Posted by Jonathan Kovaciny on 05/07/09 4:56 PM Last updated 05/07/09 2:53 PM   [Newer: Sweet Land of Liberty] [Older: 424 signatures delivered for HR 1207!]

Nine days after a group of us delivered 424 signatures for HR 1207 to Congressman Walz's local Mankato office , he made a personal phone call to us from Washington. He let us know that he had talked to Dr. Paul about the bill and then decided to sign on as a co-sponsor! He cited a need for greater transparency in government. We now have five of Minnesota's eight Representatives on board with this important bill.

Mr. Walz left a voicemail for the person who had left contact information when we dropped off the petitions. I will post his voicemail and a transcript from the call here soon.

Keep asking your Reps to co-sponsor, and don't forget to thank them when they do!

Update: Here's the audio. (.mp3 840kb) ["Dave" is a local Campaign for Liberty member who spent many hours getting signatures for the petition.]

Transcript:

Hi Dave, Congressman Tim Walz calling you. It is Thursday the 7th of May. I hope you're doing well Dave. I just want to respond; I know you have been active, and I very much appreciate your citizenship of being involved in the issues that matter today. I wanted to let you know that I spoke with Congressman Paul. Ron is a friend of mine and I am a co-sponsor of 1207 now, and wanted to just let you know—I know you had an interest in that—we very much appreciate that. I agree with the bill on this; I've been a strong champion of transparency and I just wanted to sit down and get an opportunity and yesterday I did with Ron. And so just to let you know, if you have any follow-up you can call my D.C. office 202-225-2472, or I'm back in Mankato over the weekends, at my office or my home. Thanks, Dave. Good bye.

Posted 05/07/09 1:02 PM mstebbins Excelsior, MN

Wow -- awesome, Jon! Not only does that give us 5 out of 8 Congressmen in MN, that means two Democrats have also signed on from MN. This bill is going to pass.

Posted 05/07/09 2:07 PM Fozz Cockeysville, MD

Keith Ellison should be ashamed of himself.

Posted 05/07/09 2:24 PM Daniel Schmid Chicago, IL

FINALLY!!! I feel like I've been e-mailing every week.

Posted 05/07/09 4:59 PM Murr25 Mankato, MN

I'll drink to that!

Posted 05/07/09 5:22 PM walterstanley Livermore, CA

HATS OFF to the Minnesota Campaign for Liberty! I have to say that I am impressed! I called Congressman Walz's office to thank him and I spoke with an assistant named "Alex." He told me that there is a very active grassroots campaign throughout the state. He also said that his office has been getting a lot of calls for months in support of H.R.1207! You guys & gals should be proud of yourselves... I sure am! Revolution!

Posted 05/08/09 08:20 AM lexslexus Moorhead, MN

Just beautiful!

Posted 05/08/09 08:36 AM dhansen Thornton, CO

Nice work. If we focus on the issues that transcend party we may actually see some positive movement.

Posted 05/08/09 3:00 PM Bill Greene Braselton, GA

This is GREAT PROOF of the power of the grassroots. Let's keep it up, folks - change is coming. BG

Posted 05/08/09 3:26 PM MarilyninLakeJackson Lake Jackson, TX

Way to go Dave and Jonathan and rest of the group!

Posted 05/09/09 10:16 AM MarilyninLakeJackson Lake Jackson, TX

I've already commented - just testing to see if I get on today. I messed my password up somehow.

Posted 05/11/09 06:45 AM jcpickwall Winona, MN

Walz has shown a propensity to listen to the people when we make our voices heard. He did vote against the TARP bailout as well.