Republicans candidates illegally cheating the campaign finance system?

Republicans candidates for State Senate in Minnesota may have illegally circumvented actually raising the necessary amounts to qualify for public finance matching money. They are alleged to have asked donors for a contribution which would be immediately repaid out of the candidates personal account.

Many Republicans may be involved including Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem, Senate Tax Chair Julianne Ortman, Senate President/President of the Senate/Chair of the Senate Ethics Committee/Republican Senate Caucus Campaign Re-election Chair Michelle Fishchbach and Ethics Committee member Senator Bill Ingebritsen. These four were at least aware according to the complaints filed with the Campaign Finance Board, St. Louis County Attorney.

I examined the emails sent by Brandon Anderson. Candidates Eric Langness and Torrey Westrum expressed interest in participating in the scam. It seems like pretty much all the MNGOP Senate candidates received the email and were at least aware of the scam. At this point we don't actually know how many participated in it.

Minnesota has a public financing system to encourage candidates who aren't wealthy or able to raise vast sums. If a candidate raises a minimum amount, they get a match from the state. If a candidate agrees to abide by the guidelines and their opponent exceeds the suggested limits, the candidate gets extra money from the state. This encourages reasonably priced legislative races.

You can read the email below the fold ...

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Send me $50 and I'll send you $50. Simple. I am prepared to do such; I have the personal

funds available.

I am a first-time candidate running against 12-year incumbent Dave Tomassoni here in District 6 in the northeast, which includes the Iron Range and our future precious metals mines, PolyMet and Twin Metals. I am endorsed by the party.

Things have been going great for me, but right now I am a little over $800 short of the $3000 goal required by Monday to qualify for the public subsidy. I have plenty of known available donors; my only roadblock is that I don't have the time to collect. I work 45+ hours per week, mix that with the commute and frequent stops at the bank and gas station, and it nearly a 50hr commitment. Then there's meetings, interviews, softball,

children, weddings, vehicles to maintain, grass that keeps growing, etc. Life is hectic.

I've found that simple fundraising letters have a low chance of success, but the follow-up calls make a huge difference. That, or face-to-face contact, easily brings in donations. But the average call has been taking 15 minutes, and any face-to-face is a longer commitment than that. I was laying in bed last night unable to sleep, crunching numbers (I'm an engineer so I'm a numbers/data guy) and realized I have only a slim chance of hitting the goal before midnight Monday with the time available to me.

Suddenly it occurred to me I have all of you, who are or at one time were, first time candidates like myself, and you know how tough this can be. We all have a vested interest in seeing each other's campaigns succeed, to maintain our majority in St. Paul. And I happen to have right now the cash to reciprocate your donations. ('Necessity breeds creativity', or 'desperation breeds innovation'. Either way, has anyone ever tried this before?) This area has had Democratic Senators for 98 years. Mindset here has changed rapidly though in the last 8 years or so. Just look at Cravaack's ousting of Oberstar 2 years ago. (I am pretty much following in his footsteps, being the same political neophyte.) Now last week the 49ers union endorsed Chip over his 3 DFL opponents. Our 2 biggest unions here at 49ers and Steelworkers. Steelworkers are weakening as well, since a majority of miners began their career between '74 and '80, so there has been massive mine employee turnover since 2004, with the staunch old union democrats being replaced by more fair-minded Generation X and Y constituents.

I am going to beat Tomassoni. He's sitting on his laurels, no parades, no signs, he figures he's got it all wrapped up again without any effort, but this time he's going to get a wakeup.

I've done 8 parades so far and talked to hundred of people, to great reception. I've already handed out almost 5000 business cards, so that's a good start.

Getting the public subsidy is paramount, as you all know how important advertising is to winning.

So, send me $50 and I'll send you $50. Or if you have a spouse, go ahead and send $100 and I'll return the same.

ASAP, only 5 days left.

Be sure to send the required info (name, address, employer.) Reply to this email to let me now how much you are sending and by which method, and your donation info for the best way I can return the favor ASAP.

I can take Paypal to mailto:GOP-BDA@ USA.comGOP-BDA@USA.com

I can do credit cards on my smartphone; send me name on card, #, exp, and 3-digit security code on back.

Checks or cash to 'Brandon D Anderson for SD6'

615 NE 5th St, Chisholm 55719.

Thank you all, here's to wins for us all in fall!

* * *

Brandon Anderson

GOP-endorsed MN Senate District 6 Candidate