Karen Minnis

From dKosopedia

Karen Minnis is the Republican Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives. Minnis is a fourth term Republican representing Oregon House District 49 which includes the cities of Fairview, Troutdale and Wood Village and a portion of Gresham, in East Multnomah County. She almost lost her seat to Democrat Rob Brading, who ran against her for the Oregon State House District 49 seat, in the 2004 General elections. While outspending Brading nearly 7 to 1, Minnis came within 1,524 votes (7 percentage points) of losing as the incumbant Speaker of the House. She is challenged again by Brading in the 2006 general election.

Minnis is the first speaker since 1993 to preside over the House in consecutive sessions, having served as speaker during the 2003 and 2005 legislative sessions.

1 Contempt for the Truth
2 Background
3 Education
4 Legislative Leadership Positions
5 External links

Contempt for the Truth

That Minnis is running neck and neck with Democrat Brading in the 2006 race is evident from the attempt to smear Brading in a campaign flier featuring a photograph of her Brading under the headline, "This man is responsible for children viewing Internet porn in our county library." The flyer asserts that Brading has a "history of supporting pornography." Brading served on the 15-member Multnomah County Library Advisory Board and supported the board's opposition to filters that blocked access to sex-related Web sites on library computers, including those routinely available to children. Source: n.a. "An Expensive race, and a Cheap Shot A Flier Saying Rob Brading Has a "History" of Pornography is Ugly, and Karen Minnis Should Tell her Allies to Halt It." The Oregonian. August 31, 2006.

Background

Born and raised in Portland, Speaker Minnis is a graduate of James Monroe High School in Portland and has attended Clark Community College. A limited education doesn't prevent her from advocating legislation on complex social problems. Married since 1972, Minnis and her husband have two sons, a daughter and two grandsons.

Minnis was first elected to the House in 1998. She has extensive prior legislative experience, not in her own right but as the wife and paid staff member for her husband, former State Representative John Minnis. Does her husband now serve as her paid satff member? Or perhaps some other family member? Nepotism might be primitive and corrupt but it sure is conservative!

Decoding the claim that "Speaker Minnis has sought to strike a balance between the services government provides while being sensitive to taxpayers," it is clear that she supports government policies that favor the wealthy over those whose labor actually produces wealth and over those who have legitimate claims on society's beneficence.

Education

Minimal: James Monroe High School, attended Clark Community College. Does attended mean "failed to receive degree?"

Legislative Leadership Positions

Oregon House Majority Leader, 2001-2002; oregon House Speaker, January 2003-present; Chair, Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education; Co-Chair, Emergency Board; Co-Chair, Legislative Counsel Committee.