Gottwalt takes lobbying job

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Jan 3, 2013 at 2:04 pm

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KNSI) State Rep. Steve Gottwalt of St. Cloud has taken a job as state legislative director for a company that lobbies the Minnesota Legislature.

Gottwalt, a Republican who was just elected to his fourth term, will stay in the Legislature. House GOP spokeswoman Susan Closmore says Gottwalt's job with the Center for Diagnostic Imaging will not be a conflict of interest as long as his lobbying work is done out of state.

The St. Louis Park-based company does have a lobbyist who's currently registered with the state of Minnesota to lobby the state Legislature.

Gottwalt also sells insurance, which raised eyebrows given his previous service as chairman of the House Human Services Reform Committee.