Prayer riles House as final Friday begins

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ST. PAUL -- The final Friday of the 2011 Minnesota Legislature opened with a prayer that upset many House members for its strong pro-Christian overtones.

Most legislative opening prayers are inclusive all religions, but Bradlee Dean today said that every president through 2008 acknowledged Jesus when he took office, an obvious shot at President Barack Obama.

Dean mentioned many Christian denominations, leaving out Judaism and other religions. Several House members are Jewish.

In close to 40 years as a lawmaker, Rep. Phyllis Kahn, DFL-Minneapolis, said she never has known of a prayer that upset people so much.

Rep. Greg Davids, R-Preston, said that during Dean’s prayer, he leaned over and told a colleague and said “that is going to leave a mark.”

Indeed, it did. After several minutes of Republican leaders talking to staff members, House Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, rapped the gavel and called the House into session again, without any explanation.

The House’s normal chaplain went to the microphone and offered a prayer that included: “Thank you for the grace that is among us as individuals in this House.”

Rep. Terry Morrow, DFL-St. Peter, rose to complain about the first prayer, admitting to being so mad that he was shaking.

“This cannot happen again,” Morrow declared.

Morrow said he hoped the incident will not prevent representatives from uniting to do their work.

As Zellers went to a GOP meeting, he took responsibility for the Dean incident, but said nonpartisan House staff members scheduled the controversial pastor to speak. The speaker said that the regular House chaplain was supposed to deliver the prayer.

House staff members said they would investigate how Dean came to deliver the prayer. Over the years, there have been other spats over what some people thought were inappropriate prayers, but long-time Capitol observers said they could remember nothing like this morning’s incident.

Critics call Dean anti-gay. His prayer came on an already-charged day in which people on both sides of the gay-marriage issue were gathering outside the House chamber shouting chants in anticipation of a vote on a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage.

Zellers and House Majority Leader Matt Dean, R-Dellwood, refused to say if they planned to bring the proposed amendment up for a vote today.

Rep. John Kriesel, R-Cottage Grove, said they were being tight lipped, “maybe because it’s wrong.”

Kriesel and Rep. Tim Kelly, R-Red Wing, are the only Republicans to say they would vote against the amendment, which would define a marriage as between a man and a woman.

“I would think it would be publicized highly if they were proud of it,” Kriesel said.

The Legislature must adjourn at midnight Monday, but Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican legislative leaders remain far apart on a budget.

Zellers and Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, R-Buffalo, left a meeting with Dayton this morning saying a deal still is possible, but said Dayton needs to give them a list of what state programs he would cut.

They offered no indication that Republicans would change their long-held stand and allow new revenue into the state budget.

Dayton insists on spending at least $35.8 billion, while Republicans limit the next two-year budget to $34 billion. Dayton wants a tax increase, while Republicans do not.

Don Davis reports for Forum Communications Co.

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