Bradlee Dean calls press conference, but leaves Capitol without addressing reporters

On Friday afternoon, controversial preacher Bradlee Dean called a press conference on the second floor of the Capitol. The apparent purpose was to speak with reporters about the controversy kicked up by his opening prayer at today’s House session.

While reporters waited upstairs, Dean arrived in an SUV outside the front of the Capitol. He reportedly spoke with Tom Prichard, head of the Minnesota Family Council. Before heading up the Capitol steps, Dean was called over to a vehicle occupied by Sens. Paul Gazelka and Dan Hall. After talking for several minutes, Dean returned to the SUV.

A reporter knocked on his window and asked if he was leaving. “No,” Dean replied. “I’ll be right up.” Dean then drove away.

Gazelka and Hall said that the meeting was coincidence. “It wasn’t a planned meeting,” said Gazelka, the chief sponsor of legislation to put an amendment to ban gay marriage on the ballot. “We just ran into him. We went out for a cup of coffee.”

Hall and Gazelka then walked into offices on the second floor.

(Maggi McDermott contributed reporting to this item.)