Government Seeks Default Ruling Against Nienow

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The U.S. government filed a motion Tuesday seeking a $748,000 default judgment against state Sen. Sean Nienow over an unpaid small-business loan.

The Small Business Administration sued Nienow, a Republican from Cambridge, in January. They said he and his wife Cynthia signed for a $613,000 loan in 2009 but stopped making their payments about 18 months later.

The motion from the U.S. attorney's office put Nienow's total debt at $748,584.14. The filing said the Nienows were served with a summons and complaint on March 4, and hadn't responded.

The Nienows took out the loan for the National Camp Association Inc., a business they founded and said was aimed at helping parents find camps for their children. Nienow has said the business failed.

Nienow said Tuesday that he hasn't settled on a way to resolve the debt, but hasn't ruled out filing for personal bankruptcy.

"Everything is in discussion right now. Nothing is off the table," Nienow said, adding, "I will do everything I can to pay back everything that I can."

Nienow, 46, considered a fiscal conservative, served in the state Senate from 2003 to 2006. He lost a re-election bid before winning back the seat in 2010.

(© Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)