Bipartisan outrage erupts over GOP’s invite to Bradlee Dean to give House prayer

A prayer at Friday’s session of the Minnesota House given by anti-gay preacher Bradlee Dean erupted a firestorm of criticism among DFL legislators and some in the GOP. Dean, whose fiery brand of anti-LGBT preaching riled opponents of GOP gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer last fall, led the House in prayer, asserting that President Obama was not a Christian. Republican leadership, sensing controversy, asked the official House chaplain to conduct an unusual second prayer. Minnesota’s LGBT legislators said Dean’s anti-gay preaching “reveals the underlying hateful nature of the anti-gay constitutional amendment movement.”

As DFLers blast women’s pay repeal, GOP introduces Senate version

Members of the DFL House caucus chastised Republicans Tuesday for introducing legislation in the House that would eliminate the 1984 Pay Equity Act. At a press conference, Democrats said the law is still necessary to ensure women are paid the same as men in local government units. But just as they were rallying against the bill, Republican Sen. Mike Jungbauer introduced a bill — the third GOP bill on the issue — to repeal the law in the Senate.

Marty is the Great Pumpkin in early DFL straw poll for guv

Late results of a very early straw poll in the race for DFL governor show state Sen. John Marty slightly ahead of former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton for the lead, with Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and St. Paul…

Transportation Bill Cruising Along

Rep. Terry Morrow, DFL-St. Peter, is only three months into being a state representative, and yet he’s already on a conference committee to settle the differences between the Minnesota Senate and House versions of the transportation bill. Yet he’s…

County Engineer Says Rural Roads Can’t Support Heavy Truck Traffic

And counties don’t have the money to fix them

At a Growth & Justice seminar in North Mankato Saturday morning,