Bachmann on probe: ‘Everything is going to be great’

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“Everything is going to be great,” she says. In a Strib piece by Rachel Stassen-Berger, Our Favorite Congresswoman, under investigation pressure by her House colleagues, says: “ ‘I have complete confidence. That was the basis of a 2014 campaign in my opinion and I don’t think anything is going to come from it,’ [Michele] Bachmann said. ‘I think that ultimately everything is going to be great.’ … The representative, who ran for president last year, announced a few months ago that she would not run for re-election. Despite her announcement, the investigation continues and the ethics committee announced last week that it would take at least another month and a half to consider allegations against her. ‘In my opinion, that was probably meant to be the basis of a campaign but as you had said I am not running again. I think this is just a continuation. These processes go on for year and years and years,’ she said.” I suppose that counts as “giving an interview” to someone other than FoxNews, hmm?

At MPR, Brett Neely adds: “Bachmann’s claim that the investigations are politically motivated doesn’t jibe with the identities of those making some of the complaints against her. Many of the allegations come from a former campaign staffer, Peter Waldron, who shares an evangelical background with Bachmann and has worked as a political operative for other conservative Republicans. A former chief of staff and campaign manager to Bachmann, Andy Parrish, has provided an affidavit suggesting Bachmann was aware of some of the allegedly improper behavior and has been interviewed by the FBI in a related probe of her campaign’s activities. Another accuser was Barbara Heki, who also worked for Bachmann and accused fellow staffers of stealing an email list of potential supporters that belonged to Heki.”  Well, it sounds “politically motivated” to even mention such things!

In a story about The Fine Line music club getting new owners, Stribber Chris Riemenschneider writes: “Fine Line owner Dario Anselmo listed several reasons why he wanted to unload the club. They included the fact that he recently turned 50 (“I’m too old to run a club,” he quipped) to the loss of the club’s longtime talent booker Kim King last summer (who switched to the Cabooze and tour managing). He also detailed his love/hate relationship with the Warehouse District, where many bars and restaurants have come and gone in recent years despite the construction of Target Field. … ‘I’ve tried for a long time not to be pessimistic about the Warehouse District, but it’s hard to be optimistic anymore,’ said Anselmo, president of the Warehouse District Business Association.” I’d be interested in his specifics.

Twenty grants = $30 million. Xcel announced “winners” today. Elizabeth Dunbar of MPR reports: “Xcel Energy has announced the 20 recipients of $30 million in renewable energy grants, including solar projects at the Midway Target store in St. Paul, Edison High School in Minneapolis and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The projects, to be paid for through Xcel’s Renewable Development Fund that is financed by ratepayers to promote renewable energy, still need approval by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. Nearly 70 projects applied for the funding, including a solar energy installation at the new ballpark in St. Paul’s Lowertown neighborhood. That project was placed on a reserve list in case funding becomes available later.”

Well, Moody’s is impressed … A Reuters story says: “Moody’s Investors Service on Tuesday revised the outlook on Minnesota’s general obligation bonds to stable from negative, affirming its Aa1 rating and citing strong financial management.”

But with the other hand, they taketh away … Eric Roper of the Strib reports: “Moody’s Investors Service downgraded Minneapolis’s credit rating Monday night, delivering a blow to one of Mayor R.T. Rybak’s signature achievements. The downgrade means the city could pay higher interest rates when it issues bonds for major projects. It comes three years after the city restored it’s AAA rating with Moody’s, after sitting at Aa1 since 2001. That AAA credit rating has been frequently touted by both the mayor and City Council as evidence that they have righted the city’s finances after years of poor management. But as of Monday night, Minneapolis was returned to Aa1, one rank below AAA, for its $679 million of outstanding general obligation debt. The city retains AAA ratings with the other two major rating agencies, Fitch and Standard and Poor’s.” Now if only someone would “affirm” Moody’s and Fitch and S&P.

Obviously not a dog’s best friend … . Paul Walsh of the Strib reports: “The operator of a northern Minnesota kennel has been charged with a list of crimes that accuse her of keeping many dozens of dogs in wretched, stifling conditions on the hot summer’s day when the animals were seized by authorities.  Deborah B. Howell, 60, of Pine River, was charged Monday in Cass County District Court with eight misdemeanors and one petty misdemeanor covering everything from animal neglect to deprivation of shelter, ventilation, shade and water.”

There will now be an “enhanced arson law.” The AP says: “Costly-to-fight wildfires that are intentionally set in Minnesota will soon carry tougher penalties under a new law. The enhanced arson law was passed in May and goes live on Thursday. It builds off an existing wildfire arson law. Now, a fire that does damage or poses a threat to five or more buildings, burns 500 acres or more or does significant crop damage can result in a felony charge. It would carry up to 10 years in prison and the potential for a $15,000 fine.”

Like a dog with a bone … City Pages continues gnawing on the Laura Brod “boudoir pictures,” now bringing former Sen. Norm Coleman into the game. Says Kevin Hoffman: “Former U.S. Senator Norm Coleman is standing by Laura Brod, the former state legislator and U of M regent who admitted last week that a boudoir photo of her has leaked online. ‘I think it’s a shame that she is down to her personal life, and her family, attacked by pictures being tossed about,’ Coleman told City Pages during a phone interview yesterday afternoon. ‘I just think it’s ugly and unfortunate that people who have been in the public life find themselves subject to attacks like that.’ ” OK, so if we’re just calling people at random here, what does Wally the Beer Man think of the pictures? Amy Senser? Ron Gardenhire?