May 5, 2006 9:40 am US/Central
Some Wonder If Pohlad Contributions Led To Stadium
St. Paul (AP) ―
With the Minnesota Twins closer than ever to public subsides for a new ballpark, some people opposed to the plan want to know if campaign contributions by owner Carl Pohlad and his family are playing a role.
Over the years, the Pohlads donated more than $250,000 to legislators, candidates for governor and political parties. While some contributions went to ardent supporters, others went to lawmakers who have warmed to stadium proposals.
The Pohlads -- Carl and sons William, Robert and James -- have stayed quiet about their giving patterns. But team president Dave St. Peter downplayed the donations.
"They've been asked for contributions and they've chosen to provide some contributions," he said.
Recipients say they have been influenced by the merits of particular proposals, not by contributions.
"There is absolutely no connection to Mr. Pohlad's contribution to Governor Pawlenty or the Democratic caucus or Steve Sviggum or wherever," Sviggum said. The Republican House speaker himself received contributions in 2002 from the Pohlads and has supported Twins stadium plans for years.
By comparison, big business, labor and Indian tribes have spent far more money over the years on political campaigns than the Pohlads have.
Sen. John Marty, a firm opponent of taxpayer subsidies for stadiums, said the contributions have made a difference.
"They're not buying votes, they're buying access and goodwill," said Marty, DFL-Roseville. "Buying access and goodwill leads to the results they want. They don't need to buy the votes."
The Twins ballpark plan approved by the Minnesota House would give Hennepin County special permission to raise its sales tax without holding a referendum. A Senate version would raise money through a metrowide sales tax that would be subject to voter approval.
Sen. Steve Kelley, a DFL senator from Hopkins and a candidate for governor, is sponsoring the Twins stadium bill. Campaign finance records show that he received $1,500 from the Pohlads in 2005 after getting $1,000 for his Senate campaign in 2002.
Kelley said the contributions are small in the context of the half-million dollars he has raised for a gubernatorial campaign.
He said he was a stadium backer before Pohlad made any donations.
"Legislators sort of decide where they're at, and the folks who agree with them on it decide to support them," he said.
In 2002, the Pohlad family contributed $26,000 to five gubernatorial candidates in 2002. Republican Tim Pawlenty, the victor, got $2,000 that year and another $1,000 in the years since.
Pawlenty opposed Twins plans as a state legislator but has been supportive as governor.
His campaign spokesman, Michael Krueger, denied that the contributions caused his change of heart. Krueger said the governor has "established a pattern of taking on powerful interests," including the pharmaceutical and tribal gambling industries.
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The Metrodome opened in 1982.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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