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DFL senator's new job with lobbying group raises questions -TwinCities.comPage 3of 5 <br />DFL senator's new job with lobbying <br />Happening Around the Twin Cities <br />group raises questions <br />News <br />Love's Jobs <br />+ <br />By Kyle Potter <br />@LovesJobs <br />Click to get the best daily news <br />Associated Press <br />POSTED: 01/12/2015 12:01:00 AM CST <br />#StPaul(https://twitter.com/search?q=% <br />UPDATED: 01/12/2015 03:17:08 PM CST <br />23StPaul), IN #Retail <br />(https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Retail)#Job <br />(https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Job): Retail <br />Cashier at Love's Travel Stops & Country St... <br />Minnesota Senate <br />bit.ly/1up6Qxu(http://t.co/frfWSkKKAy)#Jobs <br />leaders pushed <br />(https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Jobs) <br />Monday for an <br />#TweetMyJobs(https://twitter.com/search? <br />q=%23TweetMyJobs) <br />outside look into <br />whether a <br />10m <br />Democrat's new job <br />Crowdynews <br />as the head of an Iron <br />Range lobbying <br />group conflicts with <br />his role as a <br />lawmaker. <br />(/portlet/article/html/imageDisplay.jsp? <br />Sen. David <br />contentItemRelationshipId=6523079) <br />Tomassoni, DFL- <br />Sen. David Tomassoni, DFL- <br />Chisholm, was hired <br />Chisholm (Courtesy photo) <br />last week as executive <br />director of the Range Association of Municipalities and Schools, an organization funded in part by <br />public money that lobbies for those interests at the Capitol. His hiring, first reported by the Mesabi <br />Daily News, immediately raised questions about whether the two roles would clash. <br />St. Paul Local Guide <br />Senate Republicans called the two jobs a blatant conflict of interest, and raised the prospect of <br />(http://mylocal.twincities.com/) <br />filing an ethics complaint against Tomassoni if he goes ahead with both jobs. Senate DFL <br />leadership has urged Tomassoni to ask the state's Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board <br />for an advisory opinion. <br />Featured Businesses <br />No such request had been filed as of Monday afternoon, board Director Gary Goldsmith said. <br />Minnesota Opera <br />(http://mylocal.twincities.com/minneapolis- <br />Tomassoni said Monday his new job makes it no different than "a farmer voting on farm issues or <br />MN/arts-and-entertainment/theater- <br />a lawyer voting on court issues," but he outlined several steps he'll take to reduce concern. <br />company/Minnesota-Opera-612-333-6669) <br />His role will be administrative, he said, so he won't be lobbying his fellow lawmakers; the group <br />Prelude Cares <br />will hire an independent lobbyist if it feels it needs to. He also promised to recuse himself from any <br />(http://mylocal.twincities.com/woodbury- <br />votes where the association stands to benefit. <br />MN/medical/assisted-living/Prelude-Cares- <br />651-501-6513) <br />Tomassoni's work won't start until after the legislative session ends in late May, and he'll take an <br />Burger Moes <br />unpaid leave of absence during every session. <br />(http://mylocal.twincities.com/st.-paul- <br />The reduced schedule will bring his pay to <br />Advertisement <br />MN/business-services/secretarial- <br />about $45,000, he said. His predecessor was <br />services/Burger-Moes-651-222-3100) <br />paid $80,000 in 2012, according to the group's <br />Spire Federal Credit Union <br />most recent nonprofit financial filings. <br />(http://mylocal.twincities.com/princeton- <br />MN/finance/credit-unions/Spire-Federal- <br />"I think this is all above board here," Tomassoni <br />Credit-Union-763-389-2572) <br />said. "We all have certain little conflicts here." <br />Airtech Heating & Cooling <br />If Tomassoni goes ahead with both jobs, Senate <br />(http://mylocal.twincities.com/south-st.-paul- <br />Minority Leader David Hann said there's "a <br />MN/services/heating-and-air- <br />very strong likelihood" the GOP will file an <br />conditioning/Airtech-Heating-and-Cooling- <br />ethics complaint against him. <br />651-340-5956) <br />"Do we really have to say out loud that it's not a <br />good idea to be a lobbyist and a senator at the <br />Find St. Paul Attractions <br />same time? He represents these cities in the Legislature," Hann said. "Are they just asking for an <br />ethics complaint?" <br />Search for a business <br />But two GOP House members quickly came to Tomassoni's defense. <br />Search by keyword or Zi <br />p <br />"In all our interactions with Senator Tomassoni, he has upheld the highest standards of ethics and <br />integrity. We disagree with those who have been critical of the Senator's new employment," Reps. <br />Pat Garofalo and Rod Hamilton said in a joint statement. <br />Add your business here + <br />(http://mylocal.twincities.com/#add_business) <br />http://www.twincities.com/politics/ci_27304852/dfl-senator-says-new-job-heading-lobbying-group <br />