The Republicans want Sen. Steve Murphy (DFL-Red Wing) to apologize for comments they claim were threatening to MN Governor Tim Pawlenty's main henchman, Brian "McDung" McClung. They are simply trying to draw Murphy into a distraction. The Republicans are shameless. This is simply a ploy to provide the Governor cover so he can veto a bill that would:

• Toughen seat belt laws.
• Prevent teens from driving during the wee hours of he morning.
• Extend the age which kids must ride in car seats.

There's a huge back story to this kerfluffle.

Republicans are really frustrated with Sen. Murphy and have been for a while now. Murphy simply will not let the Republicans sweep the I-35W bridge collapse controversy under the rug. As Governor Tim Pawlenty and then MN Dept of Transprortation (MNDOT) Commissioner Carol Molnau were doing their damnedest to make this issue go away, Murphy wouldn't relent.

Molnau, as Commissioner, hired a law firm that collaborated in the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation. Murphy called into question the objectivity of whatever findings they might conjure up. He led an effort that resulted in an independent investigation into the collapse. As Chair of the MN Senate's Transportation Committee, he became the focus of their ire.

Back story

For many years, the Republicans have been underfunding the transportation budgets at both the national and state levels. Their goal, in the now legendary words of Grover Norquist, was to shrink the government down to the size where they could drown it in the bathtub.

Governor Tim Pawlenty is a conservative in the George Bush, compassionate conservative mold. He looks good, he sounds good and he projects the sense that he cares. The reallity is he likes to balance the state's budgets on the back's of those least able to adapt. Grandma and Grandpa's healthcare, single mom's, the disabled don't matter to him. All that matters is his no-new-taxes pledge. He has not raised taxes at the state level except when he calls them user fees. The effect of his irresponsible pledge is that local governments have been forced to jack up property taxes to cover basic government functions which he refuses to fund. Furthermore, he has tried every accounting gimmick known to Republicans to fudge the numbers.

In an effort to keep state expenses low, Pawlenty and the Republicans have been underfunding the maintenance of the state's infrastructure. The people responsible for monitoring the I-35W bridge over the Mississippi reported that the bridge was in lousy shape and needed attention.

Two crucial gusset plate connections on the Interstate 35W bridge were visibly deformed at least four years before the structure collapsed, according to photographs newly released by the National Transportation Safety Board.
...
James Schwebel, who is representing another group of victims, said the June 2003 photos contained in the documents the NTSB released are not the only evidence of gusset plates problems beyond the original thickness of the steel.

"We're convinced there was substantial evidence of gusset plate bending that was visible to the naked eye'' before the bridge collapsed, Schwebel said.

The two photos of the U-10 nodes are believed to have been taken by URS Inc., the San Francisco consulting firm that was hired by MnDOT from 2003 through 2007 to study the structural integrity of the I-35W bridge.
(Minneapolis Star Tribune)

Commissioner Molnau made sure her upper managers kept expenses down by putting off needed bridge repairs. Closing the I-35W bridge and fixing it were out of the question because of the expense.

Dorgan and senior engineer Gary Peterson denied in interviews that money was a factor in deciding what to do with the Interstate 35W bridge, which was not due for replacement until 2022. They provided a written timeline showing that MnDOT supervisors on Nov. 1, 2006, funded the reinforcing project for $1.5 million, with work to begin in January 2008.

But at least three internal documents suggest that money was a consideration.

On Jan. 18, one day after MnDOT's Bridge Office opted to inspect rather than reinforce the bridge, Peterson apologized to an engineer in the department's Metro Design section that work put into the reinforcing project was for naught.

"We regret the additional work this has caused you and others in the district," Peterson wrote in an e-mail, "but I'm sure you agree that based on this new information it [is] appropriate that we postpone the project until we can determine if another option may [be] as safe and a more cost effective approach."

Earlier, when MnDOT and its consultants were zeroing in on reinforcing the bridge, an internal MnDOT "investment strategy" meeting was held on July 24, 2006, in which officials debated various approaches.

According to meeting minutes, officials said that immediately installing steel reinforcements would greatly reduce the risk of a crack forming "between now and 2022." That way, the agency could pick the ideal time and circumstances for carrying out the work.

The "risk" of that approach was described this way: "Must pay approximately 2 million dollars to get the job done."

A logistics and financial issue also was discussed. MnDOT officials said that if the bridge was simply inspected, the benefit would be: "Don't have to pay for steel, stockpile steel, or install steel."
(Minneapolis Star Tribune)

So after the horrific collapse and the Republicans subsequent claims to the effect of 'who could have imagined or predicted this', Murphy wouldn't let them off the hook so easily. He kept bringing the issue up.

While he did not directly blame Molnau's stewardship for the collapse of the bridge, Sen. Steve Murphy, D-Red Wing, criticized Molnau and other MnDOT leaders for their actions following the collapse. He pointed to MnDOT's choice of the highest bidder for the replacement bridge, lawsuits and complaints filed by losing bidders, and the agency's emergency manager failing to return from a business trip to the East Coast for 10 days after the collapse as evidence of a need for change.

"The public has completely lost confidence in the leadership at MnDOT and so has the Legislature," Murphy said, standing near the LaFayette Bridge over the Mississippi River in St. Paul. The bridge is one of about 100 in the state with nonredundant, fracture-critical components like the I-35W bridge, and which are rated "structurally deficient."We have a serious problem in the state of Minnesota and we need serious people with serious answers. We need someone in there who is a professional, that knows engineering, that knows transportation and that is not Carol Molnau," said Murphy, with several other legislators standing nearby.
(Minneapolis Star Tribune)

The Veto Override

Then, as many of you may recall, the legislature passed a transportation bill that adequately funded our roads and bridges. There was plenty more talk of the I-35W bridge collapse. The bill didn't resort to the usual gimmicks, accounting trickery and borrowed money that Governor Pawlenty prefers. It raised the gas tax. The Democrats actually had the gall to insist to a Governor that pretends to be fiscally responsible, that MN ought to actually be fiscally responsible. Pawlenty promptly vetoed the bill. Then in a move which surely set the Governor's blood boiling, they overrode his veto.

Murphy has been at the center of all this and he's got to be getting on the Governor's nerves.

Fast forward to the present

The legislature is grinding stolidly toward closure this last week. The final agreements are being pulled together in conference committees. The legislature has been working long hours. Nerves are frayed from the lack of sleep.

Sen. Murphy has had 3 pet projects he's been pushing for years. This year his prospects for getting them passed looked good. Tougher seat belt laws to reduce the number of people killed in accidents, preventing teens from driving during the wee hours of the morning and extending the age when kids must be in a car seat.

As head of the Senate Transportation Committee, Murphy co-chairs the House-Senate conference committee on transportation policy. That panel is considering a traffic safety bill with three life-saving measures Murphy has sought for years.

Those include making seat belt violations a primary offense, placing passenger and time restrictions on the youngest of teenage drivers, and keeping children in booster seats until they turn eight.

The committee was prepared to pass the bill with all three elements Monday night when Pawlenty's aide Margaret Vesel contacted Murphy to inform him the governor had an issue with the package.

"Margaret Vesel from the Governor's office stated clearly that the Governor had major concerns with three provisions, safety provisions," Murphy explained.

"He was comfortable with two, but not three. I asked 'That mean he's going to veto?' She said 'yes.'"

The next morning Murphy told reporters he'd been asked to drop one of the three measures in order to make the bill veto-proof. He said the Governor expected him to choose the best two out of three; seat belts, teen drivers or booster seats.
(KARE11)

That seems just like a petty, resentful man. Willing to do anything to get the goat of a man who has been a pain in his backside for months now. This is exactly what our Governor has become. I think sending in a minion to threaten Murphy's bill was part of a petty ploy to get Murphy angry and get him to say something. Part two of the petty ploy after Murphy held a press conference was provided by the Governor's able henchman, McDung.

McDung said:

"Sen. Murphy’s comments are untrue. This is just the latest example of erratic behavior by Sen. Murphy."

"Our office did not tell him the bill would be vetoed unless one of the three provisions was removed. We have explained to legislators that the Governor has taken public positions on two of the three provisions, primary seat belts and additional teen driving restrictions. It is possible that Sen. Murphy misinterpreted or intentionally misrepresented the information we shared with him and others."

"Governor Pawlenty has been a strong supporter of provisions to increase safety on our roads, including lowering the state’s blood alcohol standard to .08 and graduated driver’s licenses. To imply that we are not supportive of additional safety measures is a disservice to the public and to the debate."
(Almanac: at the Capitol)

Murphy is a former Marine. He doesn't take to kindly to being mucked around with. He also doesn't take kindly to weasely henchmen like McDung calling him names, questioning his integrity, questioning his sanity. Murphy responded in kind.

"Mister McClung, if you want to meet me out on the Capitol steps and we'll talk about your comments," Murphy told KARE, "I'm more than willing to be there."

When asked if he really wanted to fight McClung the sometimes fiery Marine veteran responded, "No. I just want to have a civil discussion with him because his comments are troubling at best when he calls my credibility into question. That's just not right."
(KARE11)

So that's why the Republicans want an apology. They are doing all they can to distract people's attention from the issues. It is one of the few things they seem to do well. If Pawlenty can make the issue about Murphy's personality (at least in his own mind), he can veto a bill to protect Minnesotans with a clean conscience.

A shameless ploy by a shameless administration.