Fw: Abeler and Huizenga - Bad Blood

Redrant: As I understand it Abeler is one the Republicans in the MN legislature who crossed the isle to join the democrats to raise gasoline taxes. I'm not positive but but I believe that ABeler voted against smokers rights. Greg Lang

> >> http://www.anokacountywatchdog.com/ >> >>
EMAIL UPDATE >> >>
AUGUST 1, 2008 >> >>
SPECIAL ISSUE! >> >>
In This Issue: >> >> >>

1. Fun at the Fair! >>
Ah, the Anoka County Fair, the second-greatest Minnesota Get Together. A >> bucolic affair where one can observe muscle shirt avant-garde, what's new >> in dragon tattoos, and sample the latest in deep-fried culinary cuisine >> (cheese curd, sir? No thanks, I'm sticking with the mini-donuts!). >> >> And after winning that special someone a stuffed unicorn or Jeff Gordon >> mirror, you can stop by the GOP booth and check out the latest craziness. >> And we mean off-the-hook craziness! >> >>

The Watchdog's email blew up last week with allegations that Rep. Jim >> Abeler lost his temper and vandalized the booth after he was denied a >> place to leave his literature. >> >> Since then, a whole lot of bad blood has developed between the Abeler >> camp and that of his primary challenger, Don Huizenga. In short, the >> contest has turned into a real donnybrook and should make for some >> interesting politics between now and September 9th.

Can an old-fashioned >> pistol duel be far behind? We're powdering our wigs as we write. >> >> The facts surrounding the incident are hotly disputed by the parties. >> Therefore, the Dog will simply publish statements we sought from each >> campaign and let you, the reader, decide. All we know is that this is >> certainly political news and something the mainstream press won't likely >> follow. This despite Jim Abeler's veiled threats to sue (go ahead Jim, >> we're not intimidated and never will be). >> >>

HUIZENGA STATEMENT FOLLOWS: >> A few weeks back, incumbent Representative Jim Abeler asked the BPOU >> leaders of MN House District 48B if he could place his campaign materials >> in the Republican Party booth at the upcoming Anoka County Fair.

They >> denied his request stating that only endorsed Republican candidates can >> place campaign materials in the Republican Party booth. Since neither >> Jim Abeler nor Republican challenger Don Huizenga are currently endorsed, >> neither candidate may place campaign materials in the booth. They did >> tell Mr. Abeler that he could set up his own booth at the fair, as other >> candidates have done, but it would be at his own expense. Don Huizenga >> was given the same response. >>

During the first day on the fair (Tuesday 7/22), Representative Abeler >> confronted a volunteer working at the Republican Party booth and again >> asked if he could put his materials in the booth. After receiving the >> same answer he got a couple of weeks earlier, Representative Abeler left. >> A short while after this clear answer was given; Representative Abeler >> proceeded to come back to booth to again fight the decision. Abeler was >> so upset about this ruling that he continued to go to the booth, fight >> with the volunteers working, and storm off. This happened 4 times. On the >> 4th visit Representative Abeler was out of control and was seen and heard >> by many belittling and berating the volunteer (who happened to be 20 >> years Abeler's senior).

Once Abeler finally left the booth volunteers >> thought the worst was finally over. >> Later that evening, after the booth had closed, Representative Jim Abeler >> broke into the booth and took matters into his own hands. Representative >> Abeler removed all of the campaign literature of Michelle Bachman, Norm >> Coleman, Jake Cimenski and Tim Pawlenty from the table, replacing it with >> his own campaign literature.

Representative Abeler also took two American >> flag poles and used them as spears to pierce the voter box that was >> sitting on the table. The last act was the hanging of a Jim Abeler sign >> on the outside of the booth. This was clearly an act of trespassing, >> breaking and entering, and destruction of private property...all >> punishable offenses. A complaint was subsequently filed by the staffer to >> the local BPOU. The BPOU Chair, Dan Emery, came to the fair and spoke >> with the staffer and Mr. Abeler. Having heard the story and Jim's >> confession, Mr. Emery thought it best to give Jim a slap on the wrist. >> Representative Abeler continued his antics days later.

Republican >> challenger Don Huizenga was served papers on Saturday, July 26 by >> Representative Jim Abeler's lawyer saying that if any news of this story >> was given to the press that Representative Abeler would file a law suit >> against Mr. Huizenga.

When asked about the threat of a lawsuit, Don >> Huizenga said "I don't understand exactly why Representative Abeler would >> threaten me with this suit. The events reported were factual, and >> therefore threatening me with a lawsuit for reporting the incident is a >> clear violation of freedom of speech. If Representative Abeler was so >> worried about his tantrum becoming public he should have had the sense >> and self control to handle himself like an adult." >> >> END OF STATEMENT >> >>

ABELER STATEMENT FOLLOWS: >> The Huizenga camp is totally misrepresenting the "incident" if you can >> even call it that. >> >> At best it is a misunderstanding and at worst it is a petty affair. >> >> The "facts" which they present are largely incorrect. I was never >> interested in having a booth at the fair, even though I have more than >> adequate funds. I consider a fair booth to be a lot of work to gain a >> small return for a legislative seat such as mine. >> >> I never sought the right to put materials at the booth from the District >> 48 GOP. They offered it to me, largely since they were so embarrassed by >> Don's racist and crass bloggings which he has been blogging more over the >> past few month at http://www.freedomsledder.com/ and since 2005 at >> http://www.hardcoresledder.com/.

FYI: There was an article in last weeks Anoka >> County Union by Tim Budig about this, including quotes from the District >> 48 chairman, Rep Tom Hackbarth, and the State Republican Party >> criticizing his writings and questioning his fitness for public service. >> The quote from the Party official is particularly direct and damaging. >> >> Because they didn't want his literature at the booth, at their latest >> meeting the District 48 leadership created a policy that elected >> incumbents could place non-campaign materials at the booth, but that no >> candidate from our district could place "vote for ____" kinds of items. >> The consensus was that this list would include as allowable legislative >> wrapups, non-election stickers, and non-election signs. Tom Hackbarth >> had all of these items there, as well. >> >>

Because the booth was staffed by individuals from District 49, many of >> whom were still unhappy with me (and with Kathy Tingelstad) for voting to >> pass the transportation funding package over the objections of the >> governor, this placement did not go smoothly. Part of the discussions >> included Anoka members of the District 48 exec committee later in the day >> and a phone call from the District 48 chairman, which I imagined settled >> the matter. My items bounced from the front table to the back table back >> to the front table and finally to a bin inside, inconsistent with the >> decision of the District 48 committee, which was one of several district >> partners in the county-wide booth. >> >>

The conversations with the various staffers were generally civil though >> occasionally terse as we discussed the vote, Jake's chances for election, >> and how unhappy they were with both myself and Kathy. I reminded them >> that we were all on the same side, and that we would do better to work >> together. No voices were raised much beyond normal conversation even >> though we never did quite come to agreement. >> >> The next morning I went over and hung one of my signs (with just my name >> on it) outside the booth in an empty space by some others that were stuck >> in the ground. >> >>

You may not be aware that I have been part of setting up and running this >> booth for a number of my 11 years of campaigning and being in office. I >> have developed an eye for organization and effective marketing and have >> received a large number of complements on how I set up tables and >> displays. Noticing that all the local candidates' literature was on the >> back table far from the view of passers-by and the front table was filled >> with clipboards seeking volunteers, I moved the materials around to >> better display everyone's materials, including my own which were neatly >> placed along with the rest.

If a candidate had stickers, I put those by >> his or her printed item. To better display the flags, which were hidden >> behind a brown paper-covered box with inkpen written "Free drawing", I >> sliced two slots into the box and inserted the flags vertically, to >> better draw attention to them. I was quite satisfied that the booth now >> would draw more people and be more effective in helping get >> our county candidates elected. I expected that the other candidates would >> appreciate having their literature now visible and accessible. >> >>

FYI Every item that I rearranged was already in the booth, and I didn't >> take any items away or add anything that wasn't already in the booth. >> Later I asked the man in charge if there were any items strewn about or >> in disarray when he arrived the second day, and he remarked that all was >> quite tidy. >> >>

My only error was in not understanding that the fellow who was tending >> the booth this year was to be part of it every day (different from past >> years where one district or another would rotate in service duties), >> liked how he had set it up, and was quite offended that I had taken the >> liberty of rearranging the booth. >> >>

Later in the day, he and the District 48 chairman met and at the end of >> that meeting I stopped by. We clarified that I indeed had the right to >> display materials there and all agreed. Following that, I apologized to >> the man for rearranging his work, and he accepted that and we shook >> hands. I then decided then to take all my materials out of the booth in >> the interest of unity. >> >>

I am surprised to hear of the comments by my opponent, some of which are >> quite slanderous and others of which are simply preposterous, in >> describing the incident. We asked him by letter to correct his version >> or delete it from his website, and he has refused. The version presented >> by him is grossly and seriously incorrect, and does little to advance the >> debate on the issues that our constituents and our voters deserve. >> >>

It is violation of Minnesota campaign law to willfully lie about ones >> opponent or grossly misrepresent a situation. We are deciding if we will >> take this any farther since their "version" is so far from the truth, but >> are certainly quite disappointed in the irresponsible way he is handling >> this. >> END OF ABELER STATEMENT >>

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