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Capitol View®
Tim Pugmire

Hayden denies ethics allegations, panel delays action

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haydenhearing

State Sen. Jeff Hayden told an ethics hearing Wednesday that the complaints filed against him are unfounded and offensive.

Senate Republicans have accused Hayden, DFL-Minneapolis, of using his elected office for personal gain. One GOP complaint deals with Hayden’s role with Community Action of Minneapolis, the nonprofit suspected of misusing taxpayer money. The other accuses Hayden of pressuring the Minneapolis school district to do business with the organization Community Standards Initiative.

Hayden, who was under oath, denied any wrongdoing.

“I am offended by this baseless attack against my integrity,” Hayden told members of the subcommittee on ethical conduct.

Hayden asked the panel to dismiss both GOP complaints. His attorney, Charlie Nauen, said Republicans offered no evidence to back up their allegations against Hayden.

“There have to be facts that form the basis of a complaint,” Nauen said. It can’t be a fishing expedition.”

But Senate Minority Leader David Hann, R-Eden Prairie, urged the panel to find probable cause and launch a full investigation.

“There are things here that need to be investigated,” Hann said. “They’re either true or false. If true, they’re very damaging to the Senate and to Sen. Hayden. If false, then that completely exonerates and clears both the Senate and Sen. Hayden, and I think one those things has to happen.”

DFL motions to dismiss the complaints failed both times on 2-to-2 party line votes.

The subcommittee deferred action until November 5 when it will also hold a hearing on a separate GOP ethics complaint against Sen. Bobby Joe Champion, DFL-Minneapolis.