Tag: Rep. Paulsen

Erik Paulsen’s NRA Rating

During the 2016 election, Rep. Erik Paulsen received a A rating from the NRA Political Victory Fund. You can view the email they sent to NRA members in CD3 here. He received an A- rating from the organization in 2011, a 93% rating in 2015, and 93% in 2017.

He has received $21,150 in campaign contributions from them, and has said he “would not rule out” taking even more in the future.

Since joining Congress, Erik Paulsen has voted:

  • to allow those convicted of felony domestic assault to possess pistols and semi-automatic weapons
  • to allow stalkers and those with restraining orders for harassing or threatening behavior to carry concealed weapons across state line
  • 21 times to block legislation that would prevent people on the U.S. terror watch list from purchasing guns
  • to weaken conceal-carry standards in Minnesota
  • repeatedly against bills to allow CDC research into gun violence (it’s currently against the law for this organization to look into this)
  • to block the creation of a Select Committee on Gun Violence
  • to allow guns on college campuses and in bars.

You can check his voting record on guns here

It’s a Mystery

It’s a mystery to me why Paulsen could not simply answer “yes” or “no” to a question asked by three different people at different times during the town-hall session I attended in Brooklyn Park. The first person could not have been more clear when she asked him to respond “yes” or “no” to whether he would accept funds from the National Rifle Association. Paulsen insulted her and the rest of us by responding that he did not expect any contribution from the NRA.

Did he think we were stupid and would not notice his issue avoidance? That is when our frustrations with yet another non-answer to a question from someone in attendance boiled over and we became, in his words, “more boisterous” than those in attendance at the two town-hall sessions held earlier in the day. Yes, some of us briefly gave voice to our contempt. Continue reading “It’s a Mystery”

Finally, he takes questions* from constituents* in a public forum*

Finally, he takes questions* from constituents* in a public forum*

Regarding the May 31 article “Going face-to-face,” about U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen’s three “town hall” meetings on Wednesday, I wish the reporter had looked at and reported on the context. After not holding any public meetings for six years, Paulsen chose to schedule these meetings on a workday, on short notice, and he required constituents to enter a “lottery” — his word — in order to attend.

When I attempted to sign up, I was told I was being put on a waiting list. I arrived at the Chanhassen venue and was told that because a full house was anticipated, no one from the waiting list would be admitted. About 15 of us who were on the waiting list waited outside the venue. After the meeting began, people inside the hall informed us that there were 13 empty seats, but Paulsen’s staff did not admit any of us. And, if you were to look at the photos of the meeting that took place later in the day in Brooklyn Park, there was clearly ample capacity to accommodate more constituents, but the congressman chose not to do so. Many people were also wait-listed for that meeting.

So, we can but conclude that this is not a town-hall meeting but a tightly scripted political stunt. Paulsen does not really want to hear the concerns of his constituents; he just wants to appear to be doing so.

Mary Yee, Edina
StarTribune, June 1, 2018

Commentary: Elections suffer from a pay-to-play system

Tiffany Muller, President of End Citizens United, a campaign finance reform organization based in Washington, DC.

Since 1999, over 200,000 people in the U.S. have died from prescription opioid overdoses. Thousands have been from Minnesota. For context, over 116,000 Americans lost their lives in World War I. It’s an epidemic that crosses all demographics, socioeconomic statuses, and communities.

This crisis is exacerbated by a broken political system that’s been flooded with unchecked special interest money. It’s corrupting Washington and directly hurting Minnesotans.

Politicians pander to special interests like Big Pharma that are ready to shell out tens of millions of dollars to elect politicians who will protect their profits.

One of the worst offenders of this pay-to-play system is right here in the 3rd Congressional District, Congressman Erik Paulsen.

Since joining Congress in 2009, Paulsen has abandoned his job as a representative of the people to do the bidding of the special interests. The numbers are telling. Continue reading “Commentary: Elections suffer from a pay-to-play system”

Who are the 2018 Koch Candidates?

The following article by David Armiak was posted on the PR Watch website May 24, 2018:

At the 2018 Koch Donor Summit in January, the network of billionaires convened by Charles and David Koch announced that it plans to spend $400 million in the 2018 midterm election cycle, close to double the amount spent in the 2014 midterms and a 60 percent increase over the 2016 election cycle. The Kochs had planned to spend $900 million in the 2016 election cycle, but ended up spending less after Trump won the Republican nomination. “We will be spending more than any midterm in our network history,” Americans for Prosperity’s president Tim Phillips said.

“My challenge to all of us is to increase the scale and effectiveness of this network by an order of magnitude, by another tenfold on top of all the growth and progress we’ve already made,” Charles Koch said to more than 500 attendees, who each donated at least $100,000 in 2017. Continue reading “Who are the 2018 Koch Candidates?”

Erik Paulsen Questioned Repeatedly at First Public Events in Nearly 7 Years on His $8 Million Debt to Special Interests

Congressman Paulsen struggled to explain his links to special interests

Yesterday, a select group of Minnesota voters had their first chance in nearly seven years to ask Congressman Erik Paulsen a question at a ‘town-hall’ style setting, and they had a lot to ask. Voters repeatedly challenged him on the more than $8 million he’s taken from PACs in the last ten years. Paulsen is solidly within the top ten recipients of special interest money in the entire United States Congress.

Paulsen’s constituents asked him to explain his financial connection to industries such as Big Pharma and Big Oil, organizations like the NRA and his refusal to sign The Minnesota Way pledge TEN times. This is in addition to the four times he was questioned about his lack of town halls in the last seven years. Continue reading “Erik Paulsen Questioned Repeatedly at First Public Events in Nearly 7 Years on His $8 Million Debt to Special Interests”

DFL Chair Calls on Erik Paulsen to Apologize After His Super PAC Calls Constituents ‘Animals’

Paulsen has refused to sign DFL Candidate Dean Phillip’s pledge to keep SuperPACs out of Minnesota’s Third Congressional District

Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party Chairman Ken Martin today called on Republican Representative Erik Paulsen to apologize after his Super PAC called concerned constituents in Minnesota’s Third Congressional District “animals.” In an email ahead of his restricted town halls, Paulsen’s Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) said concerned citizens will “show up in droves, like the animals they are.”

“This hateful comment embodies exactly why Minnesotans in the Third Congressional District are demanding new leadership. Using the guise of your big-money Super PAC to refer to your own constituents as ‘animals’ is cowardly and abhorrent. It’s time for Erik Paulsen to follow Dean Phillips’s lead, reject PAC influence, and bring civility back to Minnesota’s Third Congressional District.”

DFL Candidate Dean Phillips has challenged Paulsen to sign The Minnesota Way Pledge to reject special interests and PAC influence, value conversations with voters, and commit to running an open, accessible campaign. Paulsen refused at yesterday’s event after 40 days of silence. If Paulsen signs the pledge and return the PAC money he got this cycle, Dean Phillips has agreed not to self-fund his own campaign.

Erik Paulsen Refuses to Sign on to the Minnesota Way Pledge that Includes Proposals He Previously Supported

Hamel, MN – At a hastily noticed town hall meeting that was held at 10:00 AM on a work day and restricted to randomly-selected ticket-holders, Erik Paulsen was challenged by several of his constituents on issues related to campaign finance reform, and asked why he has so far refused to sign The Minnesota Way pledge that includes proposals he himself has supported as recently as 2016.

Paulsen’s response was that he “doesn’t have the latitude of inheriting millions of dollars and spending it on his own campaign” – an apparent reference to Dean Phillips, who has to date contributed $5,400 to his campaign, the maximum allowed by an individual, and in-kinded a total of $19,596.52.

What’s more, Phillips has already stated publicly that if Congressman Paulsen signs The Minnesota Way pledge, he will agree to forego any self-financing of his own campaign.

Continue reading “Erik Paulsen Refuses to Sign on to the Minnesota Way Pledge that Includes Proposals He Previously Supported”

Seven Questions for Seven Years for Congressman Paulsen

Voters in Minnesota’s Third Congressional District get to ask questions for one day after waiting seven years

Excelsior, MN – Congressman Erik Paulsen is hosting one day of town halls for the first time in seven years. After avoiding a public dialogue with his constituents for so long, he announced three meetings taking place in small venues – two during the day during working hours – and voters are only allowed in with a pre-approved ticket and a photo ID.

In contrast, Dean Phillips has made accessibility a hallmark of his campaign, inviting everybody in the district to join him at town hall meetings, open office hours (including on Lake Minnetonka) and community events. Based on countless conversations with voters, it is clear the following questions are on their minds: Continue reading “Seven Questions for Seven Years for Congressman Paulsen”

Paulsen lacks the thick skin of other Republicans

To the editor:

Reader Rofidal (May 17) describes his experience with Erik Paulsen. He receives regular phone calls and mentions office hours. No doubt he has access. He lives here, votes for Paulsen and may contribute time or money. Supporters can always access their candidates. He says this is open to others and says “left-wing protesters” shouldn’t be demanding town hall meetings.

He really cannot speak for those who aren’t known supporters. I have tried and failed. I get form letters that respond to none of the questions in my letters. I have had one robo-call for his invitation-only call-in sessions. Does anyone like them? The script didn’t get to the point. Had I got a non-interruptive email with details I would have read and checked my calendar. However, reading how it is done (questions are screened with no follow-up to non-answers), why bother? Continue reading “Paulsen lacks the thick skin of other Republicans”