Bradlee Dean has had a busy day.

He called a press conference with reporters Friday afternoon to discuss the controversial prayer he said on the House floor that morning but then never showed up.

He did, however, make a stop at the Capitol minutes before a representative addressed the press. According to Politics in Minnesota, Dean met with Republican Sens. Dan Hall — a co-author of the marriage constitutional amendment — and Paul Gazelka outside the Capitol where he assured a reporter that he’d be up in a minute to make a statement.

Dean then drove his black Chevy Tahoe out of the parking lot and onto a neighboring street, where he got out and spoke with GOP House staffer Bill Walsh and Tom Prichard, president of the Minnesota Family Council.

All of this added to the day's intrigue.

Republicans pushing an ant-gay marriage constitutional amendment were dealt a serious blow by Dean’s presence on the House floor Friday. With just a few days left before session’s end, it’s unclear if they have the political capital to bring such a measure forward.

Hundreds of protesters have been crawling all over the Capitol supporting and opposing the amendment, and a large event is planned for Saturday morning.

House Speaker Kurt Zellers deflected questions away from the amendment and tried to refocus on the budget when reporters asked if it would be brought forward, and all the GOP leaders seemed a little squeamish on the topic.

At this point, damage control seems a necessity for the GOP and the Family Council, which has been pushing the constitutional amendment for some time.

“I don’t think he was helping their passing this amendment,” DFL Sen. John Marty said.

Bill Walsh, the GOP staffer, directed all inquiries to House Republican communications folks.

“It wasn’t a meeting, I was just walking by,” he said.

Dean’s spokesman, Jake Macaulay, tried to deny knowing Prichard or Walsh.

Macaulay said the controversial preacher is preparing a statement that should be ready Saturday morning “since this thing has blown up.” He also added that Dean didn’t know he would be praying on the House floor until Thursday night.

Before  driving away in his black SUV, Dean, wearing a black-and-white striped tracksuit shouted, “I said a prayer,” and shrugged.