September 10, 1999 - Governor Ventura used his weekly radio show to criticize the media for focusing on his personal life.
September 9, 1999 - Jesse Ventura has very publicly kept lobbyists at arms length since becoming Governor, but he'll make an exception this evening. Ventura doesn't meet with lobbyists or accept their money, but he says he's not selling out by attending a fundraiser - which gets underway shortly at the Lexington in St. Paul - as a favor to his former campaign chair. The president of the watchdog group Common Cause Minnesota calls it the worst of politics-as-usual.
August 31, 1999 - School starts tomorrow for most Minnesota school districts. Governor Ventura spoke at a rally today for the St. Paul public schools--a district which starts next week after the state fair closes. Ventura told the crowd of teachers that his own contribution to education is the time he devotes to voluteering as a conditioning coach at Champlin Park High School.
August 30, 1999 - Coach Ventura returned to the football field today. The governor is beginning his fifth year volunteering as the conditioning coach for the Champlin Park Rebels. Last season, Ventura managed to keep up his duties, even as he campaigned for governor. The Rebels made it to the Class 5-A championship game, where they lost to Woodbury. Tim Herman is Champlin Park's head football coach. He says he was surprised Governor Ventura could set aside the time to come back this year.
August 24, 1999 - Last summer, some Minnesotans found themselves waiting up to three months to schedule a drivers license road test. Now, Governor Jesse Ventura and officials from the Department of Public Safety say the wait is over. Ventura says it's all part of a new focus on customer service.
August 24, 1999 - MPR’s Lorna Benson interviews Janet Harvey of Elk River, who has submitted a “Jesse” quilt in the Fine Arts Competition at the Minneosta State Fair. Harvey explains her reason behind the full-size fabric portrait of Governor Ventura.
August 23, 1999 - Governor Jesse Ventura climbed back into the ring last night -- and for a few fleeting moments, he actually did a little wrestling. Ventura's appearance as a "guest referee" at the World Wrestling FEderation's "Summerslam" event has caused weeks of speculation and some criticism from the state's political establishment, and as Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports, the Governor's actual performance was somewhat anticlimactic.
August 23, 1999 - Back on his day job today, Governor Ventura is facing some criticism at the capitol. Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe says Ventura's performance as a referee in the main event of last night's Summer Slam wrestling show was demeaning and distasteful. Ventura got better reviews from wrestling fans. Wade Keller edits and publishes the Pro-Wrestling Torch Newsletter in Minneapolis . He was at last night's event.
August 20, 1999 - Governor Ventura says he feels vindicated by a Ramsey Court ruling this week that upheld his right to work for the World Wrestling Federation this Sunday night. Ventura says the court reaffirmed his conviction that his side projects do NOT represent a conflict of interest -- and he turned the tables on his critics, accusing THEM of having conflicts of interest.
August 19, 1999 - A judge today cleared the way for Governor Ventura to referee a pay-per-view wrestling match this weekend. Two complaints accuse the Governor of violating state conflict of interest laws, alleging Ventura is profiting from his office - some estimates say the event could earn the Governor a million dollars in royalties. But Ramsey County Judge Kathleen Gearin refused to stop the Governor from participating in the World Wrestling Federation event, and said elected officials don't have to give up their private interests.