by Steve Timmer

Jun 25, 2012, 5:00 PM

Where was Cal?

Word comes from the AP that Michael Brodkorb met with the outgoing [my word] Senate leaders Dave Senjem and Julianne Ortman earlier today.

Conspicuous by his absence was Cal Ludeman. Now, maybe Cal was still home working on his breakfast cereal, or maybe he was on vacation. Or maybe he wasn’t invited. If it’s the latter, it might be a sign that the Senate leadership is getting more serious about trying to settle the case.

There is obviously some serious animus between Brodkorb and Ludeman going back at least as far as Ludeman’s firing of Brodkorb in a restaurant. An examination of the statements to the Senate rendered by the Larkin, Hoffman law firm and approved for payment in a hearing last week, reveals how deeply Ludeman is involved in the management of the case.

In any institutional litigation, it is a good idea to separate the person involved in creating the problem from the responsibility for resolving it.

Maybe that is what is finally happening here.

Update: City Pages reports that Phil Villaume was dismayed by the meeting between Brodkorb and the Senate leaders. Villaume could not have attended the meeting without Dayle Nolan also being present. Who hired Dayle Nolan? Well, Cal Ludeman, of course. I wouldn’t be surprised if the meeting was more behind Cal’s back than Phil Villaume’s.