Monthly Archives: August 2014

The next meeting of the Douglas County Republicans is Tuesday, September 2nd, at 6:30pm, at the Broadway ballroom, 115 · 30th Ave E, in Alexandria. We will be discussing the primary results, the campaigns, and staffing the Victory Center.

MNGOP Calls On Peterson To Stop Taking Advantage Of Unethical Congressional Perks

Minneapolis, Minn. – Today, the Chairman of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Keith Downey, called on Congressman Collin Peterson to stop taking advantage of unethical congressional perks paid for by Minnesota taxpayers.

“Collin Peterson has been in Washington for 23 years and has used his position to enjoy congressional perks paid for by Minnesota taxpayers,” Downey said. “Collin Peterson enjoys the perks of driving not just one but two cars paid for by hardworking taxpayers at $22,000 per year. This goes to show how out of touch Peterson is with his own district. It’s time Peterson does the right thing and stops abusing his position to pad his pockets.”

Background

From June 1, 2005 to December 31, 2013, Congressman Peterson used $73,976.05 of taxpayer money to lease vehicles. (Legistorm Website, “Official Congressional Expenses By Representative Collin Peterson (D-MN7) http://www.legistorm.com/) (Sunlight Foundation, “House Expenditure Reports Database,”)

During the same time period, Peterson reimbursed himself $139,481.95, in private auto mileage and gasoline. This includes $21,535.52 in reimbursements for use of his personal plane. (Legistorm Website, “Official Congressional Expenses By Representative Collin Peterson (D-MN, 7th )www.legistorm.com/) (Sunlight Foundation, “House Expenditure Reports Database,”)

In 2013, Peterson had two payments for leased vehicles every month, which suggests he’s using taxpayer dollars to lease two cars. (Sunlight Foundation, “House Expenditure Reports Database,”)

Sources

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August 19, 2014

Minneapolis, Minn. – Chairman of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Keith Downey, released the following statement in regards to Al Franken’s lock step voting recording with fellow Democrats.

“Al Franken is the biggest party loyalist in the U.S. Senate,” said Keith Downey, Chairman of the Republican Party of Minnesota. “President Obama and fellow Democrats can count on his vote whenever they want it. Out of all the extreme partisans in the U.S. Senate, Al Franken is right at the top the list by voting with President Obama 97 percent of the time. When it came to passing Obamacare, Al Franken was the decisive vote, and when it came to burdening Minnesotans with higher taxes, Al Franken was there, voting 40 times with his party to raise taxes. Al Franken has really just been a rubber stamp for the President and the Democrat agenda, and not a voice for Minnesota.”

Al Franken is the most loyal Democrat in the Senate. “Looking back to 2014, there’s a notable name on the other end of the Senate’s party unity scale. Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., is running for a second term after winning his first by just 312 votes in 2008. But Franken has only voted against his party twice out of 161 votes in 2013 and 2014, a 99 percent record that beats Elizabeth Warren’s.”

(Scott Bland, “Vulnerable Incumbents Were Most Likely to Stray From Party Line This Congress”, National Journal, August 19, 2014)

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