As the 2015 session got underway, one of the Minnesota Senate’s first acts was to approve a rule change that tightens up who can get a media credential.
The previous rule said political organizations could not get a media credential. The new rule says individuals affiliated with a political organization may not get a media credential.
Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk proposed the change which had bipartisan support.
The Pioneer Press reports the change appears to have been triggered by an incident with Shawn Towle, who received a Senate press pass while also being paid by the Senate DFL.
The Pioneer press writes:
“Republican senators made a stink about Towle in April of 2014, putting out a press release accusing DFL leader Tom Bakk of “secret payments” to Towle. Introducing the proposed change today, Bakk described it as “something the rules committee had considerable conversation about near the end of the session last year.”
Comment