Tim Bonham writes:
Regarding the specific complaint, Councilmember Barb
Johnson did not ever get this list from the City DFL
Party. Mary Merrill Anderson did, she bought the
city-wide list, about 8 months ago.
Finally, these lists are our property, assembled &
maintained thru a lot of work and expense by the party
& our party workers. And as our property, it is quite
legal for us to give or sell them to anyone we choose.
Our policies on this are clear & open.
My response:
The City DFL can make choices over its own property,
but the problem is the possibility that the transfer
of property was done in a coordinated fashion with an
independent expenditure campaign. It appears the City
DFL has NOT violated this, but questions remain about
those who have received the Mpls DFL list and may have
"passed it along."
The problem here is the possibility that this group
doing an "independent expenditure campaign" may have
gotten a DFL or candidate list from a candidate they
are working on behalf. State law forbids this. If
this group (People for Independent Parks) got a list
from Ms. Anderson or another agent of her campaign or
another benefiting Park Board campaign, that would be
a serious campaign finance violation.
This would be true whether the list was given to or
bought by the People for Independent Parks, because
the transfer of the list constitutes coordinated
activity.
Remember, Tim Pawlenty got in trouble in 2002 for
receiving a video from the RNC through a vendor
(agent). The only way this group can legally purchase
or receive email (or other) lists would be from an
entity or person that does not have knowledge or
relationship of the benefiting candidates' campaigns.
My understanding is that any legitimate source of a
list should appear on their campaign finance reports
as a purchase or an in-kind contribution. (Provided
its value is over $100, which it most certainly is.)
I look forward to seeing that after the next deadline.
I find it interesting that there has been no response
from Barb Johnson or anyone else from PIP on this
list, or to my direct questions. If I were an
opposing Park Board candidate, I'd look at making an
official complaint. Especially, in light of
suspicious dealings around thier questionnaire.
Derek Burrows Reise
Longfellow, Mpls
Associated with no Park Board campaigns
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