From the In Box.

We got the following today from a reader that is in response to Margaret Martin's post "Free Towing for Welfare Recepients"

I live in Rep Jeremy Kalins district and was very upset to read the article by Margaret Martin dated 3/11/08, in which he was quoted as saying, "welfare recipients are the real working people of minnesota, because they are trying to get to the top of the economic food heap". I shared that article with several of my customers, and a friend of mine faxed kalin the article. Please read the response that was recieved....
Dear _________, Thanks for your fax and the opportunity to correct the record. The quote was entirely fabricated by the republican caucus. I did not say it or anything close to it. Further, the amandment does not do anything close to providing "free towing for welfare recipients". In fact, the only way that small provision in my amendment would be relevent would be if somebody abandoned his or her vehicle in the tow lot.
Thanks for the opportunity to correct the record. One of my mottos is "In God we
trust, everyone else needs to bring the data".

Margaret was very clear in the post that this was an "off mike" remark and that she was getting this information second hand.

Here is an annotated transcript that was forwarded to me today of the discussion
during that interval of the House floor session on May 10, 2007:...
Note: When Rep. Seifert said "if you are on some type of public relief program, and
you don't scoop your vehicle out and it gets towed, you kind of get treated differently than if you are someone who works," Rep. Kalin shook his head. And when there was a brief break in the action ten seconds later, Rep. Kalin said aloud, "welfare recipients are the real working people of Minnesota, because they are trying to get to the top of the economic heap." It is not on the tape, but it was heard. And it is consistent with Rep. Kalin's underlined comments that are noted above.

Rep. Kalin contacted us asking that the post be removed. An email was sent to Rep. Kalin's official email address today asking if he would be interested in offering a response to the post. We will be posting his response as soon as we get it and we will also be more than happy to hear from anyone who may have heard the remarks that were made, off mike, on the House floor.

Cross posted from True North to allow comments!