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The wine bottles were not meant to make light of alcoholism or the crime's seriousness, said state House Majority Leader Chet Pollert.

Kirsten Baesler, superintendent of public instruction who faces pending charges of driving under the influence for a Feb. 26 stop along Interstate 94 in Bismarck, was the keynote speaker at the Lincoln Day Dinner held at the Jamestown Knights of Columbus for Republicans in Districts 12 and 29.

The districts sold several bottles of Baeslers Bulldog Red Baesler graduated from Flasher Public Schools, whose mascot is a bulldog and Supt. Baeslers Honor Roll White, which features an A+ on the label. That night, Baesler, a Republican, signed the bottles of wine at the request of fundraiser organizers but did not take any home, Pollert said.

"I was told it was a longstanding tradition for the districts to auction off bottles of wine that had been personalized for the keynote speaker and signed by that person," Baesler said in a statement Tuesday, March 3. I was unaware of this tradition beforehand. I was told they were a major piece of the fundraising auction and that I would only be signing them.

Baesler declined to comment beyond the statement.

The event was meant to raise money to help reelect Republicans in the districts, said Pollert, a Republican from District 29. The wine was not meant to make a mockery of the superintendents office, drunken driving or anyone who has been arrested for a DUI, he said.

Anybody who has problems with alcoholism, or anybody who's had a car accident caused by a person from (drunken) driving, this was not to be a slap in the face for that, he said. I actually went away from that night thinking this was a pretty good social event. People had a good time.

Dwaine Heinrich, the mayor of Jamestown who also serves on the District 12 GOP executive committee, started the tradition of selling wine and pies in 2000. Last year, the districts sold wine bottles with State Auditor Josh Galleons name on them.

This is a tradition that has been done here for years as more of a memento of the evening and a fundraising gimmick, Heinrich said.

No one was endorsed for public office at the event, Pollert said. He estimated about 100 people attended.

Pollert apologized if the events of the fundraiser offended anyone, adding that was not the districts intentions.

If the districts had canceled the event, asked Baesler not to speak or declined to sell the wine, the story would have twisted into the GOP embarrassing the superintendent, Heinrich said. Instead, he feels leaders chose the high road.

Are we going to show compassion to someone whos hurting, or are we going to further hurt someone whos hurting? he asked. If people take that the wrong way, as far as Im concerned, thats OK with me.

Heinrich said he would take responsibility for the fundraiser since it was his idea, adding Baesler should not be blamed.

If theres any fault on the situation to place on anyone, it is on the people who are trying to make this something other than what it was, he said.

Baesler was booked for the event in the fall and reportedly asked if the districts wanted someone else to speak at the fundraiser after she was arrested.

She had not been charged with a DUI as of Tuesday. State troopers said she refused to submit to a chemical test to determine her blood alcohol content. No booking mug was taken.

The Burleigh County State's Attorney's Office said it is reviewing the case.

Baesler previously announced she would seek reelection to her office this year. She has held the post since 2013.

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Republicans auction wine signed by North Dakota K-12 leader days after her DUI arrest - INFORUM

Former Democratic Beaver County sheriff candidate Wayne Kress, who ran unsuccessfully for the seat twice, has become a Republican.

Saying that he has always been a conservative, two-time Democratic Beaver County sheriff candidate Wayne Kress has become a Republican after a falling out with the countys Democratic Party.

So far, Ive been accepted with open arms, Kress, 49, said on Thursday. Im still the same person and the people who know me, who are Democrats, are still behind me.

Republican Sheriff Tony Guy defeated Kress for the seat in 2015 and 2019. Both men are retired state troopers.

Last fall, following his second loss, Kress told The Times that he might reconsider his future as a Democrat.

Kress said he quietly changed his party affiliation about a month or so ago following a disagreement with some unnamed Democratic committee members over a protest for gun rights at the Virginia Capitol on Jan. 20, the day honoring civil rights icon the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

A staunch Second Amendment supporter, Kress said he supported the protest and said it was appropriate for the holiday because King believed in free speech and peaceful protesting.

But, Kress said the Democrats he argued with labeled the protesters racists and Nazis, and condemned him for supporting them. Im not going to change my views or values based on what they tell me to be, he said.

Later that same night, Kress said he resigned from the Beaver County Democratic Committees executive board and a few days later changed his registration online.

Kress said the switch was the inevitable result of his conservative views on guns and abortion colliding with county Democratic leaders trying to make the party more progressive.

Beaver County Democratic Committee Chairwoman Terri Mitko did not respond to messages on Thursday.

While he has attended some GOP fundraisers and petition signings, Kress said he does not have his sights set on running for any particular seat as a Republican.

A Center Township resident, Kress lives in the district represented by state Rep. Josh Kail, R-15, Beaver, and the next countywide election will not be until 2023.

I didnt do it for any political gain or political advantage, he said. I just think that in todays world my views are more with Republicans than when I signed up with the Democrats when I was 18.

Originally posted here:
Kress becomes a Republican after 'falling out' with Democratic Party - The Times

In the Trumpified GOP of 2020, the battle among Republicans over who is or isnt sufficiently supportive of President Donald Trump be downright silly. Many Republicans fear that being accused of being insufficiently pro-Trump could be the political kiss of death. And Politicos Matt Dixon reports that in the important swing state of Florida, some of Gov. Ron DeSantis fellow Republicans are accusing him of not doing enough to help Trump win reelection.

In 2018s gubernatorial race, the far-right DeSantis narrowly defeated the Democratic nominee: former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum. DeSantis, more than anyone, knows how much of a battleground state Florida can be: Gillum, who was endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, ran to the left and just barely lost while DeSantis ran as a Trump loyalist and just barely won.

DeSantis was a Trump loyalist when the president helped propel the two-term Republican congressman into the governors mansion in 2018, Dixon explains. But Trumps Republican allies in Florida now are spreading the word behind the governors back that DeSantis isnt doing enough to repay the political debt.

It remains to be seen whether 2020s Democratic presidential nominee will be Sanders or former Vice President Joe Biden; following Super Tuesday, the primary is essentially a two-person competition between Biden and Sanders. And Bidens supporters are arguing that he would have an easier time winning Floridas 29 electoral votes than Sanders. Florida, a state that went to President Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012 and to Trump in 2016, could turn out to be a real nail-biter on Election Night.

Some of the Florida Republicans quoted in Dixons article insist that there is no tension between Trump and DeSantis, including Rep. Matt Gaetz and Alia Faraj-Johnson (a spokesperson for the Florida GOP). But others Dixon quotes dont see it that way. An anonymously quoted source described by Dixon as a Trump campaign staffer told Politico, It might not be a DeSantis problem, but there is definitely a fucking problem.

That source also told Politico, Florida doesnt have a political leader at the moment who is working to reelect the president. The state party doesnt seem to be building a significant ground game because they lack resources and direction.

Another GOP source in Florida, described by Dixon as a person familiar with party finances, told Politico that a growing point of friction between DeSantis and Trumps reelection is the money raised from a Republican dinner in Florida in December. According to that source, The lack of money being available to the general party is making people around the president suspicious of what the governor is trying to accomplish.

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Behind the governors back: Florida Republicans are accusing Ron DeSantis of not doing enough for Trumps reelection campaign - AlterNet

When Oregon Republicans fled the Capitol a week ago, much of the news coverage and social media discussion in the state focused on the walkout and the climate cap-and-trade bill the GOP sought to kill or have referred to voters.

That began to shift late last week, with news that the first Oregon case of presumptive coronavirus was diagnosed on Friday in the states populous Portland metropolitan area. By Monday there were three Oregon adults with the diagnosis, including one who attended a youth basketball game in Umatilla County.

Oregon has yet to follow Washington, where the coronavirus has so far caused more fatalities, in declaring a state of emergency. The Oregon Health Authority had the resources it needed to work with local health agencies and medical providers as of Sunday, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. But Brown also was ready to declare an emergency if and when necessary, her spokesman said.

Washington also has something Oregon doesnt right now: a full Legislature, meeting and voting on bills. This includes a $100 million emergency funding request from that states health secretary, the Northwest News Network reported.

The increased interest in Oregon leaders response to the spreading virus could pose a quandary for Republicans, most of whom remain out of state in order to block Democrats from passing cap-and-trade or any other bills.

On Monday afternoon, Rep. Greg Barreto, R-Cove, said he was on the phone with the House Republican caucus when a reporter called. Barreto represents the town of Weston, where the basketball game took place in a local school gym.

Quite frankly, I dont know if I can do anything if I was back that I couldnt do over the phone, Barreto said. Really, (Oregon Health Authority) has got the lead on that and I would think the commissioners here in Umatilla County are right there beside them.

Sen. Bill Hansell, R-Athena, also represents Weston. He could not be reached for comment Monday afternoon regarding whether the spread of coronavirus is impacting his decision to stay away from the Capitol and likely outside Oregon.

Meanwhile, one of the two Republicans who has remained at the Capitol, Rep. Cheri Helt of Bend, scheduled a roundtable at a library in her district tonight to discuss preparations for coronavirus.

It is important that we efficiently and effectively communicate with our community to tell our neighbors about the work that is being done to prevent a public health crisis, Helt said in a statement. She invited local government leaders and health professionals to join her for the discussion.

Democrats, who have continued to hold committee meetings this week on climate change, budget bills and other legislation, are also turning their attention to Oregons response to the virus. Senate Human Services Chair Sara Gelser, D-Corvallis, scheduled a Wednesday afternoon briefing on how the state is handling care for high-risk populations including older Oregonians, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, people living in institutional settings and people experiencing homelessness.

The governor also used the campaign apparatus she built for her 2018 reelection to contact her supporters directly with an emailed update.

We are working day and night to contain this disease, Gov. Kate Brown wrote in the email. And as we tackle this challenge, we will be open with the public and share information as quickly as possible. In fact, we announced the first confirmed case within just a few hours of learning the test results.

Christopher McKnight Nichols, a history professor and director of the Oregon State University Center for the Humanities, has written about how governments responded to the 1918 flu pandemic and is closely following the legislative Republican walkouts. He said most Republicans absence from the state during this critical time could bear consequences in this years general election.

In November, one of the cudgels that Democrats have to brandish against Republicans is they walked out at a critical time for Oregonians, McKnight Nichols said. You can imagine this will have a pretty long tail.

Hillary Borrud | hborrud@oregonian.com | 503-294-4034 | @hborrud

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With coronavirus spreading in Oregon, will Republicans rethink their Capitol boycott? - OregonLive

Republican lawmakers under pressure to address the climate crisis are trying to move beyond denying the problem and start proposing solutions. But they still refuse to commit to what scientists say is necessary if the US is to rapidly cut back on burning fossil fuels.

A recent package of legislation proposed by House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy would encourage capturing climate pollutants from power plants but use them to drill for oil.

It would also lead to the planting of a trillion trees to absorb carbon emissions but also ramp up logging, an idea Donald Trump has endorsed.

Its greenwashing, said Randi Spivak, public lands director at the Center for Biological Diversity, which organized a letter of opposition on the tree bill from dozens of environment groups to the House natural resources committee.

The science is very clear, Spivak said. We need to slash our carbon pollution by 50% over the next 10 years if we want to avert the worst impacts of global warming and keep global warming to a 1.5C increase.

The Republican party has seen a pendulum swing. In 2008, its election platform emphasized the importance of cutting emissions. By 2016, Donald Trump ran on a campaign of climate denial.

Now at least some prominent Republicans are breaking from the president and veering away from questioning the science and toward efforts that do not directly attack the coal, oil and gas industries. Facing pushback from the far right, on the other side of the aisle they are criticized by some Democrats who believe they are not proposing legislation in good faith.

Even someone whos not a forester should be able to recognize an olive branch when they see one

Alex Flint, executive director of the Alliance for Market Solutions a right-of-center organization that advocates reducing carbon pollution while growing the US economy said the House bills were directionally correct but need to grow to address the scale of our climate problem.

Flints group backs revenue-neutral carbon tax and deregulation.

I give [House Republicans] a great deal of credit for acknowledging the problem and stepping forward with proposals and recognizing that the politics of this has changed, he said. But also acknowledging that they are in the early stages of really substantive climate proposals.

Bruce Westerman, an Arkansas Republican who introduced the trees bill, insisted his proposal would curb emissions even as it promotes logging.

When trees are cut down, they stop absorbing carbon. Westerman, a forester who worked for an engineering consulting firm in the timber, pulp and paper business, said forest managers would just plant them again.

Products made from the trees would pay for continual planting, he said, and the wood would be used for sustainable buildings with lower emissions footprints.

A scientist called to testify by Democrats, Yale ecology professor Carla Staver, strongly disagreed with Westermans proposals.

Forest management is an important way to fight climate change but it is not enough and it must be done properly, experts agree. A bill from Democrats would aim to conserve forests without increasing logging and by banning oil and gas drilling on public lands if climate emissions exceed targets.

Westerman told the Guardian Democrats should be working with Republicans who want to address climate change.

Even someone whos not a forester should be able to recognize an olive branch when they see one, he said.

Even as Westerman defended his bill, the top Republican on his committee seemed to dismiss the overall effort.

At the beginning of the meeting, to which he was late, Rob Bishop of Utah suggested the elevators in House office buildings would be more timely under the rule of Benito Mussolini than they are with Democrats in charge. Democratic climate proposals, he said, offered not a silver bullet to fix the problem but another bullet that is going to be used to shoot ourselves in the foot.

He then showed a graph demonstrating how US heat-trapping emissions have declined over time.

While the Republican bills are far from aggressive, the right of the party is pushing back. The conservative Club for Growth Pac painted the package as stifling liberal environmental taxes, regulations, and subsidies and vowed to withhold support from any backers.

At the annual CPAC gathering near Washington, the climate change denial group the Heartland Institute presented a German teen activist who calls herself a climate sceptic as a foil to Greta Thunberg.

In Oregon, Republican state senators fled the state capitol in order to derail a climate change bill.

Despite that backdrop, the top Democrat on the House natural resources committee welcomed Westermans proposal. Ral Grijalva said he hoped for a new chapter, focusing on solutions not denial.

He said: For too long my friends on the other side of aisle denied that this was even a real issue. They would reject or even mock the overwhelming scientific consensus that climate is warming humans are responsible and urgent action needs to be taken.

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Republicans are making noises on climate action. Some say it's just greenwashing - The Guardian