Do you think it possible for a person to hold down two full-time employments in cities some 1,400 miles apart? Well, the City Council of Minneapolis thinks so. The facts are simple: Jeremiah Ellison, son of the Attorney General, has been serving as a member of the City Council while also attending Harvard University in Massachusetts on a Fellowship. Membership on the Council is by law a full-time position paying $109,000 per year plus health, travel, and pension. The Harvard Fellowship also stipulates full time attendance and pays $57,500 per year along with room and travel.
And then we have Ellison’s casual attendance record. He has missed 6 of the last 13 meetings of the City Council and does not attend committee meetings. However, the salary checks are full and prompt.
Now, non-residents of Minneapolis may think that this obvious fraud against the taxpayer is none of their business since they do not live in Minneapolis. Well, next year, Minneapolis City Government will be receiving some $82 million in Local Government Aids and those monies come entirely from state taxpayers. In essence, all taxpayers are, unknowingly, contributing to Ellison’s scheme.
Further, the Minneapolis schools are running a deficit of over $30 million which means cuts to the education of the children who need help the most. Ellison was supposed to be their champion.
I suspect political loyalty is involved in the inaction from the State Auditor, Attorney General, and Governor who all have oversight responsibility. Therefore, it would be well for the Legislature to consider passing legislation requiring a full and independent investigation into this matter with the demand that Ellison return all income received from the city after he accepted the position in Massachusetts. Let’s hold our elected officials accountable.
This issue has nothing to do with one-party rule. It’s about an individual who scammed the City for his personal financial benefit. The City of Minneapolis should force him to return Council pay based at the very least equal to the amount he was paid per missed meeting. Going forward, the City and Council will be better off without him.
Agree 100% with Governor Carlson’s assessment. Every Minneapolis taxpayer has standing to demand accountability and return of improper payments. Let us also not forget that this behavior by former CM Ellison was a clear violation of the Minneapolis Ethics Ordinance, and if sustained, a violation of his oath of office, which is potentially a criminal act.
I agree. I am outraged that this was allowed to happen, and that the City Council thought it was fine to go on. There is no way he should have been paid for NOT doing his job. His constituents should be outraged. I am not his constituent and I am outraged. Enough with our elected officials not putting citizens first! Ellison could have finished his term, then done whatever he wanted. This double-dipping is outrageous. We deserve investigation, charges, and the money paid back.
Would he have gotten away with it if he wasn’t a member of a politial power house family? Would he have been elected in the first place without his last name. At least his preferred replacement didn’t win.
There should be a rule that bans other income outside of his city pay.
And unless there is a health issue or family emergency,
City council members should be paid on what percentage of meetings they attend.
More of the corruption that comes with one party rule. Same with the city as with the state.
You forgot to mention the same party rule in DC.
If the gop would run an electable candidate for statewide offices, it wouldn’t be just one party.
Jim Schultz was not electable for AG? Ryan Wilson for Auditor? Jeff Johnson (twice) for Governor? All three were excellent, well-qualified candidates. All three were (at least arguably) superior to the DFL candidates they lost to. I work in metro-area GOP politics, and get very tired of the argument that people don’t have good choices. Metro DFLers would vote for a corpse rather than vote for a Republican. That’s a tough impediment to overcome.
Both the State and City auditor should be interested.