MN GOP Likely to Seek Expulsion if Rep. Mark Olson is Found Guilty

ECM's TW Budig:

Expulsion from Legislature possible in Mark Olson matter

Whether Rep. Mark Olson, R-Big Lake, could face expulsion from the House if found guilty of misdemeanor domestic abuse charges against him seems a possibility.

On Thursday (Dec. 7) the House Republican caucus suspended Olson from the caucus.

According to House Minority Leader Marty Seifert, R-Marshall, to vote to suspend Olson was unanimous. It means Olson cannot use House Republican resources, nor vote with the caucus.

If found innocent, his standing within the caucus could be re-evaluated, Seifert explained.

Seifert said he would not discuss the hypotheticals of the Olson case — it could play out for weeks and have a dozen possible conclusions, he explained.

But Seifert also indicated that should Olson be found guilty of domestic abuse charges, that’s crossing a line. “I don’t think the Legislature is a place for domestic abusers,” he said.

....Mark Olson, however has a different perspective...

Olson doesn’t believe his problem reflects on the Republican House caucus.

People make distinctions between individuals and parties — lumping them together is something the media does, Olson recently argued. “It’s not their (the House caucus’) mistake,” Olson said.

Indeed, Olson dismisses the idea that Republican Congressman Mark Foley — a focus in the recent U.S House page scandal — negatively impacted Minnesota Republican candidates last election. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” he said of the scandal’s influence.

...the article goes on to describe what it will take to remove Mark Olson from the legislature...

The state constitution requires a two-thirds majority vote for expulsion, but is silent in setting thresholds.

A definition of what constitutes an action meriting expulsion is left unaddressed.

Two things comes to mind... will Mary Kifmeyer wait as Seifert says could be weeks for the process to play out in a "dozen possible conclusions"?... and what will that process cost the taxpayers?