Senate GOP Admits 'Mistake' With Minn. Brochures

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The spokesman for the Minnesota Senate's Republicans said Tuesday that he made a mistake by including a link to a political fundraising page on taxpayer-funded brochures distributed at last week's precinct caucuses.

Communications director Steve Sviggum said he stands by the content of the materials but acknowledged it was wrong for them to refer people to a donation website. The link was altered Tuesday just as the state Democratic Party prepared to file a complaint.

The brochures prompted Democratic backlash against the Senate GOP caucus and a dozen Republican senators. The literature was distributed only at GOP caucuses and touted Republican lawmakers for fighting the Democratic governor's budget.

Sviggum, a former House speaker, said the Senate GOP campaign committee will reimburse the state $47 for printing costs.

"The staff and the senators, they are innocent," Sviggum said. "It was my decision."

Democrats asked an administrative hearing board to declare the senators in violation of campaign laws and impose penalties.

Democratic Party Chairman Ken Martin said the issue isn't the cost but the principle.

"It doesn't matter if it's one dime or thousands of dollars," he said.

Martin wants the hearing board to punish all senators involved.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)