Lawrence O'Donnell Interviews Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton About Marriage Equality: VIDEO

Lawrence O'Donnell last night welcomed Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton on The Last Word to talk about Minnesota's historic passage of marriage equality, the challenges in passing the bill, how it happened, what it means for the region, and why Minnesota is such a unique state.

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton Signs Marriage Equality Bill: VIDEO

An historic and joyous day in Minnesota as Governor Mark Dayton signed the marriage equality bill into law.

Watch it go down, AFTER THE JUMP...

Minnesota Governor Says Vikings Were Dishonest About Reasons for Cutting Chris Kluwe

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton says Vikings officials were dishonest in the reasons given for cutting punter Chris Kluwe. Many believed he was cut for being too outspoken on LGBT rights issues, though officials said they cut him early to give him a better chance at signing with another team.

Dayton doesn't believe them, the AP reports.

Said Dayton at a news conference:

"Yeah, I don't feel good about it...I'm not in a position to evaluate the relative punting abilities, but it seems to me the general manager said, right after the draft, they were going to have competition...Well, they bring the one guy in, he kicks for a weekend and that's competition?"

Dayton added: "I just think sports officials ought to be honest about what the heck is going on, same way I think public officials should be honest about what's going on, so that bothers me probably as much, if not more, than the actual decision....That's their decision to make. They don't give political advice. I don't give them coaching advice."

MN Lawmakers Plan Marriage Equality Push For January

Now that Minnesota voters have rejected an amendment constitutionally defining marriage as one man, one woman, activists and allies in the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party there say they plan to push for full marriage equality early next year.

“This kind of closes the loop of the election,” said Rep. Alice Hausman, DFL-St. Paul, who looks to carry same-sex marriage legislation in the House.

Hausman, like Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, who plans to carry a same-sex marriage bill in the Senate, points to the failure of the Republican-sponsored marriage amendment last election as evidence of the state reaching a consensus on same-sex marriage.

A conversation has taken place, they argue.

“To me, I think the time has come,” said Marty, who has sponsored same-sex marriage bills in the past.

Hausman and Marty believe that since about 20 GOP-dominated districts voted against the anti-gay measure in November, and considering that Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton supports marriage equality, this should be a no muss, no fuss process.

But not all their party peers agree: Senate Majority Leader-designate Tom Bakk told Star News he thinks lawmakers need to focus on the budget, not marrying people off: "I still think we need to have a pretty significant conversation around the state on that (same-sex marriage) subject."

And Republicans there seem ready for a fight, too: House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt is already accusing the DFL of flip-flopping on their political intentions. "What the DFL’s message (in the election) was, is that we shouldn’t be focused on divisive social issues,” he said.

Minnesota Governor's Sons Announce Matching Donation to Fight Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment

The two sons of Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton want to help defeat the anti-gay amendment on the Minnesota ballot this November, and are putting up money to do so, the MinnPost reports:

The governor and his sons — Eric and Andrew, who own the Bachelor Farmer restaurant in downtown Minnesota — are working for the effort to get voters to vote no on the amendment, scheduled to be on the November ballot. The proposal, if passed, would define marriage as being between one man and one woman.

Minnesotans United for All Families, a group urging a no vote on the amendment, says that through June 12, the two Dayton brothers will match donations to the group's campaign, up to $200,000.

In an email, the brothers wrote: "It's simple: Committed, same-sex couples should have the freedom to marry. Together, we can contribute $400,000 toward Minnesotans United's efforts to protect that freedom."

Contribute to the Minnesota efforts HERE.

Also, don't forget it's THE LAST DAY to have your contribution to Maine's battle for marriage equality matched by Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes and his partner Sean Eldridge.

Writes Eldridge in an email:

Three weeks ago, my fiancé Chris and I presented a challenge to those who support marriage for all loving, committed couples in Maine: raise $100,000 in four weeks, and we would match it dollar for dollar. We’ve been blown away by the response so far.  More than 1600 donors have invested in the campaign to win the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in Maine. We’re so close to reaching our goal, but with only one day left in the challenge, we need your help.

Contribute to Mainers United for Marriage's Campaign HERE.

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton Issues Executive Order on Bullying

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton yesterday issued an executive order on bullying, establishing a task force to study the problem in the state's schools. The task force of 15 people will study best practices, existing laws, and reports of bullying in schools. It will also define what it means to bully and provide recommendations by August of next year on policiy initiatives that should be taken to address the issue.

Minnesota's Anoka-Hennepin school district is the subject of lawsuits and a federal investigation over its policy that teachers take a "neutral" stance on sexual orientation which forces them to ignore anti-gay bullying. There have been seven student suicides in the school district in less than two years.

Read the Governor's executive order below.

MN Bullying