Minnesota Independent

MnIndy’s Best: Top 10 photos of 2008

By Paul Schmelzer | 12.24.08 | 8:30 am

Doing online journalism on a shoestring budget means borrowing, buying and shooting our own photographs. With high-profile events in the Twin Cities this year, from the September Rage Against the Machine Concert in Minneapolis and RNC events in St. Paul to a particularly exciting election day, we hired some freelancers and fired up our own cameras, capturing some memorable and — dare we say — historic images.

Roughly half of RNC arrests have resulted in criminal charges

By Paul Demko | 12.23.08 | 4:58 pm

The St. Paul City Attorney’s office has so far reviewed 241 potential criminal cases stemming from activities during the Republican National Convention. Nearly half of the reviews didn’t result in charges being filed owing to a lack of sufficient evidence. Of the remaining incidents, 48 have been resolved by either a guilty plea or payment of a fine, while 81 have been formally charged and are headed towards trial.

MnIndy’s Best: The 10 most popular stories of 2008

By Paul Schmelzer | 12.23.08 | 8:49 am

Newswise, it was an eventful 2008, thanks to the Republican National Convention, the historic election of Barack Obama, Sarah “In what respect, Charlie?” Palin, John McCain, Michele “anti-American” Bachmann, P.Z. Myers (and the communion “cracker” incident) and, now,…

Former agent Coleen Rowley seeking FBI data on RNC policing

By Chris Steller | 12.20.08 | 11:00 am

I was killing time on a back bench of an 8th floor Ramsey County courtroom Wednesday, waiting with about 50 others for something to happen (all the action in the RNC8 case that day took place behind closed doors, as it turned out), when a person with a familiar face took a seat in the next row. Could it be Coleen Rowley, famed FBI whistleblower, TIME magazine 2002 person of the year and the DFL Party’s 2006 candidate in Minnesota’s Second Congressional District? Indeed it was.

Is the term ‘progressive Republican’ an oxymoron?

By Paul Demko | 12.18.08 | 3:41 pm

Is the term “progressive Republican” an oxymoron? With religious hardliners and anti-tax crusaders dominating the party in recent years, that would certainly seem to be the case. But a documentary airing this Saturday on Twin Cities Public Television makes the case that GOP politicians in Minnesota have a long tradition of advocating policies aimed at alleviating poverty and reducing inequality.

Judge to RNC8: See you next year

By Chris Steller | 12.17.08 | 11:37 pm

In a closed-door meeting with attorneys today, Ramsey County District Judge Salvador Rosas set a pre-trial hearing date of Jan. 26 for the eight activists known as the RNC8 who are charged with felony-level terrorism charges related the Republican National Convention in September. Prosecutors added three new charges over the weekend to the original count of conspiracy to riot in the second degree in furtherance of terrorism.

Protests planned for RNC protester trials starting today

By Chris Steller | 12.15.08 | 11:16 am

Trials beginning today for protesters at September’s Republican National Convention will themselves be protested in a variety of ways over the next few days. A new coalition called Community RNC Arrestee Support Structure — or CRASS – plans to pack courtrooms…

Convention Cash: A last look at the largest loophole in campaign finance laws

By Paul Demko | 12.10.08 | 2:12 pm

The host committee for the Republican National Convention raised $57 million from corporations and wealthy individuals to put on the lavish four-day gala in St. Paul. What do these special interests expect in return?

Just in time for the holidays, protest greeting cards

By Chris Steller | 12.08.08 | 8:23 pm

Looking for a different way to say “Happy Holidays,” “Peace on Earth” or “Happy New Year”? How about sending your friends and loved ones greeting cards with photos from protests that show people carrying signs reading “War on Morons,” “Cure Erectile Dysfunction” and “One Nation Under Debt.” They’re “greeting cards for people who are pissed off” by Al Crespo, a photographer based in Miami who’s been covering protests across the country for a dozen years, but who may be best known for the legal case from the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles that bears his name: Al Crespo v. City of Los Angeles. “I’m the guy that got shot in the head in 2000,” he says.

Currency comptroller rejects scapegoating of Community Reinvestment Act

By Chris Steller | 11.24.08 | 12:38 pm

In a speech last week John Dugan, comptroller of the currency, issued a strong defense of the Community Reinvestment Act — a direct response to CRA critics such as U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., who have laid blame for the current housing crisis on anti-redlining legislation.