Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party

Rep. Tom Emmer gives excuse after excuse for 65 missed votes, doesn't think legislators should put in full days

St. Paul (May 14, 2010) - Rep. Tom Emmer has been conspicuously absent from the floor of the Minnesota House of Representatives recently and yesterday missed two more important votes, saying he "had a lunch" and that he didn't know legislators were expected to put in a full day's work. State DFL Chair Brian Melendez released this statement:

"The outrage over Rep. Emmer's missed votes is not just about sorry excuses and misplaced priorities, it's about respect. Tom Emmer has shown a blatant disregard for the office of state representative and disrespected the constituents that he was sent to St. Paul to represent. He has missed over 60 votes since being endorsed just two weeks ago, and his reckless, cavalier attitude towards the weight of the decisions made in the legislature is disturbing.

"If Rep. Emmer doesn't think he's required to put in a full day's work now, just think of what he would miss while out for a long lunch if he were elected governor. We've already seen what poor work ethic and misguided policies can do to Minnesota under Governor Pawlenty, and it's not pretty. The last thing Minnesotans need is Tom Emmer's excuses in the governor's mansion."

Background:

Excuse #1: Rep. Emmer had to get a cookie. "Emmer also missed a vote Thursday on a bill making it easier to expunge some kinds of criminal records. He said he missed it after stepping out of the chamber to get a cookie." [Star Tribune, 5/13/10]

Excuse #2: Rep. Emmer didn't know he was expected to put in a full day's work. "Emmer notes that the DFL majority controls the agenda of the House, making it more difficult for him to plan. "We don't run the place," he said. "I don't think we're expected to be here all day." [Star Tribune, 5/13/10]

Excuse #3: Rep. Emmer was out to lunch. "I had a lunch I had to go to at noon, and it ran over, simple as that," Emmer said in an interview on the House floor after the vote. [Star Tribune, 5/13/10]

Excuse #4: Rep. Emmer was at his daughter's softball game...at midnight. "Minority Leader Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, told KFAI's Minnesota Capitol News after the vote on the outdoors bill that Emmer was excused to attend his daughter's softball game or to take her out for ice cream." [Star Tribune, 5/13/10]

Excuse #5 Rep. Emmer had some meetings. Emmer missed "a vote early Thursday morning on natural resources and energy spending. It includes $58.9 million for prairie, forests, wetlands and habitat projects funded through the 2008 Legacy Amendment. "At 12:15 last night I got excused," Emmer said Thursday afternoon. "And I went home. I got home about 1. I had meetings that started at 7 this morning." [Star Tribune, 5/13/10]

Excuse #6: Rep. Emmer had to deal with a family matter...at a campaign rally in Willmar, Minn. "The campaign staff initially said he left for a family matter and omitted the campaign event." "David FitzSimmons, Emmer's campaign manager, said the candidate was in Roseville for his son's hockey tryouts and then was headed to Willmar for a campaign event with Lee Byberg, a Republican congressional candidate." [Star Tribune, 5/7/10]

Excuse #6.5: Rep. Emmer was more concerned with his big-business law clients. After first saying he had a family matter, then showing up at a campaign event, Emmer changed his story again to provide another excuse. "Last week, Emmer was absent when the House voted 105-27 not to ratify the $2.7 billion in budget cuts that the state Supreme Court said Gov. Tim Pawlenty could not make on his own. Emmer said he was trying to wrap up business at his law firm last week when the House refused to ratify the cuts." [Star Tribune, 5/13/10]