[Speed Gibson,
Tuesday July 17, 2007 at 7:41am]
Beyond Your Authority
Let's start with the Associated Press account:
Does the Brodkorb punishment fit the crime? I don't think so, and it sounded like co-host King Banian didn't either. Read the charge of which Olson was convicted: intending to cause fear of bodily harm or death. At most this was a threat, for the much more serious charge of actual violence was rejected by the jury, and in short order.
Michael is urging the GOP to set a high standard, to the point of using a liberal zero tolerance approach. Politically this is not necessary, given the current low standards of the DFL. But Domestic Abuse shouldn't be about politics at all, which is why Brodkorb gets this one wrong. Thinking that since Olson is a Republican some action by the Republicans is in order is a non-sequitur.
Mark Olson is an elected representative. It is his own constituents that have standing here, not the GOP leadership. They will have their say at the next election. Recall is another option I believe. The misdemeanor conviction is far short of any general reason why Mark Olson should not be allowed to complete his term with full privileges.
Expulsion must have the highest of thresholds. Even drinking on the job which I personally believe Senator Mentzen did given the numbers isn't enough, and his DWI is a far more serious charge.
The most serious recent situation I can think of was that of former Senator Dean Johnson, for falsely impugning the State Supreme Court, an attack on our very constitutional framework, another in a series of lies for his personal benefit. Even here, the voters in his otherwise safe district knew what to do.
Short of a serious felony that would suggest danger to other members or the government itself, let the voters decide.
ELK RIVER, Minn. - State Rep. Mark Olson was convicted today of one count of misdemeanor domestic assault with the intent to cause fear and acquitted on a second misdemeanor assault charge.On the Final Word segment of the July 14 NARN broadcast, co-host Michael Brodkorb of Minnesota Democrats Exposed called for Olson to immediately resign. Failing this, Brodkorb said the GOP should move to expel him.
The verdicts were returned by a jury of five men and one woman after about three hours of deliberations. Sentencing was set for Aug. 8.
The jury convicted Olson of domestic assault by intending to cause fear of bodily harm or death. He was acquitted of intentionally inflicting or attempting to inflict bodily harm.
Prosecutors alleged Olson, an eight-term Republican from Big Lake, pushed his wife down three times behind their home on Nov. 12.
Olson, 52, claimed during trial he was a battered spouse and that the Nov. 12 incident came after frequent arguments with his wife over raising her five children.
He said that in the past, she hit him several times, stabbed his favorite dresser and cut his picture off their wedding album cover with what he thought was a knife.
Does the Brodkorb punishment fit the crime? I don't think so, and it sounded like co-host King Banian didn't either. Read the charge of which Olson was convicted: intending to cause fear of bodily harm or death. At most this was a threat, for the much more serious charge of actual violence was rejected by the jury, and in short order.
Michael is urging the GOP to set a high standard, to the point of using a liberal zero tolerance approach. Politically this is not necessary, given the current low standards of the DFL. But Domestic Abuse shouldn't be about politics at all, which is why Brodkorb gets this one wrong. Thinking that since Olson is a Republican some action by the Republicans is in order is a non-sequitur.
Mark Olson is an elected representative. It is his own constituents that have standing here, not the GOP leadership. They will have their say at the next election. Recall is another option I believe. The misdemeanor conviction is far short of any general reason why Mark Olson should not be allowed to complete his term with full privileges.
Expulsion must have the highest of thresholds. Even drinking on the job which I personally believe Senator Mentzen did given the numbers isn't enough, and his DWI is a far more serious charge.
The most serious recent situation I can think of was that of former Senator Dean Johnson, for falsely impugning the State Supreme Court, an attack on our very constitutional framework, another in a series of lies for his personal benefit. Even here, the voters in his otherwise safe district knew what to do.
Short of a serious felony that would suggest danger to other members or the government itself, let the voters decide.