Are You From Minnesota?

[MikeBjerum]

Tomorrow, Wednesday, is now the day for the House to pass this on to the Gov.  Dayton has indicated he is not happy about it, but there is a headline out there that he met with Rep. Cornish, the author, today about the Bill.  That tells me that Gov. Dayton is at least considering signing it, and that he doesn't have his veto stamp warming up already.

[MikeBjerum]

http://mankatofreepress.com/local/x2054920039/Dayton-experiences-Cornishs-unusual-office-in-gun-bill-conversation

The Free Press, Mankato, MN

   
Local News
February 29, 2012
Dayton experiences Cornish's unusual office in gun bill conversation

By Mark Fischenich The Free Press

MANKATO — With his controversial gun bill about to head to the governor’s office for a signature or a veto, state Rep. Tony Cornish of Good Thunder was quoted in a Twin Cities publication saying Gov. Mark Dayton could give him a call if he had any concerns.

“I didn’t say that,” Cornish said. “So I wrote the governor an email that I wouldn’t be so arrogant as to have you call me.”

Cornish also offered to visit the governor’s office to answer any questions about the gun bill, which includes an expansion of the situations where private citizens can use deadly force — a provision opposed by law enforcement groups.

“He wrote me back right away and said I’ll come over to your office,” Cornish said.

And Cornish’s office is famously unique. The retired game warden has a wide variety of stuffed birds and animals, including a wolf and a possum that hangs from the ceiling. And there are canoe paddles and animal traps and an artificial log campfire.

“We sat by my fake campfire,” Cornish said. “Gave him a piece of bear sausage and had a good time.”

The office is quirky enough that visitors to the Capitol stop by with their kids for a look, but Dayton took more interest in the family photos, according to Cornish. He showed the governor a photo of the German shepherd that shared his truck during 13 of his years on the job with the DNR, and Dayton showed photos on his cell phone of his beloved dogs of the same breed.

Cornish, who was an officer in the conservation officers union, mentioned that he has three relatives, including a son, in law enforcement unions and is skeptical of a constitutional amendment pushed by his fellow Republicans that would prohibit unions from forcing workers to pay dues.

“I talked to him about not being a big ‘right to work’ guy and that made him happy,” Cornish said.

They also talked about the gun bill, which passed the House 85-47 Wednesday night. Cornish pointed out that some changes were made — aimed at easing the concerns of law enforcement associations, although he predicted it wouldn’t alter their opposition.

Dayton described the meeting to the Minneapolis StarTribune but didn’t offer any hints about whether it changed his mind about the legislation, commonly called the “castle doctrine” bill.

“We have a good working relationship,” Dayton said. “He’s very thoughtful in his comments. I didn’t make any commitments one way or another.”

Dayton had previously promised Cornish that he would take the full three days a governor is allowed to study a bill before deciding whether to sign the gun bill or veto it.

“I intend to carry that out,” he told the StarTribune.

Cornish, who discounts many of the law enforcement objections to the bill, reminded Dayton of his own experience as a police officer, deputy sheriff and, most recently, Lake Crystal police chief.

“He talked about his own experiences, knocking on doors, knocking down doors, going into places,” Dayton said. “He brings that credibility, that he’s been in the real world.”

In the end, though, Cornish doesn’t expect he won the governor over. He recalled a Dayton speech to a convention of the Minnesota Peace Officers Association where he pledged to always take their concerns seriously.

“I expect we’re headed for a veto,” Cornish said.

If so, he won’t consider Tuesday’s encounter to be a waste of good bear sausage.

“You can’t take it personal,” he said.

In fact, he only has one regret stemming from the meeting.

“I thought it went real well, real cordial,” Cornish said. “The only dumb move I made was I didn’t get a picture of us sitting by the fake campfire.”

[MikeBjerum]

Two items:

In the article above Mr. Cornish refers to having a son in law enforcement.  His son is a State Trooper, and is the one that covered my little incident where I played NASCAR on HWY 169 - If you recall my Goldwing won and invading car was totaled.  He also admired my 1911, the one I shower with, and fondled my LCP until the skeeters chased us both away.

Second - According to reports Gov. Dayton has until Tomorrow, Saturday, to act on this Bill.  My message was sent to him last evening.  The only good thing going for us is that the media is wrapped up in the stadium issue and ignoring this for the most part.  Maybe he will act responsibly since there is little danger of the media hyping the anti view.

[kmitch200]

Fingers crossed on this end. Hopefully you guys (and us) get it done.

I did a quick search on HF 1467 and stumbled across a cop forum that had NUMEROUS clueless LEOs saying it was such a bad law and people would be shooting over parking spaces or someone just trespassing cutting the corner of the yard.    Same old, same old...
I guess it never occurred to them that none of the other states that have had 'stand your ground' laws and no 'duty to retreat' for years have turned into bloodbaths. But what do us plain ol' ordinary folks know? They're cops dammit! 

[MikeBjerum]

VETO !!!

 

[Sponsor]

[kmitch200]

Oh that just sucks!!!

[tt11758]

VETO !!!

 

Do they have the votes to override?

[MikeBjerum]

Do they have the votes to override?

I haven't done the math, but it doesn't appear so.  There has been no talk of override.  It has been made clear that it will be back next year.  As far as I am concerned they can drop the first part - expansion of castle to car, boat, camper, etc.  That is the part that everyone is so wound up on, but the most important parts are really the recognition of other State's permits and protection from confiscation during times of emergency.

Under our current law there are four items that justify the use of deadly force, and the presence of fear for life or serious injury will override the possibility of escape when the reasonable man theory is examined.  Citizens have not, and are not going to, go out looking for gun fights.  They will only defend themselves if really needed.

[MikeBjerum]

Do they have the votes to override?

Votes were 40/23 and 85/47, so they are five votes short in each chamber.  Sadly it is not just a matter of picking up five votes each, because in an override situation many wimps will turn tail and run 

[twyacht]

Sounds like the unionized LEO's and troopers applied too much pressure over the citizenry.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/141497673.html

Dayton vetoes 'castle doctrine' self-defense bill
Posted by: Rachel E. Stassen-Berger under Minnesota governor, Gov. Mark Dayton, Minnesota legislature, Democrats, Republicans Updated: March 5, 2012 - 7:32 PM

By Jim Ragsdale

Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed the so-called "castle doctrine" self-defense bill on Monday.

The proposal, supported by the gun-rights groups and opposed by Minnesota's law-enforcement organizations, would have expanded the legal justification for citizens who use deadly force in threatening situations.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Tony Cornish, R-Good Thunder, and Sen. Gretchen Hoffman, R-Vergas, was the top priority of the National Rifle Association and drew some DFL votes in addition to near-unanimous Republican support. The measure passed by votes of 40-23 in the Senate and 85-47 in the House.

It would have changed the legal definitions of self-defense for someone facing a serious threat in their homes, and would have expanded this "castle doctrine" to cars, motor homes, boats and even tents.

It would have done away with a person's duty to retreat when facing a threat in public places, which supporters called the "stand your ground" concept. It would also have legalized concealed-weapons permits issued by all states, regardless of their standards in granting permits, and limited the situations in which police can temporarily remove weapons from homes in volatile situations.

Law enforcement organizations strongly condemned the proposal, saying it could risk officers' lives.

Dayton made his veto by letter without commenting publicly.

In his veto letter, Dayton said, he had to honor the opposition of law enforcement.

"The MN Police and Peace Officers Association, the MN Chiefs of Police and the MN Sheriffs Association represent the men and woman who risk their lives every day and night to protect the rest of us. When they strongly oppose a measure, because they believe it will increase the dangers to them in the performance of their duties, I cannot support it," Dayton wrote.

Rep. Tony Cornish, a Republican from Good Thunder, said the opposition stemmed from the executives of law enforcement organizations "not the rank and file." He said that the measure may take some time to become law but it will be back.

*******

Sorry m58.