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| MN Democrat Party Imploding; Atty General Candidate Drops Out |
| 2006-07-18 |
| Buffeted by questions about his honesty and investigations into his wife's multimillion-dollar stock options, DFL endorsee Matt Entenza dropped out of the race for state attorney general Tuesday. With wife Lois Quam, a top executive of UnitedHealth Group, at his side, Entenza stood on the steps of the State Capitol and said he was withdrawing despite his confidence that he still could win the election to succeed Attorney General Mike Hatch, the DFL endorsee for governor. "But with so little time and so many attacks, from anonymous faxes to attacks on my family, it is impossible to fight these attacks and win this race without it taking a serious toll on the people and the party we care about the most," he said. Entenza, who recently stepped down as minority leader to concentrate on his campaign, has been under heavy fire for almost a week. His troubles began with the revelation that he had hired a Chicago opposition-research firm that investigated fellow DFLer Mike Hatch, the current attorney general who is the party's endorsee for governor. The hail of criticism has been directed not so much at Entenza's original action but at explanations and defenses that his critics are saying are distortions or lies. Entenza issued a statement Monday, saying that "over the last few days my opponents have tried to land a few hits, but it is nothing compared to the hits the people of Minnesota have taken every day under this Republican administration." State Rep. Jeff Johnson, R-Plymouth, the Republican candidate for attorney general, bluntly accused Entenza not only of changing his story as details emerged, but of outright lying. "I think he lied probably several times this last week," Johnson said Monday. Johnson said Entenza initially didn't tell the truth when he told reporters more than a year ago that there was no truth to rumors that he was doing opposition research on Hatch. Johnson also said Entenza has tried to deceive the public on the motive for his research, the extent of the digging and the cost. Meanwhile, a St. Paul attorney with a familiar surname in DFL Party history became the first to file a primary challenge. She is Jennifer Mattson, granddaughter of former Attorney General Robert Mattson Sr. and daughter of former State Auditor and state Treasurer Robert Mattson Jr. Mattson said she saw an "irreconcilable conflict" in Entenza's pursuit of the attorney general's office, which under Hatch is investigating $30 million in stock options granted to UnitedHealth Group, where Entenza's wife, Lois Quam, is a top executive. In a letter to Entenza, Mattson said his handling of the Hatch inquest and the conflict of interest posed by his wife's income "are now the dominant issues." "Not only is your own election highly questionable, but you are endangering the entire DFL ticket," she wrote. Entenza's campaign counterattacked with a statement accusing Mattson of "viciously attacking Matt's wife," who is being "dragged through the mud simply because of where she works." Mattson's inexperience also was addressed. Entenza's campaign manager, John Van Hecke, cited Entenza's 20-year record as a white-collar criminal prosecutor, an assistant attorney general and as a consumer advocate while in the Legislature. An anonymous attack against Entenza on Monday came in the form of a packet of documents, including photocopies of campaign records and cancelled checks from Quam and Entenza's joint account, that were faxed to several Capitol reporters. Entenza's name was blacked out on the checks. The person who faxed the documents claimed that they demonstrate that Entenza didn't tell the truth when he told reporters in December 2004 that he and his wife contributed about $600,000 to Democratic campaigns and liberal groups. The mystery attacker's documents indicate that Quam gave at least $55,000 more to Democratic committees in South Dakota, which then sent the money back to Minnesota and to the DFL House caucus, which was led at the time by Entenza. DFL Party chair Brian Melendez said the information in the attack appeared to be accurate but that nothing illegal was done. In his written statement Entenza said, "We have a lot of Democratic friends in a lot of places, and we are always happy to help them." Meanwhile, the names of several high-profile DFLers have been circulating as possible alternative candidates to Entenza, with indications that some party insiders are seeking recruits. The deadline for filing for office is the end of the workday today. DFL==Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, is the MN Democrat Party. |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #9 #2: "There's no longer any pretense that they are anything but soft-core marxists." Whaddaya mean "soft-core"? |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-07-18 20:43 |
| #8 a thought a 'yellow dog democrat' is someone who would vote for a yellow dog so long as the dog was a democrat |
| Posted by: mhw 2006-07-18 19:34 |
| #7 I have a friend in suburb Atlanta whose neighbors on a cul-de-sac (French for bottom of the sack) are from India, Taiwan, Bulgaria, and Black America. All these people get along with NO problem. God bless America! So much of America is that way. Too bad our snotty elite media never report that feel good story and instead focus on everytime some Muslim woman gets a mean look or that a immigrant murderer didn't get read his Miranda rights. Americans really do celebrate diversity - just not the way thos stupid university professors want us to. |
| Posted by: 2b 2006-07-18 19:34 |
| #6 Around here we still have some of the old "Yellar dawg Democrats". For those of you unfamiliar with Southern terminology that means someone who is as mean as a yeller dawg when it comes to attacks on the US. Seems to me we need some more of them. This mulitcultural bullshit peddeled by the "elitists" is absolute crap. The US, in a LOT of areas, is still a melting pot, it's just not "newsworthy" to report it. I have a friend in suburb Atlanta whose neighbors on a cul-de-sac (French for bottom of the sack) are from India, Taiwan, Bulgaria, and Black America. All these people get along with NO problem. The common denominator is they are all middle class, have worked HARD for their position in life, abandoned "victomhood", and want the same for their children. The Democratis seem to still want "Seperate but equal". Horsehockey!! We are all Americans and there should be no "Separate". |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2006-07-18 19:25 |
| #5 Maryland could be a contest, too. That is really painful for the donks. They shouldn't have to work to keep a senate seat in MD. It's going to be interesting. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-07-18 19:11 |
| #4 useful link (click on maps): http://www.electionprojection.com/ Four senators in trouble, Lieberman; Cantwell in WA who is not even campaigning, hated by moonbats; Sanders vs three democrats in VT; MN is an open seat with lots of contenders, so this party trouble could really hurt. Democrat edge in Senate and House races is slimming. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-07-18 18:57 |
| #3 They should turn to Daily Kos for help. I'm sure they'll be back up and running in no time. *snicker* |
| Posted by: Lancasters Over Dresden 2006-07-18 16:43 |
| #2 This is the party that's "taking back Congress?" On the one hand, you have Vermont's Democrats actively pushing aside legit Democrat candidates to ensure Bernie Sanders (S-Manhattan), an overt card-carrying Socialist, is elected to the Senate. There's no longer any pretense that they are anything but soft-core marxists. You have other Democrats in other states running as far to the right as possible, even getting candidates from the hated military, to run to shore up the credibility gap in redder states about defense. The "culture of corruption" thing has blown up in their faces with Jefferson and McKinney others being caught red-handed abusing power and money. I'm sure I'm leaving out plenty of other things. The point is, this kind of disarray doesn't indicate sweeping purpose and victory. |
| Posted by: no mo uro 2006-07-18 16:38 |
| #1 Aw, geez - and here my Sympathy Meter™ is out for repairs. Too bad. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-07-18 15:56 |