ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Former Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch had been accused of an improper relationship with a Senate staff member before her sudden resignation this week, a key Republican said Friday.
Interim Senate Majority Leader Geoff Michel declined to provide details but said staffers came to senators within the past several weeks with allegations. When Senate leaders approached Koch late Wednesday, she neither admitted nor denied the allegations but mentioned resigning, Michel said.
Michel said nothing had been resolved before Koch's sudden resignation Thursday.
Koch did not immediately return a call Friday from The Associated Press. Legislative reference materials list her as married with one child.
Michel, joined by other top Republicans, announced the allegations during a news conference that he opened by saying, "We are here with humility, sadness and shock."
Of the allegations, he said: "We do not want the Minnesota Senate to have that kind of conflict of interest. We do not want the Minnesota Senate to have that kind of work environment."
In an interview Thursday evening, Koch told the AP that her decision to leave was hers and that she was not pushed out by colleagues. She said the 2010 election cycle, in which she led a Republican takeover of the Senate, and the subsequent budget clash with Gov. Mark Dayton were "intense" and made it difficult to spend time with her high school-age daughter.
Koch, of Buffalo, was majority leader for one year after the GOP reversed decades of Democratic rule in the Senate. Republicans now have a 37-30 majority.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.
Comments (32)
Add commentwell, it didn't stop Newt
When he had his "inappropriate relationship" while Speaker of the House. Maybe Minnesotans expect more honorable representatives.
And now she's gone
Looks like it was handled properly. You can take a partisan shot if you want scaryphalin, but the dems would have covered it up and you know it. She was on the same team as I am and being she can't do the job with honor, I'm glad she's gone!
lake and scary
Funny how you both seem to have forgotten Slick Wille and Monica!!! So much for honorable...
How could we forget
With your reminders.
I didn't vote for him after the other women came forward during the campaign.
You can re-write history. Look how Bill Clinton is popular now as a speaker.
And the women involved, not so much.
Newt was having an affair while trying to impeach Clinton
the height of 'family values' hypocrisy
Clinton also did not leave a wife during cancer treatments like Newt did.
lakelander..so funny
***With your reminders. I didn't vote for him after that** Thats funny. The Monica scandal was in Billy J.'s second term. Nobody voted for him after that!
love the edit
button
I am always open to corrections.
Thanks, tork.
Accomplishments of MN Lawmakers Under Ms Koch
Closed down MN State Gov over the 4th of July for 3 weeks ,resulting in huge property tax increases as the " solution". Voter ID issue,Shoot First issue & Gay Marriage issue . Lets all hope those " Trickle Down Economics" kick in before we all starve to death.
bad week for the GOP
State party leader Tony Sutton resigns, after admitting the Dayton re-count busted the piggy bank.
The guy that was going to replace him was arrested at the airport yesterday, and then the Koch scandal.
"resulting in huge property
"resulting in huge property tax increases"
Too bad, so sad. You're all for tax increases, except when you're the one who has to pay them.
Clinton the popular speaker..
** Look how Bill Clinton is popular now as a speaker ** Thats very true. Here is the difference in my opinion..Democrats hold their scum-bags in high regard while the Republicans throw theirs under the bus. Cases in point include [filtered word]-monger Eliot Spitzer in NY who gets a gig on CNN. Jesse Jackson is still a civil rights "leader" even after the love child. Marion Berry is elected to the DC city council even after smoking crack in FBI tapes and doing time. Democrats also have Alcie Hastings, the only impeached federal judge to ever be elected to the US Congress. John Edwards is a poster boy for being a cad. Sure he doesnt hold office, but he isnt vilified by Democrats the way they mock Newt. How about Al Gore? Mr. Happy Ending? Tipper dumped him for being a cheat, but he is still the god of global warming. And Clinton of course is the undisputed champ of being a hound dog and still loved by democrats. Other than Gary Hart I cant think of one Democrat being voted off the island for bad behavior. Republicans? They usually toss them. People are people, party has nothing to do with bad behavior. Its all about how the people respond to these scum-bags. I think its pretty clear which bunch treats theirs as "elder statesmen" and which ones get show the door.
Hate to ask
but who was in charge of the check book that created all the red ink?
Wouldn't this issue be resolved faster if "Share the Debit" would replace "Share the Wealth" and all "Pay Their Fair Share"?
phallin, quit being hypocritical
you do not care about the NOW when it comes to George Bush and how terrible our current POTUS is. I love leftists, they are so hypocritical it is hilarious.
Thanks for the chuckle,
Thanks for the chuckle, Scary.
hypocritical
The "Village" drained the cow dry so now it is the duty of the neighboring, prosperous village to replace it ?
omg tork
Gingrich isn't under any bus
Ensign finally quit running
craig from Idaho never quit
they only quit when they are outed. Like sanford in SC.
gov scott of florida committed massive medicare fraud and they voted him into office!
we could both go on and on
but like someone said...deal with the here and now.
too bad about amy, but brodkorb probably was using her to gain power.
Amy Koch
I feel sorry for Miss Koch. She was doing a wonderful job. I do find it deplorable how the democrats cherry pick their way through the past of their own party to justify pure hate-filled comments as though their own morals were beyond reproach. On the other hand, the GOP needs to get their party together, both state and federal, if they want to see 2012 come to a close and still have some in office. I, for one, am not happy with our "choices" for president, and all of this petty political scandalous behavior does not help.
Lakelander
Again..people are people and politicians by nature are egomaniacs. That goes both ways, republican and democrat. My point was that the left holds these people in high regard. Larry Craig: People wanted him to resign but he refused. They couldnt make him quit, but they tried to push him out. Sanford: Seen him on TV lately? Not so much..but Clinton and Jackson? Cant get away from them. Spitzer with a prime time gig on CNN? These cads have NO shame. Where the republicans scum-bags get pushed away by and large, the democrats get TV shows and speaking gigs.
Humility.......
"We're here with humility........"
When you brag about your humility, you probably don't have any.
Humility.......
"We're here with humility........"
When you brag about your humility, you probably don't have any.
ha ha tork
Gingrich...big spokesman for fox...he has no shame...rush, the drug abuser..he has no shame.
and Sanford has zero charisma...who would watch a show with him speaking?
Amy Koch...it is the hypocrisy with her, preaching for the definition of marriage amendment. I hoped for the best for her, because Minnesota depended upon her. And what did we get? A shutdown!
Just get divorced people...then play around.
The first GOP senate majority leader in how long and she screws up. Her party is more disappointed in her than the Democrats are.
They are egomaniacs, true. They act like Congress is a reality show. Their victories went to their heads. First they take over the MN legislature and then go at the social issues instead of helping the economy. Almost a year later and where are the job bills they campaigned for?
And who says we hold them in high regard? I don't sit here in MN and ask the media to hire anyone. We surely have no power over that. Thank goodness we can change the channel or turn off the tv when we don't like the messenger.
"then go at the social issues
"then go at the social issues instead of helping the economy"
just like Obama did when he took office.
Too bad the best and brightest don't go into politics. Seems we can't win lately no matter which side is running the show.
wolf
The best and the brightest are making comments on news sites, not running for office!
Trickle Down Economics are working!
scaryphailin
Trickle Down Economics new
By scaryphailin | 12/17/11 - 08:07 am
Trickle Down Economics are working!
I, for one, feel trickled upon by the republican'ts!!!
_________________________________________
Its trickle UP poverty you are experiencing!!!
You are getting trickled on by the Dems...
..
Get your facts first
Well before the "Governor" shut down the state, the legislation and the Governor new about a report in February 2011 that predicted an increase in projected revenue for 2011 by $857million.
put a www infront of this and read for your self.
state.mn.us/mmb/complete-nov11.pdf
Budget Outlook for FY 2011-13 Improves by $1.160 Billion
A $264 million projected increase in the expected ending balance for the current
biennium combined with an $896 million improvement in the budget forecast for
the 2012-13 biennium outlook has reduced next biennium’s projected budget
deficit to $5.028 billion, $1.160 billion less than forecast in November. An
improved outlook for state revenues, due in part to changes in the capital gains
forecast, was responsible for most of the additional revenue. Projected general
fund revenues for FY 2011 through FY 2013 increased $984 million, while
expenditures fell $176 million compared to November’s estimates.
U.S. Economic Outlook Improves Modestly
Global Insight’s February forecast for the U.S. economy is slightly more
optimistic than their November baseline. The projected real GDP growth rate for
2011 increased to 3.2 percent reflecting the unexpected fiscal stimulus included
in December’s federal tax compromise. November’s GII baseline called for 2.3
percent growth. But, since much of the additional stimulus expires at the end of
2011, growth rates for 2012 and 2013 are largely unchanged from November,
although that growth builds on a higher base. Global Insight continues to assign a
probability of 65 percent to their baseline forecast. Their pessimistic alternative is
now given a probability of 15 percent while the probability given to their
optimistic scenario is 20 percent. In November the optimistic scenario was given
a 15 percent probability.
Long-Term Outlook Improves, but a $4.4 Billion Structural Deficit Remains
The improved revenue outlook continues into the next biennium as well. Long
term revenue planning estimates for FY 2014-15 show revenues increasing by
$735 million from November’s estimates. There was, however, little change in
the 2014-15 expenditure projections. In the absence of corrective action
Minnesota will have a structural budget gap of nearly $2.2 billion per year for
both FY 2014 and FY 2015.