“The decision was made a long time ago not to run, regardless of how the governor’s race goes and before Governor Tim Pawlenty announced he was not seeking re-election,” Seifert said. He held a press conference in Marshall Thursday morning and has another one scheduled for St. Paul this afternoon.

Another leader at the Legislature, House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, told the Star Tribune on Monday that she won’t be seeking reelection either. Kelliher is running for the DFL nomination for governor. She won’t step down as House Speaker, but she says she “won’t be the speaker in 2011.”

The Minnesota Progressive Project caught that scoop back in November.

Photo: Ryan Bushby, Wikimedia Commons

A bill to allow the seriously ill to use medical marijuana passed the state House Public Safety Policy and Oversight Committee on Tuesday, but not before fireworks erupted between law enforcement officials and Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-St. Louis, the bill’s author.

Bob Bushman, from the Statewide Gang and Drug Task Force, began his testimony by calling bill proponents liars when they said that law enforcement had not met with them to discuss concerns over the bill.

“You’ve likely heard over the last several weeks that us in law enforcement have not been willing to share our concerns with proponents of this legislation, that we have not been willing to meet with them and that they have made almost all the changes we recommended and we still won’t support the bill,” he said.

“This is too important of an issue and bill to let these misstatements stand. The fact of the matter is that our coalition did meet with the author of this bill last year. We articulated almost two dozen concerns that we had with the bill, of which only three were actually addressed, and since that time proponents have said they have fixed all of our concerns.

“This is not only flat-out wrong. It is a distortion of the truth.”

After law enforcement testified, Rukavina bucked committee procedure and turned to the crowd in the committee room, which included the testifiers. Looking at Bushman, he said, “I want him to look me in the eye and ask if he has ever talked to me in his entire life.”

“No member of your coalition has ever talked to me about this bill. Has anyone in this room ever talked to me about this bill?” he asked the crowd.

No one, including members of law enforcement, responded that they had talked to him about the bill.

“No one has ever asked me to since I became the chief author of this bill. No one,” Rukavina said.

“So, Mr. Bushman, what you said was not true.”

The bill passed 9-6 and will next be heard in the House Finance Committee. Voting aye: Republican Tim Kelly and DFLers Debra Hilstrom, Karla Bigham, Gail Kulick Jackson, Sheldon Johnson, Michael Paymar, Paul Rosenthal, Sandra Masin and Joe Mullery. Voting no: DFLer Kory Kath and Republicans Bruce Anderson,Tony Cornish, Steve Drazkowski, Paul Kohls and Ron Shimanski.

Photo: Ryan Bushby, Wikimedia Commons

It was a tear-filled room at a meeting of the Health, Housing and Family Security Committee as senators heard testimony about how medical marijuana had helped loved ones live in less pain during the last few days of their lives. But after those tears, the hearing devolved into a strange round of testimony as opponents pulled out all the stops to blame marijuana for higher crime rates and the downfall of the family, and one testified that medical marijuana is a scheme by billionaire George Soros to make drugs legal.

Dr. George Wagoner, a physician in Virginia, Minn., broke down as he described the trials he and his wife suffered as she struggled with ovarian cancer. They had tried Marinol, a prescription made of synthetic THC, one of the more than 60 active compounds in marijuana.

After the couple tried everything, they turned to friends after hearing about medical marijuana. Soon after, a bag of marijuana mysteriously appeared on their doorstep. After smoking a small amount, he said his wife “experienced sudden and complete relief from her nausea.”

Choking back tears, he said, “Eating lunch isn’t a big deal until you can’t … The relief was as complete and dramatic as any I’ve experienced in my practice.”

Joni Whiting described how marijuana helped her daughter, a wife and mother of three, deal with the pain of cancer during the last days of her life.

“I can tell you with conviction that I would have no problem going to jail for acquiring medical marijuana for my suffering child,” said Whiting. “The law is unjust. And I would have rather spent the rest of my life in prison than have denied her the medicine that kept her pain at bay and allowed her to live 89 more days.”

She spoke of her family, their service to the country (Whiting is a Vietnam veteran and one of her sons recently completed an 18-month tour in Iraq) and her reluctance to allow an illegal drug in her home. “What would you have done had you been in my shoes?” Whiting asked. “Could you sleep at night when your child was screaming in pain?”

Kathy Rippentrop spoke of her mother, who used marijuana when she suffered debilitating pain as a result of cancer. “Two puffs, two minutes, and the violent sickness was totally gone,” she said. “An hour later, Mom was able to have a good meal. The stomach problems from the chemo were totally gone. It also helped her regain a quality of life that allowed her to continue to fight.”

But those moving stories were contrasted by the testimony against medical marijuana.

Tom Prichard, president of the Minnesota Family Council, took criticism of the bill to an extreme. “This bill would allow 18-year-old boys to grow marijuana in their homes without any outside supervision,” he said. “My reading of the bill says it would prevent landlords from regulating the growing and use of marijuana on their premises.”

He continued, “This bill would allow marijuana dispensaries to set up shop across the state, in homes and storefronts on main streets and neighborhoods and apartment buildings. Why? The only reason I can see is that it is to legitimize, frankly, the broader acceptance of marijuana in the community’s eyes.”

James Stinziani, who said he was part of the “LaRouche operation,” said that the push for medical marijuana was simply a conspiracy drawn up by billionaire George Soros. “What is happening here — if anybody is familiar with George Soros — he is pretty much supporting and funding the major drug operations in the United States.” He accused medical marijuana supporters of being in league with Soros.

But legislators weren’t buying it. The bill passed the committee by a voice vote of 8-3.

Sen. Yvonne Prettner Solon, DFL-Duluth, countered the opposition testimony. “We’re not talking about getting people hooked on drugs and then going out in the street and, you know, destroying their lives and passing it on to other people. We’re talking about end of life issues — a last resort for people’s suffering.”

In Minneapolis, lesbian Carla Bates became the only LGBT person elected to the school board at a time when an anti-bullying program that includes education about the LGBT community has generated controversy among conservative religious parents. She was the only out candidate running for the spot.

The Minnesota House saw significant gains in LGBT-supportive candidates. OutFront Minnesota Action, the political wing of the state’s largest LGBT advocacy and policy organization, says that as of Tuesday’s election, a slim majority of House members are supporters. Fifty-one percent of House members vote for pro-LGBT legislation at least 50 percent of the time and 43 percent vote with the community 100 percent of the time. The number of House members who vote against the interests of LGBT Minnesotans has declined markedly in the last three elections. Only 24 percent vote against the community 100 percent of the time, down from 33 percent in 2006 and 50 percent in 2004.

OutFront noted four supportive House members who lost their re-election bids: DFLers Shelley Madore of Apple Valley, Ken Tschumper of La Crescent and Sandy Wollschlager of Red Wing, and Republican-turned-independent Ron Erhardt of Edina.

At the same time, two outspoken opponents of LGBT equality lost their bids for re-election. Republican Lynn Wardlow of Eagan lost to DFLer Mike Obermueller, and Republican Sondra Erickson of Princeton lost to DFLer Gail Kulick Jackson. Wardlow and Erickson were leaders in the push to amend the Minnesota constitution to ban same-sex marriage, and both consistently voted against bills aimed at rectifying inequalities in state statutes for LGBT people.

Minnesota sent a less supportive delegation to Congress. Republican Erik Paulsen replaces Republican Rep. Jim Ramstad. Ramstad supported employment and housing equality for LGBT people, while Paulsen was a leader in the Minnesota House pushing a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. The re-election of Republican Reps. John Kline and Michele Bachmann and of DFL Rep. Collin Peterson retains three members who have consistently voted against the community’s interests. DFL Reps. Betty McCollum, Keith Ellison, Tim Walz and James Oberstar won re-election, and each has made contributions to LGBT equality in Congress.

For U.S. Senate, Al Franken and Sen. Norm Coleman face a recount in an incredibly close election. Coleman supported employment and housing protections for lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans, and Franken ran on an unwavering LGBT equality platform. It will be weeks before a decision is finalized in that race.

Barack Obama represents the most LGBT-friendly president in Unites States history. “President-elect Obama included GLBT people in his acceptance speech and supports federal legislation including hate crime and employment protections as well as other measures that will help our families do better,” said OutFront Minnesota Action. “He plans to keep GLBT people and families in mind when creating policy solutions for our country.”

From far and wide ‘cross this great state
We convened in St. Paul to determine the fate
Of many a proposal and many a bill
Till we’ve reached our quota, our lawmaking fill.

From Margaret and Marty to Larry and Dave
We’ve said we’ll be friends, we’ve promised to behave,
Despite the fact that just months ago
We were slinging the mud at all we called foe.

more insideNow somewhere beyond legislature land
There’s a mysterious force

District: 59, Minneapolis
Party: DFL
First Elected: 1982
Previous Positions in Caucus: Chair of the Senate Taxes Committee

Biography: Graduated from De La Salle High School in 1969…B.A. in Transportation Engineering from the University of Minnesota, M.A. in Public Administration from Harvard…Elected to House in 1980, served one term…Works as a project systems analyst…Is the father of two children.

Political Notes: Former Pawlenty Chief of Staff Charlie Weaver says of him, “Our politics don’t line up, but I like his spunk.”…GOP Senate District 38 Chair Michael Brodkorb calls him “Larry ‘The Jerk’ Pogemiller”…Fought hard against allowing the sale of naming rights on the new Gophers stadium, says “To me, to sell the naming rights seems to be sending the message that everything in your state is for sale.”…Has previously pushed bills to raise income tax, sales tax rates…Was considered a possible challenger for the Majority Leader’s spot in 2002, the year Sen. John Hottinger (DFL-St. Peter) was selected…Had been Chair of the Taxes committee since 2000.

Tarryl Clark, Assistant Majority Leader-designate of the Senate

District: 15, St. Cloud
Party: DFL
First Elected: 2005 (Special Election)
Previous Positions in Caucus: None

Biography: Received B.A. from Drake University, MEd from Arizona State University, J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law…Works as an attorney and executive for a non-profit…Married, huband Doug, two children.

Political Notes: Lost twice to then-State Sen. Dave Klies, won special election in December of 2005 when Klies left Senate to serve as Mayor of St. Cloud…Defeated talk-show host Dan “The Ox” Ochsner …At sixth district endorsing convention, said that then-State Sen. Michele Bachmann was “the devil in the blue dress, and Patty [Wetterling] is the saint.”…Served as head of the Minnesota Community Action Association.

We’ll start today with the incoming leadership for the House DFL, and in coming days we’ll cover both caucuses and both chambers of the legislature.

District: 60A, Minneapolis
Party: DFL
First Elected: 1998
Previous Positions in Caucus: Minority Leader, Assistant Minority Leader, Minority Whip

Biography: Grew up on a dairy farm…Graduated from Mankato West High, B.A. from Gustavus Adolphus, M.P.A. from Harvard…Worked as a Legislative Staffer for former DFL House Speaker Bob Vanasek and former DFL Senate President Alan Spear …Replaced Rep. Matt Entenza (DFL-St. Paul) as Minority Leader in June of 2006, after the session had completed…Married, husband David, children Peter and Frances.

Political Notes: Was the only member of the Minneapolis legislative delegation to support the Twins’ new stadium…Was considered a potential candidate for the fifth congressional district seat vacated by Rep. Martin Olav Sabo (DFL-MN05)…In 2005 presented comedian and potential 2008 senate candidate Al Franken with the gift of a crock-pot, with the advice, ”Nothing says ‘I care’ quite like wild-rice hot dish for the neighbors.”…Faced Laurie Eibensteiner, the wife of then-GOP chair Ron Eibernsteiner, in her successful 2000 re-election bid…Served as co-author of the bonding bill that financed the new Guthrie theater…Unsuccessfully sponsored bill to exempt books and magazines from state sales tax…Will become second woman to serve as Speaker of the House (Dee Long was the first).

District: 5B, Chisholm/Hibbing
Party: DFL
First Elected: 2000
Previous Positions in Caucus: Minority Whip

Biography: Received B.A. in Theatre Arts and Political Science from Hamline…Is the youngest member of the Minnesota Legislature…Served as staffer for Fmr. State Sen. Jerry Janezich (DFL-Chisholm)…Serves on the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board.

Political Notes: Served as Chair of the 2000 DFL Freshman Caucus…Voted against legislation fining children under 17 for buying graphic video games, saying “It’s silly we have to legislate parenting around here.”…Sponsored legislation that would allow the state to negotiate discounts on prescription drugs.