Minn. Senate OKs 2 Dayton cabinet picks

Two more of Gov. Mark Dayton's cabinet members are now full-fledged.

The Minnesota Senate on Thursday confirmed Mike Rothman as commissioner of the state Department of Commerce and John Linc Stine as head of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Rothman is an attorney and former adjunct law professor now leading an agency involved in policing consumer fraud and licensing and regulation of banks, insurance companies, real estate firms and other businesses. Stine is a longtime official at several state agencies and had previously served as deputy commissioner at the MPCA.

Rothman has led the Department of Commerce since Dayton's term started and Stine has been on the job for months, but the previous Republican-controlled Senate didn't take up confirmation of Dayton's employees.

Commissioners can serve without ratification until they are voted down.

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