Tag: Sen. Gazelka

Minnesota House POCI Caucus responds to Sen. Gazelka’s announcement of “oversight hearings” about recent unrest

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Members of the People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus in the Minnesota Legislature issued the following statement in response to Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka’s Thursday morning press conference:

“If oversight of law enforcement is the goal, Senate Republicans must quickly join the POCI Caucus to advance real criminal justice reforms. Why – five days after Senate Republicans walked away from this serious work – hasn’t Senator Gazelka yet responded to the House’s counteroffer during the special session to meet demands of the people for police accountability?

“There will be time to address the civil unrest that occurred in the days following George Floyd’s senseless killing, but the work to enact transformative, systemic changes within law enforcement is urgent, and Black, Indigenous, and communities of color can’t wait any longer for change. Senate Republicans have a duty to resume these critical discussions right now, or status quo systems that have failed Minnesotans for generations will continue to prevail.”

Today marks the one month anniversary of the murder of George Floyd.

The People of Color & Indigenous (POCI) Caucus includes Reps. Jamie Becker-Finn (42B), Aisha Gomez (62B), Hodan Hassan (62A), Kaohly Her (64A), Mary Kunesh-Podein (41B), Fue Lee (59A), Alice Mann (56B), Carlos Mariani (65B), Rena Moran (65A), Mohamud Noor (60B), Ruth Richardson (52B), Samantha Vang (40B), Jay Xiong (67B), Tou Xiong (53B), and Sens. Melisa Franzen (49), Foung Hawj (67), Jeff Hayden (62), Bobby Joe Champion (59), and Patricia Torres Ray (63).

 

Paul Gazelka Claims Homosexuality Can Result from Sexual Assault

Gazelka also claims homosexuals have a “myriad of issues”

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, the Minnesota Reformer released a story highlighting an interview Republican Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka gave to Truth & Liberty in which Gazelka made numerous, highly bigoted statements. In listening to the interview, the DFL uncovered several additional and deeply bigoted remarks made by Gazelka.

Homosexuality & Sexual Assault

During a discussion on a California ban on conversion therapy, Paul Gazelka attributed identifying as a lesbian to prior sexual trauma, stating:

“…as an adolescent, that’s when you’re most often confused about your sexuality. I mean, it’s complicated. You know, and if you were – y’know I listened to one speaker and he was talking about a lady that was lesbian, and he said before you judge her let me just tell you her backstory. He was a counselor, and he said she was chained to a toilet as a like two, three, four, five year old girl and raped by her dad, for years and years. How do you think she’s gonna feel? In other words, he’s trying to get you to realize that there’s a deeper backstory, and if you understand that, you can love them while you’re – while you’re bringing truth and trying to help them.” Continue reading “Paul Gazelka Claims Homosexuality Can Result from Sexual Assault”

GOP leader: Minnesotans won’t complain if climate change causes state to get 2 degrees hotter

Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka thinks the climate emergency is panicking people.

Sen. Paul Gazelka, the Senate Majority Leader in the Minnesota Legislature, says he doesn’t think “anyone will complain” if climate change causes the state to warm by 2 degrees celsius.

The leading Republican in the Minnesota Senate made the statement on Twitter, in response to a tweet by WCCO reporting on Minneapolis’ decision to declare a “climate emergency.”

“Stop scaring Minnesotans! Clean energy yes, panic no,” he wrote. “The sky is not falling. We are taking better care of the environment. We can focus on clean energy that is reliable and affordable. If Minnesota is 2 degrees warmer in 100 years, I don’t think anyone will complain.”

Continue reading

Counterpoint: Gazelka may want to thank Trump, but I don’t

My conversation with the president would have gone a bit differently.

State Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, R-Nisswa, welcomed President Donald Trump to Minnesota last week and was one of a handful of elected officials to get a special shoutout during the president’s 100-minute speech. Sen. Gazelka also wrote a commentary (“I’d like to expand on my thanks to the president,” Oct. 15) to outline all he had to be thankful for with Donald Trump as president. If I’d been given the opportunity, my conversation with the president would have gone a little differently.

I would have asked President Trump if he’s been in touch with any Minnesotans who aren’t in the top 1% for feedback on his tax bill. I know business has been great for billionaires, but corporations and the wealthy now pay a lower tax rate than middle-class Minnesotans and that’s just not right.

Instead of thanking the president for continuing to slash away at the Affordable Care Act, I would ask him why his administration is working to remove protections for Americans with pre-existing health conditions.

If I had the chance, I would ask Trump why he continues to punish our Minnesota farmers and place tariffs on goods that are being paid for by our residents.

View the complete October 16 commentary by Sen. Jeff Hayden on The StarTribune website here.

Bakk responds to Fischbach’s ascenscion to Executive Branch

SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Senate DFL Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, sent a letter today to Lieutenant Governor Michelle Fischbach and Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka asking for the Lt. Gov.’s resignation from the Minnesota Senate.

“Congratulations on becoming lieutenant governor of the State of Minnesota,” writes Bakk. “As you know, the Minnesota Constitution prohibits you from simultaneously holding the offices of state senator and lieutenant governor.”

“As your former colleague, I respectfully ask you to formally acknowledge that you no longer hold the office of state senator for Senate District 13,” continues Bakk.

The letter can be found online here.