Drinking at the State Capitol (Minnesota - yes, while IN SESSION)

KMSP (Fox 9 Twin Cities) ^ | 5/27/2004 | AP / KMSP

[ElkGroveDan]

Because it's illegal and inappropriate!!

It's illegal to drink beer in an office? Is it illegal to eat a ham and cheese sandwhich too?

What would your employer do if you decided to throw a bash in your office during the workday?

Many employers do serve refreshments on occasion. Again, we're not talking about snorting cocain, dropping acid or guzzling Tequila from a funnnel. This discussion is about a couple of coolers of cold beer, for an unknown number of employees.

[ElkGroveDan]

This wasn't a few beers, there were several large trash cans full.

OK if it was for 10 employees that would be a bit much. But if it was for 60 or 70 employees to have one beer each, then you would need several trash cans.

[Solson]

It's illegal to drink on Capitol grounds, yes! And it totally inappropriate!

Your comparison to doing cocaine doesn't wash here Dan. They were partying in the Capitol, during session, not with their staffers, not with other legislators but with LOBBYISTS!

This isn't "serving refreshments on occasion." This was a full out drunk fest. It wasn't a couple of employee's having a beer. It was lobbyists and legislators getting hammered on our dime.

[ElkGroveDan]

if ANYONE ELSE DID IT they'd be strung up. The laws are the problem...and these are the LAWMAKERS doing their usual....breaking the very laws they make.

Drinking beer in an office is illegal in Minnesota???

[goodnesswins]

see solson's post above

[Terriergal]

Democrat-Farm-Labor party.

[Terriergal]

I'm shocked I tell you, shocked.

I thought I heard Joe Soucheray say they tried to find some Repubs drinking, but they couldn't.

[Terriergal]

If these legislators and staff had a couple of beers with their late night pizza, so what?

The problem was the attitude - they were cramming to try and get something done and drinking whiskey and harder stuff. how well do people work when they're sitting around drinking. The attitude of the people in the story was what was irritating.

[Terriergal]

"If these legislators and staff had a couple of beers with their late night pizza, so what?" Agreed.

You obviously didn't see the story. It wasn't just 'having a beer with pizza' - it was much more than that. Gifts of alcohol are illegal from lobbyists to lawmakers. And that is what was happening. Large coolers full. And they'd complain nothing was getting done. Some of the lawmakers sat in their offices and chummed around with lobbyists and drank and were absent from things they were supposed to be voting on.

[Terriergal]

Does Minnesota have a LWI law? (Legislating while intoxicated)

No. That probably explains why this is the 'state where nothing is allowed' (unless you're an elected official).

[Terriergal]

But God help you in that liberal hellhole if you light up a smoke with your drink....

No doubt!

[Terriergal]

This wasn't a few beers, there were several large trash cans full.

And I noticed they didn't recycle.

[Terriergal]

If it's an after hour party among staff what is the big deal?

Read the title and the story again. they were *in session.*

[Terriergal]

It's illegal to drink beer in an office?

I think you should see the story. The written story doesn't do it justice.

[Terriergal]

It's funny how people don't get it. I'm not a teetotaller by any stretch. I love to have a glass or two of wine to wind down. But I wouldn't drink if I had to think straight and decide important legal matters.

[brewcrew]

And I noticed they didn't recycle.

Gasp! Good catch! That could be the one cardinal sin that exceeds lighting up a smoke with your cocktail.

[DeaconBenjamin]

Shown a table full of bottles the station had recovered from Capitol trash bins, House Speaker Steve Sviggum, R-Kenyon, had a concise response.

"Uff da," he said.

[Terriergal]

Yeah I saw that one! ergh.

[Terriergal]

lol!

[Brimack34]

One idiot that was busted said. We need a law. Why does he need a law to stop him. Typical demorat response - I hate God, I have no morals. So make a law.