Caledonia Argus

GOP chair files complaints as governorís office claims truce against DFLers

Posted: 9/9/03

by T.W. Budig
ECM capitol reporter

State Republican Party Chair Ron Eibensteiner Thursday, Sept. 4, filed complaints against eight DFLers, though personally believing such complaints are silly but feeling compelled to file.

ìThey (DFLers, the Green Party) started all this silliness; we would be happy to stand down if they stand down,î said Eibensteiner of the campaign complaints.

For DFLers and Greens to criticize Republicans for filing the complaints would reveal theirìboundless hypocrisy,î said Eibensteiner.

The mass filing, which Eibensteiner said cost Republicans several thousand dollars, comes just one day after Gov. Pawlenty and Attorney General Mike Hatch declared the celebrated feud between their offices over.

Leslie Kupchella, Pawlenty press secretary, said the governorís office wants to put the partisanship behind them.

ìThis just isnít helpful,î Kupchella said of the filings.

Named in the Republican complaints are Senate Majority Leader John Hottinger, DFL-St. Peter, and DFL senators Mee Moua, Dallas Sams, Dick Cohen, and John Marty for allegedly failing to properly disclose income on their campaign finance forms.

The filings also includes complaints against DFL senators Steve Kelley, Steve Murphy, and Rod Skoe, for allegedly accepting corporate contributions while running for office.

The same complaint was filed against Green Party Chairman Nick Raleigh, who ran for governor in the primary last year.

Complaints were filed with the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board and local county attorneys.

Theyíre credible when compared to DFL complaints recently filed against the governor, Eibensteiner explained.

Still, Eibensteiner also said the standards established by the DFL complaints ìborder on silliness.î

ìPersonally, I believe a lot of this over the past month has been rather silly,î he said.

The campaign finance board recently dismissed the DFL complaints against Pawlenty, referring one complaint to Dakota County.

Sen. Steve Kelley, DFL-Hopkins, called the mass filing a ìshotgunî approach by Republicans and specifically the complaint against him ìtrumped up.î

ìItís not the Democrats that continue to poke sticks into the hornets' nest,î said Kelley of quelling partisanship.

He works as an independent contractor for the Mackall, Crounse and Moore law firm, said Kelley. But because thereís no place on the campaign finance form to list this, heís listed as an employee of the firm.

ìAnd I can back up the compensation with my time sheets,î said Kelley, taking a shot Pawlentyís lack of records for his legal work for friend Elam Baer.

In their complaint, Republicans question whether the compensation constitutes an illegal corporate contribution to a candidate.

Whatever comes of the newest complaints, no one is at risk of penalty for making them.

Campaign complaints are a political free fire zone.

Anoka County Attorney Bob Johnson said filing a frivolous campaign complaint is not the same as filing a false police report.

ìWe have to accept theyíll be abuse of the system,î said Johnson.

For example, Johnson noted how some campaigns may file a complaint against a competing candidate just prior to an election, arguably in the hopes of gaining an advantage.

But the system is sophisticated, said Johnson.

And he does not favor changing it.

Likewise, Jeanne Olson, executive director of the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, said she doesnít believe there are provisions under state law for penalties against those filing frivolous complaints.

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