The Paynesville Warbler

Hangs tight for the Deputy

Posterized Lege bio photo

Michelle Fischbach can usually be heard barking from the dais in the Minnesota Senate. But she is also the chair of the Senate Ethics Committee, where she is currently holding -- along with Bill "shoot 'em first"  Ingebritson -- foursquare for the proposition that the truth is partisan.

Either that, or Geoff Michel is a Noble Liar.

The Ethics Committee, composed of two Republicans and two DFLers, has had two hearings now, and Fischbach and Ingrebritson are unwilling to find probable cause that Michel violated the ethics rules by lying to the press, deadlocking the committee. The committee is going to meet again (this evening as I write this), but it's a waste of public electricity in the hearing room.

There must be a complicated record that the committee has to sort through, right?

Snort.

Within the four corners of the complaint, without referring to any testimony, tea leaves, or entrails of owls, the only conclusion that the committee can legitimately reach is that Geoff Michel lied to the press, and therefore to the public, about his knowledge and actions in not only the Koch affair, but its cover up.

We know this, among other reasons, because Geoff Michel admits it in press remarks quoted in the complaint. He lied, he said, to protect Senate staffers; it was part of the burden of leadership. Another transparent lie.

Here was a chance for the Republican caucus to step away from the stench of the whole sordid Koch/Brodkorb/Michel/Haan/Gerlach/Senjem/Robling -- and yes, Ludeman -- affair, to purge itself -- or try to, anyway -- of the taint of scandal.

Nice going, Michelle.