The Scum at the Top
Commentary on the Rats in Washington
Tracking the New Access Connection to Minnesota Republicans
St. Paul Pioneer Press
© Sunday, July 13, 2003
- Gov. Tim Pawlenty
Age: 42
Home: Eagan
Connection to New Access: Investor in and former director
at NewTel.
Political bio: Governor of Minnesota 2002-present. House
Minority Leader, state House member from Eagan 1992-2002.
Eagan City Council 1989-1991. Strategist on Jon Grunseth's
1990 gubernatorial campaign.
- Victoria Grunseth
Age: 52
Home: Afton
Connection to New Access: Founder of QAI and NewTel, officer
in New Access and Stone-bridge Communications.
Political bio: Chairman of the Metro-politan Airports Commission.
Former wife of 1990 gubernatorial candi-date Jon Grunseth. Ran
for a state House seat in Washington County in 1992; lost in
Republican primary.
- Elam Baer
Age: 44
Home: Minneapolis
Connection to New Access: Founder of QAI, NewTel, New Access
and Choicetel.
Political bio: Senior strategist for Jon Grunseth's 1990
gubernatorial campaign. Ran for unsuccessfully for a Minneapolis
state House seat in 1992. Republican political consultant.
- Timothy Commers
Age: 37
Home: Mendota Heights
Connection to New Access: Founder of Choice-tel, officer in QAI
and New Access. Investor in NewTel.
Political bio: Senior executive at state Commerce Depart-ment,
focusing on tele-com-muni-cations and energy issues. Campaign
manager for Tim Pawlenty's guberna-torial campaign. State
repre-senta-tive from Eagan-Mendota Heights area from 1992-1998.
Was Jon Grun-seth's driver in 1990 campaign.
- Leon Oistad
Age: 60
Home: Excelsior
Connection to New Access: Principal in telephone reselling firm
Lotel, investor in Stonebridge Communi-cations, which was folded
into New Access in 2002. Former officer in QAI.
Political bio: Former chairman of the Republican Party of
Minnesota, campaign manager on Jon Grunseth's 1990 gubernatorial
campaign, advisor on Rod Grams 1992 congressional campaign and
Bert McKasy's 1994 and 1996 U.S. Senate campaigns.
- Bert McKasy
Age: 61
Home: Inver Grove Heights
Connection to New Access: Investor in Newtel and Internet
Financial Services. Partner at Lindquist & Vennum law firm.
Political bio: Member of Metropolitan Airports Commission,
appointed by Gov. Jesse Ventura and re-appointed by Gov. Tim
Pawlenty. Ran for U.S. Senate in 1994 and 1996. Former Commerce
Commissioner and member of state House.
- James Holmquist
Age: 40
Home: Stillwater
Connection to New Access: Investor in New Access after it
bought his Stone-bridge Communi-cations. Principal in telephone
reseller firm Inmark, president of CoreMark, which provides
quality control for New Access. Part-owner of Protel, a reseller
and telemarketing company.
Political bio: Principal of Politel, a Republican-oriented
tele-fund-raising company. Former partner in Ashmore Associates,
which raised money for Jon Grunseth's 1990 gubernatorial campaign.
- Steven Clay
Age: 34
Home: Bloomington
Connection to New Access: Counsel for New Access, NewTel,
Stonebridge Com-muni-cations, Emergent Communi-cations, Protel
and QAI.
Political bio: Worked on Jon Grunseth's 1990 gubernatorial campaign.
The Scum at the Top - Home
E-mail: dwagner2@isd.net
©2007 DJW
Last Modified:
January 13, 2007