Brent|W|P|Well…you know what they say…ignorance is bliss! MC|W|P|Is it at all possible that it was a DFL lit piece, created by someone who was just writing a bio on Kelly Doran or Amy Klobuchar, and used the same template to do Rowley's piece, and simply made a small mistake and didn't change the word in the header?No, for the readers of MDE it must be the most complicated explanation possible. Either she is secretly running for U.S. Senate, or the DFL is so stupid that they actually thought she was running for Senate. Right?
Give me a break and find something that isn't a complete waste of time.
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Either she is secretly running for U.S. Senate, or the DFL is so stupid that they actually thought she was running for Senate. Right? Correct! MC|W|P|See, since you picked up that lit within the DFL booth, it would be hard to argue before the FEC that you didn't know who paid for it. Frankly if it was mailed out or even handed out by the party or her campaign, then whomever produced it should say that they paid for it. Neat bit of trivia: Literature and newspaper ads, as long as they were produced and paid for by that individual, do not have to have any sort of attribution of who created them. I doubt this is the case with Rowley (see reason above) though.
If you want some examples of MN GOP campaign lit that has no attribution to expose on your site, let me know.
MC|W|P|MDE, see that quote that you used was clearly me being sarcastic, as indiccated in the sentense preceeding it. Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Micah: Here is a neat bit of trivia: You are wrong. Newspaper ads and literature need disclaimers. I did provide a link to the FEC's website.
MC|W|P|"Literature and newspaper ads, as long as they were produced and paid for by that individual, do not have to have any sort of attribution of who created them." I am right, I was talking about individuals producing literature. I meant to make it more clear, and for not doing so I'm sorry.
This means that I could pay for a newspaper ad telling people to vote for Mark Kennedy and not have to disclose in the ad that I paid for it. If Mark Kennedy or the MNGOP did so though, they would have to disclose that. Same thing with lit, anonymous individual political speech is protected by the USSC.
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Did an individual or did the DFL create the literature? Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Republican Minnesota, I think you scared Micah away. MC|W|P|I think you miss the point from my first post. You picked up this information from the DFL booth! There is a HUGE difference, seeing as how it was not lit that was mailed out or handed out (distributed on the street) at the fair. You knew where it was coming from since they had it at the DFL booth. Assuming the DFL printed this, as long as they were not A) posting it on phone polls B) handing it out on the street to fair-goers or C) Mailed it out, THEN THEY LEGALLY DON'T HAVE TO DISCLOSE WHO PAID FOR IT! I'm not sure how much you know about federal campaign laws and FEC regulations, but based on what your posts said, nothing illegal took place here. Go to your FEC link, show me where this would be illegal. Actually, better yet, please call some GOP lawyers, ask them to put in a few hours looking into this!
BTW: My trivia had nothing to do with this at all.
MC|W|P|I'll do the work for you:Public communications include electioneering communications and any communication made using the following media:
· Broadcast, cable or satellite;
· Newspaper or magazine;
· Outdoor advertising facility;
· Mass mailing (more than 500 substantially similar mailings within 30 days);
· Phone bank (more than 500 substantially similar calls within 30 days).
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Where I picked it up has nothing to do with who paid for it or change the need for a disclaimer to be on the document. If the DFL created the document, then the DFL needed to put a disclaimer on it.Micah, you are just wrong.
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|When Disclaimer Not RequiredA disclaimer is not required when:
• It cannot be conveniently printed (e.g., pens, bumper stickers, campaign pins, campaign buttons and similar small items);
• Its display is not practicable (e.g., wearing apparel, water towers and skywriting); or
• The item is of minimal value, does not contain a political message and is used for administrative purposes (e.g., checks and receipts). 110.11(f).
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|On printed materials, the disclaimer notice must appear within a printed box set apart from the other contents in the communication. The print must be of a sufficient type-size to be clearly readable by the recipient of the communication, and the print must have a reasonable degree of color contrast between the background and the printed statement. 11 CFR 110.11(c)(2)(i), (ii) and (iii). Example:
Paid for by the Save the Seahorses Committee and authorized by the
McKay for Senate Committee.
As long as the disclaimer appears somewhere within the communication it does not have to appear on the front page or cover of multiple-paged documents. However, in the case of single-sided documents and billboards, the disclaimer must appear on the front. 11 CFR 110.11(c)(2)(iv).
MC|W|P|Right, those are all for "public communications". This was something that you picked up at the DFL booth, they were not just handing them out to the public.But again, please try to get MNGOP to hire some lawyers to look into this... Like put $500,000 into a legal fund for them to bring this before the FEC. It may take two years, but if really think you are right, it could result in the DFL paying a couple hundred or thousand dollars in fines and told not to do it again. It's simply not going to happen and I'm getting a little tired of explaining the finer points of election laws to republicans.
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Micah, you are just wrong. It needs a disclaimer. There is no reason it does not need a disclaimer.Again this is from the FEC:
When is a Disclaimer Not Required?
Although the FEC recommends that disclaimer notices be included on all campaign materials, the notices are not required in the following situations.
Disclaimer Placement is Inconvenient
In situations where a disclaimer notice cannot be conveniently printed, the notice is not required. This provision affects items such as pens, bumper stickers, campaign pins, campaign buttons and similar small items. Further, a disclaimer notice is not required for communications using skywriting, clothing, water towers or other forms of advertisement where it would be impracticable to display the disclaimer notice. 11 CFR 110.11(f) (See also AO 2002-9.)
Internal Corporate/Labor Communications
A disclaimer notice is not required for solicitations or communications made by a separate segregated fund or connected organization to its "restricted class." 6
Materials Used for Administrative Purposes Only
A disclaimer notice is not required on checks, receipts or similar items of minimal value that do not include a political message and are used only for administrative purposes. 11 CFR 110.11(f)(1)(iii).
Micah, I know it must be tough to defend Rowley's stupidity. I think you may have exposed more than you wanted to about your knowledge of this document.
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Lucy N: Thanks for your comments. DFLers provide me with so much free material.Micah: I think you should answer Lucy's question.
MC|W|P|Lucy, I have no idea who created the lit. I live in Virginia now and I haven't been to the DFL booth or HQ in more than 2 years. You would have to ask them. Or, get a whole team of GOP lawyers to look into it.I hope you are getting a cut from the gucci bag spam above...
Michael M|W|P|Regardless of what is supposed to be on the literature, does anyone else see the irony of MDE clamoring for Rowley's campaign to identify itself on a hand out, when he refuses to identify himself? Brent|W|P|Michael M said... Regardless of what is supposed to be on the literature, does anyone else see the irony of MDE clamoring for Rowley's campaign to identify itself on a hand out, when he refuses to identify himself?
No...not really since he isn't running for political office that I am aware of.
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Nope, I have nothing better to do than point out how partisan Joan Growe was as Minnesota's Secretary of State.A candidate for the Democratic-Farmer-Labor nomination to run for Minnesota Secretary of State called Tuesday for legislation that would bar state election officials from actively participating in political campaigns other than their own.
Christian Sande, a Minneapolis lawyer, said public confidence in the disputed 2000 presidential election in Florida was damaged because Katherine Harris, then Florida's secretary of state, had campaigned for President Bush.
"The office of secretary of state must rise above party politics and avoid any perception of favoritism," Sande said in a news release.
Sande told a reporter that he had no proof of misconduct by Mary Kiffmeyer, Minnesota's current secretary of state. But he said he had heard "rumors" that Kiffmeyer, a longtime Republican activist, was co-chairing Bush's Minnesota's 2004 campaign and had written a letter on behalf of the campaign. If that were true, it would diminish Kiffmeyer's credibility as an impartial overseer of elections, he charged.
Kiffmeyer, in an interview, denied playing any official role in Bush's campaign last year, and she accused Sande of telling "lies" in his news release. She said she cut back her involvement in partisan politics after she was elected secretary of state in 1998 to avoid an appearance of a conflict of interest.
Kiffmeyer said she did not know whether any members of her elections staff have been active in campaigns. Source: Pioneer Press, August 31, 2005
|W|P|112549585034515608|W|P|EXPOSED: CHRISTIAN SANDE|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com
Brent|W|P|LOL!!!Way to help out the Dems! If they win the election, I'm going to be mad at you!
MC|W|P|Clearly this woman is not qualified for office because someone in the DFL typed the wrong office in the header.If that's the best you have, this election should be a cake-walk.
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Inside source: This is true.Lucy N: The DFL makes it so easy to find this stuff
MC|W|P|Lucy,I'm pretty sure it was someone in the DFL that created the lit, and would have no sort of coordination with Rowley's camp. If that's the case, blame someone in the DFL. I don't say Mark Kennedy's campaign is doomed because the MNGOP website kinda sucks (it's doomed for a dozen other reasons though).
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Micah: Do you have information that the DFL created Rowley's literature?
Tony Garcia|W|P|We called her campaign to ask her for an interview. We are in the 6th. The manager called back this morning and said that she would be interested in trying to move her schedule a bit to do an interview. And that she does not like to turn down interview requests, even if they might be out of her district.Maybe this is why she is also doing the national shows like Hardball (which I dissected on my blog), O'Reilley, etc.
Kevin from Minneapolis|W|P|Look, I don't mean to be mean or anything, but that "literature piece" was as plain looking as she is. Ick! Spend a little money and make it at least look like you have a clue about anything. I have to wonder if her or a staffer failed to follow her campaign motto of "Always try" when putting that gawdawful piece together.
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Please use this. MC|W|P|I want to know why the Red Cross is the only non-Christian organization on that list. Not to say that faith-based groups don't do good work - they do - but are there really no other disaster aid groups? Kevin from Minneapolis|W|P|I was watching Minneapolis public access tv one night and Ellison was telling a group of young black students that the Capitol was built to keep (not exactly sure of the wording here, but this is pretty close to what he said) people like us (refering to the people in the room, all of whom were black) out. I've been to the Capitol several times. Doors seem pretty wide open to everyone from what I've seen.
Brent|W|P|Ah…but remember, the DFL is nothing without victims. It’s not my fault I’m poor; it’s not my fault I’m fat; it’s not my fault I don’t have a job; it’s not my fault I don’t have any education; it’s not my fault my kids are undisciplined! Someone, please help save me from the evil (insert noun here)’s oppression!
Liberalism: the haunting fear someone, somewhere, can help themselves.
Brent|W|P|It's not my fault they didn't have Weapons of Mass Destruction...How quickly we forget that we were not the only country who suspected that they had WMD…how quickly we forget that the information wasn’t determined to be suspect until AFTER the invasion…how quickly we forget that many DFL members voted for the war. And while weapons my not yet have been found, remember we are looking in a sandbox the size of Wisconsin. Every try to find your sons/daughters toys they buried at the beach? Add to it the vast amounts of money Hussein had to make deals with to move them, perhaps to another country, and I think we might still find something. Even if we did, can you honestly tell me that the world would be a better place with Hussein still in power?
It's not my fault the national debt is growing out of control...
How quickly we forget that wars cost money…but the price that we are paying now vs. wagging the war on our own soil is, is priceless.
It's not my fault I'm on vacation half the year...
Give it a rest already, will you? Being President is a 24/7 job. Even when he is on “vacation” he is still working.
It's not my fault oil prices are out of control and energy lobbyists wrote the recent energy bill...
Oil prices are out of control due to speculation on the price of oil…there is no reason why the price of oil should be as high as it is…and, I would like to mention, that the price of gas/energy here is STILL a bargain compared to just about anywhere else in the world. Ever fill up your tank in Germany?
It's not my fault the economy sucks and consumer confidence is going down…
Nice try, it took a MINOR dip in July,
http://www.conference-board.org/economics/consumerConfidence.cfm
“This month’s decline (July) in Consumer Confidence is no cause for concern,” says Lynn Franco, Director of the Conference Board’s Consumer Research Center. “The overall state of the economy remains healthy and consumers’ outlook suggests no storm clouds on the short-term horizon. Even the steady upward tick of fuel prices at the pump has done relatively little to dampen consumers’ spirits. Yet, while there is little to suggest a downturn in activity, there is also little to suggest a pickup.”
Blame the Democrats they control Washington...
The only think I blame the Democrats in power on is alarming people about thinks that are bogus, like claiming that the economy sucks.
Oh wait we control the White House and Congress.
And this is a good thing!
It's not my fault that we preach morality and responsibility, but never practice it...
Really? Example please?
It’s those gulf war moms and gay marriage people that are destroying our country...
I don’t remember hearing anyone of importance (other than that religious whacko Robertson.) saying any of this…but I do find humor in your bringing up the question of morality followed by a comment on gay marriage…
The King|W|P|Well the fact is they didn't have WMD's. There is no proof they ever had WMD's.You are an idiot. Maybe you would like to tell that to the Kurds? Try looking up March 1988.
Perhaps you should also explain it to these people as well:
"[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs." -- From a letter signed by Joe Lieberman, Dianne Feinstein, Barbara A. Milulski, Tom Daschle, & John Kerry among others on October 9, 1998
Oh wait, it is only a lie if a Republican says it right?
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Sipidation is my hero! Brent|W|P|Well done, Sipidation! Thanks...I was looking for that letter too but you beat me to the punch! John Jordan|W|P|Chemical Weapons are not WMD.Maybe the sky is different in your world.
Of course chemical weapons are WMD. They fit the very definition of WMD.
The "Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons" sure disagrees with you.
http://www.opcw.org/html/db/cwc/eng/cwc_frameset.html
What a ridiculous statement.
lloydletta|W|P|This seems like an opposition research Dump on Keith Ellison. Keith is my representative. I supported one of his opponents when he ran for the first time (Duane Reed). As long as Keith is in this district, he will have the seat. I've heard that Senator Higgins might be planning to run for county commissioner - and if she goes for county commissioner, Keith will go for State Senator. Then I heard that whoever loses the 5th ward city council race will run for Keith's seat. Linda Higgins would not respond to my requests for comment.
Anonymous_Me|W|P|ReaganBlows, you are truly a magnificent bloviator--one of the greats. I haven't heard anything so dogmatic since...well, since the last Howard Dean soundbite. Are you a true believer in Democrat talking points? You sound like it. John Jordan|W|P|You guys can keep buying the spin on IraqYou sound like Cindy Sheehan - everyone's brainwashed but her.
Brent|W|P|You guys can keep buying the spin on Iraq, but I think most Americans aren't buying into it.It sounds to me that you are buying into the spin from the left, especially when you say that chemical weapons are not WMD!
Kevin from Minneapolis|W|P|It is pretty clear that Iraq posed no greater threat to the US then any other country in the region.What does the left not understand about the post-9/11 world? Is that what you would want us to do - wait until a country poses a direct threat to us? As long as the will of our enemies to die is greater than our will to live I would prefer we face down gathering threats before they fully materialize.
And that's what Iraq was -- a gathering threat. We know Saddam was actively subverting the UN sanctions and the Oil-for-Food program and that he enticed enough foreign officials to his side that given a few more years he would have had support at the UN to lift sanctions and at that point many believed he was going to restart is nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs.
Of course, now he'll never have that chance, no thanks needed to the American left.
Kevin from Minneapolis|W|P|Exactly. The left mentions all these other countries that it thinks were a bigger threat, but can you imagine the fuss they would throw if the US invaded any of them? Iraq is a cakewalk compared to a war with China or North Korea. But I digress. The left has done such a fabulous job of limiting the discussion of Iraq to 1) why we went and 2) how many Americans are being killed that they have effectively taken control of the Iraq issue. They have done a truly masterful job of cutting off the flow of positive news and driving public support down to the point where it may help them in the 2006 elections.
Congratulations to the American left. You've managed to further your own electoral prospects and aid terrorism at the same time. You guys must be proud.
woyzeck|W|P|the party opposite said... What does the left not understand about the post-9/11 world? Is that what you would want us to do - wait until a country poses a direct threat to us? As long as the will of our enemies to die is greater than our will to live I would prefer we face down gathering threats before they fully materialize.
Shark.bait said...
You're not suggesting that we invade N. Korea or China, are you?
??? Which is it? Do we wait until they pose a direct threat or not?
ReaganBlows said...
Chemical Weapons are not WMD.
This is a silly statement.
The problem that I see here is that evidence of Iraqi wmd programs were offered up for the world to see as justification for invading Iraq. Most countries did not agree that there was sufficient evidence of this. We went into this war without international support and now we are stuck in a quagmire. We will be dumping money and lives into Iraq for years to come. I personally do not feel that attacking Iraq has made us any safer. In fact, it may have made things worse. These people were upset that we were imposing our military, beliefs and lifestyle on them. (Not much of an excuse for killing innocent people, but...) So we attack and take over a week country in the middle east that is one of the most non-secular countries in the region. I cannot see how this would discourage them and from the looks of what is going on it hasn't.
I think that we should look to the past. Look at Great Britain and France. They lost much of the terriorty that they once had due to overextending their resources. We could also learn something from our own past. Vietnam. When will we learn that you cannot change people overnight. Especially with force. Take China for example. We seldomly agree with China on anything and see them as a potential threat, however, over the years they have opened their markets (to some degree) and Chinese Citizens are getting a taste of the west. With diplomacy and market forces eventually China will become more democratic. Obviously this no answer for Iraq either before or after we invaded. Where we go from here? Can't say that I support an immediate withdrawal as this would put Iraq into a tailspin and would then certainly be a terrorist breeding ground. However, we really should pull out asap. We also should mend relationships with other countries. It would be nice if we were not bearing the brunt of this. But these are the choices that have been made by those with the "mandate" from the people, and we will have to live with it.
Brent|W|P|Abrogans said... ??? Which is it? Do we wait until they pose a direct threat or not?
N. Korea is not exactly what I would call a direct threat, and I certainly wouldn’t call China one.
While Korea MIGHT have nukes (I’m willing to bet that they have some untested nukes) they do not yet have the ability to hit us (at least not that they have been able to demonstrate). I would also like to point out Kim Jong II, and while he teaches his country’s kids, from birth, that he is basically “God”, he knows better than that in foreign affairs. He relies quite heavily in foreign aid to feed his people because he has spent much of his country’s resources to develop and maintain his military. NO ONE in the world, not even China, the closest thing that they can call an ally, would defend them if they attached us.
This brings me to China. While you are correct that China gets a taste of the west, there is little hope that they will ever truly go to a democratic government because the government has woven itself into every aspect of the country. Foreign investors, such as GM or Ford, who have decided to build factories over there, do so in partnership with the government. Diplomacy to change them, name one time that diplomacy alone as changed a government?
Market forces will change China? Right now China has such a strong hold on the EU and US that you have it backward…CHINA’S market forces dictate how WE do business. I speak on this with some authority, as I am a Global Buyer specializing in procurement out of the Far East, specifically CHINA. China was/is having such a large impact on the US dollar that we just had to get them to adjust how they valued their currency in order for us not to impose more tariffs and restrictions on what we import from them.
Now, the last think I want to touch on is your comment about us, ”imposing our military, beliefs and lifestyle on them.”.
First, our military is only there right now in an effort to help stabilize things while a new government is put in place, by the people of Iraq I would like to add. Imposing out beliefs? If you mean religious, then you are sadly mistaking. If you are referring to the belief in democracy, then you are correct, we are guiding them away from an oppressive dictatorship, like the one we suffered under with Britain ruled us, and we are replacing it with what the majority of the world sees as the best form of government, democracy.
Lastly, lifestyle…I’m sure that having better water treatment facilities, more reliable electricity and having the freedom to have whatever lifestyle they choose is sure a lot better then the fear and oppression that they suffered under Hussein.
I also want to point out the hypocrisy in your statements…on the one hand you say that the Chinese are getting a taste of the West, and yet you say that we are imposing that on Iraq and that is bad…so, I ask back at you, which is it?
woyzeck|W|P|There is no hypocrisy. It is simply how the foreign policies are implemented. China - we are not imposing ourselves upon them. They have invited us in. Iraq is quite a bit different situation. We invaded their country, toppled their dictator/government and killed innocent people (obviously unavoidable in an action like this). Two completely different situations from the outset and cannot be compared. My thoughts on China are losely based on modernization theory and feel that China will eventually become more democratic. It just may take a long time.I just thought that the statement from the party opposite was a bit broad and should not be applied in all situations. Obviously, North Korea poses a bigger threat (as a nation) to us than Iraq ever did, but I am sure that all would agree that it would not be in our best interst to premptively attack N. Korea because we feel threatened by them.
First, our military is only there right now in an effort to help stabilize things while a new government is put in place
Do you really believe this? I personally do not see any end in sight any time soon. When I say soon, I mean years. Do you think that we will be removing all our forces even after things are stabilized? Hmmm... with Iran and Syria next door, I doubt it.
Imposing out beliefs? If you mean religious, then you are sadly mistaking
No, I did not mean religion at all.
Can democracy be forced upon a population? I don't think so. I think that it is something that evolves over time.
Brent|W|P|Yes, I do really believe that we are there, in mass, for only another year or two...after that, yes, we will still be there, but not in the numbers we are now.I also don't feel like we are forcing democracy on the people, it seems that the people what this. As an example, one of the current sticking points in the constitution is the role women will have...while we might be encouraging them having an equal role, the true decision is theirs.
Does Ellison still think someone who says "Jews are the most racist white people I know" should be able to keep their job as head of an organization dedicated to fighting racism?
|W|P|112526189500365671|W|P|I QUESTION THE DFL'S DECISION|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com John Jordan|W|P|MDE - I'm curious, what were in the messages that were removed? Jerry Plagge, Jr.|W|P|John... It looks like some scumbags have figured out how to "spam" blog comments now. It looks like most of them removed were spam."Direct TV Deals", "Quit Smoking", etc.
I created a new test blog the other day and within an hour I had 5 to 10 "spam" comments posted.
MDE,
You should switch over to a different comment tool like www.haloscan.com or something like that.
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Thanks SD 63. It was spam comments. I am moving to Haloscan.com John Jordan|W|P|Ahhh....thanks.Hatch's Record on Tobacco Industry Contributions
1998 Campaign: Hatch Says No To Tobacco Money. "The four major-party contenders for Minnesota attorney general, the state's key job in taking on the tobacco industry, swore off campaign contributions from tobacco company employees and their lobbyists Tuesday. ...Mike Hatch, another DFL candidate and former state commerce commissioner, did not attend the press conference but has signed the pledge, association officials said." (Jim Ragsdale, "Attorney General Hopefuls Refuse Tobacco Money; Candidates Sign Campaign Pledge Not To Take Contributions," St. Paul Pioneer Press, September 17, 1997)
April 2002: Hatch Doesn't Know If He Has Accepted Tobacco Money. "[Dr. Richard] Hurt invited Hatch to join forces in a series of community meetings that MPAAT has scheduled across the state to discuss reducing tobacco use. He urged Hatch to appoint two people to the MPAAT board, as he is permitted to do under the court order. He also called on Hatch not to accept campaign donations from tobacco interests. Hatch said he will not comply with the first two requests until the legal issues are resolved, and he said he won't accept future campaign contributions from the tobacco industry. He said he didn't know if he had ever accepted them in the past." (Josephine Marcotty, "Hatch, Antitobacco Group Butt Heads; He Calls MPAAT Antismoking Efforts Inadequate," Star Tribune, April 24, 2002)
May 2002: Pulse Reports Hatch Repeatedly Accepted Contributions From Big Tobacco And Relied Upon Tobacco Lobbyist To Organize Fundraisers. "Dorothy Kelm (the wife of Tom Kelm, tobacco lobbyist) gave you $1,000 on 4/23/98. Good old reliable tobacco lobbyist Charlie Westin gave you $350 in your last campaign in '98. Christine Horasdovsky, wife of tobacco lobbyist Dave Horasdovsky, gave you $500. That was after your pledge in '98 to not accept tobacco campaign contributions. Since then, tobacco lobbyist Cort Holten has given you $200, and R. J. Reynolds tobacco lobbyist Ron Jerich has been very active in your present campaign. He organized and bankrolled fundraisers for you in 1999, buying food and beverages ($700). He and his wife donated $200 each last year, and he spent $500 on throwing you another fundraiser last June." (Ed Felien, "Gee Mike, We Thought You Knew!" Pulse Of The Twin Cities, May 1, 2002)
May 2002: MPR Reports Hatch Reimbursed R.J. Reynolds Lobbyist Ron Jerich Three Times. "When [Skip] Humphrey ran for governor right after the state's landmark tobacco trial, he vowed he wouldn't accept cash or fundraising help from anyone associated with the tobacco industry. Campaign Finance Board records show Hatch's campaign reimbursed one of the state's most influential lobbyists, Ron Jerich, on three occassions [sic] for fundraising. Fundraisers can steer far more money into campaign coffers than single contributions, which are capped in Minnesota. Both Jerich and his wife are registered lobbyists for R. J. Reynolds." (Elizabeth Stawicki, "Hatch's Tobacco Ties Questioned On Eve Of Court Fight," Minnesota Public Radio Website, May 16, 2002)|W|P|112525285790573250|W|P|HATCH SIDING WITH BIG TOBACCO|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com
Source: Democratic Underground
|W|P|112525033515752130|W|P|I KNOW YOU ARE WRONG|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.comThis is a picture from inside the DFL's booth at the Minnesota State Fair. Somebody thinks they are "wright", rather than "right."
MC|W|P|Are you sure Republican Minnesota didn't write that? North Star Politics|W|P|And what's wrong with this? Democrats can be Democrats no matter what their education. I, for one, welcome even Democrats who can't spell. Brent|W|P|I know a couple of Democrats who can’t spell…I received a Christmas card from a DFL teacher friend that said, “Mary Christmas”. I don’t care if someone is a GOP or a DFL member, but when stupid mistakes like this are made; I have to question their ability to make a rational decision when it comes to part choice. Unfortunately, Constitution never placed an IQ requirement to vote.
I slept in today and didn't realize Minnesota Democrats Exposed was in the Star Tribune.
##
Latest political bickering focuses on who typed what, and where
A GOP legislator's official news release finds its way to her congressional campaign website. DFL websites are found to contain material from computers at public schools and a private law firm.
Do such revelations, and others like them, represent an outbreak of political lawlessness in a state noted for aboveboard campaigning? Or are they a series of minor slipups by busy volunteer activists who are being outed in Minnesota's hottest new partisan blood sport?
A flurry of allegations have been exchanged in recent weeks, generally via e-mail or web logs, accusing political activists in both major parties of preparing political materials on computers where they work.
It is illegal under Minnesota law to use public resources for partisan purposes, and political work on corporate computers could, if officially sanctioned, constitute an illegal contribution.
The accusations typically follow a search of the "properties" field of Microsoft Word documents that is supposed to show where they were created.
It took DFLer Jeffrey Arnold of St. Paul all of two minutes to get into the cyber-gotcha game last week after he learned of the case that launched the recent round of allegations.
Arnold fired up an advanced Google search and quickly hit on a Goodhue County Republican website with a page about how to donate money that originated at the Donaldson Co. of Minneapolis.
"OK, I found one," Arnold said. "I'm sure there's more. But haven't we got anything better to talk about? This all seems kind of silly."
Minnesota campaign law erects a solid wall between public and corporate resources on one hand and political activity on the other. Yet it remains murky whether any of the recently alleged infractions would rise to the level of even misdemeanor charges or civil penalties.
State campaign watchdogs, for example, don't count an activist's use of a home computer as an in-kind contribution to candidates or parties. And use of any computer to draft a document would likely fall well below the $20 value threshold for reporting political contributions, said Jeanne Olson, executive director of the state Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board.
In addition, there would be no wrongdoing at all if a public or corporate entity was paid whatever value is attached to the use of its computer for a political purpose.
Some campaign law experts suggest that any issues raised by the recent spate of revelations are between employees and employers, rather than a concern for the public interest at large.
But none of those provisos are to be found in the superheated political blogosphere that has spawned most of the finger-pointing.
The anonymous website Minnesota Democrats Exposed, which kicked off the current hostilities with a revelation that a DFL fundraising letter was created on a computer at the Minneapolis city attorney's office, has called for City Attorney Jay Heffern and his deputy, Peter Ginder, to be fired for allegedly covering up the matter.
Ginder said Thursday that an investigation continues on Lois Conroy, an assistant city attorney and chairwoman of the Minneapolis DFL. Conroy has admitted working on the letter after hours at her office.
False trails?
Minnesota Democrats Exposed, or MDE, as it styles itself, also has found that the computer trails that the partisan sleuths have dug up aren't always reliable evidence.
State Senate District 63 DFLers have "changed the document properties of documents posted on their website to falsely claim they were created by Minnesota Democrats Exposed," MDE says in a recent web posting.
David Weinlick, District 63 DFL chairman, said the switch was a joke. "We thought it was funny," he said. Weinlick, a student at the University of Minnesota, also said he isn't sure why some Word documents on the district web site originally showed the "author" as "U of M." He added: "Maybe I did it in a computer lab there."
MDE (www.minnesotademocratsexposed.com) also alleged that a 5th Congressional District DFL website contained a file created at the University of Minnesota, where 5th District DFL secretary Laura Sayles is coordinator of the Institute for Global Studies.
Contacted on Wednesday, Sayles declined to comment, adding: "I'm actually at work right now."
A similar problem confronted Republican blog contributor Jerry Plagge of Richfield. He had e-mailed a Star Tribune reporter questioning Conroy's explanation of her case, then asked that the message be sent back.
Why? He had sent it from his work computer at C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc., a trucking and transportation company in Eden Prairie.
"I intended to send the message from my home or personal mailbox," he said. "Note the irony of me using work e-mail ... even if there is a big difference between a public position and a private company like mine."
'Perfectly legal'
Where one works does make a difference. If a corporation authorized the use of its assets for political purposes, it could incur a $40,000 fine and the loss of its right to do business in Minnesota. But that doesn't apply to all private enterprise.
For example, documents drafted at the Minneapolis law firm of Faegre & Benson that turned up on the state DFL Party website are "perfectly legal" because the firm is a partnership, not a corporation, said DFL spokesman Bill Amberg.
DFL state chair Brian Melendez is a partner at Faegre, but the documents may have come from Rick Nelson, another DFL activist at the firm, Amberg said. Regardless, he added, "there's nothing wrong with that. It's no different than working on a home computer."
Meanwhile, Sen. Michele Bachmann, R-Stillwater, was targeted by a blog devoted solely to her candidacy for Congress in the 6th District -- dumpbachmann.blogspot.com.
Blogster Eva Young found a news release produced last week by Bachmann's legislative office on her candidate website, with a tagline saying it was "prepared and paid for by Bachmann for Congress."
"It must be a mistake," Bachmann said. "I don't know what happened." She said she would order the disclaimer removed.
And the Donaldson Co.-Goodhue County GOP connection? Donaldson employee Chris Hauschildt of Red Wing is listed as the contact person on the party website. He said he hasn't altered the site in more than a year and doesn't remember doing any party work at his job.
"I might have done that," he eventually acknowledged. "But if I did, it was on my own time." Source: Star Tribune, August 27, 2005
|W|P|112516055897288180|W|P|MORE OF MDE IN THE NEWS|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com lloydletta|W|P|I found it interesting that they mentioned MDE's minor stories - but not the major one - which is the Hatch/Entenza rumor. Anonymous_Me|W|P|You have won my admiration, MDE. You and I do not do the same kind of work in the blogosphere, but I recognize your perseverance and you seem to me to be a serious person. I find the MN left's rage at you both amusing and fascinating. How can post-Clinton Democrats be so upset at someone offering evidence of sleaze and low-level corruption in their party? Do they really believe their people are pure spirits? No one else does. If you really do have some very damning stuff, their reaction to its release should prove hilarious. Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Zach: Thanks for the laugh. The King|W|P|You were also refered to during Taxpayers League Live this morning. They were talking about the Entenza private eye thing. You were quoted as the source.
Below is the basic information on how to compile a claim as a Conscientious Objector (CO). CCCO has a more detailed handbook called 'Choosing peace' which they sell. For more information check here.
- If you register, write that you are a CO on the card before sending it in. Photocopy the card and send it to yourself. FIle the sealed envelop in a secure location , leave it sealed.
- Write a statement of beliefs that explain why, how, when, where, etc that you became a CO. List anything that could have influenced your beliefs against war and killing, such as religion, films, books, events attended, protest, vigils, personal involment in peace issues.
- Find three (3) people who know you very well, ask that they write a letter on your behalf supporting your beliefs as a CO.
- Write a letter to CCCO explaining that you are a CO, Keep a copy for yourself, with the receipt of it being mailed. CCCO doesn't archieve these letters (we suggest you find a third party to do so>>>your church, a family member, close friend), however CCCO will send you a letter confirming having received your letter. That should also be kept in your CO file. You can send your CO file and letter to the Center on Conscience and War to be archieved.
- Compile all of these docuemtns, add in any supporting documentation such as pictures, and get them notarized.
- Put them in a safe place. If you get drafted, your material will be ready to go and your claim to the local draft board that you are a CO will be much stronger.
Build a paper trail and document everything that defines you as someone who will not go to war. If you attend war protest or peace vigils, have your picture taken as proof you were there, keep flyers, and annotate a calendar. Basically, you need to show you genuinely oppose the war and won't fight.
There is no draft, so why the instructions? Am I missing something?|W|P|112509133642782134|W|P|WANT TO BECOME A CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR? CONTACT THE DFL|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com North Star Politics|W|P|Perhaps Pres. Bush's criminal mishandling of a war we didn't need is going to end up requiring one? Rambix|W|P|Liberals can be so simple-minded. Does it ever occur to them that most of us want peace, but sometimes war comes to us? Appeasement is suicide. Trinhmaster|W|P|The Armed Forces can only miss their recruiting goals for so many months before that becomes a posibility. MC|W|P|I support the draft with no deferments. If this administration and congress wants to start wars, like the one in Iraq, that then get out of control, their kids should should have an equal chance to go and fight if a draft is needed. There is nothing wrong with being a Conscientious Objector. This isn't draft dodging, this is both legitimate and necessary for some people that have a conscience.
Do you have a problem with COs? Why doesn't the MNGOP page have an enlistment link? Why don't you?
DHW|W|P|You are correct--they do look somewhat similar (they both are white with added color, and say "I am _____"). I'm not sure when you started selling yours, but I first saw the "I am the DFL" shirts last spring. Looking at your archives, I don't think you had even come into existence. It seem to require time travel for the DFL to copy your "I am" statement, but I don't think that either you or the DFL are the first to use that kind of rhetoric.
|W|P|Hey MDE, want a good laugh?Check this out.
|W|P|This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. MC|W|P|Your 2/4 confirmed rumors isn't the greatest record. The way you stated the Wetterling rumor, you made it sound like it was going to happen any day, wasn't that more than a month ago? As an "insider" for the DFL Senate race, I have to say that your rumor sounds like wishful thinking for a lot of DFLers. Let's just say that if she actually had plans to do that, I'd know about it by now. I do wish she would do that, but realistically the next week or so would be the optimum time to make that announcement.I'll give you another two weeks for the Hatch/Entenza thing to be proven correct. Again, if the person who told you about it is credible and wants the information out there, I can think of a dozen places where he or she can do it. Until that time, it is still 100% rumor.
I'll be the first to say that you do have good record of blowing open small scandals. Some of the stuff is wholly without merit though (like McCollum being involved because her condo in St. Paul is next to her CoS's). None of the stuff you have uncovered amounts to much of anything though. While it may seem like a big deal to you and your groupies, I honestly want to know what real damage you have done to the DFL?
|W|P|"I honestly want to know what real damage you have done to the DFL?"Point well taken.
It's hard to score points by exposing lefty's for backstabbing, lying, money grubbing panderers when everyone already takes that for granted.
But it makes us laugh anyway.
lloydletta|W|P|I'm curious whether Towle's source is from Hatch's office. That's my guess.The Wetterling rumor was unfounded. It will be interesting to see what happens with the Hatch/Etenza rumor.
Would you be willing to do an email interview with me, MDE. I won't ask you puff questions like Mitch, but I'm sure you are up to the challenge.
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|lloydletta: I am up to the challenge. I certainly hope your interest for an interview is to learn more about my blogging rather than trying to expose me. Please email me to discuss the details.
MDE
Kevin from Minneapolis|W|P|wouldn't it be possible to identify him through IP addresses and the like? I think a clever hacker should be able to do it. lloydletta|W|P|There's this from Towle quoting the TOS from your domain proxy registry:You understand and agree that DBP has the absolute right and power, in its sole discretion and without any liability to You whatsoever, to either: (i) close Your account (which means You then become the Registrant of the domain name registration); (ii) reveal Your name and personal information that You provided to DBP when required by law, in the good faith belief that such action is necessary in order to conform to the edicts of the law, or to comply with a legal process served upon DBP; (iii) resolve any and all third party claims, whether threatened or made, arising out of Your use of a domain name registered by DBP on Your behalf; or (iv) take any other action DBP deems necessary.....
EY: I don't buy your justifaction of your anonymity.
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|EY: I wasn't aware I needed to justify a right granted to me in the U.S. Constitution. Mr. Towle's legal advice is almost as accurate as his spelling.
Is this the interview?
lloydletta|W|P|Nope.... I've emailed you a question - and would like to interview you offline - then write it up. If you worked for a company and signed a contract about non-disclosure of company secrets, but then started an anonymous blog and disclosed company secrets, the company would have every right to pierce the veil.
In this case, you agreed to the terms of the domain proxy service. It's a matter of interpretation whether you violated the TOS - but this is contract law.
The constitutional first amendment talks about government not violating freedom of speech.
|W|P|Looks like Towle found the moron he was looking for to do his legwork for him.Eva Young...discussing a violation of "work rules"...well she is an expert!
lloydletta|W|P|Give me a break, Swiftee.... I was comparing this to a contract with the Domain Proxy service - which Towle posted. This isn't work rules - it's a contract.
MC|W|P|Anonymous speech, especially anonymous political speech, is completely protected, as long as it is an individual exercising their right to speech. MDE's registrar basically needs a court order to revel who he is, and frankly since the USSC has ruled about anonymous political speech already, I don't see a reason why any court could order that his identity be revealed. Besides that, what would stop MDE from using a fake name to register the domain?
Brent|W|P|At the very least, this should be rather entertaining! Trinhmaster|W|P|The only reason you don't release retractions is because when you make a mistake (Wetterling anyone?) you don't admit it. Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Trinhmaster: I have made mistakes and I have admitted them.
Minnesota Democrats Exposed (Exposed)
If you google the name Jerome Plagge you will find information on his activity in the blogsphere for Republican Senate District 63 (Richfield). There is also a link to a story from his blog about living a red life in a blue district on something called blogshares.com. As one delves a little deeper you see that in blogshares.com Minnesota Democrats Exposed is one of the most traded blog shares.
So recent information that has come our way is the Jerome Plagge is the person behind Minnesota Democrats Exposed. It will be interesting to see if now the anonymous source behind MDE either confirms or denies this idea. We encourage the folks at MDE to contact us and tell it how it is.
It seems Mr. Towle knows enough information to be dangerous, but not enough information to present a credible arugument.
I find it irresponsible for bloggers like DFL Governor and MN Publius to present Mr. Towle's investigative work as fact.
Minnesota Democrats Exposed may be published anonymously, but at least I am credible. Any blog that publishes Mr. Towle's information as fact without confirming it as fact is irresponsible.
Is there an incentive for Checks and Balances to expose Minnesota Democrats Exposed? I say "yes!"
Checks and Balances is old-school and I don't mean that in a good way. Years ago, Mr. Towle could publish his website when he wanted. The speed at which blogs publish information makes his website stale. He may post different information, but it's nothing special.
I couldn't think as slow as Mr. Towle if I tried.
By making a half-ass attempt to exposed my identity, Mr. Towle has destroyed what little credibility Checks and Balances had left.
Blogs are a threat to the old-school political websites like Checks and Balances. It's time for websites like Checks and Balances, that require you to register and pay for access to all of their features, to move to the right lane and let the blogs pass them by.
I would like to thank blogs like Kennedy v. The Machine, Bogus Gold, Kool Aid Report, and SD 63, for getting a laugh from Mr. Towle's investigative work.
Finally, Minnesota Democrats Exposed is, and always will be published anonymously. I will never confirm nor deny my true identity.
UPDATE: I forgot to add that Mr. Towle was at one point in his life, a delegate/alternate in the Minnesota DFL's party organization. I wonder if Mr. Towle has every disclosed that fact to his readers.
I am a Republican and proud of it. |W|P|112499481131116833|W|P|IRRESPONSIBLE BLOGGERS|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com
Kevin from Minneapolis|W|P|It's okay, governor. Your secret is safe with me. woyzeck|W|P|MDE Said, "UPDATE: I forgot to add that Mr. Towle was at one point in his life, a delegate/alternate in the Minnesota DFL's party organization. I wonder if Mr. Towle has every disclosed that fact to his readers."What's your point? Norm Coleman was elected as Mayor of St. Paul twice as a DFLer. Didn't he head up some DFL Campaigns?
Not that I am defending Shawn Towle. One thing that he does have over you though is the fact that he works both sides of the fence looking for the scoop on Democrats and Republican alike. He also reports things other than scandals.
As for your true identity, when someone needs to know they will be able to find out who you are. Just remember... you walk a fine line, and I believe that what you say could be an avenue for someone to expose who you are.
Unknown|W|P|Anti-Strib is on Blogshares, one author lives in Minneapolis with many liberal neighbors and the most the telling clue is that the guy has actually had a Republican fund raiser at his house!He must be the MDE guy!
lloydletta|W|P|The question I have is whether your story on Hatch/Entenza is true. Has a non-anonymous blogger gotten confirmation from "house sources"? After the Towles story came out, I thought it could have been retaliation against you for pissing off the DFL big guy attorneys with the Hatch/Entenza rumor.
But the next day you point to a DU thread on the topic as more evidence that the rumor is true. That doesn't build credibility.
All the things you say about Democrats aren't behaviors of democrats only - it's the way all too many political hacks behave - in both parties - and the behavior is appalling.
lloydletta|W|P|Inside Source - I'd be interested in hearing from some people from the capitol who could back this up. Send me tips at lloydletta@gmail.com - with subject line "tip - Hatch/Entenza".... MC|W|P|"I find it irresponsible for bloggers like DFL Governor and MN Publius to present Mr. Towle's investigative work as fact."But yet your "investigative work", like the Hatch/Entenza, (which you still have not proven to have any shred of proof to it besides your own word about a rumor) is quoted on many of the MNGOP circle-jerk blogs, including RepublicanMinnesota, as fact.
Kevin from Minneapolis|W|P|No politician will casually admit this to anyone...at this point. Sorry inside source. lloydletta|W|P|MDE is a gossip site. It's the same sort of thing I hear when I go to various events. I appreciate gossip - and sometimes it proves true, sometimes not. woyzeck|W|P|How is a link to a post on your site confirmation as to whether there is any truth to your original post? Kevin from Minneapolis|W|P|Yeah I'm not connecting these dots either. lloydletta|W|P|This isn't evidence of anything. MC|W|P|spreading an unsubstantiated rumor and then having it come back to you and using that as confirmation is plain ridiculous. MC|W|P|Why don't you have your good source in St. Paul call up the Star Tribune? Have him/her share exactly what they know with the proof or confirmation. If it is a staffer for Hatch or Entenza, that should be good enough for the media. I'm sure your journalistic standards are high enough to get some assurance that this isn't just a rumor that one of your GOP buddies passed on to you. I assume someone who wanted to blow them out of the water would not leak a potentially huge scandal to a second-rate partisan blogger (no offense MDE, there are just better places to go). The Strib would use an anonymous source if there is proof. A rumor doesn't have to have any shred of truth to it for it to be effective. Just ask John McCain and the half-black baby he had out of wedlock. That rumor in push-polling to the GOP base sure helped Bush win in South Carolina. We know that MDE will basically do anything to stop DFLers, including posting mere hearsay and rumors that help his cause. Republican bloggers seem to believe anything that reenforces the GOP=good DFL=bad, at least on this site.
Roger|W|P|I heard this from someone who has insider information. Apparantly, there were two meetings, the first at the Lexington. Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Civic Minded: Please email me to discuss. MDE
Kevin from Minneapolis|W|P|MDE is...Tim Pawlenty! Sorry to out you governor, but thanks for buying me that cheeseburger at Wendy's that one time! Brent|W|P|Why does this remind me of Ocean's Eleven"Look, we all go way back. I owe
you from that thing with the guy
in the place, and I'll never
forget it."
One would think that after getting caught editing stories, The DFL would change the top post on their blog.
|W|P|112498598043179696|W|P|FREE ADVICE TO THE DFL|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com Brent|W|P|I'm kind of confused! Why would the DFL socialists take a joke from a blog, and put it on the front page of their web site
as if it were a real story?
Brent|W|P|Sorry...my linkss don't work right for somw reason... Brent|W|P|OOPS...my bad! I'm sorry I forgot! John Jordan|W|P|I just read that to and had to laugh. Whoever you are, MDE, the DFL has a huge bounty on your head. They want to know who you are, badly, and they're not going to stop until they find you.I think it's so funny. They'd rather "expose" you than just clean up their act.
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Bounty? lloydletta|W|P|Good story on Entenza and Hatch - and Towles recent article suggests there is some truth to this story. You've pissed off two lawyers who have resources.
Both parties do this sort of thing. It's not just democrats.
You were wrong about the Wetterling rumor - but I'd bet money you are right on this one.
Jerry Plagge, Jr.|W|P|OK... I have a wife and kids!Check out my response to these allegations.
No offense MDE, but I don't want to be you! I like me, just as I am.
Jerry Plagge, Jr.|W|P|Also, to all the DFL that are found roaming here.I find it funny that you find it very easy to believe a complete rumor or guess by this Towle person at C&B and yet doubt and second guess the stuff the MDE posts.
Especially you DFL Guv... I respect you for confirming and posting something on the DFL Rift with Hatch and Matt E. on your blog, but how come you so easily swallow the rumor by Towle at C&B?
Kevin from Minneapolis|W|P|Well said, DJ, well said indeed. MC|W|P|Yeah, I'm sure the TOP priority for the DFL is finding out who MDE is. Nixon had Deep Throat, the DFL has MDE...Fist of all, what have these huge scandals that MDE has "exposed" within the DFL led to? Maybe a newspaper mention followed by a collective shrug and "who cares?"
lloydletta|W|P|I wouldn't put this past Entenza. Brent|W|P|I think that we need to create a boxing match similar to Celebrity Boxing! I want to see these two losers duke it out in the ring! MC|W|P|I want MDE to put his reputation on the line for this. If this turns out to be yet another false rumor attempting to smear DFLers, I think he should give up his blog. This is a huge accusation to make. I've already said that if this allegation is true, I'll vote for Tim Pawlenty for the rest of my life.
Standing behind your statements will, at least for me, give you some credibility.
How about it?
lloydletta|W|P|Keep digging. The fact that S Towes has tried to out you - as the person who also runs the Senate District 63 blog, suggests that you have this one correct. lloydletta|W|P|And by the way, I think you ought to have the balls to be public about who you are. Jerry Plagge, Jr.|W|P|SD63 and MDE are not one and the same. Look at the two blogs, do you see any similarity in the writein style of posts? Also, how would you explain my virtual non-existent posting on SD63 during July when I was enjoying life, while MDE was still digging and exposing?Where did this "S Towes" make this accusation?
Green tea|W|P|Oh Plueeeze..when someone stands behind a curtain and throws mud, everyone gets dirty....Only a wuss is afraid to stand in the sunshine and tell his storys.. lloydletta|W|P|SD 63, it sounds like Towle posted your email to him. North Star Politics|W|P|Not really. I think it's occasionally very good work you do. What really makes me mad is when you leave comments on my site like "Your mother." |W|P|Hey MDE, the Star and Sickle is giving you some well earned pub..not!"Pyle turned the matter over to AP's attorneys in Washington after an anonymous blogger, with the help of a Republican operative, brought the matter to the wire service's attention."
Care to comment?
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|This story is from the associated press. I am not sure why they didn't mention my blog.The real issue is that the DFL got caught.
Now it's Democrats pulling news story off Web site The state DFL Party pulled an Associated Press article with an altered headline from its Web site Tuesday, two weeks after Republican Rep. Rep. Mark Kennedy drew criticism for selectively editing news stories posted on his campaign site.
The DFL Party removed the story soon after the AP alerted a party official that it was looking into improper use of the wire service's material. A Star Tribune article was posted in its place.
Ironically, the story at issue deals with the Kennedy flap. Kennedy is running for the U.S. Senate next year and his campaign changed several stories from the AP and other news organizations to remove negative comments about him. The campaign has since changed its posting practices.
The DFL substituted the AP's headline about the Kennedy incident — "Kennedy campaign says it will provide links to full articles" - with a slanted one - "Mark Kennedy Misleading Minnesotans About His Record." The party also used bold and italic type to emphasize parts of the AP's Aug. 10 article.
Bill Amberg, a DFL spokesman, said the party took the AP story from the Star Tribune newspaper's Web site before adding the new headline and emphasis. The Star Tribune's rewrite of AP copy matched the story on the DFL site, with the exception of the headline.
"We're not guilty of the same offense'' as Kennedy, Amberg said. "Obviously, I'm not stupid enough in a story where Kennedy is doing this to do the exact same thing.''
Amberg added, "Why aren't the Republicans and Mark Kennedy working on health care, Iraq and education issues Minnesotans care about rather than surfing Web sites to try to get political revenge?''
Heidi Frederickson, a campaign spokeswoman for Kennedy, didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.
Dave Pyle, the AP's Minnesota bureau chief, said any use of AP stories by a nonsubscriber is unauthorized without the company's permission.
"Even if a political candidate or party were authorized to use AP content, AP would not permit alteration of the content by the site,'' Pyle said.
Pyle turned the matter over to AP's attorneys in Washington after an anonymous blogger, with the help of a Republican operative, brought the matter to the wire service's attention. Source: Associated Press, August 23, 2005
MC|W|P|I'm sure the Kennedy camp will get back to the writers before close of business... JoshSN|W|P|Thank goodness there is no corruption in Republican circles! MC|W|P|I'm gonna call bullshit on this. MDE's "unimpeachable" source about Wetterling dropping out of the senate race was completely wrong! An anonymous blogger posting things from anonymous sources has NO CREDIBILITY! Just like when I talk about Norm Coleman sleeping with women that are not Laurie Coleman (except in that case it is true, I just don't have the hard evidence...).The day that this story checks out and is completely true is the day that I will pledge to vote for Tim Pawlenty in every race he runs in the future (hehe, we know now it won't be a race for POTUS).
And that's not just a Tim Pawlenty pledge... I plan on keeping it!
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Micah: Call Mike Hatch or Matt Entenza and ask them if it's true. MC|W|P|MDE: I don't care for either guy really. Since you are the big newsmaker, I'll wait until it breaks on the Strib...My pledge still stands.
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|I am not a big newsmaker. I am just a simple blogger trying to make a difference.
Brent|W|P|Um...how EXACTLY do you think that MDE is making this stuff up? The edited contact is STILL on their server in the EXACT same format that I read it this morning!!! The ONLY thing that the DFL webmaster did was remove the EDITED version from the "Current News" section.You should really consider READING hat is posted before you make any comments...or do you need to wait for someone to give you your opinion?
MC|W|P|You need to get some kind of spam filter for your comments.I do want to ask, is it wrong for the DFL to edit these stories? If so, why not condemn Mark Kennedy at the same time? He did the same thing: deleting the links but leaving the content.
Brent|W|P|"I will attack a Democrat on Christmas and not think twice about it."God bless you!!!
MC|W|P|Republican Minnesota: So where is your condemnation of Gil Gutknecht? The man made a term limit pledge which he clearly broke. Oh wait, it is a huge double standard for you. Also, I have to ask, in the end, did Wellstone ever actually break his pledge? Nope, he only served two terms. Gingrich served his wife with divorce papers while she was in the hospital, on Christmas Eve (I think it was). Now I ask you, which is more important: a campaign plege or a wedding vow? I think the woman had cancer!
Term limit pledges are stupid, just like "no new tax" pledges. Politicians shouldn't make them. To say that Wellstone seeking a third term is worse than Gingrich doing that, then I question both your moral judgement and character.
lloydletta|W|P|Again, MDE why not identify yourself and who you work for? From what I understand Reporters at the strib and elsewhere are getting tired of anonymous attack blogs.
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|lloydletta: If reporters are getting tired of anonymous attack blogs then they can choose to not read them. I don't have to identify myself. Where I work has nothing to do with my blog.
|W|P|"From what I understand Reporters at the strib and elsewhere are getting tired of anonymous attack blogs."Hey Eva, why not put out one of your patented "virtual press releases"?
ROTFLMAO!
Eva knows as much about the inner workings at the Strib as she does the GOP.
She's a legend in her own mind!
|W|P|"Also, I have to ask, in the end, did Wellstone ever actually break his pledge? Nope, he only served two terms."This guy is kidding...right?
Has this story from the Associated Press on the DFL Party's website been edited?
|W|P|112471933412345496|W|P|STORY EDITING BY THE MINNESOTA DFL #2|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.comI just sent this email to the Associated Press:
Ms. Lohn:
Can you confirm that the story posted on the DFL Party's website is not an edited story? Was the headline actually "Mark Kennedy Misleading Minnesotans About His Record"?
If not, I think you have a follow-up story on how the DFL is editing stories.
Please visit my blog to read about more about the DFL's story editing.
MDE
The DFL would be morons to post an edited story about Congressman Mark Kennedy's campaign editing stories.
Brent|W|P|"The DFL would be morons to post an edited story about Congressman Mark Kennedy's campaign editing stories."Would be? You mean that they aren't already?
Jerry Plagge, Jr.|W|P|Google results of that exact headline generates ONE hit... guess the website?Try it here!
But the Minnesota DFL is guilty of the same charge.
Above are scans of a two-page article on the Nicollet County DFL opening a permanent office in downtown Mankato.
In the article, Richard Tostenson of the Nicollet County Republicans is highly critical of the Nicollet County DFL's decision to open a permanent office. Tostenson called it "a great waste of money."
But Tostenson's criticism has been removed from the story that appears on the DFL's website.
Click on the picture above to see DFL version of the story free of Tostenson's criticism.
|W|P|112468433279061348|W|P|STORY EDITING BY THE MINNESOTA DFL|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.comThe DFL does not link to the Mankato Free-Press' story, nor do they labled it as "excerpts".
In fact, the DFL removes the word "however" from the sentence after Tostenson's comments so they would not be reference in their edited story.
I call on the Minnesota DFL to post the correct version of the article as it appeared in the Mankato Free-Press.
Kevin from Minneapolis|W|P|NICE WORK!! Exactly what blogs are best used for! JoshSN|W|P|I guess I'm confused.I see edited versions of AP and Reuter's news stories all over the place.
Paragraphs are let out, or kept in, as space permits.
Bah.
The SD 63 DFL has changed the document properties of documents posted on their website to falsely claim they were created by Minnesota Democrats Exposed.
This is a screen capture of the document properties of a document from the SD 63 DFL that was created with a copy of Microsoft Word registered to University of Minnesota.
|W|P|112467022441487058|W|P|COMPUTER GAMES IN SD 63|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.comI sent this email to the SD 63 DFL.
Dear SD 63 DFL: After my success in exposing a Minneapolis city worker using a city computer to prepare a fundraising letter for the Minneapolis DFL Party, I decided to check other DFL Party websites for similar problems. I found documents prepared using copies of Microsoft Word registered to the Minneapolis Public Schools, the University of Minnesota and the law firm of Faegre & Benson. Some of the documents prepared with a copy of Microsoft Word registered to the University of Minnesota were found on your website. After I exposed this potentially illegal use of taxpayer resources for partisan campaign purposes, someone or something with access to your website altered the document properties to show "Minnesota Democrats Exposed" as the author. Due to the media coverage my blog received this week, I can appreciate your committee’s interest in covering your tracks to hide your potentially illegal use of taxpayer resources. I will be sharing your committee's computer work with the media and I appreciate the free advertising. My only request is that you use spell-check if you plan on listing me as the author of your committee's organizational documents. MDE
DHW|W|P|Somehow, you failed to appreciate the humorous intent behind the re-authoring. If indeed there were concern about 'covering tracks' it certainly wouldn't make sense to credit your blog. We simply thought that others might appreciate our humorous play.As of this time, we have yet to be made aware of any actual allegations of illegal use of taxpayer resources by the Senate District 63 DFL. We don't believe that any such use has occurred.
We certainly wish that everyone took politics as seriously as you do--as we believe that the best politics emerge out of a robust debate of ideas--but we are saddened to think that it has left you unable to enjoy a joke.
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|You must have missed my humor. Jerry Plagge, Jr.|W|P|Thanks MDE, now my counterparts in SD63 are going to be really ticked at me too!!!Why did you do this? I'm never "talking" to you or reading you lousy blog again!
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|SD 63: I assume you are joking. DHW|W|P|Let's assume that everyone is joking... |W|P|What IS funny here is how evidence of misuse of public resources, cut and paste politics and cover-up suddenly become "a joke" when it's lefty's getting caught at it.This is really good work MDE, I can almost actually see them squirming in the fever swamp.
Trinhmaster|W|P|And Barry Goldwater.
This document from the SD 43 DFL was prepared with a copy of Microsoft Word registered to Minneapolis Public Schools.
This document from the DFL State Party was created with a copy of Microsoft Word registered to Faegre & Benson.
This document from the DFL State Party was created with a copy of Microsoft Word registered to Faegre & Benson.
This document from the SD 61 DFL was created with a copy of Microsoft Word registered to MAP for Nonprofits.
This document from the SD 63 DFL was created with a copy of Microsoft Word registered to University of Minnesota.
This document from the SD 63 DFL was created with a copy of Microsoft Word registered to University of Minnesota.
This document from the SD 63 DFL was created with a copy of Microsoft Word registered to University of Minnesota.
This document from the SD 63 DFL was created with a copy of Microsoft Word registered to University of Minnesota.
This document from the 5th Congressional District DFL was created with a copy of Microsoft Word registered to University of Minnesota.
This document from the 5th Congressional District DFL was created with a copy of Microsoft Word registered to University of Minnesota.
This document from the 5th Congressional District DFL was created with a copy of Microsoft Word registered to University of Minnesota.
After my success in exposing a Minneapolis city worker using a city computer to prepare a fundraising letter for the Minneapolis DFL Party I decided to check other DFL Party websites for similar problems.
I found documents prepared using copies of Microsoft Word registered to the Minneapolis Public Schools, the University of Minnesota and the law firm of Faegre & Benson.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!
UPDATE: One of the documents was created by MAP for Non Profits. MAPs is a 501 (c) (3) and the use of their resources for partisan campaign purposes is a violation of the IRS law that governs 501 (c) (3)s.
UPDATE #2: One of the documents from the 5th Congressional District DFL was created with a copy of Microsoft Word registered to the University of Minnesota. The secretary of the 5th Congressional District DFL is Laura Sayles, who works for the University of Minnesota.
Jerry Plagge, Jr.|W|P|Classic! I have visions of scrambling DFL workers modifying documents. The Lady Logician|W|P|MDE - I agree that certain public entities (City of Minneapolis, Minneapolis Public Schools and the UM) should not be engaging in political activity using "public" assets, however a private law firm is a different story. UNLESS there is a employment policy in place that prohibits employees from using company property for anything other than company business. That might be something for you to look into. Brent|W|P|I would REALLY like to see some media outlet take this and run with it!Good investigating!!!
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|No. Nor did I get "bored" you dummy. MC|W|P|Not that I expect you to let down your attack dogs for a second, but consider this:When I purchase and install software and it asks me my name and company, guess what I put in there? The company that I work for! I own the software, but anyone who would look at documents that I create would see the name of my employer as well, even though it was created on my home computer on my own time.
It would be incredibly hard to prove that the documents were created on public computers and done "on the clock" by government employees. But I guess here on Minnesota Democrats Attacked, there is no burden of proof needed to make accusations without the whole story.
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Micah: On a documents properties, it does show the time and date the document was access. I don't understand why someone would register a copy of Microsoft Word to their company if they purchased it with their own money and it was for their own use?
lloydletta|W|P|Well where do you work, MDE - and are you blogging from work? Or are you doing this on your own time? |W|P|"Well where do you work, MDE - and are you blogging from work? Or are you doing this on your own time?"Pfft..talk about solid brass balls.
Lloydletta, aka: Eva Young, is all bent out of shape over this because she got busted spending a goodly portion of the time she gets paid by the University of Minnesota to use their equipment to manage a database, instead was posting hundreds of comments each day on dozens of websites, as well as operating four or five moonbat corners of hell herself.
It's nice to see (by her timestamps)that she's learned her lesson..maybe she should pass along some good advice to her moonbat collegues, or at the very least keep a lower profile in this issue..
..moonbats...you just can't make bizarre stuff up fast enough to stay ahead of the "reality based" community can ya?
|W|P|BTW, "blowsreagan"...love the name! Brent|W|P|Two quick questions about that quote...1) What does this teach our Children?
2) Doesn't this sound a little bit like terrorism?
My biggest shock in the article is the fact that the union does not condone violence, but has bail money set aside for those union members who get arrested.
According to my scientific poll results, the DFL should have canceled their illegal fundraiser.
|W|P|112446293379988261|W|P|FINAL POLL RESULTS|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com Trinhmaster|W|P|This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. Trinhmaster|W|P|Kind of like Plamegate than right? Roger|W|P|I think that the Mr. Attorney General has ended his own political career with this endeavor. John Jordan|W|P|Unfortunately the GP (general public) doesn't pay attention to stuff like this. This ruling is "inside baseball" to most people, not on their daily radar. By the time next years campaign season comes up there will have been a completely new and hopefully completed legislative session and this episode will be a 60's rerun in the voters minds.
As much as I'd like Mike Hatch's political ambitions to cease with this ruling, I think it's wishful thinking.
Trinhmaster|W|P|I agree, though one can hope... Brent|W|P|I sent a quick email, and got the following reply:Thanks for your inquiry Mr. XXXXX. The City Attorney has not asked me to investigate any of the allegations against Ms. Conroy, so I of course have had no occasion to refuse such a request. In my experience, Mr. Heffern always avoids any conflict of interest that might call into question the integrity of any inquiry. If Ms. Conroy’s actions are going to be investigated, that investigation will not be handled by anybody in this office. I’m not sure where you obtained your information but it isn’t accurate.
Burt Osborne
Assistant City Attorney
So…the cover up is still going on hot and heavy, or the information posted by Ashley's Truth is incorrect.
With the speed in which reply came back, I am leaning toward the former than the later!
Brent|W|P|Trillin, your points are well taken...and you are right...we are all operating on hearsay here and so you are correct that judgment should be held until further information is presented.Just the same, I received another email:
Mr. XXXXXX,
Let me clarify two points in your email. First, Mr. Osborne is the City's Ethics Officer appointed pursuant to the City's ethics ordinance. His duties and responsibilities regarding alleged violations of the City's ethics code are detailed in that ordinance. Section 15.230 (1)(a) of that ordinance requires the Ethics Officer to refer allegations of improper conduct involving non-appointed employees to the alleged violator's supervisor or to the department head. Second, the investigation of this matter will be conducted by an individual who is not a city employee or member of my staff.
Very truly yours,
Jay M. Heffern
Brent|W|P|Trillin, again, I agree with you, except for one point...There is no question of IF she did it...
According to the Star Tribune article from August 17, 2005, "The chairwoman of the Minneapolis DFL Party acknowledged Tuesday that she briefly worked on an invitation for a party fundraiser on a city computer at her job as an assistant Minneapolis city attorney.
Lois Regnier Conroy said she opened a disc containing an old fundraising letter one evening at her office before e-mailing it to her home computer, which she used to edit and send out the new letter..."
http://www.startribune.com/stories/587/5564007.html
While the argument might be made that "everyone does it" does not make it right and she should be reprimanded accordingly...whether that's a letter in her file or a fine, I don't care, I just want the powers that be to at lease acknowledge the issue.
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|The plot is certainly thickening. lloydletta|W|P|Give me a break.... Let's do some freedom of information act requests about what is going on at the state capitol. There's plenty of this sort of thing which goes on on both sides of the aisle. It's really nice that you lob accusations about people anonymously.
lloydletta|W|P|Personnel issues aren't a matter of public record. If you got evidence of a Republican doing something like this would you expose it? Clearly not. Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|"It's really nice that you lob accusations about people anonymously."This is America, not Russia.
"If you got evidence of a Republican doing something like this would you expose it? Clearly not."
You must be confused with the purpose of my blog. It's called Minnesota Democrats Exposed. I expose Democrats, not Republicans. Feel free to start Minnesota Republicans Exposed.
Brent|W|P|This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. Brent|W|P|If you don't want something posted, then you shouldn't hit the post button. If you want to send a private message, can I suggest using his/her email?minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com
MC|W|P|Ashley's Truth is right. I too can confirm that this goes all the way to the top! Watergate was nothing compared to this coverup!Follow the money...
Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Micah gets the gold star of the day for his "All the President's Men"/Mark W. Felt/Watergate reference. MC|W|P|I actually think I remember hearing about a month ago that Felt never said "follow the money" and Woodward never wrote it in his book. I believe it was a line written for the film, but I could be mistaken.