Green Party Candidate
for Mayor of St. Paul
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Green Party Candidate |
For Immediate Release August 29, 2005
St. Paul, MN – Monday, August 29, 2005 – In a press conference this morning near the doors of City Hall, Elizabeth Dickinson raised serious questions of campaign finance impropriety by incumbent Randy Kelly, asking whether the involvement of an Xcel Energy executive in Kelly's fundraising efforts was unethical and even possibly contrary to law. Dickinson noted that the Xcel executive, identified on the Kelly campaign web site as Campaign Finance Committee member Steve Schmitt, is in an actual or potential "position of authority" over the renegotiation of the company's franchise agreement with the city. Schmitt has been present at at least two recent fundraising events; he was co-host of one such occasion in mid-August. Dickinson, who has been calling for tough renegotiation of the agreement, cited an April 19 memo from the city attorney's office to the mayor and to city councilmembers. It stated that the negotiations were officially underway at that time, given the formation of the city's negotiation committee and notification of Xcel — by the mayor — of its formation. The memo also specified that the city's Ex Parte Ordinance — that part of the city codes which guards against conflict of interest in such cases — was therefore now in effect. The ordinance (see http://www.ci.stpaul.mn.us/code/ac011.html#sec11) calls for the mayor and city councilmembers to "maintain high standards of conduct to prevent a conflict or the appearance of a conflict between private interests and official duties." It also states that it is "unlawful for a party [to the negotiations] to…[e]ngage in discussions with a decision-maker concerning past or future benefits or compensation." Dickinson focused first on the broader question of whether it is ethical to have one of Xcel's executives — a "party" under the code — directly involved in funding a candidate's campaign. She left open the narrower question of whether the law was actually violated, and by implication whether raising money for a campaign constituted "past or future benefits." "We need to reframe the relationship between Xcel and the city," she said. "[H]ow does the city 'negotiate tough' across the table from one of its mayor's key fundraisers?" She also noted that her campaign does not accept corporate or PAC donations, and said the present situation underscored why she believed it so important for candidates to steer clear of corporate entanglement. "I want to represent all of the people of St. Paul, she said, not the large corporations, or those who pay for access to city government." Dickinson closed by asking both the press and the people of St. Paul to take the issue seriously enough to look into it closely, inquiring, "[W]hat kind of ethical standards do we set for our mayor — and are those standards being met?" "Doesn't the city of St. Paul deserve a mayor who will always put the ethical interests of St. Paul first and foremost?" Contact Elizabeth Dickinson, (651) 235-1208 (cell) Mary Petrie, Campaign Manager, (651) 226-3527 (cell) Christopher Childs, Communications Coordinator, (651) 312-1216 Elizabeth Dickinson for Mayor 384 Hall Avenue St. Paul, MN 55107
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Click here to read the pre-event press release. Click here to read Elizabeth's August 29, 2005, address. Click here to listen to Elizabeth's speech (RealPlayer) courtesy of the St. Paul Pioneer Press!
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Dickinson
Campaign Questions Kelly-Xcel Fundraising Connection