Tag: Sen. Osmek

DFL Party Condemns Senate GOP Bill Criminalizing Protest

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ST PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, the Minnesota DFL Party is strongly condemning a bill introduced by Republican Senator David Osmek that seeks to stifle Minnesotans’ freedom of speech and expression by imposing extraordinarily harsh punishments on rally-goers and demonstrators.

Senator Osmek’s bill, Senate File 2381, stipulates that:

A person convicted of a criminal offense related to the person’s illegal conduct at a protest, demonstration, rally, civil unrest, or march is ineligible for any type of state loan, grant, or assistance, including but not limited to college student loans and grants, rent and mortgage assistance, supplemental nutrition assistance, unemployment benefits and other employment assistance, Minnesota supplemental aid programs, business grants, medical assistance, general assistance, and energy assistance.

DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin released the following statement: 

Continue reading “DFL Party Condemns Senate GOP Bill Criminalizing Protest”

Minnesota state senator: Jason Lewis is going to ‘chop [Tina Smith] into little pieces’

Jason Lewis’ 2018 reelection campaign was colored, and likely doomed, by the resurfacing of offensive things he’d said on the radio.

Lewis, then representing Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District, tried explaining his rants by saying his radio role was to be provocative and entertaining. If your idea of entertainment is a man angrily complaining he can’t call Madonna a slut, you should 1) try literally anything else, and 2) stop trying to reconcile with your ex-wife.

Lewis lost his seat to Democrat Angie Craig, and could’ve slunk back to a dishonorable life in conservative talk radio and smarmy speaking engagements. Instead, he’s back in a big, dumb way, announcing last week that he’d challenge DFL U.S. Sen. Tina Smith in 2020.

View the complete August 27 article by Mike Mullen on The CityPages website here.

AUDIO: Lewis Team Launches Senate Bid With Sexist Rant On Smith: ‘An Empty-Headed Pile of Nothing’

Jason Lewis has long history of sexist comments, including lamenting he can no longer call women “sluts”

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, DFL Chairman Ken Martin is calling on Trump’s hand-picked U.S. Senate candidate Jason Lewis to condemn the unhinged, sexist rant his campaign advisor went on moments before Lewis launched his campaign.

Yesterday, State Sen. Dave Osmek – a Lewis campaign advisor and self-described “kitchen cabinet” member – launched a barrage of sexist attacks against U.S. Senator Tina Smith, calling her “an empty-headed pile of nothing.” The comments took place on Thursday morning’s Up and at ‘Em podcast. He also disparaged Sen. Smith as “oily” and “scummy.”

Click here to listen to the Jason Lewis’ team’s sexist rant (beginning at 10:37).

“It’s no surprise that Jason Lewis’ team is beginning their campaign with sexist attacks on women given his own lengthy history of misogynistic comments,” said DFL Chair Ken Martin. “I’m calling on Jason Lewis to condemn these remarks, but I’m not holding my breath given that he once referred to women who care about contraceptive coverage as ‘without a brain.’  Jason Lewis should show women the respect they deserve.”The comments from Jason Lewis’ team come as no surprise. Lewis himself has long history of misogynistic and sexist comments. He has lamented that he can no longer call women “sluts” anymore, he has mocked victims of sexual misconduct, and he has referred to “young single women” who care about contraceptive coverage as “without a brain.”

Transcript Fact Check: In the 2018 special election, Sen. Smith and her opponent debated over and over and over again.

Transcript – Up and at ‘Em podcast, 8/22/19

OSMEK [00:10:37]: [Jason Lewis is] going to be making an announcement. It’s probably the worst kept secret in the world. I’ve been meeting with him a few times. I’m on his kitchen cabinet, you may say. He’s going to announce that he’s going to be running on the ballot in 2020.

…
OSMEK [00:14:15]: Now, Tina Smith is as oily and scummy as you can possibly get. She wouldn’t have, if I remember correctly, it wasn’t too long ago, she wouldn’t get into debates with Karin Housley. Of all people, Karin Housley. God love her, she’s one of my colleagues in the senate. But Tina Smith wouldn’t debate. Why? She can’t debate. She’s an empty-headed pile of nothing and Jason’s going to chop her to little pieces.

HOST: Here’s the thing with Karin Housley, her forecheck isn’t quite as good as her husband’s.

OSMEK: You are correct. [laughter] If there’s one thing her husband has is that she’s –  he’s better in the corners. She might be better with a slap-shot but he’s –

HOST 2: I don’t know. She’s pretty good neutral zone, trap, you know, turnover, speed.

OSMEK: I’m really looking forward to it. He’s going to go around all of Minnesota. I’m going to be helping along the way.

On Osmek’s response to Southwest Light Rail

To The Editor:

State Senator David Osmek’s recent attacks on the Southwest Light Rail Transit project and a reported “crude” email about it, sent from his government email server in February to a St. Louis Park resident, has perked my curiosity.

I live in Eden Prairie but have friends and family who are represented by Sen. Osmek. I have been questioning and participating in the planning process of Southwest Light Rail for nearly 16 years and find some of Sen. Osmek’s comments misleading and offensive. Continue reading “On Osmek’s response to Southwest Light Rail”

Osmek’s comments on Southwest Light Rail

To the Editor:

Sen. Dave Osmek, Mound, was crass and cavalier in his response to a constituent’s concern about light rail, as reported in the StarTribune. Osmek called it “a liberal wet dream.” I thereafter emailed him, criticizing his response and questioning his ability to represent his constituents. (I said he is unfit.)

He immediately, to his credit, responded, but accusing me of being from St. Louis Park (outside his district), and therefore had no right to give him my opinion. This was even though I had given him my full home Tonka Bay address, clearly in his district.

His complete email: “Just to correct you, the email was from St Louis Park. Last time I checked, that isn’t in SD33.”

He made no argument in favor of his position, no response other than a Trump-like knee jerk attack on my legitimacy to give my representative my opinion, rather than a discussion of the issues. As I then wrote back to him, “Some representative. Still unfit.”

Gary A. Thompson
Tonka BaySun Papers, March 16, 2017

Party of Trump Alive and Well in Minnesota

Minnesota Republicans following GOP nominee’s divisive lead

Osmek, DavidMinnesota Republicans continue to follow Donald Trump’s divisive lead by embracing his ignorant and detestable rhetoric.  In a week where the GOP presidential nominee is trying to pivot away from past offensive statements on race, immigration and religion, Minnesota Republicans are feeding off of the toxic culture he has created. 

This week, Republican State Senator David Osmek echoed the dystopian vision of the GOP standard bearer on an appearance on the AM 1130 Morning Show when talking about education:

“Boy, those schools are just doing a crack job aren’t they? Whoops, I shouldn’t use crack and schools and Minneapolis because frankly there’s probably a lot of it there.” [TCNT Morning Show, Monday 8/22/16] Continue reading “Party of Trump Alive and Well in Minnesota”