Politics & Government

War of Words: Kiffmeyer, Kriesel Spar after Stadium Vote

Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer, who is vying for a new Minnesota Senate Seat that would include St. Michael, Albertville and Otsego, has entered a war of words with popular Rep. John Kriesel.

A Big Lake Republican who is vying for the new Senate District 30 seat is making some noise on her way out of the Minnesota House of Representatives.

Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer, who has earned the Republican nomination to run for the seat, which includes St. Michael, Albertville, Otsego and Elk River, along with Big Lake, called the Vikings stadium vote a "forced issue," and said Rep. John Kriesel, a Republican from Cottage Grove, was an author of a bill that "was a set deal between the Vikings, the Governor and the bill authors" in an end of session e-mail/letter to her constituents.

That sparked a rebuttal from Kriesel, who has gone against the grain with his party on a few issues, including gay marriage, speaking out last year against the amendment.

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Via e-mail, Kriesel responded to Kiffmeyer's letter saying, "Force it through? C'mon Mary. You can disagree with the bill but don't lie about it," according to multiple media sources.

Kiffmeyer wrote back a note to Kriesel, which he released to the media, which questioned his "courage."

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Her note, which Kriesel gave to City Pages, among other outlets, stated: ""Not only no clue but no courage to run again and be accountable and see what your district thinks."

The problem: Kriesel has been considered a model of courage, losing both of his legs while serving in Iraq. He took his popularity (found via sports radio and other media engagements) to the House, earning a nod to reperesent the Cottage Grove area in the Republican landslide of 2010.

Her comments spurred Kriesel to take to his popular Twitter account and go after Kiffmeyer, saying he'd "consider taking out a second mortgage on my house to donate to whoever is running against Mary Kiffmeyer."

Kiffmeyer has not commented on her "courage" line, or Kriesel's response.

However, the argument has prompted former Delano Rep. Tom Emmer, Gov. Mark Dayton's Republican opponent in 2010, to call Kriesel a "Democrat posing as a Republican."

Kriesel again took to Twitter, saying the Wright County political presence, now a host of a radio show on 1130 AM, is "Not playing with a full deck."


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