ST. PAUL – Ahead of today's floor debate on
HF 2, the so-called LIFO bill, Rep. Ryan Winkler (DFL –Golden Valley) made a formal request that his bill to increase disclosure of campaign donations be moved forward in the legislative process.
HF 43 increases disclosure by eliminating a campaign finance loophole that currently exempts certain political groups from reporting all of their campaign spending. Outside groups like Norm Coleman’s Minnesota Action Network (MAN)—who mailed into several Minnesota communities in support of HF 2 earlier this year—frequently take advantage of this loophole. Winkler introduced the bill on January 8th, but House Republicans have refused to grant a hearing on the bill.
Rep. Winkler released the following statement:
“HF 2 does little and risks much because the elites who support it don’t want to spend any money on education or investing in our future. What we should really be focusing on is expanding economic security and opportunity for all Minnesotans.
“It’s no surprise that the GOP majority doesn’t want to advance HF 43, which would expose the rich corporate backers who paid for their campaigns. And now, they are working with those same corporate elites and outside groups to target our teachers and waste time with an education proposal that doesn’t do any of the things we know help our students to succeed.
“We should be investing in things like early childhood education that are proven to reduce the achievement gap and increase student performance. Instead, the GOP’s education plan is to attack hardworking teachers from their soapbox in St. Paul and to continue putting rich corporate insiders ahead of Minnesotans.”
Attached you will find the letter that Rep. Winkler delivered to Speaker Daudt. In addition, you will find examples of literature paid for by the Minnesota Action Network that take advantage of this campaign finance loophole.
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