Jan 4, 2001
There are few places where you can get the story behind the story in politics. We hope Checks & Balances can help to fill in some of the gaps. The opening of the 2001 Minnesota Legislature began with its own bit of intrigue on the House side. The DFL House Caucus...
Jun 14, 2000
Alliance for Better Campaigns – Minnesota held a press conference on Monday that assembled a unique cast of characters that rarely would one see on the same stage. Ted Thompson spokesperson for Congressman Bill Luther (D – 6th CD) joined state House...
Jun 14, 2000
The visit by President Bill Clinton (D) succeeded in pushing the Rod Grams endorsement below the fold in Sunday’s Star Tribune. This further reinforces the fact that it wasn’t all that newsworthy. The gathering at the Fine Line was treated to a good bit of political...
Jun 14, 2000
President Bill Clinton addressing the crowd at the Fine Line. Heidi & Hubert “Buck” Humphrey, Olin More and Amy Dawson during the Clinton Event at the Fine Line. 5th District Congressman Martin Sabo with daughter and presumptive state...
Jun 14, 2000
Frequently it is easy to move an incumbent around like a bull with a ring in its nose during an election year. This is not so in the case of US Senator Rod Grams (R-MN). Grams is maintaining his stance in support of the Freedom to Farm Act which to many should be...
Jun 14, 2000
It is good to see that each of the Constitutional Officers view their positions differently. While Governor Jesse Ventura (IP-MN) is out on another self-promotional tour, Attorney General Mike Hatch (DFL-MN) is off on a trip of his own. Hatch is scheduled to appear...
Jun 14, 2000
You may have realized that Checks & Balances did not provide live coverage last weekend at the Republican State Convention in Rochester. Some of our readers commented that we were being biased in our coverage. In our defense, we believe it did not warrant the...
Jun 8, 2000
Jane Fee was selected as the first transgender National Committee Delegate elected from Minnesota. A World War II veteran and cancer survivor, Fee is a member of the VFW who considers veterans’ benefits as one of her top priorities. Her important issues include...
Jun 8, 2000
The only surprise about Barb Haake (R–52B Mounds View) is that she didn’t announce it on the last night of the session. She was rumored to be a candidate for the saner side of life for awhile. We heard that she had informed Speaker Steve Sviggum (R-26B, Kenyon) and...
Jun 8, 2000
Deputy Secretary of State Eric Lipman received the Republican Party endorsement in district 56B on Thursday. He is looking to replace Peg Larsen (R–56B Lakeland). He emerged as the frontrunner in the five-person field on the first ballot and continued to gain ground...
