Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan is engaged to former MPR journalist Tom Weber, who was removed as a host of one of the station’s morning shows after revealing that the two were in a relationship.
Flanagan announced the news on Twitter Sunday morning. “I’m so excited to spend the rest of my life with this man. We’re engaged and I’m over the moon,” she said.
I’m so excited to spend the rest of my life with this man. We’re engaged and I’m over the moon. pic.twitter.com/uGg50qiKRY
— Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan (@LtGovFlanagan) June 30, 2019
Gov. Tim Walz congratulated the two of them shortly after Flanagan made the announcement.
“I’m the third happiest person in Minnesota,” he said. “Wishing you a lifetime of happiness and love.”
I’m the third happiest person in Minnesota.
Congrats, @LtGovFlanagan and @webertom1! Wishing you a lifetime of happiness and love. https://t.co/6HZS9oIFy2
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) June 30, 2019
Weber started with MPR in 2008 and went on to get his own show as host of “MPR News With Tom Weber.” But in January 2018 Weber was removed from his position after informing his supervisors that he was romantically involved with Flanagan, who was then a state representative and Walz’s running mate.
“We are committed to the highest ethical standards to always maintain the trust of our audiences,” Angie Andresen, MPR’s director of communications, said of the demotion, according to The Star Tribune.
“Because of this conflict and following a review of our news ethics guidelines, Tom is being reassigned to another position within the newsroom and will not cover the governor’s race, the Legislature, potential legislation, public policy involving the executive or legislative branches or any topic related to the November 2018 election,” she added.
Flanagan, who was divorced in 2017, opened up about her relationship with Weber after the news broke.
“Recently, I began a romantic relationship with journalist Tom Weber. I let my campaign team know about our relationship. Tom informed MPR, pursuant to their laudable guidelines of conflict of interest,” she wrote in a January 2018 Facebook post.
Five months later, Weber announced that he was leaving MPR after ten years.
“It’s been a challenging year. I look forward to trying new things. Outside-the-box things,” he wrote on Twitter. “I have no new gig lined up, so drop me a line if you have ideas or want to hire me or say hi.”
It’s been a challenging year. I look forward to trying new things. Outside-the-box things. #mprraccoon-like things. I have no new gig liked up, so drop me a line if you have ideas or want to hire me or say hi: twebmn (at) gmail (dot) com. (hire me!)
— Tom Weber (@webertom1) June 13, 2018
According to MPR, the two are planning a small wedding for sometime before the end of the year.
“It was a very traditional, pull-out-the-ring proposal, but without any cannons, balloons or airplane writing in the sky,” Weber told his former employer. “She was surprised.”
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of Battleground State News, The Ohio Star, and The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Peggy Flanagan and Tom Weber” by Peggy Flanagan, and “Minnesota Capital” by FormulaNone CC2.0.
