The "Sky-bi" is a centerpiece of Carney's campaign for Mayor, and the "logo" for related news releases

BREAKING -- Minneapolis Mayoral candidates will return to city hall today to demand an answer from Mayor Rybak to a Citizens' Petition for a Redress of Grievances they delivered to the Mayor at the Mayor's office last Wednesday -- A second Citizens' Petition will be announced 

 

Candidates Carney, Everett, Flowers, Kolstad and McGoughey are expected, others have been invited

A second Citizens' Petition challenging Governor Pawlenty's claims of sweeping unallotment powers will be announced -- the Petition text follows this news release

Upcoming -- Carney, and possibly other candidates, will go the BET meeting at 4:30 Wednesday at city hall, room 225.

Contact: Bob Carney Jr.
bob@republicancontract.com

cell: 612-803-9084

For immediate release

Minneapolis, MN, October 27, 2009 – Minneapolis Mayoral candidates will return to city hall today, October 27th, at 4:00 PM, to demand Mayor R.T. 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 Tim Pawlenty's sweeping claims of unallotment powers. 

One or more Mayoral candidates will 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.

Carney gets the runaround

Bob Carney Jr., one of the Mayoral challengers, called Mayor Rybak's office this morning, to tell them about the news conference, and that candidates would return to the Mayor's office for an answer from the Mayor to the first Citizens' Petition.  News releases have been sent to rt@rtrybak.com.

Carney spoke with Janna Hottinger, who identified herself as the Mayor's scheduler.  She confirmed the Mayor was at the office, but said he would not be there this afternoon.  Asked to relay a message asking the Mayor to call him before the 4:00 news conference, she said she was not sure if she would speak to the Mayor before then.  Carney asked to speak to someone who could or would speak to the Mayor, and was put through to voice mail for "Jeremy".  Carney left a message, asking "Jeremy" to relay Carney's request to the Mayor.  Carney then called the main number for the Mayor's office from the City of Minneapolis website twice, but both times eventually heard a recording; "there is no answer yet.  You can stay on the line, and continue ringing, or, for only $.95,..."

The challengers claim the first Citizens' Petition is being brought according to this First Amendment right: "...the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

The City of Minneapolis web site asserts one of the Mayor's customary duties is: "Act as an ombudsman by attending to the individual needs of citizens for information, assistance or referral and improve the access of citizens to the decision-making process."

Carney said: "I don't accept that an answer from the Mayor to the first Citizens' Petition, is only a 'customary duty'.  In any case, regarding our first Citizens' Petition, Mayor Rybak is certainly not doing anything to improve 'the access of citizens to the decision-making process'.  Mayor Rybak seems to be doing everything possible to prevent this from happening, and he appears to be directing city employees to obstruct 'access of the citizens to the decision-making process'".

The City's web site also asserts this customary duty of the Mayor: "Develop and maintain communication with a network of public and private individuals, agencies and interest groups."  Mayor Rybak is reported to have participated in a fund raiser yesterday for Ramsey County Attorney candidate John Choi, held at the Minneapolis Club.  "Apparently the Mayor is 'fulfilling' his customary '...network of public and private individuals...' duty.  I wonder why that doesn't say 'citizen', and what the distinction is between a 'public individual' and a 'private individual'", Carney said, adding: "Aren't we all both?"

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. Carney plans to attend this meeting, and may videotape it.

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Second Citizens' Petition for a Redress of Grievances -- Unallotment
 

Whereas:

The current Minnesota fiscal biennium began with an unprecedented $2.7 billion deficit, and,

Whereas:

No known previous Minnesota biennium, after the completion of any needed special session, has ever commenced with a deficit, and

Whereas:

Governor Pawlenty has claimed, in writing and in court, sweeping unallotment powers in the case: Carney v. State of Minnesota, apparently extending to the unchecked, unilateral power of the Governor to spend any amount, from zero to the full legislative appropriation, for almost all categories of Legislative appropriations, and

Whereas:

Such sweeping claims of executive power appear to fundamentally usurp the Constitutional role and authority of the Legislature, and

Whereas:

Courts are justifiably reluctant to attempt to resolve “political questions” if this can be avoided, and where individual standing to sue is not clear, now

 

Therefore, We, the undersigned Citizens of Minnesota do Petition our State Legislature, and demand:

First,

that the Minnesota Legislative Advisory Commission study the court record of Carney v. State of Minnesota, and hold a hearing to question Governor Pawlenty, and/or Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Tom Hanson, regarding whether the Pawlenty administration's claimed powers are proper, consistent with Minnesota statutes, or even Constitutional, and

Second,

that the Legislative Advisory Commission consider, subsequent to the hearing, whether or not to recommend that a further hearing be conducted by a Legislative Committee, Subcommittee, or Task Force, to study the meaning of the phrase “corrupt conduct in office”, as found in Article VIII of the Minnesota Constitution, with regard to whether the nature and scope of Governor Pawlenty's unallotment actions, although not criminal, when considered separately, or when viewed in combination with Governor Pawlenty's other political, fundraising and/or campaign-related activities, may or may not rise to the level of an impeachable offense against the Citizens of the State of Minnesota.