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Bitcoin Raid: Government Tells Bitcoin Users They're Not Welcome Here
9 Biggest Controversies Of Obama's Time in the National Spotlight
Minnesota Gay Marriage: Just the First Volley in the 2014 Election Battle
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Rudy Takala's Columns

Michael Brodkorb

A Reminder that Character Matters

 
When Minnesota’s Republican Senate Caucus hired Michael Brodkorb as their communications director, they may not have expected it would end with
a lawsuitand multiple retirements. Yet while those specific results may have been unpredictable, a person of reasonable judgment could have figured that it would not end well.
 
Even so, it is fortunate that then-Majority Leader Amy Koch was not exercising reasonable judgment when Brodkorb was hired. The incident has been good for the GOP and for democracy.

Brodkorb Tweets about Bed, Bath & Beyond in Light of Koch Scandal; New Candidates for RPM Chairman

The biggest news of the weekend comes in the fact that Michael Brodkorb resigned all of the positions affiliating him with the Republican Party of Minnesota in wake of the scandal involving Sen. Majority Leader Amy Koch.When it was reported on Fridaythat Koch was stepping down from her position because of allegations that she had engaged in an "inappropriate" relationship with a staffer, Brodkorb resigned his position as communications director with the Minnesota Senate GOP. On Saturday,

Politics in Minnesota Article: "Republican infighting rises as state party looks to fill leadership void"

(Click hereif you have a subscription to PIM and would like to read it there. Otherwise read it here): The short knives are out in the Republican Party. Former GOP deputy chairMichael Brodkorbharshly criticized 2010 gubernatorial nomineeTom Emmerat Saturday’s State Central Committee gathering. “I think Republicans nominated the one candidate who couldn’t possibly win in 2010,” Brodkorbtold Minnesota Public Radio.
 
The comments indicate ongoing tensions over the conduct of the 2010 campaign.

Analyzing the Republican Party of Minnesota

After the State Central Committee meeting of the Minnesota Republican Party (RPM) held on December 3, some of the issues that presently define the RPM were made evident. The State Central Committee is a body made up of approximately 350 delegates governing the RPM. Though I am presently in Washington D.C., I am a delegate and have spoken with countless people who did make it to the meeting. To recap:
 
Kelly Fentonwas elected deputy chair of the RPM on the second round of balloting, with 173 votes out of about 350.

Minnesota GOP Chair Sutton Resigns

According to a letter by state GOP Chair Tony Sutton that appeared in the Star Tribune today,  he is stepping down as chairman of the Minnesota Republican Party, less than seven months after being re-elected. You can view the letter byclicking here.
 
Several things about this are notable. I will list them here in summary format and expand upon it more within the next couple of days. As those involved in the party already know, the State Central Committee is meeting tomorrow and will hold a special election to fill the position of deputy chairman.

Endorsement of David Fitzsimmons for MNGOP Deputy Chairman

In an e-mail sent to State Central Committee members last Monday, Minnesota GOP Deputy Chair Michael Brodkorb announced that he was stepping down from his position to help state Sen. Mike Parry run for Congress against Democratic Rep. Tim Walz.
 
Michael Brodkorb was never exceptionally popular with the GOP base. When he ran for his second term for the position earlier this year, he received 255 votes from the committee to 83 votes for his opponent, Sheldon Beilke. Sheldon had never been involved in politics before; in his mid-twenties, he registered to vote only after making the decision to seek the second-highest position in the state party.

"Many in GOP base angry at Legislature" in the St. Paul Legal Ledger-Capitol Report

This is a piece authored by Charley Shaw of the St. Paul Legal Ledger/Capitol Report. He graciously included my analysis in the piece. You may access it byclicking here, or, if you are not registered to access full pieces on the Politics in Minnesota Website, you may simply scroll down.
____________________________________________
 
If you hear political activists calling for change in the 2012 state House and Senate elections, you won’t be faulted for thinking that the rhetoric must be coming from DFLers.

"Centrist Republicans Could Play a Pivotal Role in the Budget"

The following is an article by Briana Bierschbach with Politics in Minnesota. You canclick here to read iton PIM's Website if you have a subscription, or scroll down if you do not. It provides a good who's who of which Republicans are most likely to vote with the Democrats in raising taxes during the upcoming special session.
 
House Republican commitee chairsJim AbelerandRod Hamiltonare rightly pointed out as being the most likely to break. They both voted to override Tim Pawlenty's veto in 2008 of the transportation budget; they are also the only two of those six Republicans who were not thrown out of office that year as a result.

GOP Board Calling on Pat Anderson to Resign... Once Called on Me to Resign?

In response to National Commiteewoman Pat Andersontaking on a position as a lobbyist for a racino at Canterbury Park,  the Congressional District 8 (CD8) Republican board of Minnesota approved a letter calling on her resign. The letter is available in whole atLook True North; I will quote the relevant portions here.
 
In part, the letter, authored by Ted Lovdahl, chairman of the 8th Congressional Republicans, read, "The Minnesota State GOP Executive Committee must take purposeful and expeditious action to request that Ms.

The Roots of Deputy Chairman Michael Brodkorb’s Differences with National Committeewoman Pat Anderson

Newly-elected Republican National Committee (RNC) Woman Pat Anderson signed up over the last weekend to lobby for Canterbury Holdings “to promote racino, casino-style slot machines at the [Canterbury] track.” This has caused some controversy as the Republican Party’s base is divided on gambling.Click herefor some coverage of the issue without commentary.
 
Deputy Minnesota GOP Chairman Michael Brodkorb came out immediately with some mudslinging, saying that Pat Anderson should resign her position with the Republican Party.
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