ST. PAUL - Late U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone rode a green bus to his first U.S. Senate win. After his death the bus came to signify his legacy.

Some are now upset over a bumper sticker message about the bus found on the state Capitol grounds, saying the political propaganda crossed the line of good taste.

The sticker, which says "It's time to park the bus," was found on the back of a Minnesota Senate staffer's SUV.

"I think it's below the belt," said state Rep. Michael Paymar, DFL-St. Paul. "I think it 's highly insensitive. It was a great tragedy when Paul died and a lot of us are still grieving."

DFLers are outraged. They claim there are more of these bumper stickers. Some of them think Republicans are behind them.

"I'm assuming he must have got it from the party or somewhere," Paymar said.

Republicans said they have more important things to do than print anti-Wellstone propaganda.

"This is a nonsensical, baseless, silly accusation," said Randy Wenke of the Republican Party of Minnesota. "For all I know Democrats put this on the car themselves in order to try to energize their base."

That would seem unlikely, since the SUV carrying that bumper sticker is owned by an assistant to Republican state Sen. Michael Jungbauer.

"The election is over," Paymar said. "Paul is dead. We want good memories of him and let's put the politics behind us."

Efforts by Eyewitness News to reach Jungbauer were not successful.

The staffer who owns the SUV refused to say where he obtained the sticker. Coincidentally, Wednesday was his last day working for Jungbauer.

Eyewitness News also spotted some other anti-Wellstone bumper stickers. One read, "He's dead, get over it." The owner said the sticker was made to order on the Internet.

©2003 Hubbard Broadcasting Inc.

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