The Minnesota D-F-L Party asks a Duluth judge this morning (1030am hearing) to order release of e-mails that Saint Louis County Commissioner and Republican U-S House candidate Pete Stauber sent to the National Republican Congressional Committee from his county e-mail account. The state Department of Administration advised the e-mails are public data, but Saint Louis County officials have refused to release them. D-F-L Chairman Ken Martin says if there’s nothing to hide, Stauber should “stop his obstruction and show us.” A spokeswoman for Stauber says it’s not surprising Democratic opponent Joe Radinovich and his D-F-L friends are playing politics after the county already cleared Stauber of any wrongdoing.
The 8th District race is one of the mostly highly-targeted in the nation, with Republicans hoping to pick up that U-S House seat because Democratic Congressman Rick Nolan is retiring.