The first-term state legislator and Iraq War veteran will lead the county's Veterans Services Office, according to ABC Newspapers. In March, Kriesel said he wasn't going to seek a second term representing the Cottage Grove area.

The veteran who lost both legs in the Iraq war says he missed two years of life with his children and that he's stepping down from politics to spend more time with his family. Kriesel gained fame in the Legislature when he became one of few Republicans to speak out against a move to ban same-sex marriage.

Cottage Grove Republican Rep. John Kriesel and Minnesota Senate GOP legislative assistant Bob Koss got into a profanity-laced, digital shouting match over the retiring lawmaker's appearance in an anti-amendment television ad.

Brodkorb claims he was "terminated based on his gender" and says his legal team has proof that female Capitol employees had affairs with male legislators but were allowed to keep their jobs. The Star Tribune says the ousted communication chief's legal team plans to dig deep into the romantic lives of legislative employees and lawmakers to make its case. Secretary of the Senate Cal Ludeman says Brodkorb is trying to "blackmail" the Senate.