The Minnesota Independent

John Choi - Latest Stories

Fletcher for governor?

By Paul Demko | 11.06.09 | 3:12 pm

fletchThere is a grassroots effort underway to draft Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher to run for governor. The campaign has set up Facebook and Twitter accounts to generate momentum…

AM.MN: Eight hundred cities, a thousand cuts

By Chris Steller | 09.10.09 | 8:30 am

am.mn logoThere are a thousand stories in Minnesota’s 850 cities — and in most of them, it seems, City Hall is laying someone off. Winona is cutting its library director along with the school liaison officer and 10 others.…

Choi announces bid for Ramsey County attorney

By Paul Demko | 09.09.09 | 2:28 pm

After three years as St. Paul city attorney, John Choi is seeking a promotion. Flanked by Mayor Chris Coleman and a cast of other high-profile officials, he announced today he’s running for Ramsey County Attorney.

Duluth Democrats condemn Gaertner’s prosecution of RNC Eight

By Paul Demko | 06.04.09 | 3:28 pm

gaertAt last month’s Duluth Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party convention, party activists passed a resolution, with just one dissenting vote, calling on Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner (pictured) to drop all charges against the…

RNC prosecutions: More cases dismissed for lack of evidence

By Paul Demko | 03.20.09 | 2:24 pm

The St. Paul city attorney’s office is not faring too well in prosecutions stemming from the Republican National Convention in September. Of 672 initial cases turned over for potential misdemeanor prosecution, roughly 85 percent have been dropped due to insufficient evidence. And none of the few cases that have made it to court have resulted in a conviction.

RNC aftermath: No charges from 323 arrests on final day

By Paul Demko | 02.20.09 | 4:11 pm

Charges will not be filed against 323 people who were arrested on the Marion Street and Cedar Street bridges during the fourth day of the Republican National Convention, the St. Paul city attorney’s office announced today. Local civil rights activists say the failure to press charges is the latest evidence that many RNC arrests were frivolous.

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.

Free at last!

By Paul Demko | 11.05.08 | 3:39 pm

The Free Paul Demko Movement can now disband. The St. Paul City Attorney’s office has dropped a misdemeanor citation for unlawful assembly that I received while covering protests during the Republican National Convention.
A letter from City Attorney…

RNC8 supporters urged to phone in protests to officials today

By Chris Steller | 10.13.08 | 7:35 am


With several members of the RNC8 — the people charged with felonies in conjunction with planned protests at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul last month — heading to court today for hearings in their cases,…

Prosecutors detail protest charges

By Paul Demko | 09.03.08 | 5:34 pm


Twenty one people have been charged with felonies stemming from Republican National Convention protest activities, according to the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office. This includes eight individuals affiliated with the RNC Welcoming Committee who were the target of pre-convention police raids and…