Obituary: Ex-editor John Finnegan fought for open records

Article by: PAUL WALSH , Star Tribune Updated: October 2, 2012 - 7:57 PM

John Finnegan, a retired longtime editor at the St. Paul Pioneer Press and a tireless champion of the public's right to information, died early Tuesday, his family said.

A force behind Minnesota's first open-meetings law in 1957 and an advocate for the state's first open-records legislation in the mid-1970s, Finnegan died in hospice at his St. Paul home from intestinal cancer. He was 87.

"Even when John Finnegan thought he had retired as a journalist [in 1989], he remained incredibly active as an advocate for First Amendment rights and for open access to public meetings and government data," said Kate Parry, who filled various editor positions at the Pioneer Press. Parry is now an assistant managing editor at the Star Tribune and was the newspaper's ombudsman.

"Reporters all over Minnesota -- as well as the public -- benefit every day from the foundation of openness he fought for in Minnesota's laws," Parry added.

John Finnegan Jr. said that thanks to his father and others, "Minnesota really became known for holding [public officials] accountable for what they do ... and that business is conducted in the public sunshine."

Soon after Finnegan retired in 1989, the Minnesota Coalition on Government Information established the John R. Finnegan Freedom of Information Award for those "who demonstrate through expression and action commitment to the idea that a popular and democratic government can never realize the aspirations of the founding fathers without the participation of an informed electorate."

The senior Finnegan's honors for his pursuit of public accountability include membership in the National Freedom of Information Act Hall of Fame and the State Open Government Hall of Fame award for 2011 from the National Freedom of Information Coalition and the Society of Professional Journalists.

Finnegan was born in Walker, Minn., in 1924, and graduated from the University of Minnesota after majoring in journalism and political science. He and wife Norma moved to Rochester, Minn., where he was a reporter for the Post-Bulletin.

In 1951, he joined the Pioneer Press as a night general assignment reporter. Ten years later, he became associate editor of the editorial page, then executive editor in 1967. He was senior vice president and assistant publisher until he retired in 1989.

"Most journalistic careers don't stay in one place for a long time," said Finnegan's son, "but he was one of those people who made a go of it from the beginning to the end in his home state."

The younger Finnegan said that newspaper work was "a calling for him. ... He's just one of those people, as they say, he found the color of his parachute very early."

Along with his wife and son John Jr., Finnegan is survived by son James; daughters Roberta Deeney, Mary Maruska and Cara Finnegan; 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

He was preceded in death by his son Joseph.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482

Appeals Court reverses $60,000 award against blogger "Johnny Northside"

• Article by: ABBY SIMONS
• Star Tribune
• August 20, 2012 - 11:14 AM

The Minnesota Court of Appeals overturned a $60,000 award a local blogger was ordered to pay for a post that got a man fired, claiming that the blogger cannot be found liable for interfering if the information is true and protected under the First Amendment.

The decision issued Monday in a case that garnered attention from free-speech advocates came a year and a half after a Hennepin County jury said that Minneapolis blogger John "Johnny Northside" Hoff owed Jerry Moore $60,000 in damages for a scathing post on his well-read blog, "The Adventures of Johnny Northside." The post resulted in Moore's firing from the University of Minnesota.

The jury decided that Hoff told the truth in his post when he accused Moore of being involved in a "high-profile fraudulent mortgage," but found that his actions amounted to actively interfering with Moore's employment contract. Hoff challenged the verdict and moved for a judgment or a new trial.

The Appeals Court sided with Hoff, reasoning that he cannot be held liable for interfering with Moore's contract with the U if the information is true, regardless of his motivation for doing so, and ordered the case sent back to district court for judgment in Hoff's favor.
"When a person conveys unflattering and possibly damaging information to another person's employer, it is unlikely that the motivation for conveying that information is borne out of affection," Judge Jill Flaskamp Halbrooks wrote. "It is much more likely that the intent is for the employer to take responsive action -- up to and including termination -- based on the content of that information. Regardless of the motivation of the messenger, if the information conveyed is true, it is not appropriate for liability to attach."

The lawsuit stemmed from a feud between Moore, former director of the Jordan Area Community Council (JACC) in north Minneapolis, and Hoff, a neighborhood activist. After Moore's firing from the Jordan Area Community Council, he was hired in 2009 at the U's Urban Research and Outreach/Engagement Center to study mortgage foreclosures.
When Hoff found out, he wrote a post accusing Moore of being involved in a "high-profile fraudulent mortgage," one of several that resulted in a 16-year prison sentence for former real estate agent Larry Maxwell. Moore was not criminally charged in the Maxwell case, although he is currently named as one of several defendants in a lawsuit related to the fraud.
"The collective judgment of decent people in the Jordan neighborhood -- 'decent' being defined as 'not actively involved in mortgage fraud' -- is that Jerry Moore is the last person who should be working on this kind of task, and WHAT THE HELL was the U of M thinking by hiring him," Hoff wrote in the June 21, 2009, post. Among the comments was a copy of an e-mail sent by another North Side resident and blogger, Don Allen, to the university urging Moore's termination and suggesting that he would publicize Moore's background if his suggestion wasn't met. Moore was fired the next day. Moore sued Hoff and Allen in 2009. Allen settled before trial and testified against Hoff.

In the opinion, Flaskamp Halbrooks wrote that Hoff's blog post, which is protected under the First Amendment, was too intertwined with his other actions to find him liable for Moore's firing without violating his constitutional rights.
"Hoff's blog post is the kind of speech that the First Amendment is designed to protect," she wrote. "He was publishing information about a public figure that he believed was true (and that the jury determined was not false) and that involved an issue of public concern." Abby Simons • 612-673-4921
© 2011 Star Tribune

Voting a ‘Primary’ Concern?

Primary election results from 8/14/12 for Chisago County Commissioner Districts 1 and 5 were as follows;

District 1: Darrel Trulson 416, Lora Walker 385, Lyle Johnson 164.
District 5: Mike Robinson 656, Rick Smisson 180, Jonathan Glassel 116, Tim O’Keefe 82.

The following two candidates who received the most primary election votes for each district will face off in the November 6th general election;

District 1: Darrel Trulson and Lora Walker
District 5: Mike Robinson and Rick Smisson

As general elections which coincide with presidential elections typically produce huge voter turnouts, could 2013 spell unprecedented changes for the Chisago County board of commissioners?

Can You Imagine?

What if the incumbents were replaced on the Chisago County Board of Commissioners? No more Mike Robinson, George McMahon or Lora Walker. All three commissioners will face tough competition in their bids for re-election to Districts 5, 3 and 1 respectively. Commissioners Robinson and Walker will face a first round of impressive challengers on Tuesday, August 14th, in a primary election intended to narrow the number of candidates to two per district in the November general election. If Commissioners Robinson and/or Walker fail to garner enough votes in Tuesday’s primary election, two new candidates will be listed on the November ballots for their districts. Because only two candidates signed up for District 3, Commissioner McMahon will face his challenger in the November general election.

Can you imagine the Chisago county board room filled with three new faces? The possibilities of a new era of functional county government are limitless.

Lora Walker; Women’s Advocate?

District 1 Chisago County Commissioner Lora Walker is running for re-election to the county board. Her campaign website www.lorawalker.com touts many honors and achievements, but visibly missing are any accomplishments or actions to bring women’s issues to the forefront.

Commissioner Lora Walker was recently contacted by the League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization which encourages informed and active participation in government. Walker was asked to provide candidate information for publishing in a 2012 on-line voter’s guide, which she apparently chose to disregard. The League of Women Voters website, www.vote411.org, shamefully documents “candidate has not responded” for all questions posed to Commissioner Lora Walker.

A Walker campaign billboard placed along Interstate Highway 35 was installed with white paint covering what appears to be the name “Lora” in the upper right corner.


Is Lora Walker concerned that a woman’s name would trigger negative reactions from the general public?

Is there no place for women’s advocacy in the Good Ole Boys Club of Chisago County Commissioners?

Vote for Integrity?

District 1 Chisago County Commissioner Lora Walker is running for re-election to the county board. On her campaign website http://www.lorawalker.com./ , Commissioner Walker proclaims “Vote for Integrity” as she apparently believes she exemplifies integrity. However; integrity has not exactly been her track record.

For example; on one previous occasion, Commissioner Walker openly admitted to an Open Meeting Law violation while posting her comments to a local political blog called “Fiefdom Politics.” On another occasion, Commissioner Walker billed Chisago County for her attendance at a meeting she did not attend.

As another example, there are many who believe Commissioner Walker and fellow County Commissioner/attorney Ben Montzka successfully lobbied the Chisago County Attorney to look the other way when the county was served with a written criminal complaint lodged against their political ally and former District 5 county commissioner candidate Bob Carter. The criminal complaint accused Fish Lake Township Supervisor Bob Carter of violating Open Meeting Law and committing several gross misdemeanors as well as ultra vires acts. Although Carter himself had openly admitted in the Cambridge STAR newspaper that he had, in fact, committed one of the illegal acts for which he was accused, the Chisago County Attorney failed to take any action against Supervisor Carter.

So when it comes time to vote at the upcoming District 1 County Commissioner primary election on August 14th, perhaps voting for integrity will mean selecting a candidate other than Lora Walker.

Drunken Sailors Anchored at the Boardroom?

Once again Chisago County commissioners voted to spend money taxpayers don’t have. At the July 5th county board meeting, commissioners voted unanimously to purchase two new Cat 938K front-end loaders for the county Public Works Department at a cost of $385,980.

This extravagant purchase comes on the heels of an “Early Retirement Incentive Program” resolution enacted at the June 20th county board meeting. The resolution, effective July 1st, is intended to circumvent a projected $2,000,000 budget shortfall in fiscal 2013 by financially enticing county employees to retire early. Those employees accepting the early retirement offer would continue to receive health and dental benefits or the cash equivalent for as long as one year after their voluntary retirement. Under the terms of the “Employee Separation Agreement,” they would likely be eligible for unemployment benefits as well.

Given the dismal economic climate, can Chisago County taxpayers afford such incessant fiscal irresponsibility? Isn’t it time to hoist anchor and vote out the incumbents who spend, spend, spend, spend, and spend?

District 1 Chisago County Commissioner Candidate

Guest submission from Lyle Johnson.

Lyle Johnson
County Commissioner
District 1

I am seeking to represent the residents of Chisago County District 1 as your Commissioner. I am a lifelong resident of Chisago County and have been a Supervisor for Lent Township since 1998. As an independent, not affiliated with any political party, I do my own research and stay in touch with my constituents.

I grew up on a family farm in Lent Township, graduating from North Branch High School in 1967. I attended the University of Minnesota and completed my college education at National College, majoring in business administration. I also attended several schools while serving in the Army Reserve for 23 years. I raised my own family in Lent Township and all three of my children graduated from North Branch High School.

While serving the people of Lent, I strive to see the big picture and plan for the future. I use my business experience to make fiscally sound, responsible decisions to ensure the people get the best value for their tax dollars. I work for the people not only locally, but also with my fellow township officers at the state and national level.

While in office, I have been selected by my county township officers to represent them in Washington twice during the National Association of Towns & Townships lobbying efforts. I have been working with other township officials at the state level since 2004. Chisago County Association of Township Officers has honored me as County Outstanding Township Officer of the Year in 2006 and 2008.

My efforts at the state level focus on annexation reform. At the federal level, I have sought to reduce unfunded mandates as many of these place unneeded burdens on local taxpayers.

As your Commissioner, I’ll work to maintain the quality of lifestyle we all enjoy while planning for future growth. As the owner of a small business in Lent Township, I see the impact that county board decisions have on businesses. I’ll work towards making Chisago County a place where other businesses will want to locate. Promoting economic growth helps keep taxes down while providing the services our residents deserve.

When I have free time, my wife, Dody and I enjoy outdoor activities in our community and volunteering at Maranatha Assembly of God church.

For more information about me, you can call 651-462-1358 or visit my website, http://www.votelylejohnson.com/

Wanted: A Few Good Politicians

After two unsuccessful attempts, it seems
Fish Lake Township Supervisor Bob Carter chose not to make a third run for
District 5 Chisago County Commissioner. Perhaps he still has his hands full
trying to comprehend that “thing” called Open Meeting Law.

Candidate Glassel a Carpetbagger?

The Fish Lake Karpa has learned that a campaign complaint has been lodged with Chisago County Auditor Dennis Freed against county commissioner candidate Jonathan Glassel. According to the complaint, Mr. Glassel does not meet the District 5 candidate residency requirements as defined in the “Affidavit of Candidacy” form and MN State Statutes §204B.06 Filing for Primary; Affidavit of Candidacy, and §200.031 Determination of Residence. Mr. Glassel’s Wyoming, Minnesota address, as filed with the MN Secretary of State, documents that he lives outside of District 5. In order to be a lawful Chisago County commissioner candidate, one must reside within the district for which they seek election.



Mr. Glassel, author of SouthCountyEpitaph.blogspot.com, previously ran as a District 3 (south) county commissioner candidate in 2008, but lost in the primaries. On May 22, 2012, Mr. Glassel filed to run as a District 5 (north) county commissioner candidate. How can Mr. Glassel truthfully swear in his 2012 “Affidavit of Candidacy” that he qualifies as a District 5 resident when he apparently still resides in Wyoming where he ran as a 2008 District 3 candidate?

District 5 Primary Spells Change?

For the first time in recent history, more than two candidates have signed up for the Chisago County Commissioner District 5 seat currently held by Mike Robinson. This will prompt a primary election this fall where District 5 voters can select two candidates from the following list;

Jonathan Glassel
Tim O’Keefe
Mike Robinson
Rick Smisson

The two candidates receiving the most primary election votes will face off in the November 2012 general elections for the District 5 County Commissioner seat. As primary elections traditionally produce poor voter turnouts, could 2013 spell unprecedented changes for District 5?

Discontent with Diane?

At least 47 Fish Lake Township residents registered their discontent with incumbent Diane Larkin at the March 13th township supervisor election. However; 54 voters returned her to office for a third, three-year term. Perhaps Supervisor Larkin is now one term closer to achieving her “perpetual public servant” goal on the Fish Lake Township board.

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign........

Time for a change in leadership at Fish Lake Township.

Dump Diane!

Vote for Elvin Norling for Fish Lake Township Supervisor on March 13, 2012.

Dump Diane?

Can Fish Lake Township tolerate three more years of Supervisor Diane Larkin?
Vote for Elvin Norling for Fish Lake Township Supervisor on March 13, 2012!