Big Stone County residents speak out against Islamophobic remarks by county GOP chair

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Update: At the Star Tribune, Jennifer Brooks reports ‘Bigotry’ on Facebook costs Big Stone GOP chair his day job. Brooks notes:

The Minnesota Republican Party, which condemned Whitley’s remarks las week, has not yet responded to questions about whether Whitley will keep his postion as the chairman of the county GOP. [end update]

Since Bluestem posted Facebook status, Big Stone Co GOP chair calls Muslims “parasites,” writes “frag em” at Mecca, Minnesota’s branch of the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has issued a press release calling for state and national Republican leaders to condemn county chair leader Jack Whitley’s remarks. Continue Reading

In Facebook status, Big Stone Co GOP chair calls Muslims “parasites,” writes “frag em” at Mecca

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UPDATE: Whitley appears to have removed his profile from Facebook, following a wave of condemnation from both Democrats and Republicans following Jennifer Brooks’ post about Whitley in the Star Tribune. We’ll be posting about the reaction shortly. [end update]

A status posted today on the personal Facebook page of the Big Stone County Republican chair Jack Whitley suggests that an understanding of the Minority Liberty Alliance’s message of inclusion hasn’t quite taken hold among conservative leadership living beside Minnesota’s western boundary waters. Continue Reading

MN Jobs Coalition received $355,000 from the RSLC; where’d that money trickle down from?

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In a report about Minnesota Jobs Coalition chair Ben Golnik’s new job as executive director of the Minnesota House Republican caucus, Minnesota Public Radio’s Catherine Richert reported in Monday’s article, Golnik to direct House Republican Caucus:

Golnik is leaving his post as chairman of the Minnesota Jobs Coalition, an independent political group that spent hundreds of thousands of dollars ushering in the Republican majority to the Minnesota House. Republicans won in nearly every district the group invested in. . . . Continue Reading

New Minnesota House members and Sunday liquor sales: An inventory of their positions

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Veteran CBS Minnesota political observer Pat Kessler reports in Minn. Lawmakers Prepare For Renewed Sunday Liquor Sales Push:

The issue of Sunday liquor sales is likely to come up again next year, with the new Republican majority in the state legislature.

Minnesota is one of only 12 states that require liquor stores to be closed on Sundays. And many Minnesota consumers cross the border to Wisconsin, where Sunday sales are legal. . . . Continue Reading