by Matt Marquardt –
MASON CITY – Long-time Democratic party supporter Pat Steinfort, known by many as “Pat the Democrat” has left the party and become an independent.
“I’m very happy where I’m at,” Ms. Steinfort told NIT this week during an interview at her home. “I can support any candidate I want,” without repercussions, she said.
A complaint was made against Ms. Steinfort to Cerro Gordo County Auditor Ken Kline, she says, by Cerro Gordo County Democratic Party Chairman John Stone. Ms. Steinfort alleges that she was disciplined because she supported Republican candidate Chris Watts, who was running for the District 3 Supervisor seat held by Democrat Phil Dougherty.
She says she was “disciplined” by the auditor by being removed from a board and not being able to work on election day.
Ms. Steinfort is known to have put in countless hours for the party over the last 22 years, rounding up absentee ballots and tirelessly campaigning and supporting Democratic party candidates, but no more.
“Since I am such a ‘bad Democrat’ I am now an Independent, and I love every minute of it because I can go out on the street and campaign for whoever I want, Republican, Democrat and Independent, and no one can touch me. I think that’s the way the Democratic Party wants it. Especially the Cerro Gordo Democrats.”
Ms. Steinfort says a lot of Democrats are staying away from Democratic party meetings here in the county, and “a lot of it has to do with our County Chair (John Stone) and how things are run.”
Ms. Steinfort says she was told to stay away from Democratic party meetings. “That’s fine by me,” Ms. Steinfort said.
She also says about 4 years ago, Chris Watts was running for Supervisor as a registered Democrat, against Dougherty, and tried to attend a Democratic party meeting and was physically blocked from entering the Courthouse by Jay Urdahl and John Stone. Watts has previously said the same thing.
“That really bothered me,” Ms. Steinfort said. “Who knows what they were thinking.”
Ms. Steinfort said that moving forward, she will support the best candidate for any office, and not base her support simply on party affiliation.
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Senior Native is right our cheap skate Urdahl nailed down his job again with money from Gary Blodgett and all these Richy Rich’s, we are stuck paying for Urdahl, it sucks the big one.
Democrats and Republicans suck. Welcome to the Independents!!!
Big mistake putting Urdahl and Dougherty back in. Doc Blodgett should be ashamed of himself, people are not well served by these two embarrasment’s.
Katie, Urdahl’s wife’s boss is Crystal Meier, who is Gary Blodgett’s clerk/treasurer of one of his PACs. That PAC was set up to defeat Chris’s effort to add two new supervisors. Blodgett gets his rich friends to support Jay, the faux Democrat. All there on http://www.iowa.gov/ethics.
Katie you prove me wrong Urdahl gets big bucks from Blodgett and his rich friends, there must be a reason, what else could it be, huh? Like rd says connect the dots honey.
It’s not up to me to prove your statements. You’re the one whose credibility will be on the line if it isn’t true and you are brought to task for making untrue accusations by those you accuse.
Good job Pat. These shinanegins of Urdahl and Blodgett, what about them. Can we get a article on what goes on behind close doors.
Way to go Pat you show them! Pat the independent!
OMG, OMG, are you saying the Glob keeps the truth about some people around here from being reported? It CAN’T be true!
It won’t happen, Phil, sad to say. The day will never come when the Globe puts Skipper on a story like this.
Connect your dots Katie. Crystal Meier does clerical work for Gary Blodgett, it says so on public papers, I myself seen. Jay loves money, he gets Blodgett to tell Crystal the clerk to hire Urdahl’s wife over to Habitat. Meier and Jay and Dougherty vote to keep John Stone in as party chairman so Jay gets him a chairman who will do his dirty work, that is Stone all right. I have read records and they show that since 88 Blodgett has raised better than 30 grand for Urdahl, and Jay still has over $17,000 in his campaigns account, this is as of today just now. I was at the meeting when Stone ticked off Pat and he got the party to back Blodgett who was against Chris Watts and his plan to help Mason City get 2 new Supervisers, this was near 3 years ago. Then Blodgett raises a bunch of money and Chris has to withdrawl his petition, the powers that be has won once more, like usual. So then Jay smells money again and he asks doc to raise him even more, and Gary gets Urdahl almost 9 more grand from his rich friends. Last summer when it looks like Chris might beat Dougherty, Stone and Urdahl gets Blodgett to mail a letter to all Republicans in Phils district, and then Watts loses. So like I say you better connect your dots Katie, because it is all there.
Dear Howard-over at the Globe, why don’t you hire a reporter that looks into stuff just like this. John apparently can’t or WON’T ask the tough questions. It would be nice to see the Globe turn a new leaf!
I was talking about the comment about Urdahl telling Bodecker to keep assessments down on the campaign contributors. That is an accusation of ethical wrongdoing and you had better have proof behind those kinds of comments. Show me your proof. I don’t want any rambling yaddas, I want proof, not speculation.
Jay is out for Jay, he don’t care about nobody but Jay. Stone is not stupid, he knows this. We got Urdahl for another 4, but we can get rid of John now. Fire John Stone, he does Jay’s dirty work.
Only working people Urdahl cares about works for the county. He sells out to Blodgett and other rich that counts on Jay their errand boy to tell Bodecker to keep their assessments down. Thats how Blodgett gets Republicans to write Jay them checks.
I hope you have proof of that!
John Stone got the Democrats to back Gary Blodgett’s campaign to stop Chris Watts from helping Mason City elect 2 new Supervisors a couple years ago. Why does Stone have Blodgett’s back? Between Jay’s BS, Stone’s sneaky ways, and Blodgett’s influence over them, MC workers are screwed. Here is how it works: Blodgett tells his political gofer Crystal Meier to hire Urdahl’s wife at Habitat. That puts more money in Jay’s pocket. Stone benefits from Meier who votes to keep him in as party chair. Watts who represents the people, gets stomped on by Blodgett and by Democrats like Stone. When Chris switches party to take on Dougherty, Urdahl and Stone get Blodgett to help stop him by endorsing Phil, who follows Jay’s orders.
http://www.iowa.gov/ethics shows that Blodgett’s local ballot issue PAC has not been active since 2010, but still has $8,048.06 cash on hand. The site shows that Blodgett raised about $8,900 for Urdahl in 2011-12, and Jay’s campaign account still has $17,020.57 on deposit.
Urdahl loves money Margie that is why he is Dr. Blodgett’s lap dog. Mrs. Urdahl’s boss Crystal Meier keeps the books for one of Gary’s PACs called Taxpayers Against Waste in Government, I just looked it up on line. Blodgett knew he could not control Watts, so he doubled down on keeping Jay and Phil in there.
I wasn’t aware that Mr. Urdahl’s wife worked for Habitat. I guess that ends my financial donations and volunteer work for that organization.
Ya if Urdahl’s invloved I’d head for the door.
The Glob won’t admit the GOP runs MC and the county. Amossen is Republican. Dougherty takes orders from Urdahl, who is under Blodgett’s thumb. Bookmeyer is Republican, and all council but Kuhn. It’s a shit sandwich.
If Kuhn’s such a great Dem why he not standing up to Scroogemeyer on the human rights issue.
Ditto Mr Foad. Urdahl the miser puts cronys (Jolas) on where they do his dirty work like raise his pay. He sucks up to Blodgett who opens doors to him that would of other wise never open for Jay except when he delivers there UPS.
Is Urdahl in love with Blodgett? And where did I read that Urdahl once had a man roommate who was a newscastor.
Senior is right the financial skeletons in the Urdahl closet that should of brought this greedy one down. That is why he got Gary Blodgett to build him a financial fire wall. Jay’s old man got busted by the IRS for tax fraud, and his brother ripped off so many folks around here when he went bankrupt he moved away. Then Jay goes and gets his wife a job over to the Habitat. That is a conflict of interest in my book.
Heard he got his no good brother a job with the County also until it came back to bite him in the rear.
He is more worthless than the taxpayers know.
If it would have been Max doing and getting away with all that Urdahl doe, Skipper would have had it front page.
Makes you wonder about who’s in bed with who!
Good for Pat she stood up for her beliefs. Urdahl cozys up to the big money the kind that got him in and keeps him in. He is in the pocket of Blodgett and his rich friends and since Phil does whatever Jay says then who really runs things here?
I’m sorry Pat. You will always be “Pat the Democrat” to me!
I’ve known Pat for years. She is a good person with good character and a hard-worker. I had a conversation with John Stone once too and he wasn’t very nice. He is not a good county chairman. The county dems have gone downhill every since he took over. Jay Urdahl needs to be replaced. Many people don’t know that he makes over $40K per year for attending one meeting a month. He is cheap. I know that for a fact. He’d pinch a penny until it hollered. He knows he has it made as a supervisor and he does not want to lose it. If someone would investigate his and his father’s financial problems of years past — they would be astounded at what they might find.
Pro, lots of Republicans was upset Blodgett raise Urdahl big bucks and endorse Dougherty. But your right nobody in the party had guts to tell old Doc off to his face, didnt happen but should of.
I too have known Pat for many years. Great article Matt & Pat !
I found it ironic that the Good old Democratic boys would complain and yet the Republicans didn’t say anything about the “games” the Blodgetts were playing with Urdahl and Doughtery on Watts!!
But yet John wasn’t complaining here probably, was he! Of course not! Money and control. That’s what THEY are all about.
Best of luck Pat the Independent!!!
I just went to the Watercooler and went down to the County Compensation Board Mtg. I believe it was on page two. Anyone of you that want your eyes opened should watch this!!
I was amazed at the arrogance of this Board. But I did see what Mr. Sullivan was talking about. Watch people. Jolas, LaPointe and listen to John Stone’s comments.
Pretty obvious picture here. Never really read the same story in the Globe that I saw here on NIT.
Keep it up Matt! Maybe more people will OPEN THEIR EYES!!!
Great interview Matt!
I’ve known Pat for years and have alway’s found her to be a person of character.
Truly sad that she would be treated the way she was for speaking out.
Another example of the “self-proclaimed” good old boys group.
It’s to bad they don’t put that same effort into improving our County.
Urdahl and Stone are two peas in a pod. I noticed your article this past week where John Stone was defending the huge salary the Supervisor’s are paid.
Chris Watts was there to defend the taxpayer. But the County Compensation Board is also Chaired by Tom Jolas, long time friend of Urdahl’s-lunch buddies. No wonder the history of their salaries published on this site have gone up every year that Jolas and Urdahl have been in cahoots!!
Wonder why the Globe Gazette has never dug into these facts?
Maybe because Skipper is to close to the good old boys???
Maybe someone at the Globe could do some Better reporting here!!!
No wonder more people are dropping their paper and logging onto NIT.
@Mr. Sullivan-So Jolas is chairman of the board. I thought he was dead or maybe that was just a wish. In my opinion he has been screwing this city over for as long as I can remember. Anything he can do to make money for himself is all he cares about or in my opinion ever cared about. I was hoping he had left town after his business shut down. Now it all becomes clear why the county is so out of touch with the common guy. Give more money to the rich paid for by the poor. Same as the city.