Sviggum Says Olson Should Resign if he's Found Guilty

Saint Cloud Times:

Minnesota House Speaker Steve Sviggum said he will recommend Mark Olson resign his seat in the House if he is found guilty of assaulting his wife.

Olson, a Big Lake Republican who was elected to an eighth term Nov. 7, was charged Tuesday with domestic assault after an incident involving his wife, Heidi, on Sunday.

Sviggum, who will end his eight-year tenure as speaker in December, in a statement, called the allegations against Olson very serious and will be treated as such.

“If Rep. Mark Olson is found guilty of these... charges, I will personally recommend he resign from the Minnesota House of Representatives.”

Sviggum also said the House sits in judgment of its own members and has an ethics committee process for dealing with matters of this importance.

Saint Cloud Times readers comment:

Deminn from Minnesota
Posted: Nov. 15, at 8:17 AM

"after spending two nights in jail. He did not offer a plea and was released without bail."
Is this the standard treatment anyone could be expecting for a similar offense?

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MASTER OF rePUPPETlicanS from Wherever I May Roam
Posted: Nov. 15, at 8:36 AM

Even if Olson's seat were to turn DFL (which it won't) I can understand why Steve Sviggum wouldn't be too excited about going to bat for Olson.
12 years ago when Olson chucked a typewriter at his secretary's head, Mr. Sviggum offered to go to anger management with Olson... but Olson refused to go.
Mark Olson needs professional help... and his wife needs a divorce before he screws up her kids.
JMHO

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mom to several from stearns county
Posted: Nov. 15, at 8:51 AM

Mark Olson should be given a leave of absence and be put in treatment for anger management to see if he can be helped. This should be part of his sentence. We should be there to help this person abandon him. We are all you compassionate left wingers? Isn't this somthing you live for? We should feel bad for everyone and try to help all. No one should be left behind....right?

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MASTER OF rePUPPETlicanS from Wherever I May Roam
Posted: Nov. 15, at 9:08 AM

W(h)e(re) are all you compassionate left wingers?
Advising Mrs. Olson to get a divorce before he (Mark Olson) screws up the 5 kids she had with her late husband.
... and advising Mr. Olson to get professional help.
Abusers rarely change... as is evident by Mr. Olson's "history".

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auntiGustaGene from St. Cloud
Posted: Nov. 15, at 9:27 AM

I believe i read yesterday that if a defendent does not offer a plea the judge is obligated to list his plea as "not guilty." So, in essence, Olson pled, not guilty, despite his rhetoric.
Olson was elected to office. HE has abandoned the standard we ALL should live by. He should take his personal inadequacies to a personal place and get out of the public's policy writing and the public pocketbook.
This isn't about party line - It's about a man who has demonstrated abusive/control tendencies in the past and likely will again.
Good advice: IF you have an abusive partner, NEVER give another chance. IF s/he claims the ability to change, let him prove it with some other poor sap. You won't be missing anything except waiting for the other shoe to drop......'cause it most likely will.......and you're the one who will bruise and bleed.

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peepers from cheeseland
Posted: Nov. 15, at 9:35 AM

If you listen very carefully you can hear the “Family Value" hypocrisy alarm going off, someplace other than Washington. What a shock!

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Rush from Spin City
Posted: Nov. 15, at 10:37 AM

Unbelievable, GOP family values, they just gave senate leadership back to Mr. family values--Trent Lott. Truelly unbeleivable. Wake Up!

I urge readers to get in touch with their legislators and let them know whether you think Rep. Mark Olson should be asked to resign.