Letters to the Editor - Supporting a former colleague - Supporting a former colleague

I normally don't get involved in elections between Democrats outside of my neighborhood, but an email inviting me to a fundraiser burned me up. It's one thing to promote your own candidate, but this email, which came from an elected official, ran down a good person - State Rep. Joe Mullery.

    Joe was my seatmate for many years in the state legislature and I know him as well as anybody at the capitol. No current Minneapolis legislator has worked harder to fight crime than Joe. I also don't know of any Northside legislator who fought harder to keep local schools open. 

    Joe's an independent sort who doesn't always go along with the crowd. He has had the courage to buck some other politicians as well as some powerful lobbyists. Joe's put North Minneapolis first, but in the process, made some political big shots mad. They want him gone.

  But isn't backbone and independence something we all value? Do we really need more elected officials who go along with faddish whims or cave in to powerful special interest groups? Isn't there already an ample supply at the capitol?

   What we are short of are legislators with guts; people who have the courage to stand up and speak out for what they believe. I know from my years of fighting the battles in the capitol that Minneapolis needs more leaders like Joe Mullery. Please send him back.

Wes Skoglund,

Former Minnesota Senate and House member