Mark Olson's Personal Rapid Transit Boondoggle

Jailbirds Rep. Mark Olson and Dean Zimmermann are featured in this video:


Ken Avidor makes videos about Personal Rapid Transit and other gadgetbahn scams.

Heidi Olson Tells Her Side of the Story

Rep. Mark Olson was sentenced today...

The West Central Tribune:

ELK RIVER, Minn. (AP) - State Rep. Mark Olson was sentenced to two years on probation and must pay nearly $400 in fines and court costs but will not have to serve jail time for his misdemeanor domestic assault conviction, a judge said Thursday. Sherburne County District Judge Alan Pendleton also stayed a 90-day jail sentence.

Here's video from the courthouse in Elk River:

Heidi Olson Challenges Rep. Mark Olson's Allegations of Abuse

Heidi Olson at last gets to tell her side of the story to Bob Grawey in the Star News.

The popular board game Monopoly turned out to be the breaking point for Rep. Mark Olson and his wife, Heidi. The game was meant as an occasion for Olson to bond with Heidi’s 13-year-old son who has autism. Instead, it turned into the event that ultimately led to Olson’s arrest and trial for domestic assault.

How could a simple board game lead to such a devastating end? Answers can be found in looking closer at family dynamics that led to the Nov. 12, 2006, incident in which Heidi says Olson threw her to the ground three times.

.... because Rep. Mark Olson is way into rules:

Even though marriage started out on a happy note for the couple, it did not take long for things to sour. For Olson, a first-time marriage at 48 years old included being a parent for the first time to five children, one of them with autism.

Coupled with these dynamics, Heidi says Olson’s biblical interpretation of Scripture became a major source of contention in their home and marriage.

Heidi maintains Olson’s biblical interpretation of the man being the head of the home meant that Olson has total control of everything in the home, and that her role was to merely support whatever decisions he made.

The biggest conflict, she says, was about parenting issues, discipline in particular. She adds that Olson did not feel she responded quickly enough or hard enough in disciplining her kids.

“My opinions regarding raising children, or how I felt something should be done, were not going to be listened to,” Heidi says. “He had an idea of how it should be done, and he really wanted it to be done that way.”

At first Heidi went along with the way Olson wanted things, but when she saw how harsh things became, she says she wanted to regroup and tell him his ideas of running a family and a  marriage were not working for her. He would not concede, though.

“He saw any input I wanted to have on disciplining my own children—my biological children—as being disrespectful to him,” Heidi says.

Olson conducted family life much like politics, Heidi contends. She says the politician, husband and father saw issues as black or white, right or wrong. But politics did not work in a blended family situation, she says  in which diplomacy and compromise was needed.

Olson’s harsh disposition was particularly egregious concerning Heidi’s autistic son. When the boy would make a mistake about something, Heidi says Olson would not overlook the error even though it might be petty.

Such was the case when Olson was playing Monopoly with the 13-year-old.

“My  son with autism had paid the wrong price for a hotel,” Heidi recalls, “and because Mark deals with everything as either right or wrong, he had to correct him on the price of the hotel. It became an issue and I received a call from my son saying ‘Mark just won’t let it go. I don’t know what to do.’”

Heidi instructed her son to  stop playing the game and go to his room and read a book, or he could apologize for paying the wrong price and continue playing the game. The boy apologized and continued playing, but apparently Olson would not let it go.

“My son started hitting himself because he became so frustrated with Mark, and he thought Mark was harassing him,” Heidi says. “So he started hitting himself in the head, and hitting at Mark.”

Several days passed since the incident, and whenever Heidi tried talking to Olson about how her son needed to be handled, he refused to talk about it.

“These kinds of kids have a quicker breaking point than most other kids,” Heidi explains. “You just don’t harass them about stuff that isn’t a big deal. You learn how to talk to them.”

... but she soon learned that Rep. Mark Olson has a quicker breaking point Olson’s arrest:

Heidi was still upset that Olson would not discuss the Monopoly game incident with her, and days later when he arrived at the house to take measurements for a new garage, she told him to leave. When he tried to enter the house, she stood in the doorway blocking his entry, refusing to move. Heidi says he then threw her to the ground and jumped on top of her.

“I did not scuffle with him,” Heidi claims. “I stood there with my arms crossed. His sweater did get ripped, though, when I tried to grab hold of something as he threw me down.”

It was this same incident that Olson allegedly said, “You’ve taken everything from me. I have nothing to lose,” according to Heidi.

Heidi says Olson was referring to his belief that she had not allowed him to be the head of the house he believed was his biblical right.

The physical conflict worsened. Olson threw Heidi down a second time, and after yet another show of force from Olson sent her to the floor, Heidi felt she had to escape.

“The third time he threw me to the ground, and when he started saying he “didn’t have anything to lose” and “come over here and let me finish you off,” then I became afraid of him,” Heidi says.

She ran back into the house to get away from him, according to her account of the physical assault. This incident was the basis for court proceedings conjecture during Olson’s trial, detailing a marriage that had gone bad.

Rather than calling 911, though, Heidi called her sisters and Olson’s brother. Heidi was afraid Olson might take his own life after driving down a path leading into the woods, particularly after saying he had nothing to lose.

While Olson’s brother tried talking to him, one of Heidi’s sisters called 911. It was the fourth separate occasion Olson had forcefully thrown Heidi down She says, though, that he never hit her.

Through all the marital conflicts, Heidi says she and Olson sought marriage counseling three times and pastoral counseling twice. She also asked for help from both of the couple’s families in attempts to get answers to their marital issues.

...Heidi considers herself a political scapegoat...

When Olson was arrested and standing trial for two counts of misdemeanor domestic assault, Heidi says things became even more unbearable. She feels Olson’s efforts to save his political career hinged on making her seem like the abuser instead of the victim.

“The trial was really all about vilifying me to get Mark off,” Heidi claims.

What hurt Heidi and her children the most, though, she claims, was Olson’s allegations that her autistic son  abused him, and that he was afraid of the 13-year-old boy.

“How far do you need to go to save your job?” Heidi states. “Who do you need to sacrifice?”

The marriage to Olson and the trial that ensued was hard on Heidi’s five children as well. Heidi says her two youngest kids are in counseling because of the ordeal.

... the story ends with Heidi's strugle with divorce and forgiveness...

Even though the couple’s divorce is imminent, Olson has stated publicly that he wants to reconcile their marriage. But Heidi will have nothing to do with the notion.

“He totally crossed the line at the trial when he said I have the potential to kill him in his sleep,” Heidi says, and that he was afraid. I would never reconcile with Mark.”

Though Heidi says she still loves Olson and will miss some things about him, she will not put herself or her children through another hurtful or abusive situation.

Questioned about her public claim of forgiveness for Olson, Heidi admits she is still working on it.

“I can forgive him, but it doesn’t mean I have to invite him back into my home,” Heidi says. “Forgiveness for me means letting go of the need to punish him. It’s going to be more of a journey than an event.”

... Heidi Olson and her family seem like nice people. Too nice to be subjected to Rep. Mark Olson's abuse. But, there are a lot of nice people out there who have to put up with Rep. Mark Olson's abuse... like elected representatives who will have to figure out a way to keep the Minnesota's bridges from falling down and killing people. How easy will that be with Rep. MArk Olson ranting about Global Warming and Personal Rapid Transit?

It doesn't look like the Republicans will be able to kick Olson out of the legislature in the next session.... unless nice people... people who know about Rep. Mark Olson's promotion of PRT and other snarky activities come forward and tell their stories too.

If you have a story, the comments are open and my e-mail address is up at the top.

Ken Avidor blogs about Rep. Mark Olson, Personal Rapid Transit and other snary stuff.

Personal Rapid Transit in Arizona?

Interesting blog post about Skytran at Laurels and Lances:

To include PRT as a focal point of the analysis is simply ludicrous. PRT systems are not designed for mass transit, period. They are incapable of handling large passenger loads and are more suited for places like universities and large company complexes with many buildings spread out over hundreds of acres.

Wild and unsubstantiated claims on the SkyTran website such as SkyTran being able to "totally eliminate commuter congestion in any city" is literally false advertising and a complete misrepresentation of the product. Another claim of "SkyTran can END road congestion, car accidents and automobile air pollution" also state the impossible.

Where are the actual studies proving these claims? Not in-house computer projections or "what we believe" press releases but the actual independently conducted case study that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that SkyTran will totally eliminate 100% of the traffic congestion in any city? I already know the answer, there isn't any such study.

Ken Avidor blogs about Personal Rapid Transit in Arizona and elsewhere.

Michael Brodkorb Exposes Himself

Last week, Republican Party consultant Michael Brodkorb (Minnesota Democrats Exposed) was all over the internet last week warning Democrats not to engage in finger-pointing in the wake of the 35W Bridge collapse. Brodkorb now joins the chorus of mouth-breathers who are scapegoating Congressman Jim Oberstar for his advocacy for bicycling:

What do you think? Should we be focused on bike trails or highways?  In my opinion, it's all about priorities. In the aftermath of the 35-W bridge collapse, I think the public will be closely monitoring state spending and watching how politicians spend the taxpayers' money.  What should come first?  More bike trails or highways?

Nevermind that one of the first people on the scene of the bridge collapse was a bicyclist. (Listen to him tell how he rescued victims).

Bicycling is a viable mode of transportation.

If MDE wants make an issue out of a ridiculous mode of transportation, he need not look further than that perennial time-waster beloved by the right-wing of his own party "Personal Rapid Transit" (PRT).

For over thirty years, the Minnesota Legislature dinked around with PRT. In recent years, PRT lost the support of most DFLers and the cult has only a few acolytes remaining among extremists in the MN GOP (Michele Bachmann, Mark Olson) and the lunatic fringe in the Green Party (Dean Zimmermann, Michael Cavlan)

Michael Brodkorb claims he doesn't know anything about PRT. I suggest he ask The Taxpayers League's President Phil Krinkie who told me he was an ardent supporter of PRT in 2006. Here's a list of representatives who voted for one of Rep. Mark Olson's PRT amendments voted down 26 to 107 on April 12, 2006:

Anderson, B.
Bradley
Buesgens
Demmer
Eastlund
Emmer
Erickson
Hackbarth
Heidgerken
Holberg
Hosch (DFL)
Knoblach
Krinkie
Marquart (DFL)
Nelson, P.
Nornes
Olson
Ozment
Smith
Soderstrom
Sykora
Urdahl
Vandeveer
Wardlow
Westrom
Wilkin


And Michael Brodkorb can see for himself what a joke PRT is in this You Tube video featuring the Bible-hurling Rep. Mark Olson:



Ken Avidor blogs about Bible-hurling Republicans who promote Personal Rapid Transit.

Another PRT Boondoggle in Mesa, Arizona

PRT keeps popping up in places like Mesa, Arizona:

The Arizona Republic:

'Jetsons'-like SkyTran system is 'pipe dream'

Jerry Spellman thinks it's about time Mesa met the future.

"The future," as seen in generations of TV shows and comic books, is a time when people whisk around modernistic cities in modernistic conveyances without having to worry about traffic jams and bus or train schedules. The future is clean, energy-efficient and cheap. Spellman thinks the future should be now.

That's why the Mesa resident has spent the past decade serving without pay as the Arizona coordinator for Unimodal, a California company promoting a transit system called SkyTran.

"The technology is here. We're finally at the point where we can actually demonstrate it," Spellman said. He believes Mesa would be a great place for that because the city is not yet locked in to its long-range transit options.

Spellman is waiting for Mesa's official answer to a proposal SkyTran floated this spring to build a 25-mile line between the light-rail terminus on Main Street and Williams Gateway Airport in southeast Mesa.

The cost: $225 million.

SkyTran figured Mesa could kick in $150 million from its share of regional transportation funds, and SkyTran would dig up the rest from transit-oriented lines of credit. Spellman said the money is but a fraction of what it would cost to lay light rail along that same route.

... and the reason Skytran promoters give for being cheaper than LRT? They say... and I'm not kidding... Skytran uses a guideway-extruding robot.... and what do the professionals say?

Kyle Jones, chairman of the City Council's transportation and infrastructure committee, said the idea is more "pipe dream" than reality.

"We're always willing to take a look," Jones said. "But . . . we just can't expend money for something that's an unknown. They'll partner with us for a test deal? We just can't gamble with funds that way. People criticize us enough already."

... and...

Mike James, Mesa's senior transportation planner, said SkyTran "is an idea on the Internet, but that's about the only place it exists."

... and...

James said that probably won't happen.

"We're really focusing in on what the federal government would call proven technologies," James said.

And as far as personal transportation, he said, "We as a city already have a good personal transportation system in our road network."

I would like to hear Rep. Mark Olson explain why he thought investing millions of taxpayers' dollars in his "pipe dream" was a good idea when repairs to the existing transportation infrastructure were in desperate need of funding.

UPDATE: I contacted Jerry Spellman yesterday and requested he verify that Skytran received a grant from US DOT. This is his reply:

Dear Ken:

Who are you? What are your affiliations? And why do you want these"documents or links?" Aren't you the guy that keeps posting BS aboutSkyTran on Wikipedia? If you are, go FYS. If not, let's talk about it. SkyTran, as a private enterprise, owes nothing to you. I suggest that you contact either USDOT and/or NASA for the information you seek.

Jerry Spellman

I did a search and this is the only thing I found.



Ken Avidor blogs about Personal Rapid Transit and other gadgetbahn boondoggles like Skytran.

Rep. Mark Olson Sentencing Scheduled for August 16th

... but I may not be able to post the sentence until the 17th.

Until then, let's watch a video of Rep. Mark Olson promoting his favorite transportation boondoggle:



Ken Avidor blogs about convicted criminals who promote Personal Rapid Transit.

Rep. Mark Olson's Snarky Land Deal

In response to the collapse of the 35W bridge, the Governor says he may hold a special session to pass a gas tax.

If the last session is any guide, that obnoxious, bible-hurling, gadgetbahning nutjob from Big Lake will be wasting everyone's time with endless rants about "character" and the "founding Fathers".

It sounds like the DFL is content to let Olson hang like a rotting, stinking albatross around the GOP neck until election 2008.

ECM's Tim Budig reports that Republicans may lodge an ethics complaint against Olson. Olson's misdemeanor is not enough to deprive him of his seat in the House.

If House Minority Leader Marty Seifert really wants to get rid of Olson, he should look around for more stuff besides Olson's minor conviction for terrorizing his wife. First there's Zimmermann and Olson's attempt to fleece taxpayers with their Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) scam...

... and there's this snarky land deal Olson was involved in.

Back in 2003, Olson signed a purchase agreement for a property in Oak Park. The agreement was contingent on the buyer establishing that the lot was 20 acres and the buyer (Olson) could build on it.

Apparently, the problem was most of the property was swampy. So the owner it seems, found a surveyor who was able to come up with a property line agreeable to Mark Olson's specifications.

The guy on the other side of the property wasn't too happy about the new property line and the dispute landed in court.

Rep. Mark Olson who would rather throw a Bible than read it, obviously follows the Republican Ten Commandments... especially the Tenth Republican Commandment:

"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods. Hell, no. Just go in and take it."

Green Party PRTista David Shove Uses Bridge Tragedy to Bash Central Corridor LRT

When someone posted a Pioneer Press story about improvements needed to make the Washington Avenue bridge strong enough to support the Central Corridor LRT line, Green Party PRTista David Shove chimed in with this post:

PRT pods weigh MUCH less (1500 lbs I recall) and so would require NO bridge upgrade.

LRT - the more it costs, the more the contractors and building trades love

it. It's all about taking the money and running.

PRT, not LRT!

David Shove is also an outspoken supporter of convicted felon, Dean Zimmermann.


Ken Avidor blogs about Personal Rapid Transit and other gadgetbahn scams.

ULTra PRT Partner BAA Bullies Heathrow Environmental Protestors

BAA promotes its phony ULTra PRT project as "environmental"....



"the PRT vehicles will emit no pollutants into the airport environment, they will use less energy and overall emit far less greenhouse gases than other forms of transport, and they will be much quieter, important to the local community.



.... BAA does not seem so caring of the environment or local communities as they they claim... from The Guardian:



'Bullying' BAA seeks Heathrow protest injunction.

The Heathrow operator, BAA, will today seek "the mother of all injunctions" at the high court to prevent thousands of people affiliated to environmental organisations from attending a protest at the airport.

BAA wants to ban the Camp for Climate Action demonstration planned at Heathrow from August 14 to 21.

The company says it wants to "protect the airport and the safety of passengers and staff against the planned direct action by environmental activists".

But environmental groups accuse BAA of "corporate bullying" designed to shut down peaceful protest.

"They are trying to bully over 5 million people who are critical of their plans to massively increase their output of greenhouse gases," said Joss Garman of the anti-aviation group Plane Stupid, one of the groups named in the BAA court action.

The injunction application, seen by the Guardian, seeks to impose bans on people travelling on the Piccadilly line on the London Underground, on mainline trains and on motorways.

The London mayor, Ken Livingstone, has accused BAA of being "out of their skull" and paving the way for hardcore protesters to invade the climate action camp.

John Stewart, the chairman of the Heathrow anti-noise and anti-expansion organisation Hacan, said: "This is the mother of all injunctions.

"The aviation executives who dreamed up this one should be spending their time and money reducing the huge impact of aviation on the climate and local communities, instead of trying to put legal shackles on people who want to protest peacefully."

Heathrow has been targeted by climate change campaigners as the government prepares to start the formal process of building a third runway. The runway proposal is backed by ministers, airlines and business leaders but opposed by local residents and green activists, who say expansion will contravene environmental policy.

Like I always say... PRT is usually promoted where there is a plan for highway expansion... the same apparently is true for airport expansion.


Ken Avidor blogs about Personal Rapid Transit scams worldwide.

Rep. Mark Olson's Liberal Lawyer

You may have heard the statement "There are no atheists in foxholes". In Mark Olson's case, it could be said that there are no right-wing, law & order ideologues charged with breaking the law.

Rep. Mark Olson has spent nearly all his political career excoriating liberals, but when he went shopping for a lawyer, he hired Jill Clark.

Who is Jill Clark?

From David Shove's Progressive Calendar December 12th, 2006:

Communities United Against Police Brutality

ONE OF OUR LAWYERS IS UNDER ATTACK-- THE COMMUNITY WILL FIGHT BACK!

Attorney Jill Clark has tirelessly and fearlessly defended people of color and poor people who have been targeted by the criminal justice system, especially survivors of police brutality and family members of people
killed by police. She often takes important cases free of charge, in order to create significant changes in police policies and practices. She is truly the people's lawyer.

Jill Clark also ran for Judge in Hennepin County a few years back. Among her list of endorsements, is Ember Reichgott Junge, Brian Melendez, and Dean Zimmermann,

Why are these two people smiling?

Excellent Coverage of Olson Trial in West Sherburne Tribune

Jennifer Edwards reported many of the nauseating details from Olson's trial the big city newspapers left out. Here's a particularly disgusting quote from the crybaby jailbird:

"Whenever physicality happened, it was my wife who started it," Olson claimed tearfully. "I just couldn't understand what I was doing wrong."

... here's Jennifer Edward's account of Olson's abuse of Heidi and her family:

Heidi Olson was married to Gemini Racing star Darcy Ewing, who died in an accident five years ago. Mark had been friends with the couple. They married shortly after Ewing's death and Olson moved in with Heidi and her five children. Olson said Heidi talked about divorce in the first week of their marriage.

Many of their arguments centered around the children, in particular, Shaun, Heidi's autistic 12-year old.

"Whenever anything happened with the kids, whatever they said, Heidi always took their part," Olson claimed.

Olson's strongly-held religious belief that as the man, he was head of the household, contributed to disagreements about discipline in the home.

For the most part, the couple got along fairly well through the first six to eight months of the marriage, Olson said. Once the arguing began, things peaked, then started to improve.

Heidi recalled three incidents in which Mark had been abusive to her in her testimony given Wednesday. She also admitted to striking Mark once on the chest and to stabbing holes in the drawer of an antique dresser Mark had given her for a wedding present.

In one case, she said pushed her to the floor in their bedroom and she struck her head. In another incident, he repeatedly threw Bibles at her, bruising her arm. On a third occasion, she told of an argument which led to Mark pulling a bookcase over and a phone line out of the wall.

Sunday After Church

On the incident in question, the couple had some dispute over the children. Heidi had tried for several days to talk about it. Mark avoided her until after church that Sunday, then called to talk to her and asked her out to lunch.

"I felt inspired by the sermon I had just heard to think we could work things out," he said. "Heidi said she had the children and didn't have a babysitter so she couldn't go."

He went out to the house and began measuring for an addition the couple had planned. Heidi came out of the house and asked him to leave. Mark put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her. She ended up on the ground. Mark claims Heidi pushed him and he responded. Heidi testified she did not touch Mark and he pushed her hard enough to knock her over.

Clark presented into evidence a sweater Mark was wearing that was ripped at the time of the incident. Heidi said she grabbed at his sweater as she fell and tore the garment. He became angry.

Her fear was so great after the pushing incidents she feared Mark would kill her, Heidi testified. He said she had taken everything from him and he had nothing to lose and Heidi feared he would kill her and then himself.

She went back into the house and watched as Mark drove down a dead end road into the woods and became afraid he would come back and burn the house down, she testified. She didn't call police after the incident, or any of the other incidents, because, she said, she wanted Mark to get help.

"You hope it's a one-time occurrence. You hope it won't ever happen again," she said.

... then the police got involved:

Heidi called her sister to talk and it was her sister who called police. Sherburne County Investigative Detective Phyles spoke to the couple and said Mark told him he never pushed Heidi without her coming at him with something and she had once thrown a chair at him.

Mark told the detective he had failed in self control in the face of a lot of pressure and he bore the greater responsibility as the man of the house. He denied trying to keep Heidi out of the house. He said he resisted her resistance in any physical altercation. Mark admitted to the detective Heidi did not strike him prior to the incident.

Mark told the jury he got tired of the fighting and feared for his life. He described finding their wedding album with pictures missing and the cover destroyed after the incident with the dresser and felt that it was an attack on him.

He said one of the blisses of his marriage was reading he Bible together every morning.

... reading the Bible escalated to Mark Olson throwing the Bible:

"Heidi would become enraged," he said. "I would just be reading and she called me a false prophet and slammed the Bible down on the table. Once I got angry about it and tried to show her what is felt like. I grabbed the Bible and threw it down, then I picked it up and did it again and again. I threw it at her and it hit her on the shoulder, although she did have time to put her arms up to protect herself a bit. She said, do I have a bruise now? Then she left the house. I was shaken to think she could call the police then. I began doing the very thing I abhorred."

Heidi asked Mark many times to leave the house and twice he came home to find his bags packed, he said. He quoted the Bible and cried often. Several times he was directed by Judge Alan Pendleton to answer questions posed by his attorney.

"We don't want to know what your pastor said," Pendleton told him. "Just answer the question."

"It is ok to just answer the questions," Clark said.

Mark cried when he recalled an incident during which, he said, he was sitting in the master bedroom and Heidi came in and slapped his leg.

"I curled up and held my hand over my legs. I remember thinking where are you and I thought about the footprints in the sand. That is where he was. I don't want to share this stuff It's not ok by my faith. I never reacted, never got upset. It was a principle I used with Shaun and it worked."

Mark claimed Heidi had once pushed him into a computer while he was working. He said the incident with the bookcase occurred after an argument which began in the bedroom.

"It was tippy and stood out from the wall at it I grabbed it when I was on the stairs and Heidi was above me. It fell across the stair rail. Heidi wasn't hurt. She chased me around the house after that," he said.

"After the first incident, whenever I saw something coming, I ran," he said "I shouldn't have. It just made matters worse."

...Mark Olson continued to tearfully accuse his wife of being the aggressor:

Mark's brother, Brian, testified he thought Heidi was truthful when describing the events of Nov. 12. Mark said his wife was a "..wonderful, wonderful woman, faithful and a Christian. I just couldn't understand why she was behaving like that. I didn't know what I had done."

When Heidi asked him to leave the property on Nov. 12, Mark testified he told her the property belonged to God and he was a steward of it too.

"She was very aggressive, verbally and actually pushed me," he said. "I escalated and tried to stop her. I put my hand on her shoulders and we ended up going down."

Olson began to cry again.

"I didn't want to hurt her. I just wanted it to stop. There was nothing I could do," he said.

Prosecutor Gretchen Ziehl pointed out Mark could have left in his own vehicle.

....Jennifer Edwards' post-trial report:

Rep. Mark Olson was found guilty of domestic assault with intent to cause fear in his wife and family after a three-day jury trial in Sherburne County Court House last week.

Judge Alan Pendleton presided as Olson's attorney, Jill Clark, declared Olson was a battered spouse who suffered years of abuse at the hands of his wife, Heidi, throughout their marriage.

"It was very devastating,' said Heidi. "Mark was not an abused husband. I felt like I was unofficially on trial. I couldn't defend myself, or even be present to hear the accusations made against me."

Olson, who ran for office on the claim of supporting family values, left court saying he was determined to continue his role as representative for District 16B, which includes Big Lake and Becker. He also said he wanted to reconcile with his wife.

"I would like to say publicly that I forgive Mark for what he has done to my family and me," said Heidi, who married Olson shortly after the death of her husband, Darcy Ewing, in 2002. Heidi and Darcy had five children.

Heidi's sister, Holly Rebney, called police to the family residence in Big Lake Township Sunday, Nov. 12, after Heidi called and told her Mark had pushed her to the ground three times during the course of an argument, leaving her bruised. It wasn't the first time she had made such a call, they said.

Olson was arrested in Blaine later that same evening and spent two nights in the Sherburne Co. Jail. Olson had the trial delayed a number of times because he couldn't be brought into court while the house was in session and because he changed attorneys.

Once on the witness stand, Olson blamed his wife for the entire situation, claiming she asked for a divorce in the first week of their marriage and that she started every argument and physical struggle the couple experienced throughout the marriage.

"That is simply not true," said Heidi. "In the beginning we were in a honeymoon phase. There is a good side to Mark. At the time we married I was very vulnerable. I am very grateful for my supportive sisters and all the help I received from them throughout this whole experience."

Heidi said she realized what Olson's defense would be before the case came to trial. His investigator came to her house and made a comment on her size. In court, Heidi was asked to give her height and weight.

"I had to say what I weighed and that I am 5-foot 101/2 inches tall," she said. "They said Mark was fairly small but that is not true. Mark is a carpenter who makes log furniture. He is really very strong."

Because Olson is a public figure, the trial, which was followed closely by Twin Cities media, drew plenty of attention. Photographers and reporters trespassed on Heidi's property, taking pictures of her home and revealing information, especially about her children, both wish could have been kept private.

"That was wrong. I felt violated," Heidi said. "It was scary. There was no privacy for my children. I worried about my reputation and if I would even be able to keep my job. I was afraid I would have to move away from Big Lake."

Heidi, who works as a public health nurse for Wright County and has a bachelors degree in psychology, raised her children in the Big Lake Township home built for her by Darcy.

Later in the marriage, the Olsons frequently argued over Mark's attempts to discipline Heidi's children, three of whom have already graduated from high school and attend college. The couple also disagreed over Mark's interpretation of scripture.

In her testimony, Heidi described three different incidents when Olson assaulted her. Olson denied assault in each incident and claimed Heidi assaulted him.

For her part, Heidi confessed to striking Olson once on the left shoulder during an argument. She also admitted to stabbing holes in the drawer of an antique dresser which belonged to Mark three years ago.

"I was ashamed of that," she said. "I had a commitment not to get violent with Mark. I didn't want to be angry with him like this. I went to counseling and anger management classes. It helped."

Still, Olson's tirades continued as he tried to establish himself as head of the household and insist on having things his way, she alleged. The household became volatile and Heidi several times asked Mark to leave, even packing his things for him on two occasions as the situation became more disruptive.

"I wasn't surprised by his defense but I wondered how he managed to turn this around from him abusing me to him being abused. It just didn't happen that way," Heidi said.

Still, Heidi insists she will not be bitter. She says Mark has wonderful parents and she enjoys a positive relationship with Olson's brothers. Heidi expects her divorce to be finalized next week.

The young man (motorist) who killed Darcy as he rode his bike home admitted to having a drug problem and has been attending Teen Challenge. He graduates this summer.

Heidi and her children have forgiven him and Heidi recently gave her approval to a number of radio spots he will read to encourage others struggling with drugs and alcohol to seek help.

.... Heidi has her own verdict on Mark Olson:

"Mark painted himself into a corner," said Heidi. "My kids have lost two fathers now. I do forgive Mark but I can't stay married to him. I have to use this as a learning experience for my children. I don't want to punish him."

"He does need to be held accountable for his actions though. The false allegations he has made against me are devastating to us, but we are choosing not to live in bitterness against him," Heidi said. "I hope Mark gets the help he needs for his personal problems."

I'm curious to see how this whining, wimpy, crybaby does in the next election.

Strib's Post-Trial Interviews With Rep. Mark Olson and Heidi Olson

From the Strib:

Heidi Olson, who had five children with her first husband, who died in a 2002 traffic accident, said Mark's false allegations hurt her kids most, especially her two older sons, ages 20 and 26. They were in the courtroom when he testified. She said she has talked about the trial with all of her kids, only two of whom still live at home.

"I don't allow them to mock Mark. We pray for healing. He is not healthy right now. I am careful about not being bitter, and I try to model forgiveness." She said her husband has some good qualities and a lot of potential if he's treated for his anger.

Mark Olson suggested that his wife also may need further anger counseling. "Anger ... is the hardest thing to respond to without anger," he said.

...way to go, Mark!... always put the blame on someone else...

After the jury's verdict last week, Heidi Olson issued a statement saying she forgave her husband. Told of her statement, Mark Olson said that he in turn forgave her, loved her and hoped to reconcile.

Reconcile? No way, said Heidi Olson, adding that she hopes their four-year marriage will end Thursday at a family court hearing. She said "it was odd" to see his response on television after the verdict:

He emerged from the courtroom "smiling like he had won an election, and wanted to forgive me and love me and take me back. I need to protect my family from Mark.

"I am sad about him using self-defense. That says he doesn't want to really deal with his [anger] problem," Heidi Olson said. "I am more sad than mad at him. I am just very sad."

A somber Mark Olson said, "I miss my family."

...earlier in the article, the reporter mentions that Heidi Olson also took offense at Mark Olson's attorney using her size against her. Olson still has a picture of him and Heidi's family on his campaign website. She looks shorter in the photo (see below). Did Mark tell his wife to stand in a hole?

Strib Says It's Up to You to Dump Mark Olson

Got my internet back, but not my computer... I'm borrowing a laptop.

The Star Tribune thinks Rep. Mark Olson didn't do enough to get expelled from the legislature.

Maybe the readers of Dump Mark Olson can help the Minnesota Legislature's Ethics Committee by providing more reasons to expel Rep. Mark Olson.

Already a reader has sent me an interesting story about a snarky land deal Olson was engaged in a while back (more on that later).

Of course there's the ongoing attempt to defraud investors and taxpayers with the PRT scam.

If you have anything else to add, send me an email at ken.avidor(at)gmail.com.

All correspondence will be kept confidential.

Rep. Mark Olson Guilty

I'll have more next week when I get my internet back... in the meantime, this from the AP:

Elk River, Minn. — (AP) State Rep. Mark Olson was convicted Friday of one count of misdemeanor domestic assault with the intent to cause fear and acquitted on a second misdemeanor assault charge.

The verdicts were returned by a jury of five men and one woman after about three hours of deliberations. Sentencing was set for Aug. 8.

The jury convicted Olson of domestic assault by intending to cause fear of bodily harm or death. He was acquitted of intentionally inflicting or attempting to inflict bodily harm.

Prosecutors alleged Olson, an eight-term Republican from Big Lake, pushed his wife down three times behind their home on Nov. 12.

Olson, 52, claimed during trial he was a battered spouse and that the Nov. 12 incident came after frequent arguments with his wife over raising her five children.

He said that in the past, she hit him several times, stabbed his favorite dresser and cut his picture off their wedding album cover with what he thought was a knife.

Olson's wife, Heidi Olson, also claimed she had been abused by her husband and feared for her life.

During closing arguments, prosecutor Gretchen Ziehl told jurors that Olson intended to scare and harm his wife when he put his hands on her and she ended up on her backside.

Ziehl rejected his theory that he was acting in self-defense.

During her closing arguments, Olson's attorney, Jill Clark, asked the jurors to find that Olson didn't intend to hurt or frighten his wife when the two argued and eventually became physical.

Olson says he won't step down... looks like he won't be expelled either...

House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher said in a prepared statement that the House can punish a member who "brings the House into dishonor or disrepute," if at least two representatives submit a complaint to her.

An ethics panel could recommend disciplinary action for a vote by the full House.

Olson's trial got a mention on Wonkette.

No Internet Until Monday

For news on Rep. Mark Olson's trial, go to the Beyond Soundbites and Headlines blog

2nd Day of Rep. Mark Olson Trial

I replaced my fried DSL router with a new one... which doesn't work.... so I'm using a library computer.

A friend called to read me a Star Tribune story about Rep. Mark Olson's pre-trial hearing today.

It had some details that had me concerned that the article could prejudice prospective jury members (I heard the jury will be picked tomorrow).

So, I won't link to it.

Rep. Mark Olson's Trial Begins

I'm using a friend's computer because my DSL modem was fried by a bolt of lightning.

The Strib said Olson is going to use a "battered husband defence" at his trial tomorrow. The Strib also said God told Olson to lie to the police.

Here's a picture from Rep Mark Olson's campaign website showing him with the woman he claims abused him for two and a half years:

Watch a PRT Snake Oil Salesman Pitch PRT in California

While we're waiting for Rep. Mark Olson's trial next week, let's watch a "PRT consultant" try to sell Irvine, California some Personal Rapid Transit snake oil:



... did Irvine buy it?:



Ken Avidor exposes the Personal Rapid Transit scam.

Rep. Mark Olson Trial Scheduled for July 9th

8 AM in the morning at the Sherburne County Court in Elk River.

Comments are open.

You can also send me an e-mail at ken.avidor (at) gmail.com

UPDATE: I thought It would be a good idea to check with the court to be certain of Olson's trial date.

A DMO reader sent me an e-mail informing me that Olson sought to postpone the trial again (on the basis that he is being treated unfairly because he is a man), but the court refused Olson's request.

Jury selection begins on Monday... testimony should begin on Tuesday.