Senate Republican leader demands apology for fight challenge

The top Republican in the Minnesota Senate is seeking an apology from Red Wing Democrat Steve Murphy for a challenge Murphy issued to Governor Pawlenty's communications director.

Senate Minority Leader David Senjem of Rochester put the request in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller Wednesday evening, calling Murphy's behavior "beneath the respected standards of the Minnesota Senate."

Click here to read Senjem's letter to Pogemiller

During an interview with KARE 11 Tuesday, Murphy took great exception to a statement the governor's spokesman Brian McClung issued to the media, which implied Murphy wasn't being truthful with reporters.

"Mister McClung, if you want to meet me out on the Capitol steps and we'll talk about your comments," Murphy told KARE, "I'm more than willing to be there."

When asked if he really wanted to fight McClung the sometimes fiery Marine veteran responded, "No. I just want to have a civil discussion with him because his comments are troubling at best when he calls my credibility into question. That's just not right."

Click here to see original broadcast report

In his letter Senjem said Murphy's statement hadn't "risen to the level of an ethics complaint" yet, but it warrants some type of action by Pogemiller as majority leader.

"My recommendation is that Senator Murphy publicly apologize to the staff person in question, the Senate and the people of Minnesota."

Pogemiller's staff Wednesday night he was reviewing Senjem's letter and planned to speak to Murphy about it at some point.

Context of Murphy's reaction

As head of the Senate Transportation Committee, Murphy co-chairs the House-Senate conference committee on transportation policy. That panel is considering a traffic safety bill with three life-saving measures Murphy has sought for years.

Those include making seat belt violations a primary offense, placing passenger and time restrictions on the youngest of teenage drivers, and keeping children in booster seats until they turn eight.

The committee was prepared to pass the bill with all three elements Monday night when Pawlenty's aide Margaret Vesel contacted Murphy to inform him the governor had an issue with the package.

"Margaret Vesel from the Governor's office stated clearly that the Governor had major concerns with three provisions, safety provisions," Murphy explained.

"He was comfortable with two, but not three. I asked 'That mean he's going to veto?' She said 'yes.'"

The next morning Murphy told reporters he'd been asked to drop one of the three measures in order to make the bill veto-proof. He said the Governor expected him to choose the best two out of three; seat belts, teen drivers or booster seats.

McClung's shot at Murphy

When asked to respond to Murphy's story Tuesday, McClung issued a statement accusing Murphy of mischaracterizing his conversation with Vesel.

"Sen. Murphy's comments are untrue," McClung wrote, "This is just the latest example of erratic behavior by Sen. Murphy."

He said Murphy had not been given a pick-two-out-of-three ultimatum. The Governor had already gone on record, he said, as supporting the teen driving restrictions and the making failure to buckle up a primary offense.

"It is possible that Sen. Murphy misinterpreted or intentionally misrepresented the information we shared with him and others," McClung added.

When Murphy read McClung's statement, essentially accusing him of stretching the truth, the senator reacted by issuing the "Capitol steps" challenge.

Murphy also said, if needed, he'd ask Margaret Vesel to testify under oath about what she'd told him the night before.

"If we need to bring in a stack of Bibles to start swearing people in that's what we'll do."

Murphy and McClung never met outside for a throw-down on the steps, but Murphy did make an angry call to the governor's office according to McClung.

Safety bill still in limbo

Two hours later Governor Pawlenty sent a letter to Murphy which didn't address the McClung challenge, but criticized Murphy's earlier remarks to the Capitol press corps.

"We are disappointed with your continued misstatements," Pawlenty wrote, "Your news conference this morning was not helpful as we seek to enact bipartisan legislation that advances public safety."

The governor's letter urged the panel to change the bill, to give parents the right to exempt their children from the teen driving restrictions. Pawlenty's staff envisions special opt-out cards issued by Driver and Vehicle Services to those teens that get such clearance from their parents.

The bill would bar newly licensed teenagers, in their first six months on the road, from driving between midnight and 5 a.m. unless the trip is linked to school or work. During that same half year they'd be limited to one non-sibling teen passenger.

Tuesday night the conference committee passed the bill without heeding Pawlenty's advice. Lawmakers made no provision for a parental opt-out in the bill.

"Law enforcement from all over the state tells us that if we put an opt-out in that bill we might as well not even pass it," Representative Melissa Hortman, who co-chairs the conference committee, told KARE.

Now it's two out of three

On Wednesday Governor Pawlenty sent a letter to Murphy actually promising to veto the bill unless it is changed to attract more support from House Republicans.

"Bipartisan legislative support for the bill does not currently exist in the House, and parental opt-out is not included for the new teen driving restrictions." Pawlenty wrote.

He also added a new objection, to the booster seat part of the bill.

"If a grandma were picking up her seven-year-old granddaughter and three friends from a soccer game, in response to a last minute request from a parent, would the grandma be required to have booster seats for all four children?"

In an effort to salvage at least part of the bill, Murphy and Hortman reconvened the conference committee Wednesday evening.

According to the Associated Press the committee voted to strip the tougher booster seats rules from the bill. In essence they ended up picking two out of three.

The committee added a brand new amendment would keep speeding tickets for those caught going up to 70 miles per hour in a 60 mile-per-hour zone off the driver's permanent record.

The back and forth at the has been compared at times to a dance. Right now it more closely resembles a game of dodge ball.

It's not quite a boxing match yet.

By John Croman, KARE 11 News

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