Geoff Michel

Geoff Michel
Member of the Minnesota Senate
from the 41st district
In office
January 7, 2003 – January 7, 2013
Preceded by redrawn district
Succeeded by district redrawn
Minnesota Senate Deputy Majority Leader
In office
January 4, 2011 – December 27, 2011
Preceded by Position Created
Succeeded by Julianne Ortman
Personal details
Born (1963-11-13) November 13, 1963
Political party Republican Party of Minnesota
Spouse(s) Annie
Children 4
Residence Edina, Minnesota
Alma mater Dartmouth College
University of Minnesota Law School
Occupation attorney, legislator

Geoff Michel (born November 13, 1963) is a Minnesota politician and former member of the Minnesota Senate who represented District 41, which included portions of the southwestern Twin Cities suburbs of Edina and Bloomington in Hennepin County. A Republican, he was first elected to the Senate in 2002, succeeding retiring Senator Roy Terwilliger, who represented the area as District 42 before the 2002 legislative redistricting. Michel was reelected in 2006 and 2010.[1]

Michel was named deputy majority leader in January 2011. In December 2011 he briefly served as interim majority leader after the resignation of former leader Amy Koch,[2] leaving the position when the Republican caucus replaced its leadership team.[3] Michel is chair of the Senate Jobs and Economic Growth Committee and of the Senate Rules and Administration Subcommittee for Redistricting. He also served on the Senate's Rules and Administration and Taxes committees, and on the Rules and Administration subcommittees for Committees and for Conference Committees. Michel was an assistant minority leader from 2005 to 2011.[4] His special legislative concerns included education, transportation, and taxes.[5]

In March 2012, Michel announced he would not seek reelection to the Minnesota Senate.[6] On March 19, 2012, an ethics complaint was filed against Michel by Senator Sandy Pappas. Pappas claimed that Michel had “betrayed the public’s trust” by providing an inaccurate statement to the media and that he had brought “dishonor and disrepute” to the Minnesota Senate.[7] The Minnesota Senate Rules and Administration Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct conducted two hearings into the complaint, but deadlocked on a resolution.[8] The ethics complaint against Michel remains unresolved.

The short time that Michel served as Interim Senate Majority Leader has come under additional scrutiny due to a pending lawsuit from a former employee of the Minnesota Senate, Michael Brodkorb. Michel was listed in initial paperwork regarding Brodkorb's planned lawsuit over his termination from the Minnesota Senate.[9] On May 25, 2012, the Minnesota Senate released legal bills showing they had spent $46,150 in the first 3 months of 2012 to prepare a defense to Brodkorb's suit.[10]

On June 19, 2012, the Minnesota Senate announced additional legal bills in the amount of $38,533, bringing the total legal costs incurred by the Minnesota Senate due to the termination of Brodkorb to almost $85,000 since the end of the May 2012.[11]

Michel is an attorney, and works as a corporate counsel for Securian Financial Group. He also served as legal counsel for Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson's office from 1990 to 1994, and was a legislative assistant to former U.S. Congressman Bill Frenzel.[12] He graduated from Minnetonka High School in Minnetonka, then attended Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, earning a B.A. degree. He went on to the University of Minnesota Law School, earning a J.D. degree.[13]

Michel has served on various government and community boards and organizations. He is a former board member of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, and a former chair of the chamber's education committee. He is also a former member of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Citizen Board. He is a board member of the Minnesota Children's Museum, and of the Edina Soccer Club.[14]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=10800
  2. ↑ Amy Koch's surprise announcement leaves GOP senators searching for new leader
  3. ↑ New Senate majority leader? In crisis, Republicans turn to Senjem again
  4. ↑ http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/member_bio.php?leg_id=10800
  5. ↑ http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=10800
  6. ↑ "Geoff Michel Won’t Run for Re-Election to Minnesota Senate," KMSP-TV
  7. ↑ Bierschbach, Briana (March 19, 2012). "DFL senators file ethics complaint against Geoff Michel for handling of Koch scandal". Politics in Minnesota. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  8. ↑ Bierschbach, Briana (April 17, 2012). "Senate ethics panel deadlocks again over DFL complaint against Geoff Michel". Politics In Minnesota. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  9. ↑ Stassen-Berger, Rachel (March 15, 2012). "Brodkorb: Other staffers who had affairs treated differently". Star Tribune. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
  10. ↑ Lohn, Martiga (May 25, 2012). "State's costs in possible Brodkorb suit mount". Associated Press. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
  11. ↑ Lohn, Martiga (June 19, 2012). "Minn. Senate legal bill jumps to $84K in Brodkorb case". Associated Press. Archived from the original on June 21, 2012. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  12. ↑ http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=38934
  13. ↑ http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=10800
  14. ↑ http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=38934
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