Minnesota veterans homes to get controversial TVs

Some of the large plasma screen TVs that had been installed in a sex offender treatment facility will instead end up in state veterans homes.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty ordered 25 TVs removed, after a newspaper reported the 50-inch sets cost about $2,200 each.

On his weekly radio program today, the governor again called putting the TVs in the sex offender treatment facility "a bone-headed move." Pawlenty said 13 of them will be put to better use in five of the state's veterans homes.

"We'll have our American heroes, those folks who have served this country so valiantly, who are now receiving care and housing from our veterans homes in Minnesota, receiving about 13 or 14 of these nice TV sets, so our veterans can watch state-of-the art nice TVs," said Pawlenty.

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Pawlenty said the state will sell the rest of the TVs. He said sex offenders can watch smaller, cheaper TVs. Veterans homes that will get the plasma TVs are in Minneapolis, Fergus Falls, Hastings and Silver Bay.

Pawlenty said potential disciplinary action is still being discussed for employees involved in the purchase.

Bonnie Martin, a spokesman for the state Department of Human Services, said an investigation into the purchase continues but the employee or employees behind it haven't been publicly named.

The TVs were purchased as part of an upgrade to the 400-bed Moose Lake facility, which confines offenders the courts have deemed dangerous and likely to commit new sex crimes. The offenders sent there have completed their prison terms.

An administrator for the treatment program has said the TVs have clinical value because patients can be watched to see how they respond to what's on TV. Pawlenty questioned why high-caliber TVs are needed. Each cost $1,576, plus a $706 mounting bracket.

Gil Acevedo, deputy commissioner of Veterans Affairs, said his agency had been working to upgrade televisions in the five state-run homes. A nonprofit group already helped get new sets for the home in Luverne.

"We were very fortunate these became available to us," Acevedo said. "That really works out perfect for us."

The residents - mostly World War II and Vietnam War veterans with conditions ranging from dementia to chemical dependency - now rely on big-bulb TVs in their common areas to watch shows, have movie days or rehabilitate using Nintendo Wii.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)