Rep. Phillips Co-Sponsors the Equality Act

WASHINGTON, DCRep. Dean Phillips today announced that he is an original co-sponsor of the Equality Act, a bill aimed at ending discrimination against LGBTQ Americans in public accommodations, education, federal financial assistance, employment, housing, credit and federal jury service.

“It’s time to end the era of uncertainty and discrimination against our LGBTQ friends, neighbors and family members,” said Phillips. “Our nation was built on the promise of equality and opportunity, and the Equality Act extends that promise to our extraordinary LGBTQ community. I’m proud to help introduce this long overdue legislation in the House today and will continue working hard to make sure the Equality Act is signed into law.”

Only 21 states have explicit laws barring discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment, housing and public accommodations, and only 20 states have such protections for gender identity. The Equality Act adds sex, sexual orientation and gender identity to existing civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in public places. All existing obligations and exemptions will apply in exactly the same way to LGBTQ Americans as they do to everyone else. Continue reading “Rep. Phillips Co-Sponsors the Equality Act”

DFL Endorses Phillips To Challenge Paulsen In 3rd District

The following article was posted on the WCCO TV website April 14, 2018:

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Businessman Dean Phillips will be the DFL challenger to Rep. Erik Paulsen in Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District.

Phillips announced his intention to run last spring. Paulsen, first elected in 2008, is now serving his fifth term in the district.

Phillips’ family started Phillips Distilling Co., a Minneapolis company that created Phillips Vodka and Prairie Organic Spirits. He also owned Talenti Gelato. He has sold both of those businesses and in recent years has worked on philanthropic issues and co-founded Penny’s Coffee, a Minneapolis coffee shop near downtown.

Paulsen defeated State Sen. Terri Bonoff in 2016. Bonoff and the Democrats tried to tie Paulsen to then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, though Paulsen never endorsed Trump. Paulsen attacked Bonoff as being an out-of-touch liberal, prone to spending sprees.

The 3rd District encompasses Minneapolis’ western suburbs, from Maple Grove and Brooklyn Park in the north to Wayzata and St. Louis Park in the west, and with Bloomington, Eden Prairie and Chaska in the southwest.

View the post here.