Senate Confirms Much Of Dayton's Cabinet
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Gov. Mark Dayton's cabinet is officially on the job.
The DFL-led Minnesota Senate confirmed seven state agency heads Tuesday. Candidates on the slate oversee pollution control, veterans affairs and other areas.
Most confirmations went quickly without debate. Minority Republicans saved their objections for the heads of the Metropolitan Council and the state Department of Commerce, who they've clashed with in the past.
Sen. David Osmek called Met Council Chairman Adam Duininck's appointment "cronyism" because he's married to Gov. Mark Dayton's chief of staff and ran a political group that raised money for DFL candidates. Sen. Eric Pratt and others say Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman waited too long to investigate a Minneapolis nonprofit with DFL ties that misspent taxpayer money.
Both confirmations succeeded largely on party lines.
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