Richard Painter

Candidate Introduction

Richard Painter is a lawyer and an educator, dedicated to combating corruption in government and special interest influence over elected officials. He has been a fierce critic of Former President Trump, and a frequent commentator on pressing issues, appearing on networks including MSNBC and CNN. Richard is running for Congress to give a voice to those who feel they have no say in the affairs of government, and to tackle the issues we face with the candor and honesty that the people of Minnesota's First Congressional District deserve.

Background

  • Will be moving to Faribault

  • Law professor at U of M, teaching corporate law and ethics, government ethics

  • Chief White House ethics lawyer for Bush administration

  • Was a liberal Republican for a long time, found it difficult to be even a moderate in the Republican party, switched parties because found Democrats were more willing to listen

Positions

Position statements were compiled from candidate Meet and Greet Notes and Video Recording, which can be viewed below.

CD-1 Candidate Responses - Richard Painter (2022)
Meet and Greet - Painter.mp4

Healthcare

  • Recognizes the two ways healthcare is inaccessible: cost and geographic proximity

  • Wants to cut out insurance companies; all they do is push papers around and keep us on hold on the phone

  • Supports single payer health insurance as an affordable choice for all Americans.

  • Single payer opt in will be more efficient; small businesses don’t have to worry about healthcare to compete with big corporations

  • Supports funding hospitals in rural areas

  • Supports telemedicine and necessary equipment for telemedicine

Climate & Environment

  • Strong proponent of conservation

  • Emphasizes energy production with wind, solar, water - clean energy production for the US to be leader in clean energy production; (China is actually beating us on wind and solar)

  • Advocates for clean water; worked with Arne Carlson; worked against foreign mining conglomerates threatening the boundary waters;

  • Recognizes that water is MN’s most valuable asset– fresh water will be harder to come by and we need to protect it.

Economy & Trade

  • Understands that the Chinese industries are dumping products in the US and using cheap labor - we do need to confront that; but is starting trade war unnecessarily hurt farmers

  • Recognizes that generating wind energy; will energize the economy for rural America .

  • Supports breaking monopolies on inputs and outputs- farmers are getting squeezed by corporate monopolies on both sides when buying and selling

  • Believes that if we go after food monopolies farmers will get a fair shake.

Education & Equity

  • Knows that is is critically important that we adequately fund K-12 education

  • See need to get back to system we had in 1960’s and 70s where public institutions of higher education had free or low cost tuition (US is only developed country where students come out of higher education with massive debt)

  • Believes that affordability is critical for inclusion in our education system; increasingly college, particularly 4-year, is luxury for the rich - perpetuates economics in turn, racial inequity

  • Supports federal funding of low cost or free public higher education and trade school

DFL Candidate Forum (5/10/2022)

  • Opening: This race should be about who can win; stand up for the 99% not the rich; Priority needs to be things we can get done; Codifying Roe vs Wade, get rid of citizens united - Favors changing the make up of the court; Price gougers and rich.

  • On healthcare: Medical decisions are being made by insurance companies. The value comes from workers. Get insurance companies out of health care.

  • On climate crisis: We are in a crisis. There will be dust bowl level calamity. Farmers are on the front lines. We need congressional action.

  • On Roe v. Wade: Roe was established opinion of republicans! How are we in this mess. Send Supreme Court a message.

  • On education: Need universal pre-K, equity, child care; Increase teacher pay, stop funding with property taxes.

  • On gun violence: goes after gun lobbies and NRA. Links them to Putin. Hold gun manufacturers accountable.

  • Closing remarks: Munson and Carnahan are insurrectionists. We need turnout.


Marijuana: I am for full legalization of marijuana and expungement of criminal records for all persons convicted of nonviolent crimes involving marijuana.