Peter Wattson to retire from state

Charley Shaw//June 6, 2011//

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Peter Wattson will retire after more than 40 years of lawyering under the state Capitol dome.

Wattson plans to wrap up his career July 1 as general counsel to Gov. Mark Dayton, according to a Monday news release.

Wattson spent the vast majority of his career on the other side of the Capitol as a Senate counsel. He staffed the Finance, Capital Investment and Rules and Administration Committees. He was also a nationally recognized expert on redistricting who was involved in redrawing maps in the last three decades.

After the retirement of Secretary of the Senate Pat Flahavan, Wattson handled the secretary’s parliamentary duties on the Senate floor.

Wattson has also been a prolific writer on issues including appropriations, ethics and redistricting. For a link to his treatises, please click here.

Dayton tapped Wattson to be his general counsel in December.

“We are grateful for his invaluable contributions to the transition and first months of my administration, and we wish him the best in his retirement,” Dayton said.

Tags: Peter Wattson, Mark Dayton, politicsinminnesota