Minnesota House Republicans are breaking off ties with a fellow GOP legislator facing domestic abuse charges.
Republicans voted Thursday to oust seven-term Representative Mark Olson of Big Lake from the caucus. In short, they won't supply him with staff support or other services. Caucus spokeswoman Jodi Boyne says the move means -- quote -- "Basically, he's on his own."
Olson says he'll hang in there.
UPDATE! More from Minnesota Public Radio:
Rep. Olson dumped from House GOP caucus
by Tom Scheck, Minnesota Public Radio
December 8, 2006
St. Paul, Minn. — Republicans in the Minnesota House have voted to suspend Rep. Mark Olson from their caucus just five days before Olson is scheduled to make a court appearance on domestic assault charges.
House Minority Leader Marty Seifert says caucus members voted unanimously on Thursday night to suspend Olson from the caucus. Olson was not present at the meeting. Olson is charged with two counts of misdemeanor domestic assault against his wife.
The Big Lake Republican is scheduled to be arraigned in Sherburne County Court on Tuesday. Seifert says Olson should be removed from the Legislature if he's found guilty.
Seifert turns up the heat on Olson:
"It's best that Rep. Olson get his personal affairs in order and get through his court situation. And, as I said last week, that if he knows in his mind that he did this then he ought to be out of the Legislature," Seifert said.
Rep. Joyce Peppin, R-Maple Grove, says she voted to suspend Olson from the caucus and will ask him to resign his seat if he's found guilty.
"This isn't one of our Republicans values," she said. "It's not acceptable behavior for any member of the Legislature or for any member of Minnesota for that matter."
Rep. Seifert says he has not spoken with Olson since the incident occurred last month. MPR was unable to contact Olson. He has been ordered to have no contact with his wife.
It will be interesting how the Saint Cloud Times, the Star News and Sherburne County Citizen report this.
There's a thread on this latest development at Democratic Underground.
5 comments:
Thanks Bil... got it.
They should have given him the boot years ago. He has a history of being verbally and physically abusive to caucus staff. One incident that lives in caucus infamy is the story of him throwing a typewriter at a staffer.
If someone has a news clipping of the typewriter incident, please post it on the web or contact me:
ken.avidor (at) gmail.com
Mark, the
"Bitter Ender", Olson
will probably do the honorable thing, take out his family, neighbors and himself in a blazing gun battle with police. As well as a couple stray kids, a wandering dog an a few squirrels.
Look at those bull goose looney eyeballs.
Unite Minnesota Abortionists!
My FArts smell like petunias!
BWAaaaa!
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