Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party

Veterans ask those who took fraudulent charity's money to donate funds to actually help vets

St. Paul (July 23, 2010) - Today, veterans called on candidates and political organizations who received money from the United States Navy Veterans Association (USNVA) to donate it to an organization that actually helps those who have served the country.

"People around the country are grateful for the sacrifice that so many men and women have made to serve our nation, and want to donate to organizations that help our veterans," said Trista Matascastillo, Chair of DFL Veterans Caucus. "The fact that these candidates refuse to give up the money intended to help our nation's veterans is disgraceful."

Minnesotans deserve to know whether the GOP candidate for governor took money intended for veterans

St. Paul (July 22, 2010) - In advance of Tom Emmer's town-hall meeting with veterans this afternoon, the DFL Party called on Emmer to disclose whether he took money from the United States Navy Veterans Association (USNVA), a fraudulent charity that collected money for veterans and gave it to Republican candidates instead. State Chair Brian Melendez released this statement:

"With so many Republican candidates implicated in this controversy, and another week before we can look at the campaign-finance reports, the questions on everyone's mind are: Did Tom Emmer take money from this fraudulent charity? If so, does he plan on keeping it?

"Tom Emmer has benefitted from NAVPAC donations in the past. Minnesota's veterans deserve to know if he will keep taking advantage of these despicable practices in the future."

Politician's claim is no surprise given his out-of-touch record

St. Paul (June 19, 2010) - This weekend, Rep. Randy Demmer revealed the reason he believes people are out of work in Minnesota: Minnesotans just refuse to work. Rep. Demmer claimed to know business owners who want to hire workers but have been turned down because people receiving unemployment benefits refuse to work.

"Rep. Randy Demmer has opened a new line of attack in his campaign - this time against unemployed Minnesotans," said DFL spokesperson Kristin Sosanie. "First he opposed increasing the minimum wage, then he opposed unemployment insurance, and now Rep. Demmer is blaming unemployment on the very Minnesotans struggling to make house payments and feed their families. It's disgusting. But unfortunately, that's exactly what we've come to expect from this typical politician."