DFL fight erupts over state auditor position
ST. PAUL — When State Auditor Rebecca Otto voted against drilling holes in the ground to bring up copper/nickel/precious metals core samples last Oct. 25, she ended up igniting a DFL Party implosion that is reverberating far outside her own re-election contest.
It has now rippled like a mining blast across the Range and into the U.S. 8th District congressional race, and could likely even touch on the gubernatorial and U.S. Senate battles.
The DFL intra-party problem now all revolves around the person holding a state office that usually exists mostly in a state of obscurity. But not this election year.
Here’s a snapshot look at how the DFL controversy has evolved:
• Otto, as a member of the Executive Council, was the lone no vote at the October meeting on awarding mineral leases for mining exploration — in other words she voted against drilling, not even mining.
• That led to a major push back from the traditionally DFL-heavy Iron Range, where a “Dump Otto” movement began. Many DFLers on the Range have said they will no longer be taken for granted if candidates do not back all mining, and the jobs projects such as PolyMet’s nonferrous venture will create.
• But the state auditor not only stood by her vote, she used it to raise funds for her re-election from anti-mining elements, especially in the Twin Cities.
• Last weekend the DFL Party met in Duluth to endorse candidates, including Auditor Otto. And all the endorsed candidates — from U.S. Sen. Al Franken to 8th District U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan to Gov. Mark Dayton to all constitutional officers — endorsed the party’s slate of candidates.
• Just moments before filings for elective office closed on Tuesday, former DFL House Minority Leader Matt Entenza filed for auditor, creating a primary contest. The happy picture of party unity heading into the Nov. 4 election now has a flaw — a pretty big one.
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A “Dump Otto” supporter tweeted out the following message Wednesday afternoon in response to a report that Nolan’s campaign manager said the congressman is backing Otto in the campaign: “Interesting that an 8th CD (Congressional District) is supporting an anti-mining candidate.”
Nolan responded in a telephone interview with the Mesabi Daily News late Wednesday afternoon.
“I endorsed the endorsement team and that includes Rebecca Otto, but with reservations because of her mining vote on mineral leases. She assured me she’s not anti-mining, but she’s going to have to prove that to me. I’m going to hold her feet to the fire,” Nolan said.
The governor also backed Otto, but with a caveat of disagreement on some issues. “Before the DFL State Convention, and before I was aware of Matt Entenza’s plans to run for state auditor in the primary election, I told Rebecca Otto that I would support her in her campaign for re-election. Today, I stand by my promise to support her. Although Auditor Otto and I disagree on some issues, she has been a good state auditor, and she deserves re-election,” Dayton said in a news release on Wednesday.
State Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk of Cook said he understands the frustration with the state auditor on the Range.
“A lot of Democrats are upset with her position on jobs on the Iron Range,” Bakk said.
The elected leader of the state Senate said Otto called her shortly after strong reaction against her mineral leases vote erupted on the Range.
“‘There’s ‘Dump Otto’ signs showing up on the Range,’ she said. I said, ‘What did you think was going to happen?’” Bakk said in a telephone interview on Wednesday.
Bakk told her she would “probably be fine” unless she received a primary challenge. She now has that.
“I’m just going to sit down and think on this. I won’t immediately get on board, either way,” said Bakk, referring to both Otto and Entenza.
Bakk has had a “20-year friendship” with Entenza as both of them were elected to the House in 1994. And Entenza asked him to be his running mate in 2010 during his failed campaign for the DFL gubernatorial endorsement. But Bakk said he also has some concerns about Entenza’s candidacy.
DFL state Rep. David Dill of Crane Lake was much less diplomatic.
“I don’t support candidates who don’t support economic development in northeastern Minnesota. And I especially don’t support them when they placate people to raise money. That’s an unholy alliance,” Dill said of Otto’s vote on the leases and following effort to raise campaign funds off of it. Then he really took off the gloves. “Much of fundraising today is done electronically. To do that candidates need the minerals that will be produced in copper/nickel mining. Perhaps they should communicate by using a string with two cans like we did in grade schools.”
Dill said Otto’s vote was a shot at mining today, yesterday and tomorrow.
“We are doing nothing wrong. We’re following the rules. She voted against something that has been going on in the state for more than 100 years. She voted against the birth of mining. You don’t mine until you drill.”
Dill said he will suggest to the Iron Range legislative delegation chairman, Rep. Tom Anzelc of Balsam Township, that the issue be discussed as a group.
He also encouraged constituents to contact him. “I want to hear what they have to say on this. I know in my heart that the desire of the people of northeastern Minnesota is to find and secure good-paying jobs.”
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