Summary

Footage Information

CONUS Archive
229132
MN - Gov - Mansion - Stalemate
St Paul, MN
PKG
5/8/2002
4:18
1:23
St Paul, MN. Sen Dean Johnson, DFL-Willmar Sen Dick Day, R-Minority Leader Tom Hauser, Reporting
VARIOUS SHOTS OF MN GOVERNOR'S MANSION, SOTS MAN, OUTSIDE OF MANSION, SOT MAN, MANSION, SOT MAN, MANSION, SOT MAN, OUTSIDE OF MANSION.
STALEMATE ON MN GOV MANSION CONTINUES.
LEAD: TWO MINNESOTA STATE SENATORS HAVE A PLAN TO RE-OPEN THE MINNESOTA GOVERNOR'S MANSION. BUT IT FACES TWO PROBLEMS. GOVERNOR VENTURA DOESN'T LIKE THE PLAN AND NEITHER DO SOME OTHER LAWMAKERS WHO THINK THERE ARE MORE IMPORTANT ISSUES ON THE TABLE. TOM HAUSER HAS MORE (TAKE PKG) SCRIPT: A LONE WORKER IS DOING MINIMAL UPKEEP WORK AT THE MANSION. BUT NO FLAGS ARE FLYING AND THE FRONT GATE IS CHAINED SHUT. (SOT- SEN. DEAN JOHNSON "And we think that that's symbolic in part of where our state government is right now and it ought not be.") SO SENATORS DEAN JOHNSON AND RICHARD COHEN PROPOSE RE-INSTATING 175-THOUSAND DOLLARS IN FUNDING TO RE-OPEN THE OFFICIAL GOVERNOR'S RESIDENCE. A SPOKESMAN FOR THE GOVERNOR SAYS IT WILL TAKE AT LEAST 375-THOUSAND DOLLARS. (SOT- SEN. DEAN JOHNSON "The governor has masterfully diverted the issue, confused the issue about security and the closing of the residence.") BUT THE GOVERNOR ISN'T THE ONLY ONE RESISTING THE MANSION PLAN. REPUBLICAN SENATE MINORITY LEADER DICK DAY SAYS LEGISLATORS HAVE MORE IMPORTANT ISSUES BEFORE THEM. (SOT- SEN. DICK DAY "We're saying that hey, we're monkeying around with the frivolous things, the mansion, you know, c'mon!") BUT SENATOR JOHNSON SAYS THE ISSUE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE CLOSING OF THE MANSION CREATED A LOT OF UNFLATTERING NATIONAL PUBLICITY. (SOT- SEN. DEAN JOHNSON "We think the Governor has made a mistake in the closing of this residence and we would like to see it open sooner than later.") BUT THAT IS LIKELY WEEKS, IF NOT MONTHS AWAY. IN ST. PAUL, TOM HAUSER, EYEWITNESS NEWS. (ON CAMERA TAG) UNDER THE SENATE PLAN, CONTROL OF THE MANSION'S BUDGET WOULD BE MOVED FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION. THAT WAY, THEY HOPE, THE MANSION WOULD NO LONGER BE USED AS A SO-CALLED "POLITICAL FOOTBALL." RECAP
Not everything listed in the CONUS Archive is necessarily licensable. Reporter sound/image is not licensable
}