Contact: Bob Carney Jr. -- (612)-824-4479 (home and business)

                                          (612)-710-2212 (cell)

Note: please use this e-mail temporarily -- bobcarneyjr@msn.com

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Minneapolis, MN, July 12, 2010 -- Candidate-journalist Bob Carney Jr. will make an urgent announcement at a news conference tomorrow, directed to political parties and candidates for Minnesota State office, regarding their potential eligibility for Minnesota Political Contribution Refund ("PCR") dollars in this year's election. Over the weekend Carney, who is the Plaintiff in a lawsuit defending the PCR program,  received the Pawlenty Administration's brief for the case, and plans to have his reply brief -- the final filing -- complete and filed within a week.

Carney will make this announcement at a news conference already called for Tuesday July 13th, from11:30 to 12:30 in Room 125 at the Capitol. Carney's news event will address a planned Bastille Day "Waitergate" event of his main primary opponent, Republican endorsed Tom Emmer. There is another news conference scheduled for 10:00 to 11:30 -- Carney plans to start his news conference immediately after the first one is done. The Senate Sergeant at Arms office has told Carney this is permitted. If Carney's news conference does start early, he will remain until 11:30, and will substantially repeat what was said in the opening statement.
 

Prospects look good for Carney's Political Contribution Refund Lawsuit

Carney has concluded the Pawlenty Administration has a weak defense to his claim, raised in his June 7, 2010 Appellant brief, that the May 17, 2010 Omnibus Budget bill is unconstitutional because it was passed on the day "prescribed for adjournment" -- a direct violation of the Minnesota Constitution. Beyond this, Carney has called the Pawlenty Administration's attorneys, and has indicated he is willing to stipulate that the Omnibus Budget bill is not an ex post facto bill.

"If the Court rules for me on the Political Contribution Refund program, the legal effect would be to void the entire Omnibus Budget bill. However, absent any ex post facto issue, the Legislature could re-pass it on any day except the day prescribed for adjournment, either next year, or in a special session this year.  As a practical matter, if I succeed with my lawsuit challenging the Pawlenty Administration's illegal unallotment of the PCR, it is not likely to have any impact on the state's budget beyond the $10 million originally allocated for the PCR," Carney said.

Carney called the Kelliher campaign today, to alert Speaker Kelliher that her campaign may be eligible for PCR money this year.

An urgent message for State candidates and parties

Candidates for State office have only about a week to file a Public Subsidy Agreement, required in order to receive PCR money. "Candidates who conclude they won't raise enough to qualify for public financing probably won't file a Public Subsidy Agreement. If my lawsuit is successful, any campaign that doesn't file a Public Subsidy Agreement will still not be eligible for PCR contributions," Carney said. Carney has verified the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board has receipt books available for participants in the PCR campaign.

Carney is also calling on other candidates, and political parties, to support his effort to preserve the PCR program.

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