NEW DB SERIES: "Bachmann's Associates" - Rep. Mark Olson

Monday, Larry Schumacher asked a question in his Saint Cloud Times blog: After denying that she [Bachmann] said what people think she said, she gets around to the crux of her argument about what she was trying to say in this paragraph: "Why isn’t it appropriate to ask about the formative relationships he’s had? The types of relationships that may have influenced Barack Obama’s views on public policy and on government decision making? Why is the media more intent on learning the type of plumbing license Joe the Plumber has than on exploring the obvious questions about Barack Obama’s formative relationships with people such as the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Bill Ayers — people with views far outside the mainstream, where most voters find themselves?" My interpretation of that statement: a politician's associations and relationships are fair game for media scrutiny and the consequences of the beliefs and actions of those associates legitimately fall directly onto the politician. Am I reading that wrong? Nope. In one of several recent interviews on right-wing talk radio, Michele Bachmann reiterated her call for the media to "investigate" the associations of Barack Obama. Just for the fun of it, Dump Bachmann will apply Bachmann's "guilt by association" standard to... Michele Bachmann. In the days leading up to the election, Dump Bachmann will take a look at some of Michele Bachmann's associations. First up, Bachmann's close associate and colleague in the Minnesota Legislature... Rep. Mark Olson Bachmann worked closely with Olson on his wacky wing-nut crusades; the Marriage Amendment, Personal Rapid Transit, monkey-wrenching real transit etc... Bachmann and Rep. Mark Olson Bachmann co-authored a bill inspired by pseudo-historian David Barton to support faith-based history in the public schools. Here's an audio clip from Bachmann's wacky speech at the 2006 YCRBUCH event where she talks about the bill she and Olson championed in the MN Legislature: This is from Mark Olson's campaign literature from 2006: Bachman also supported Olson's wacky Personal Rapid Transit boondoggle. Like Rep. Mark Olson, Bachmann opposed reality-based transit such the very successful Hiawatha Light Rail Line and the Northstar Commuter Line. Five days after Rep. Mark Olson was re-elected, he was arrested for domestic abuse: State Representative Mark Olson was arrested Sunday and is in Sherburne County Jail facing charges of domestic abuse, Sherburne County Sheriff?s Department chief deputy Scott Gudmanson said. Sherburne County authorities were called to the Big Lake Township home Olson shares with his wife, Heidi, at 20945 Sherburne County Road 43 about 5 p.m. Sunday, Gudmanson said. Sherburne County asked Blaine Police Department to arrest Olson at a residence in Blaine, he said. Olson is being held on allegations of fifth-degree domestic assault. Gudmundson wouldn't release details of the incident. The St. Cloud Times first reported the arrest on its Web site. Minnesota law defines fifth-degree assault as causing physical harm, trying to inflict such harm or causing someone to fear immediate physical harm or death. "We would have to have probable cause to make an arrest," Gudmundson said, adding that Olson will remain in jail until he appears before a judge. That could happen any time between now and noon Tuesday. Gudmanson said the alleged victim is Olson?s wife. He would not provide additional details about the events that led to Olson?s arrest. He said the sheriff?s department had not been called to that address before. The arrest was made at a private school in Blaine at 7:45 p.m. Sunday, almost three hours after authorities were called to the Olsons' Big Lake home. Blaine Police Chief Dave Johnson said two officers checked Calvin Christian School as a possible location for Olson, his church meets there. He was arrested without incident, handcuffed and transferred to Sherburne County authorities. Olson refused to plead at his arraignment and refused to leave the Legislature. He was ejected from the MN GOP House Caucus, but he continued to rant and rave on the House floor while other legislators cringed. During one session, Olson was caught on video ranting about suicide and "death!, death!, death!": After his conviction on one count of domestic assault, Olson declined to run again for his House seat and instead announced he would run for the MN Senate District 16 seat vacated by Betsy Wergin. He was endorsed at the MN 16 Convention last Summer and again recently after he lost the primary. The MN GOP Senate Caucus wants nothing to do with Olson. Even Republican operative and former Bachmann campaign consultant Michael Brodkorb and Senator Norm Coleman threw Mark Olson under the bus. And where is Michele Bachmann's condemnation of her ol' pal Rep. Mark Olson? Where is Bachman's titanium spine when it comes to denouncing the MN GOP's poster boy for domestic violence?... (sound of crickets). Olson is still in the race for the Senate as a write-in candidate. He and Republican candidate Allison Kruegger will likely spit the GOP vote resulting in another DFL in the MN Senate... Gary Gross of Let Freeedom Ring had this to say about Rep. Mark Olson: I’d say that getting convicted of Domestic Assault-Misdemeanor-Commits Act With Intent to Cause Fear of Immediate Bodily Harm or Death fits most people’s definition of depravity or vile, shameful, or base character. I’m disgusted with Mr. Olson. It’s apparent that Mr. Olson picks and chooses which rules, laws and promises he’ll obey which ones he’ll ignore. What type of lawmaker picks which laws he’ll abide by and which he’ll ignore? Does Olson think that he’s above the law? For that matter, does he think he should be exempted from keeping his promises? If he says that Minnesota elected officials should be required to resign if they’re of a felony or any crime involving dishonesty or moral terpitude, why shouldn’t he have resigned immediately after his conviction? There’s one thought that I can’t get past: Mark Olson’s life is the picture of arrogance and elitism. How dare he criticize Leader Senjem for his elitism. Like Bachmann, Olson is doing a heck of job for the Grand Ol' Party. A recent LTE to the Star News: Don’t waste vote on Rep. Mark Olson Wednesday, 22 October 2008 Recently a writer suggested that we place a write-in vote for Mark Olson. This is suggested despite the fact that Olson was convicted of domestic assault and is someone who thinks that his own religious values are superior to, and should replace, everyone else’s. But whether or not you agree with Olson’s fringe politics, here is the real reason not to place a vote for Mark Olson. He will never be allowed to get anything done in office because even his own party does not want to work with him. They have banished him from their ranks because he was an embarrassment. This would mean that the people of our district would effectively be left without representation. If you are ready for change, a better vote would be for Steve Andrews. — Cindy Rohde, Zimmerman This is a video of Heidi Olson explaing her ordeal to reporters after Rep. Mark Olson's sentencing: Heidi Olson has since reunited with Rep. Mark Olson and appears in this sad video (with sappy music) on Rep. Mark Olson's new campaign website: Yep, Rep. Mark Olson is the sort of guy Michele Bachmann likes to pal around with. NEXT UP... - Bachmann's association With Two... TWO... Sixties Radicals!!!