Klobuchar Update

06/21/2005

Dear Friends,

When over 150 people gather for a Democratic Senate candidate fundraiser in Rochester, Minnesota and contribute a combined total of nearly $20,000 sixteen months before the election, you know something is up. That’s what happened three days ago at our Flag Day event at the home of Mary & Ken Moen. Skyline Lane will never be the same. And there weren’t just Democrats there - the place was filled with moderate Republicans and Independents, elected officials and folks who had never been involved before in the political process. We talked about health care and the budget deficit and stem cell research and the need for balance and common sense in Washington. We talked about the changing politics in places like what was once Republicans-only-Rochester, a town where people are now yearning for a stop to the political bickering and finger-pointing in Washington and want it replaced by a common sense, results-oriented approa! ch. We talked about the Minnesota values of hard work and opportunity, fair play and responsibility.

And we talked about all of you...the incredible grass roots campaign we have put together house by house, street by street, parade by parade, town by town. So many of you have volunteered, contributed and written notes to me through the Internet. If you are interested in joining us or are just plain curious, please visit our website at amyklobuchar.com. There you can see pictures from the Rochester event, catch-up on the campaign, and contribute and/or volunteer. And remember to call your friends and pass on this e-mail. I can’t do this without you.

Mrs. Bradovich

Two weeks ago I visited with retired Steelworkers and their families in Hibbing. My relatives on the Range aren’t known for mincing words, and the Steelworkers, who have been personally hurt by unexpected pension cuts and rising health care costs, had just a few things to say to me and State Representative Tony Sertich about what is going on in Washington. We specifically talked about the Bankruptcy Law changes and what is happening with the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation. But the most memorable part of the evening came at the end when a woman from Chisholm stood up and raised her hand and said, “I am Mrs. Rose Bradovich and Amy, you just spoke for 45 minutes without notes. Our President can’t do that.” She later added, “It has been my policy to never vote for a woman. In your case, I’m making an exception. I’m voting for you.”

Law & Order (or What a County Attorney Does)

As I travel around the state, whether I’m in Rochester or Hibbing, Owatonna or Apple Valley, people often ask me about my job as the Hennepin County Attorney.

My job covers a lot of territory: For seven years I’ve represented and served more than 1.1 million people - nearly one-quarter of Minnesota’s total population. My jurisdiction includes 45 communities - encompassing urban, suburban and rural communities.

In terms of responsibilities, I serve as the chief prosecutor of all adult felony crimes and juvenile offenses. That’s more than 12,000 cases each year. I lead an office of nearly 400 employees and I am really proud of the work we do every day. Our prosecutors handle some of the most tragic cases you’ll ever hear about, and they do it with courage, compassion and a commitment to the highest ethical standards. My office also provides legal counsel to the county government, covering areas like transportation, the environment, health and human services. We work at the State Capitol and have been successful in drafting and advocating for many bills aimed at crime prevention and the protection of kids, seniors and the most vulnerable among us.

As the County Attorney, my priorities have always been clear and upfront:

- We’ve targeted career criminals and violent offenders for aggressive prosecution.

- We’ve kept predatory sex offenders off the streets both by criminal prosecution and civil commitment.

- We’ve focused on white-collar financial crimes and crimes committed against seniors and vulnerable adults.

- We’ve worked more closely with schools to make sure kids are safe and to help them stay in the classroom and out of the courtroom.

- And we’ve focused on building closer working relationships with local residents, businesses and police through our community prosecution efforts to better respond to neighborhood crimes.

Since 1999, we’ve succeeded - with the help of many others - in significantly reducing the crime rate in our County (by last count, a 20% reduction in serious crime). We’ve also earned a number of national awards and honors for our innovations - including from the U.S. Department of Justice under both the Clinton and Bush Administrations.

While I’m proud of the work we’ve done in making sure there’s a consequence when someone commits a crime, I’m just as proud of the work we do in preventing crime from happening in the first place - turning a kid’s life around by giving him a second chance after a minor offense, working with seniors to educate them on ways to watch out for identity thieves, or getting a defendant the mental health treatment he needs to lead a law-abiding, productive life.

Leadership

Sometimes people say to me: “You have a really hard job.” OK, I agree, it’s not the easiest job in the world. But compared to what so many of our victims and their families have been through, it’s an honor just to work for them.

These are the everyday heroes in my life: the mom who has the strength to go to work every day and raise her kids after losing a daughter to senseless gang violence; the convenience store attendant who was shot seven times because he dared to tell a gangster to stop making fun of a mentally-disabled guy who hung out at the store; the police officers who stay out until 4 a.m. to find the evidence that makes the case; and the prosecutors who dig through mountains of documents to convict a high-rolling defendant of tax evasion because of their strong belief that we simply can’t have two systems of justice - one for the rich and powerful and one for everyone else.

In my job during the past seven years, I’ve gone to work every day knowing exactly who needs my support and my leadership - people who are counting on me not only to stand by them, but to stand UP for them. When I go to Washington, everyday heroes from across the state can count on me to be there for them day in and day out. They can count on it, because they know I have a proven track record as a common-sense leader who sees what needs to be done and who works hard to make it happen.

Common-sense leadership is about listening to people. That’s what I do in my job as the County Attorney and it is what Minnesotans expect. I’ve listened to the needs of citizens in my past two winning campaigns. And that’s exactly what I’m doing right now in this campaign for the U.S. Senate as I’ve traveled to communities throughout the state. We can’t let this election be determined by the well-heeled special interests or self-app! ointed political consultants in Washington. This election is about the people of Minnesota - our concerns and our hopes.

Thank you for your continued interest in our campaign. Please spread the word to your family, friends and neighbors. I’m running for the United State Senate to make a difference and serve the people of Minnesota - and I need you with me all the way to win this election.

Sincerely,
Amy Klobuchar

P.S. To join my campaign, contribute, or volunteer, please visit our website amyklobuchar.com.