National group to help MN House Dems
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, an organization dedicated to helping Democratic state legislatures, is positioning itself to help House DFLers this election season.
According to records filed with the state's Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, the group has created two local organizations - DLCC for Minnesota and DLCC Victory Fund.
DFL party chair Ken Martin said the two funds are largely meant to counteract complaints in 2012 that the group gave money directly to the state party. In a complaint to the campaign finance board, former Minnesota Republican Party Chair Pat Shortridge argued that the DFL had violated state rules because it accepted money from the DLCC without saying where the DLCC's money came from.
In 2012, the organization gave the DFL a total of $700,000 as the party campaigned to take control of both the House and Senate. Martin said Minnesota will be a high priority for the group again this year, as Republicans only need seven seats to win control of the House.
A similar organization called the Republican State Leadership Committee has been investing in Minnesota, too. In 2012, the group gave $610,000 to another group that backs Republicans called Minnesota's Future. In 2013, the RSLC gave $11,000 to Minnesota's Future, which spent about that much on Rep. Tama Theis' special election in St. Cloud.
The DLCC did not immediately respond to questions about the two funds.
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