Activists say candidate for governor Lori Swanson’s statement doesn’t cut it and lieutenant governor running mate Rick Nolan should be off the ticket because he didn’t respond properly when a former aide was accused of sexual harassment. TakeAction Minnesota’s Kenza Hadj-Moussa says, “We’re done with excuses. We don’t expect that from the highest level of government.” In a statement Swanson said, “Sexual harassment will have no place in the Swanson-Nolan Administration…. Congressman Nolan has apologized to the women who were harassed by their male co-worker, and for his own comments.”
Hadj-Moussa says Swanson and Nolan could each have said something that didn’t sound like doubling-down on their position. “We know that people have come from different generations, different backgrounds. That’s fine, but you have to be listening to what women and people are saying across the country,” she says.
Hadj Moussa says Rick Nolan should not be on the ticket — but what about Lori Swanson? “I think if you choose a running mate who clearly doesn’t fit the standards for Minnesota, that kind of speaks for itself.”
Swanson’s campaign manager, Ruth Stanoch, points out the article in MinnPost stated that the central sources in its story now work for DFL rivals Tim Walz or Erin Murphy. Stanoch says, “It is unfortunate that candidates who are behind in the polls seek to exploit this matter for their political advantage.”
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