Senate Republicans, upset the Walz administration has mounted a court challenge to the Enbridge Line 3 pipeline, are putting state Commerce Commissioner Steve Kelley on the grill this morning (9am hearing start) — and could oust him when the legislature goes back in session. In the special session earlier this month Republicans, unable to cancel the governor’s COVID emergency powers, ousted one of his commissioners and hinted more could follow unless Walz reopens Minnesota’s economy. The governor fumed, “The majority leader [Paul Gazelka] has said, open schools, play sports — not open schools safely, not play sports safely, just do it and all the rest of this is nonsense.”
Republicans are hinting they could oust Commerce Commissioner Kelly unless the Walz administration moves forward with Line 3, which they say will create thousands of jobs in northern Minnesota. Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka says, “The jobs aren’t there, the promises weren’t kept, and so now we’re gonna re-evaluate.”