The "Sky-bi" is a centerpiece of Carney's campaign for Mayor, and the "logo" for related news releases
BREAKING -- Minneapolis Candidates "on the look-out" for Rybak; Mayor is reported to be going to a 5 PM Fundraiser Monday at the Minneapolis Club -- Candidates demand answers to a Citizens Petition they delivered at the Mayor's office last Wednesday -- "RT and me" Episode Three is now posted on youtube.com -- One or more Candidates will attend the BET meeting Wednesday, to question a new report "auditing the internal audit" controls for the City
Candidates (Carney, Everett, Flowers and McGoughey all are expected, others have been invited) will hold a news conference Tuesday at 4 PM, at city hall, to demand Mayor Rybak's answer to the petition they delivered last week
A second Citizens' Petition challenging Governor Pawlenty's claims of sweeping unallotment powers will be announced at the Tuesday news conference
Logistics issue -- Media covering the effort to find Mayor Rybak today, and/or the protest, are encouraged to call Carney by cell phone as the events are unfolding, to find exactly what is going on, and where, "on the ground" this afternoon.
Contact: Bob Carney Jr.
bob@republicancontract.com
cell: 612-803-9084
For immediate release
Minneapolis, MN, October 26, 2009 – Minneapolis Mayoral candidates will be "on the lookout" today, as Mayor R.T. Rybak is reported to be going to a 5 PM fundraiser at the Minneapolis Club.
Mayoral candidates will also return to city hall on Tuesday, October 27th, at 4:00 PM, to demand Mayor Rybak's answer to what is now being called the first Citizens' Petition for a Redress of Grievances -- Minneapolis issues. After conducting a news conference, the candidates will return to Mayor Rybak's office. A second Citizens' Petition will also be announced at the Tuesday news conference, this one challenging Governor Pawlenty's sweeping claims of unallotment powers. One or more Mayoral candidates will also be at the Board of Estimate and Taxation meeting this Wednesday. One of the agenda items at that meeting is an "audit of the auditors" report; a peer review of the City's internal audit process.
A protest of abuse of inspections has been organized
Candidates will attempt to find the Mayor to demand an answer to the first Citizens' Petition, delivered to his office last week. There will also be a protest of abuses of inspections that are reported to be occurring in both Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
Melissa Hill, 3rd Ward City Council candidate, running on the political principle: “Civil Disobedience” e-mailed Mayoral candidate Bob Carney Jr. Friday, October 24th, reporting:
“I found Rybak – He is appearing at a fundraiser for a Ramsey County Attorney Candidate (John Choi) at the Minneapolis Club (instead of campaigning or agreeing to a debate!) See below:
Maybe it would be worth it to gather whatever mayoral candidates you can find to go and see why he is at this party with only about a week until the election and not debating????”
Mayor Rybak's "upcoming events" calendar remains blank for October, and now November, at his website, rtrybak.com. Both candidates and members of the public have been asked, and are asked, to try to find the Mayor's whereabouts, so that other Mayoral candidates can obtain an answer from him to the demands of the first Citizens' Petition.
Bill McGaughey has been among the most vocal of the Minneapolis Mayoral candidates raising issues of inspections abuse. McGaughey said: "Mr. Choi's office has shredded documents related to a class action racketeering lawsuit brought by Frank Steinhauser against the city for housing discrimination and abuse of inspections. It is currently in the Federal appeals court."
Candidates demand answers to a Citizens' Petition for a Redress of Grievances
Carney had this to say about Mayor Rybak's refusal to debate, and to answer to the grievances of Citizens: "The Star Tribune, although endorsing Mayor Rybak, also wrote Mayor Rybak will meet his 'opponents' at a scheduled MPR midday program one day before the election. The Star Tribune editorialized 'one such exchange isn't enough.' I conclude from this that the Star Tribune has at least in some sense joined our first Citizens' Petition, demanding Mayor Rybak participate in three televised Mayoral Forums. I'm not sure why 'opponents' was plural," Carney added, and continued: "our understanding is that "Papa" John Kolstad is the only other candidate who was invited by MPR."
"RT and me" Episode Three is now on youtube.com -- series will "probably" be re-named
"RT and me" Episode Three sets aside questions of whether their is a 2009 Minneapolis Mayoral election, and reports on last week's city hall news conference, where four Mayoral Candidates first stated grievances of Minneapolis Citizens, and then went to city hall to deliver the Citizens' Petition for a Redress of Grievances.
"This episode first features extended comments by the candidates, and then shows how this event was reported by FOX 9 news," Carney said.
Additional episodes of "RT and me" produced before the election will report on issues being raised by Mayoral candidates, and will also report any progress made towards convincing Mayor Rybak of his duty to answer to these grievances before the election. "This series will continue beyond the election, whether I am elected or not," Carney said, adding "this is as much about the media as it is about the Mayor."
Based on how events are unfolding, Carney is leaning towards re-naming the series "RT and We", as in We the People. Carney plans a similar series addressing what he calls: "the Pawlenty Administration's unallotment power grab."
"RT and me" episodes can be accessed from www.republicancontract.com. Carney invites one and all to embed the video episodes on their web sites and blogs.
An "audit of the audit process" report will be obtained soon
A "peer review" of the City of Minneapolis internal audit process is in progress. Outgoing BET President Jill Schwimmer, one of two directly elected board members, confirmed that this audit-of-the-audit process will be on the BET agenda this coming Wednesday at city hall, at 4:30, in room 225. Schwimmer said: “This is an evaluation of the City of Minneapolis' internal audit function.” Carney plans to attend this meeting, and may videotape it.
Carney is attempting to obtain a copy of the draft report. Carol Becker, BET Vice-President, and the other directly elected BET member, who is seeking re-election said she will make her copy of the report available, if necessary.
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