For local Democrats, there’s always money in the mini-doughnut stand.

Over the last 50 years, or so, a group of Democrats from Ramsey County has organized volunteers to run a doughnut booth at the Minnesota State Fair. The group, which has been registered as the “10th Ward & Rural Ramsey County (fka DFL Donut Booth)” since 1977, then contributes the profits to local Democratic-Farmer-Labor groups.

“It operates like any other booth at the Fair,” said the group’s chairman, Marc Asch. Asch, who served a term in the Minnesota House in the early 1990s, started making doughnuts in 1987 at the State Fair before moving up to dough-maker and manager. Now he runs the political action committee.

But Republican lawmakers say the booth is unlike any at the Great Minnesota Get-Together.

Instead, said Rep. Randy Jessup, R-Shoreview, it is a “black stain” at the State Fair.

“I ask all of us: Do you want to defend this type of an operation? Does the end justify the means? Is it right to deceive people making a purchase and then having it become a political contribution?” said Jessup.

He is offering a bill, one of 10 the freshman representative has sponsored this year, that would require the mini-doughnut booth’s operators to “disclose to each purchaser, prior to a sale, that proceeds may be used to make a contribution.”

It would also limit where the proceeds could go. The measure has more than two dozen Republican co-sponsors in the House. A similar measure in the Senate has five Republican sponsors. Related Articles McConnell vows quick vote on next justice; Biden says wait

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The measure being proposed is only one paragraph long and makes no mention of the State Fair, or fried foods or the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. But Jessup, who treats the bill as seriously as any other measure to come before the Legislature, is clear: He’s talking about doughnuts.

The members of a committee where he presented his bill were clear on that point, too. Indeed, they were so clear they felt the need to discuss their emotions about doughnuts.

“I like doughnuts,” Rep. Tim O’Driscoll, R-Sartell, told the panel when he wondered whether his State Fair doughnut purchases should be tracked and reported.

“I’m not a doughnut eater,” Rep. Jim Nash, R-Waconia, declared, adding that his family does buy mini-doughnuts and may have bought them from what he called the “dishonest” booth.

The doughnut booth brings in some serious dough for Democratic Party groups.

Since 2001, the doughnut proceeds allowed the 10th Ward & Rural Ramsey County political committee to donate at least $270,000 to DFL state Senate and House party groups. The doughnut committee does not contribute to candidates or other campaigns.

Last year alone, the doughnut booth reported bringing in $206,000 from the “Sale of donuts at fair market value at the Minnesota State Fair,” according to campaign finance reports, and $121,000 in expenses.

Asch, the doughnut-maker turned committee chairman, shrugged at the suggestions from Republicans that the DFLers are doing something nefarious.

“I don’t understand the obsession,” he said. “I don’t understand why these guys have their undies in a bunch over this.”

He said the booth has no sign that proclaims its political aims, but it’s not a secret. Every few years, Asch said, a Minnesota news outlet will investigate the association between the doughnuts and the politics and the booth will get all sorts of attention for a time. That, he said, has been good for business.

“We enjoy the coverage because every time we get exposed, our business increases and we make great doughnuts,” he said. Related Articles Early voting begins in Minnesota: Things to know.

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Sen. Jason Isaacson, DFL-Shoreview, also sees an upside to the legislation.

“I am pleased to see a Republican, for the first time ever — even if it is misguided — to attempt to address dark money,” Isaacson said. “Dark money” is what politicos call sources of political cash that is not fully revealed to the public.

Asch said there’s nothing secret about the State Fair doughnuts. The booth even posts its recipe for all to see. The not-so-secret secret ingredient?

“There’s a little nutmeg in it,” he said.