Ian Bicking Responds: "...it's probably not right to say Dean was framed"

In a previous post. I reported that Ian Bicking had commented on my Twin Cities Daily Planet article that former Minneapolis Councilman Dean Zimmermann was "framed". Here is Ian Bicking's comment:

Of course, my comment was largely speculative, I don't know the details. The charges against Dean Zimmerman are very suspicious, and based on really flimsy evidence, but I shouldn't have implied any particulars, as I don't know any particulars at all.

Of course, it's not that speculative to say that the DFL hates the Green Party, especially in Minneapolis where it would otherwise be a one party city. The way the redistricting was done -- putting two incumbant Democrats against the two incumbant Green Party members -- was an obvious effort to stop the Green Party.

Also, it's probably not right to say Dean was "framed" at all; instead, it would be better to say that the charges against him are absurd and flimsy, the details makes no sense, and it was all just a snow job to hurt him in his reelection campaign. I don't know if that qualifies as being framed, or is just relying on the poor reporting of journalists who would pay no attention to the details of the charges.

First, I thank Mr. Bicking for his response.

Dean Zimmermann faces some serious charges. He has a right to a fair trial and he has a right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. All I know about the U.S. Government's charges against Zimmermann is what I've read and heard in the media. I will not comment here on the Government's charges against Zimmermann before the trial.

However, Democrats also deserve to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. I have seen no evidence that Democrats hate Greens. To the contrary, I have seen Democrats being very friendly to Greens... when Senate candidate Michael Cavlan visited the Drinking Liberally function this month, he was treated very well.

The Greens have been flinging wild, tin-foil-hat charges at DFL officeholders for some time and I think it's time they cut it out and admit the sad truth - the 5th District Green Party itself is largely responsible for its own defeats at the polls.

Redistricting alone did not defeat Dean Zimmermann in Ward 6. Neither did the investigation. My impression at the time was the FBI investigation gave Zimmermann a boost among younger voters and older lefties who believed the rumors that Zimmermann was framed.

After the 2001 election, Zimmermann turned his back on community activists and gave his support to powerful institutions and influential businessmen. Here is a list of Dean's environmental and ethical lapses in office. When I was in the Green Party, I asked that they look into Zimmermann's actions at City Hall... for instance, voting to remove two homes in my neighborhood for a parking lot (the demolition began on Earth Day). Other Minneapolis activists left the Green Party in part because of Zimmermann's ethically-challenged behavior and the inability of the Minnesota Green Party to respond to activists' concerns. The Greens are now having trouble getting signatures to put their candidates' names on ballots for state elections.

If the Greens cannot win elections, why are they attacking the DFL? Who benefits from charges that the DFL framed Zimmermann? Why are there still some Greens who continue to promote Personal Rapid Transit when the last PRT vote in the legislature revealed that PRT serves only as a stalking horse for right-wing, anti-transit Republican to bash rail transit? Who does it help to repeat the right-wing lies about the Central Corridor LRT and Northstar rail lines?

You have only to look at the picture below to see who these Green PRTistas are helping.