Minnesota Independent

Counties, Dayton and Ritchie file documents refuting Emmer’s claims

By Andy Birkey | 11.21.10 | 1:20 pm

Ramsey, Anoka and Hennepin counties as well as Mark Dayton’s legal team and Secretary of State Mark Ritchie have filed paperwork arguing against the Republican Party of Minnesota’s Supreme Court challenge alleging phantom votes and asking for a reconciliation of voter sign-ins with ballots in all 4,130 precincts in the state. All parties argue that precincts followed procedures that have been in place since 1982.

Witnesses for Emmer complaint are for most part Republican activists

By Andy Birkey | 11.18.10 | 2:47 pm

In a petition filed by the Republican Party of Minnesota and Tom Emmer’s gubernatorial campaign with the Minnesota Supreme Court, election judges from around the state submitted affidavits stating that reconciliation between registered voters and ballots was not done correctly in their precincts. The GOP said improper record keeping on election night resulted in thousands of “phantom votes” while the Dayton campaign called the complaint a delay tactic. The vast majority of the witnesses in the complaint are Republican activists or are connected to the tea party movement.

Emmer files petition with Supreme Court, Dayton camp calls it delay tactic

By Andy Birkey | 11.18.10 | 10:00 am

The Republican Party of Minnesota and Tom Emmer’s gubernatorial campaign filed a petition Wednesday with the Minnesota Supreme Court alleging that more people voted in the 2010 election than registered. The GOP claims it has information from election judges who “did not witness” other election judges counting precinct sign in sheets and that “tens of thousands”of “phantom votes” exist. The recount team of Mark Dayton said that votes have been reconciled twice in post-election reporting, and that the GOP is engaged in an eleventh-hour “hail mary” to postpone the recount process.

On health bill, Peterson a ‘no,’ Oberstar undecided

By Andy Birkey | 03.10.10 | 9:05 am

Rep. Collin Peterson says he won’t vote for reconciliation when the Senate health care bill hits the House in the next week, but Rep. James Oberstar says he’s uncommitted, but will vote for health reform so long as abortion…

Harkin: Health reform will pass – with or without GOP support

By Paul Schmelzer | 02.26.10 | 11:57 am

Calling yesterday’s health care summit in Washington the “the final port of call” in achieving health care reform, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) says he can see “that final harbor… without binoculars,” adding that he thinks action on a…

In Minnesota, public option polls better than Senate health bill

By Paul Schmelzer | 02.22.10 | 2:35 pm

Updated: Al Franken is among 21 20 senators — one fifth of the Senate — who have signed a letter urging Majority Leader Harry Reid to use reconciliation to pass health care reform with a public…

Ellison: ‘Corporatists’ are working to sabotage public option

By Andy Birkey | 02.18.10 | 9:31 am

“There’s not one legitimate argument against the public option except that it cuts into corporate profits,” Rep. Keith Ellison tells the Minnesota Independent. While he’s hopeful about the prospects for passage of a public option, he says “corporatists” are working to sabotage the public option.

Klobuchar supports reconciliation, public option

By Paul Schmelzer | 02.17.10 | 6:26 pm

Sen. Amy Klobuchar is joining the chorus of Democratic senators who support the use of reconciliation — a procedural tool that would allow a bill to pass with a simple majority vote, thereby circumventing filibuster attempts — to pass health care reform measures. In a statement prepared for the Minnesota Independent, Klobuchar indicated she essentially agreed with Sen. Al Franken and nine other senators (eight Democrats, plus Vermont independent Bernie Sanders), who signed a letter urging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to use reconciliation to bring about a Senate vote.

Momentum builds for reconciliation; Harkin ID’d as supporter

By Paul Schmelzer | 02.17.10 | 1:21 pm

Momemtum is growing for adding a public option to the health care reform bill during the reconciliation process: Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders has signed on to a letter urging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to “bring for…

Franken signs letter supporting public option and reconciliation

By Andy Birkey | 02.17.10 | 11:59 am

Sen. Al Franken joins a growing number of members of Congress who support adding the public option to the health care reform bill in the reconciliation process. Franken has added his name to a letter to Senate Majority Leader…