At the request of the Senate Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct, Senate Republicans sent a letter and questionnaire to Minneapolis School Board members and staff yesterday. The subcommittee will resume the hearing for Senator Jeff Hayden (D-Minneapolis) at noon on Wednesday, November 5.

The recipients of the letter were:

Michael Goar, Chief Executive Officer
Michael Thomas, Chief of Schools
Robert  Doty, Chief Operations Officer
Steve Liss, General Counsel
Stan Alleyne, Chief Communications Officer
Adrienne Jordan, Assistant to the Superintendent
Richard  Mammen, Chair, Board of Edcation
Jenny Arneson,  Vice Chair, Board of Education,
Kim Ellison, Clerk, Board of Education
Rebecca  Gagnon, Treasurer, Board of Education
Alberto Monserrate, Director, Board of Education
Tracine Asberry, Director, Board of Education
Carla Bates, Director, Board of Education
Josh Reimnitz, Director, Board of Education
Muhamud Noor, Director, Board of Education
James  Grathwol, Lobbyist
Eric Moore, Director, REA
Bernadeia Johnson, Superintendent

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LETTER

October 29, 2014

As you may know, my colleagues and I recently filed ethics complaints against Senator Jeff Hayden and Senator Bobby Joe Champion for their role in the Minneapolis School Board’s contract with Community Standards Initiative (CSI). Specifically, we allege that Senators Hayden and Champion misused their power as legislators to unduly influence the $375,000 contract to CSI.

The basis for our complaint is a StarTribune article dated September 12, 2014 (North Side school effort called failure), claiming Senator Hayden and Senator Champion “threatened to withhold state aid if Minneapolis school officials did not approve the contract.” This quote was attributed to an unnamed source at the Minneapolis School Board.

In voting to defer our ethics complaints to a November 5, 2014 meeting, the Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct tasked me with seeking additional information about these allegations. Although the Subcommittee does have the power to issue subpoenas, they would prefer your voluntary cooperation at this time.

These senators have been charged publicly with a serious abuse of power, and it is important to them and the entire Minnesota State Senate that we find the truth.

In the spirit of cooperation and in the interest of holding these senators accountable or clearing their good names, I am asking for your help by answering the questions attached to this letter.

I, and the Ethics Subcommittee, appreciate your candid answers to these questions.  We need your response before the next Subcommittee hearing on November 5, 2014.

I recognize the short time frame imposed by our Senate ethics subcommittee schedule. If you would prefer to meet in person or talk over the phone, please call my office at (651) 296-1749 so we can set up a meeting.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation. I look forward to getting this matter behind us so we can return to improving the lives of the people of Minnesota and the Minneapolis School District.

Sincerely,

Senator David Hann

Senate Republican Leader

QUESTIONNAIRE

Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct

Minnesota State Senate

Questions for Minneapolis School Board Members and Staff

October 28, 2014

At any point in the process leading to the awarding of a grant to Community Standards Initiative (CSI):

1. Did you have or participate in any conversations about CSI with Senator Hayden and/or Senator Champion?

2. If so, how many times? Where and when did the conversations take place? What were the names of other individuals who participated in and/or heard the conversation(s)?

3. What was specifically said or implied in those conversations by Senator Hayden and/or Senator Champion?

4. Specifically, did either one or both of them explicitly or implicitly “threaten to withhold state aid if Minneapolis school officials did not approve the contract?” As best you can recall, what were the specific statements made? Who was present during these conversations?

5. Was any suggestion made by either senator that their active support of Minneapolis Public Schools funding was contingent in any way on the CSI grant being awarded? As best you can recall, what were the specific statements made? Who was present during these conversations?

6. Did you have or participate in any conversations about approving the CSI grant without Senators Hayden and Champion present?

7. If so, how many times? Where and when did the conversations take place? What were the names of other individuals who participated in and/or heard the conversation(s)?

8. Did you have any conversations with the media about the CSI contract? If so, with who and what was said?

9. Is there anything else you would like to add concerning this incident?