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Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) on Thursday declared that efforts to repeal President Barack Obama's health care reform law were "now revived" after the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) admitted that it had inappropriately targeted conservative groups to determine if they had abused their tax-exempt status.

At a tea party rally in Washington D.C., the Minnesota Republican pointed to the scandal as evidence that the IRS should not be allowed to distribute subsidies for health care coverage through state exchanges and issue penalties for individuals who elect not get insurance.

"As someone who formerly worked for the IRS, I can tell you this is the largest ramp-up and expansion, both of employees but also on an area of jurisdiction on one of the largest new entitlement programs that the American people have seen in decades," she told the crowd. "That's why it's crucial that we ask these questions now, when our most personal, sensitive, intimate information -- our health care information -- will all be centralized in a national federal database."

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After the Minnesota state legislature voted to pass same-sex marriage yesterday, 78-59 in the lower chamber, with even some Republican support, Minnesota is now poised to become a state which allows same-sex marriage. But of course not all Republicans came away happy.

h/t Talking Points Memo. Video by Fox 9, Minneapolis.

“My heart breaks for Minnesota,” said a Rep. Peggy Scott, R-Andover.

“It’s a divisive issue that divides our state,” she said, wiping tears from her eyes as she stood on the House floor after the vote. “It’s not what we needed to be doing at this time. We want to come together for the state of Minnesota, we don’t want to divide it.”

Amendment 1, a proposal to ban gay marriage in Minnesota forever was passed by Republicans in 2011, but was later rejected by voters at the ballot box in November 2012, 52.6% - 47.4%, and "resulted in Minnesota being the first state, after 30 attempts, to defeat a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage". Millions of dollars were spent on both sides, evenly splitting the state for months with a long and rancorous debate.

But that's what happens when Republicans do things a lot of people don't like. In contrast, Thursday's vote was marked by civility.

The Senate is expected to vote on and pass the bill on Monday.

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Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) on Thursday insisted that it was her "duty as a believer in Christ" repeal President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law before "it literally kills women, kills children, kills senior citizens."

In a speech on the House floor, the Minnesota Republican thanked Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) for continuing the fight to undo Obamacare.

"The American people, especially vulnerable women, vulnerable children, vulnerable senior citizens, now get to pay more and get less," Bachmann opined. "That's why we're here because we're saying let's repeal this failure before it literally kills women, kills children, kills senior citizens!"

"Let's not do that!" she exclaimed. "Let's love people, let's care about people. Let's repeal it now while we can."

Bachmann explained that she was fighting Obamacare because she was a "born again believer in Jesus Christ."

"And I believe, as part of my duty as a believer in Christ and what he has done for me, that we should do for the least of those who are in our midst," she said. "That's my personal belief and my personal conviction. And that's why I want our government to create the space so that we can help people, because I'll guarantee you one thing, Mr. Speaker, this doesn't help people."

Burgess thanked the former Republican presidential candidate for her remarks, adding that she had "a way of stating these things that none of the rest of us are capable of."

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With hearings underway this week in Minnesota on legalizing same-sex marriage, having passed both Senate and House committees, at least one former GOP lawmaker has had a change of heart.

Video by The Uptake.

Lynne Osterman who was elected as a Republican to the Minnesota legislature says [she] regrets casting a "political expedient" vote for Minnesota's "Defense of Marriage" law that outlawed same-sex marriage. She tears up when talking about it and urges Minnesota lawmakers to legalize same-sex marriage.

Full transcript below.

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Minnesota state Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen (R) says that he opposes marriage rights for LGBT people because he believes that homosexuality is a choice and a "sexual addiction."

Supporters of same sex marriage in Minnesota on Wednesday introduced a bill to legalize marriage equality after voters defeated a GOP effort to pass a constitutional ban last November.

"It would simply allow folks who so desire, who have demonstrated a lifetime of love and commitment, to get married, even if they're a same sex couple," state Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL) explained at a press conference.

But according to the StarTribune, Gruenhagen on Wednesday argued that LGBT people did not deserve the same rights as heterosexual couples.

"It’s an unhealthy, sexual addiction," the Republican lawmaker insisted. "When we're talking about gay marriage, we're not talking about an immutable characteristic, like the color of your skin. The human genome map was completed in 2003, there is no gay gene, okay? So, the concept that you're born that way and that it's an immutable characteristic is an unscientific lie."

"The facts are in on that," he added. "That's not really disputable, and to continue to report that people are born that way simply does not line up with repeatable, observable scientific facts."

Republican state Sen. Dan Hall, who has served as a chaplain at the Capitol and directed the Capitol Prayer Network, vowed to "go to jail before I ever perform a gay marriage to a homosexual."

It was not immediately clear if the supporters had the votes necessary to pass marriage equality in Minnesota.

(h/t: Talking Points Memo)

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Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) on Sunday called out Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) for complaining about drastic cuts in the so-called "sequester" after Republicans forced it by refusing to raise the debt ceiling and risking default for the first time in the nation's history.

"This was a presidential suggestion back in 2011 -- an idea -- and, yet, the president himself hasn't put out any alternative," Cole said during a panel segment on ABC. "Republicans twice in the House have passed legislation to deal with it, once as early as last May, again after the election in December. The Senate has never picked up either of those bills, never offered their own thing."

"Now, we're three weeks out [from the sequester deadline] and folks are worried," he continued. "They ought to be worried. On the other hand, these cuts are going to occur. The real choice here is do you want cuts to be redistributed in other ways, which is the sensible thing to do, or do you want to let this happen?"

Ellison, however, pointed out that Republicans couldn't place all the blame on President Barack Obama after they voted for the sequester created by the Budget Control Act of 2011.

"Well, Tom, the problem with saying that this is the president's idea is you voted for the Budget Control Act, I voted against it," Ellison noted. "We wouldn't ever have been talking about the Budget Control Act but for your party refused to negotiate on the debt ceiling, something that has been routinely increased as the country needed it."

"You used that occasion in 2011 -- August -- to basically say, we're going to default the country's obligations or you're going to give us dramatic spending cuts. That's how we got to the Budget Control Act."

The Minnesota Democrat added that the sequester was projected to increase both unemployment and the deficit.

"It's going to do everything opposite to what your party says they want," he told Cole. "It's going to create uncertainty, it's going to increase the deficit, it's going to increase unemployment, it's going to be a problem."

"We don't have a presidential proposal," Cole opined. "I don't think you speak for the president."

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A Minnesota pastor has been arrested for sexually assaulting two gay men while counseling them about their "homosexual tendencies."

Charging documents released this week indicated that 55-year-old Rev. Ryan J. Muehlhauser was accused of eight felony counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct on at least two men during sessions about how to "escape the gay lifestyle," according to KARE.

Muehlhauser was a pastor at Lakeside Christian Church in Cambridge, but met the men through Outpost Ministries, which claims it was "formed over 30 years ago to meet the needs of men and women making the decision to break away from gay life."

The first victim told authorities that Muehlhauser had "blessed" him by cupping his genitals. The pastor required the victim to arouse himself for "spiritual strength" and later instructed the man to get naked and masturbate in front of him, calling it "spiritual guidance."

Muehlhauser told a second victim that he would "loose everything" if details of the abuse became public.

"To seek comfort and advice and to help address the pain they were experiencing only to have them experience a more horrific type of pain, sadness," Isanti County Attorney Jeffrey Edblad said.

The alleged abuse began as early as Dec. 31, 2010 and continued until at least Oct. 31, 2012.

"You have a defendant who spends a significant amount of time working with and grooming victims, these are often cases that take place over a period of months and years. They don't happen in a vacuum," Edblad explained.

Muehlhauser appeared in court on Tuesday and was free pending a second hearing next month.

"As a church, we are deeply saddened by the report by certain inappropriate behaviors during counseling sessions by one of our pastors, Ryan Muehlhauser," Lakeside Christian Church said in a statement. "At this point we do not believe that there has been any involvement with minors. We ask that if you are aware of any others that may have been abused, you immediately report that to the Isanti County Sheriff’s Department at 763-689-2141."

Attorney Sherwood McKinnis, who is representing Muehlhauser, suggested that criminal punishment would not be necessary.

“Mr. Muehlhauser has made significant contributions to the community, he’s married and has a good and solid clergial support,” McKinnis insisted. “We can certainly expect that group of people to hold Mr. Muehlhauser accountable for his actions.”

(h/t: Ex-Gay Watch)

How do you absolutely know a re-election campaign is going badly? When ridiculous ads like this appear. Despite spending over $20 mil in a red district, Bachmann has been unable to shake her opponent Jim Graves, who's being outspent 12-1. The residents of Minnesota's 6th district have not forgotten her ridiculous presidential campaign it seems, and she just might pay a price for it on Tuesday.

As for the ad itself, Bachmann isn't going to fool any senior with her malarkey. The congresswoman would gut Medicare and end Obamacare in a second if she could.

Last week Bachmann elicited roars of laughter in her debate with Graves when she claimed she doesn't do "political speech". That's all the lady does.

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The Republican candidate for Minnesota state House District 8B says that voters should enshrine marriage discrimination in the state's constitution because homosexuality is not "normal behavior."

During a debate on Thursday, Minnesota state Rep. Mary Franson (R) was asked if she supported a constitutional amendment to ban same sex marriage, which is already not legally recognized in the state.

"You know, under current state law it is illegal for a man and a man or a female and a female to get married," she explained. "The constitutional amendment doesn't change anything that is in state law. All it does is give the voters a chance to decide how they want to define marriage. How do they see marriage?"

Franson added that if the amendment was passed then there would be "consequences" for public education.

"My concerns are that our children in our schools could be taught some liberal agendas because of the marriage amendment," she insisted. "Because in the schools they may be taught that, this is normal behavior. I personally do not believe it is."

Franson's opponent, Alexandria coach and teacher Bob Cunniff (DFL), refused to take a stand on the amendment, but said schools don't "don't try to influence people on their way of thinking in that respect."

"Massachusetts, as a matter of fact, right after the 2003 court ruling [legalizing marriage equality] there was a school-wide assembly celebrating same sex marriage," Franson noted. "Then, and a few months later, the middle school was celebrating same sex marriage. And a year after that bill passed, schools went as far as elementary children having celebrations of the same-sex marriage, of gay pride. School books in Massachusetts, also in the libraries had this issue as normalizing it for our young children."

"And that's something that I wish to protect our children from," she concluded.

Voters go to the polls in November to decide if a ban on same sex marriage should be added to the state's Constitution. A survey released by Public Policy Polling earlier this month found that 48 percent supported the amendment and 47 percent opposed it.

Franson came under fire earlier this year when she released a YouTube video comparing food-stamp recipients to wild animals.

(h/t: City Pages)

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Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) on Sunday advised presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney to pick tea party favorite Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) as his running mate.

During a panel discussion about Romney's selection for the Republican ticket, CBS host Bob Schieffer asked Rendell if he had a prediction.

"I just want to go on record, I'm for Michele Bachmann for vice president," Rendell laughed. "I want everyone to be clear about that."

"But I do think that Gov. Romney has chosen the right criteria," the former Pennsylvania governor continued. "He's going to pick someone who he believes is ready to be president. Gov. [Bob] McDonnell would fit that bill. So would Sen. [Rob] Portman and some of the others that are being talked about."

"People don't vote for vice president. Although, let me say that I believe that America has a spectacular vice president [in Joe Biden], who's done just an amazing job. And I think that weighs on President Obama's side."

It's no secret that Rendell believes that Bachmann would scare independent voters away from supporting Romney in the same way former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin may have hurt Sen. John McCain's chances in 2008.

Bachmann has been mired in debt since suspending her failed campaign for the Republican presidential nomination earlier this year. Recent polls have indicated that her re-election to the House is not certain this year, with 34 percent of voters in her district giving a "poor" rating.

The Minnesota Republican has most recently come under fire from Republicans and Democrats for suggesting that that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s deputy chief of staff, Huma Abedin, had infiltrated the U.S. government on behalf of radical Islamists in the Muslim Brotherhood.

(h/t: Politico)