Letters: And where was Demuth when all this happened?

Sigh. Another general election and another set of misleading/misinformation ads on the make. This time, they’re from Lisa Demuth, candidate for Minnesota governor.

Elected to the Minnesota House in 2018, Demuth has served on various early childhood, education and health funding committees, as well as the powerful tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, and has served leadership roles as both minority leader and speaker. Meanwhile, several state programs over which the Legislature, and leader Demuth, has had direct oversight responsibility now are said to have been subjects of “waste, fraud and abuse.” All while under Demuth’s watch.

Yet, Demuth now somehow blames her opponent for governor, Amy Klobuchar, a federal official working out of Washington, D.C., and who has no such oversight responsibility, for that same “waste, fraud and abuse.”

The best Demuth can muster is to blame Klobuchar for backing a large federal operating budget, needed to keep the government open, that contained one provision to fund a “Justice Empowerment Initiative” sponsored by a small, barely viable nonprofit — according to The Hill newspaper. But this funding was stripped from the federal budget bill long before going anywhere. So, how is this an example of “waste, fraud and abuse” coming from the federal government — or from Klobuchar?

Again, Demuth, not Klobuchar, had the watchful eye over state programs. Demuth should reconsider, and withdraw, this set of ads. They’re misleading at best and outright misinformation at worst.

David F. Fisher, Bloomington

Divine inspiration

I loved everything about Mary Divine’s article reporting, “St. Paul tour guide ‘Sister Celeste’ is hanging up her habit (Oct. 4).” The writer’s prose is so precise and studded with significant details, I was literally taken on the tour with Sister Celeste.

A resident of that neighborhood for over 40 years, I learned lots about the Gilded Age, Summit Avenue, Overlook Park, the whole shebang.

The use of deep history to illuminate Sister Celeste’s stories is akin to the wise ways a historian like Heather Cox Richardson sees the current moment in the deeper context of historical experience.

A pleasure to read, the article opened my eyes to the deep roots of the neighborhood. Brava!

Mike Hazard, Minneapolis

Who monitors the ‘monitors’?

The Justice Department’s formal announcement the other day of its intention to deploy “monitors” to midterm election sites, primarily in inner-city urban areas like Minneapolis and St. Paul, among others, is a predicate for what the Trump administration has in mind for contesting the results.

The monitors will undoubtedly come up with various perceived irregularities, or “anomalies,” to borrow a phrase used by pillow manufacturer Mike Lindell calling for a recount after he lost the Republican gubernatorial primary by some 43,000 votes. Their observations will provide provide fuel for the bevy of lawsuits forthcoming by the Republicans.

In addition to creating chaos, confusion and delay through litigation, the monitoring reports will provide a basis for the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, to refuse to seat various elected Democratic members in the first week in January in order to fulfill the speaker’s pledge at the Republican mini-convention in Texas last month that “we will not allow” the Democrats to achieve a majority in that body, augmenting President Donald Trump’s urge “to cheat.”

It remains unclear whether the Senate will try the same tack although the certification process differs there.

With these machinations looming, anyone anticipating that the Democrats will be seated without incident with a majority after the first of the year ought to stay away from those betting pools.

Marshall H. Tanick, Minneapolis

More studies, anyone?

I would find it amusing, if it wasn’t so disappointing, that so many elected officials now call for studies of automated vehicles since Gov. Mark Dayton established an Advisory Council to study these very issues more than eight years ago and Gov. Tim Walz has continued the work of this council to this day.

It would seem these elected officials are pandering to certain constituencies rather than doing their homework first. It would be nice if they at least recognized the research that has already been done!

Frank Douma, St Paul

Keeping tabs

Years ago, while teaching small children how to cut up veggies for snacks, the first lesson was always, “Ask yourself, where are my fingers?” The students, now adults, laugh when they tell me, “I still ask myself that question every time I pick up a sharp knife.” What’s the lesson for today? “Ask yourself, what does my candidate support?”

Under current leadership, we have seen our state’s education ranking fall dramatically, while our taxes have increased and an $18 billion surplus disappeared. Minnesota is now a leader in corruption and embezzled funds. Gang violence is rampant. Voting for the candidates who have overseen this decline, out of lifelong loyalty, will change nothing. “Ask yourself, what does my candidate support?”

Kathleen Langer, St. Paul

Sainted

To the University of Minnesota Women’s Club for bestowing over $260,000 in scholarships this year alone to 55 deserving University of Minnesota students Oct. 6 at a luncheon in Roseville. The Club is approaching $2 million in scholarship awards over its 115 years of existence. We are encouraged and impressed at the students’ fortitude and sense of community that gives us a positive outlook for our future.

Joni Dreelan Mitchell, Roseville; the writer is membership chair, University of Minnesota Women’s Club

A better way

I appreciate Jane Prince’s suggestion (Oct. 8) for an alternate way for St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and Police Chief Axel Henry to address the issues that have been raised. I too want their time and the city’s money spent on running the business of the city.

Pauline Eichten, St. Paul

Time to show up

Political debates are much like job interviews. The only difference being that a job interview is private and a political debate is public. If one was to skip a job interview, there would be cause for immediate disqualification. As such, if a person, seeking an elected office, was to skip a debate, there must be, without reservation, an immediate disqualification for your vote. It’s simply inexcusable.

Mark Kirchner, St. Paul