Minnesota Independent

Minnesota Capitol. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

DFL wants ethics hearing on Sen. Scott Newman

By Andy Birkey | 01.27.11 | 2:21 pm

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.

State senator says he won’t meet with groups that backed his opponent

By Andy Birkey | 01.25.11 | 11:55 am

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.

DFL Gov candidates picket with striking nurses, GOP and IP pols side with hospitals

By Patrick Caldwell | 06.10.10 | 1:51 pm

Around 12,000 Minnesota nurses walked off the job Thursday for a one-day strike that organizers have touted as the largest U.S. nursing strike in history. The dispute revolves primarily around pay cuts and staffing issues, with hospitals seeking to renegotiate nurses-to-patient ratios. To no surprise, all three Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party candidates support the nurses union in the dispute.

AFSCME backs Dayton for governor

By Paul Demko | 10.25.09 | 11:06 am

AFSCME Council 5, the state’s largest union for public employees, has endorsed former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton for governor.
“Mark Dayton has won statewide elections — twice,” said Eliot Seide, director of AFSCME Council 5, in a press release announcing…