There’s a school bonding referendum on the ballot this Tuesday; the district wants $250 million, on top of the huge bond they got two years ago, on top of all their state money.
There are campaigns, both against the bill and, naturally, for it.
Over the weekend, the Washington County Watchdog facebook page tripped upon a couple of giggly north-Suburban bobbleheads chuckling about stealing “Vote No” campaign signs – or, in one case, having her kids do it.
Vote Yes people in Forest Lake are dumb enough to share they are stealing Vote No (Forest Lake Schools Bond) campaign…
Posted by Washington County Watchdog on Friday, October 30, 2015
The Watchdog confirmed that one of the women is affiliated with/employed by the “Vote Yes” campaign.
The Watchdog has confirmed that Nicole _____, the self-proclaimed sign thief in Forest Lake was in fact a part of the…
Posted by Washington County Watchdog on Sunday, November 1, 2015
I’m not going to post the womens’ full names; they incriminated themselves plenty over on their various Facebook pages.
Now, stealing campaign signs is a crime that should be investigated – no, actually investigated – by the Forest Lake cops and the Washington County attorney’s office; campaign signs ain’t cheap. It’s also a suppression of other’s freedom of speech. And since one of the principals in the story is involved with the “Hand Over The Money, Peasants!” campaign, I see no reason this shouldn’t be a matter for state elections officials.
But I have another question.
Double Standards: I interviewed Andrew Mayer-Bruestle and Sue Richardson, from a similar “Vote No” campaign in Woodbury. They report that the “Vote Yes” crowd, which is seeking a half billion dollars from the people and businesses of South WashCo – sicced WCCO on them for making “misleading statements” in their campaign literature. And WCCO leapt into action, going all Mike Wallace on some of the “Vote No” supporters, with ambush interviews and grave (and erroneous) reporting that gave off that agenda-driven stench; I’m gonna guess one of the suburban grandees involved in the Vote Yes campaign has a friend, or spouse, on the WCCO staff. Just a hunch.
So WCCO and the Pioneer Press scrambled a Defcon Five Media Deployment over a piece of campaign literature in Woodbury.
Duly noted.
So, WCCO – any interest in a story about a group of suburban hockey moms, including a member of a competing campaign, conspiring and acting to steal money, stifle free speech, and violate election laws? Y’know – actual crimes?
What say, Star Tribune? Lori Sturdevant must surely be getting the victorian vapours about this bit of incivility, no?
MPR? I mean, you have a big, well-staffed newsroom full of news eagles ready to swoop upon public malfeasance. Imagine that someone had brought you first-hand evidence that people – bigots! – were kyping pro-“marriage equality” signs; does not warrant similar scrutiny?
And that other newspaper in the east metro, whatever it was?
For that matter – Forest Lake has a newspaper, right?
Update: According to the WashDog, some of the signs were replaced, and some were returned. While the WashDog doesn’t go into details, we presume they were returned by those who stole them; hopefully they didn’t fob that job of on their kids, the way one joked about doing with the actual theft.
Everyone keep your eyes peeled; there will be a lot more of this coming up in the next year.
“MPR? I mean, you have a big, [slightly less] well-staffed [than a few months ago] newsroom full of news eagles ready to swoop upon public malfeasance.”
Fixed it for ya. 😉
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We all remember the last time this became a media issue; Phyllis Kaaaaaaahn!!! was out stealing campaign lit. Question; has there been an instance that involved a GOP operative engaging in this kind of petty crime?