Good morning, and happy Tuesday.
A state House panel is considering whether to renovate the State Office Building, which is right across the street from the Capitol and contains the offices of state representatives and their staff. The House Rules Committee held a hearing Monday where they heard from State Capitol facilities and security officers who urged members to approve a sizable renovation of the building. Bob Meyerson, the former Minnesota House sergeant-at-arms, said the building has several defects that present security and safety concerns. And he said those affect both lawmakers and visitors. “There are concerns every time the door is open,” he said. “I have concerns about the infrastructure if we're going to have some type of a failure, similar flooding. And I always have concerns about the security aspects. And it's a dark cloud hanging over our head all the time. And we're just wondering when the next rainstorm is going to occur in that regard.” Members of the committee are set to vote Wednesday to allow the state to sell bonds to fund the project. Details about the price tag and what would be included in the renovation weren’t immediately available on Monday, but some Republicans said the plan could be very expensive. “This approach is very frustrating,” said Rep. Anne Neu Brindley, R-North Branch. “Rather than dealing with many of these issues in a way that could have been done over time, we are now being asked to put the taxpayers on the hook for a major renovation, perhaps more than the cost of the entire State Capitol building.” The Capitol renovation, completed in 2017, cost $310 million.
Meanwhile, another renovation project is proceeding without nearly so much attention. MPR’s Brian Bakst reports a state agency is embarking on a multi-million dollar rehabilitation of the Minnesota Governor’s Residence. The 110-year-old former lumber baron’s mansion was donated to the state in 1965. It has served as a home to 10 governors and been the site of countless social receptions. For years, the Department of Administration has been describing deficiencies ranging from outdated plumbing to exterior flaws to security shortcomings. Now the agency is seeking a construction manager for a renovation that would cost up to $6.3 million and begin in mid-2023. Work would be expected to conclude by September 2024. An agency official says the funding will come out of a special asset preservation account that gives the commissioner latitude to pick projects. Prior attempts to secure financing through the Legislature have gotten hung up. It also appears the governor and his family will have to find somewhere else to live while the work is going on.
A veteran Minnesota Republican lawmaker says he doesn’t believe a new lobbying law will affect his ability to remain in the Legislature. Former House Speaker and past caucus leader Kurt Daudt works for a Virginia-based government affairs firm as his full-time job. Brian Bakst wrote last week about a law that takes effect in January that could force lawmakers employed by government services firms to choose between their seats or their outside jobs. Brian notes that Daudt said Monday he doesn’t fit the definition because his employer is a consulting firm that doesn’t directly provide lobbyists. “While I think somebody tried to make politics out of my employment, I don’t think there is any there there,” Daudt said. “And I think other people have looked at that and would agree with that.” Daudt said he’s sticking around. The law won’t have an enforcement mechanism until the House and Senate adopt rules in the upcoming session.
MPR’s Matt Sepic reportsa woman accused of seeking out and sexually grooming underage sex partners for Minnesota Republican political operative Tony Lazzaro pleaded guilty Monday to charges of sex trafficking and obstruction. Lazzaro, 32, is accused of giving money and gifts to five girls in exchange for sex. In a Minneapolis federal courtroom, Gisela Castro Medina, 20, admitted using social media and her personal connections to find the girls. In a court filing earlier Monday, Duel wrote that her client “has been sent money from an unknown source.” In court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Provinzino said the amount was $20,000, but did not indicate who deposited it into Medina’s account. Duel added that Medina, who “has done everything asked of her and more,” handed the money over to the government and informed investigators about it. Medina is expected to testify against Lazzaro at his trial, which is scheduled to start March 20.
The Associated Press reports:The House Jan. 6 committee urged the Justice Department on Monday to bring criminal charges against Donald Trump for the violent 2021 Capitol insurrection, calling for accountability for the former president and “a time of reflection and reckoning.” After one of the most exhaustive and aggressive congressional probes in memory, the panel’s seven Democrats and two Republicans are recommending criminal charges against Trump and associates who helped him launch a wide-ranging pressure campaign to try to overturn his 2020 election loss. The panel also released a lengthy summary of its final report, with findings that Trump engaged in a “multi-part conspiracy” to thwart the will of voters. At a final meeting Monday, the committee alleged violations of four criminal statutes by Trump, in both the run-up to the riot and during the insurrection itself, as it recommended the former president for prosecution to the Justice Department. Among the charges they recommend for prosecution is aiding an insurrection — an effort to hold him directly accountable for his supporters who stormed the Capitol that day.
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