse and behavior. In addition, it sends the completely wrong message to our young people about the dangers of alcohol and illegal drug abuse.

I voluntarily participated in Gideon International jail ministry with local prisoners for over 13 years. One of the questions I routinely asked prisoners was “how many of you were on alcohol or illegal drugs when you were arrested?” The answer was almost always the same: over 90 percent said “yes.” By the way, you won’t get a DWI for driving with cancer.

Labeling alcoholism and drug addiction as a disease is a recent trend and is bad for both the addicted and the non-addicted. It is rooted in a false psychological medical philosophy that everyone is a victim when it comes to wrong and bad behavior.

The HHS committee’s purview includes sex education and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. Gruenhagen has taken a particular interest in sodomy, defined by Minnesota statute as “carnally knowing any person by the anus or by or with the mouth.”

In the Hutchinson Leader, he wrote:

Many have great concern for our country as we have drifted from the Judeo-Christian principles which gave us our liberties and freedoms, into the religion of atheism, such as the belief in abortion, pornography, sodomy as an orientation, evolution, etc. The corruption of atheistic values in our schools and government institutions leaves open the door for a foreign religious value system to influence our country’s culture.

He elaborated in a letter to the Glencoe News:

The primary purpose of my letters to the editor has been to alert the public to the danger of the homosexual agenda, which is the full acceptance and legitimizing of their lifestyle in every aspect of our society. One of their first objectives is to mandate the teaching of this very destructive behavior as normal to the children in our public schools and eventually in all schools.

We, as citizens, need to encourage our social workers, public health nurses, medical professionals, pastors, lawyers and political leaders in our community and state, to oppose this agenda and protect our children from the destructive and confusing influence of homosexuality.

It comes down to this: If you don’t believe that we should be teaching sodomy as a normal behavior to our children, it is time to stand up and say something publicly and voice your dissent before the legal door is closed through hate crimes legislation. . . .

As Bluestem Prairie notes, Gruenhagen tried to get a resolution passed at the Minnesota School Board Association to have what he calls “sodomy as an orientation” banned from schools:

BE IT RESOLVED, THAT THE MINNESOTA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION URGES THE LEGISLATURE TO SUPPORT LEGISLATION PROHIBITING THE TEACHING OF SODOMY AS AN ORIENTATION TO OUR CHILDREN IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, AT AN AGE APPROPRIATE LEVEL, STUDENTS SHOULD BE TAUGHT THE PUBLIC HEALTH RISKS AND THE MEDICAL FACTS OF THE PRACTICE OF SODOMY, WHETHER PRACTICED BETWEEN TWO MEN, OR A MAN AND A WOMAN. ANY CURRICULUM WHICH PRESENTS INDIVIDUALS WHO PRACTICE THE MEDICALLY PROVEN UNHEALTHY BEHAVIOR OF SODOMY IN A SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE CONTEXT SHALL BE PROHIBITED IN THE CLASSROOM. STUDENTS WILL ALSO BE TAUGHT THAT IT IS COMPASSIONATE AND IN ACCORD WITH OUR PUBLIC HEALTH LAWS TO HELP PEOPLE STOP A BEHAVIOR THAT SPREADS SICKNESS, DISEASE, PAIN, SUFFERING AND DEATH. THERE IS NO CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT WHICH GIVES PEOPLE THE FREEDOM TO PRACTICE BEHAVIOR THAT SPREADS INFECTIOUS DISEASES. WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD PUBLIC HEALTH LAWS IN OUR COUNTRY.

Gruenhagen’s tenacity at bringing up these contentious religious-based issues in his capacity as a school board member prompted five members of the Glencoe-Silver Lake School Board to issue a letter to the editor of the McLeod County Chronicle. There can be little doubt that on the HHS committee he will be as vocal.

With regularity, Mr. Gruenhagen inserts his own biases into school board meetings with not the least provocation. Abortion, homosexuality, safe sex, evolution and countless other topics that do not appear on the school board’s agenda are brought to the fore, repeatedly, and forced onto unsuspecting school board members, administrators and individuals in the viewing audience.

To do so is rude, a violation of school board decorum, a waste of attendees’ time and a disruption in the flow of otherwise quality public meetings.

The school board is tired of Mr. Gruenhagen’s inappropriate behavior and is intent that, over time, repeated actions on his part will not be met with sympathy, understanding, patience and tolerance, as they have in the past.

Gruenhagen has not responded to the Minnesota Independent’s interview request. The Minnesota Independent asked several social service and reproductive health organizations for comment on Gruenhagen, but most said they’d sit back and wait to see how the session unfolds.

“The party that I’ve called home for 14 years has kind of, in essence, went off the cliff,” Koering told the St. Cloud Times. “I always tried to stay with the party to hopefully be a voice of reason within the party. But I found through this campaign that that doesn’t work anymore.”

The Republican Party of Minnesota launched a “witch hunt’ into Koering with the Morrison County Sheriff last month (Koering actually lives in Crow Wing County).

The party says that it is indeed moving to the right. Perry Nouis, chairman of the Morrison County Republican Party, told the Brainerd Dispatch, “Paul (Koering) is correct in saying the party has taken a turn to the right. After experimenting with bigger government and higher spending (we call it Democrat-lite) we recognize the need to return to our conservative principles.”

Koering says he will back the DFL candidate Taylor Stevenson in the November election.

It’s not the first time Koering has criticized the party. In his brief flirtation with a run for governor, Koering cited the reluctance of Republican delegates to support a LGBT person. “I didn’t really want to say that. [But] that’s a hurdle some delegates can’t get over,” he said late last year.

Another factor that would have likely stymied any campaign for governor was Koering’s disclosure in early June that he had dinner with a gay porn actor and had promised the young man that he would work to ensure that marriage equality passed in Minnesota.

That dinner became a campaign issue when the National Organization for Marriage sent out a mailer attacking Koering for supporting gay marriage. The mailer was so negative that even Koering’s GOP opponent condemned it.