Rep. Mark Olson Unleashed

I am free to do what I want to do.”

- Rep. Mark Olson (1/27/07 Sherburne County Citizen)

Today, it looked like Rep. Mark Olson got to do what he wants to do.... he tried to block a bill because he was afraid it will permit the World Court to "inspect wells" and other scary things the voices inside his head tell him would happen.

From Lawrence Schumacher's blog:

On the House floor Thursday, debating HF 110/ SF 38, which would ratify the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact:

Rep. Mark Olson, R-Big Lake, is arguing against the bill, saying he agrees with its goals -- preserving, conserving, restoring, improving and managing the waters of the Great Lakes -- but doesn't think it's legal.

The governors of every U.S. state and Canadian province bordering the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River signed the compact and their Legislatures are being asked to ratify them now.

"This bill is so serious. We are yielding jurisdiction of this state over to international courts," Olson said. "I've got so many red flags, I don't know what to do."

Olson cited Article I, Section 10 of the U.S. Constitution, on powers prohibited of states. It says "No state shall enter into any treaty, alliance or confederation;"

The bill's author, Rep. Thomas Huntley, DFL-Duluth, pointed out that the bill is not a treaty because it has to go to Congress for approval.

The debate was only expected to last a few minutes, but it now appears that it could go on for several hours, prompted largely by amendments Olson is introducing.

All 2 hours or so of crazy Rep. Mark Olson grandstanding at the legislature at the House Television Archives web page.

Here is just a short You Tube of Rep. Ehrhardt responding to Olson: