(St. Paul, MN…) Senate Minority Leader David Hann sent a letter to Majority Leader Tom Bakk today asking him to make public an email he sent to Cook County businessman Dennis Rysdahl. Rysdahl mentioned the email from Bakk in testimony he gave to the Cook County Board this week concerning a resolution they were considering that opposed copper mining near the BWCA. The testimony and email from Bakk was interpreted by some Cook County residents as a threat by Bakk to remove Cook County from the Taconite Relief Area, jeopardizing future funding for the county.
“This looks like a Senator using his official office to threaten a county board – that’s not how the Senate should operate,” said Sen. Hann. “Sen. Bakk can clear this up by releasing the email he sent to Mr. Rysdahl so the public can know exactly what was said.”
The Cook County Board declined to debate a resolution put forward by Commissioner Frank Moe that opposed “sulfide-ore mining in close proximity to the Boundary Waters Wilderness.” Moe’s motion to add the resolution to the board agenda died for lack of a second.