Monday, November 27, 2006

Holiday Party

Who: Republicans

What: SD44 Holiday Party

When: Wednesday, December 13, 2006 - 7pm

Where: Hopkins Elks Lodge, 30, 8th Avenue South

How Much: $10

Why: Why not?

Please join us as the Senate District 44 Republican Committee celebrates Christmas and Hanukkah and bids farewell to 2006. Volunteers, party officials, politicians, and candidates (both former and future) will be on hand to spread a little holiday cheer.

There may even be a visit from a man in a red suit!

Light Supper, Soft Drinks, Cash Bar

Cost: $10 per person

Those who have not taken advantage of their $50 PCR refund for 2006 may do so prior to the party, meaning that the event will be free after the refund!

Monday, November 06, 2006

Voting A Complete Ballot

Here are a few of my personal endorsements in some of the races that SD44 residents will be voting on where the candidates aren't identfied with a political party.

Minnesota Court of Appeals Seat 11: Christopher J. Dietzen*

Hennepin County Attorney: Mike Freeman

Sheriff: Rich Stanek

Soil and water supervisor Seat 2: Ernest K Lehmann

Soil and water supervisor Seat 4: Ryan C Wilson

Three Rivers Parks Park commissioner District 3: Ken Graves

I'm also looking for a little insight into the contested 4th district court races. Any advice on the following seats would be much appreciated:

Seat 44
Patricia Kerr Karasov *
Dee Rowe

Seat 48
Kevin J Kolosky
John Q McShane *

* Denotes the incumbent

UPDATE: A little birdie in the know has advised me to vote for Dee Rowe in Seat 44 and John Q McShane in Seat 48.

Court Of Appeals

Of all the choices that voters have to make on election day, perhaps the most difficult decisions involve who to pull the lever for in the judicial races. Since judges are non-partisan, you can't just go with the party that you most closely identify with and it's often difficult to find the kind of information about individual judges that you need to make informed decisions.

But after doing a little research and asking people in the know, I can tell you of one judicial candidate who deserves your vote. There is one seat that is being contested on the Minnesota Court of Appeals. And in that race for Seat 11, Christopher J. Dietzen is clearly the best choice.

Dietzen was appointed to the Court of Appeals in 2004 by Governor Pawlenty and by all accounts has acquitted himself well in the position. He's a man of integrity with great respect for the rule of law and deserves to continue as a judge on the Minnesota Court of Appeals.

[Cross-posted at Fraters Libertas]

Saturday, November 04, 2006

Mike Hatch On Line One

Scott Johnson brings a previous instance of Mike Hatch's less than proper telephone etiquette (to say nothing of less than proper professional conduct) to our attention in a post at Power Line titled Mike Hatch's forgotten scandal:

Persuasive evidence establishes that Hatch has committed serious violations of the rules of professional conduct governing lawyers -- and then lied to cover them up. The violations involve more than mere technical mistakes. The violations are of the sort that properly can lead to an attorney being severely disciplined if not disbarred from the practice of law.

It's a long post, but well worth reading. The bottom line is that it appears that not only did Hatch act improperly, he then lied about it.

It is worth pausing to take inventory. Attorney General Hatch first made an improper ex parte phone call to a judge handling a case in which Hatch's office was involved. The fact that Hatch switched cell phones to make the call tends to show that Hatch was aware of what he was doing and was conscious of its impropriety.

Hatch then attempted to threaten Judge Leary. When made aware that the judge would disclose the call, Hatch filed a baseless motion to disqualify the judge. Six weeks later, he denied the substance of the phone call and falsely stated, publicly and in sworn court filings, that the call lasted only one minute. He misrepresented the timing of the disqualification motion to discredit the judge.

The chain of events involved here shows an extraordinary pattern of disregard for fundamental rules of professional conduct. Mike Hatch should not be practicing law in the state of Minnesota, let alone serving as its Attorney General, let alone standing on the threshold of its highest office.


And this man wants to be our Governor?

(Cross posted at Fraters Libertas)