Does Chisago County Really Need Another Anonymous Blog?
Who Writes Fiefdompolitics.com?
And Does Anybody Really Care?
Who Writes Fiefdompolitics.com?
And Does Anybody Really Care?
Opinion and Political Commentary by Jonathan P. Glassel
Those who write from cowardly anonymity, generally defend the practice because several of our founding fathers used a fictitious name in writing “The Federalist Papers” which debated, among other things, whether a “Bill of Rights, i.e., Freedom of Speech” was even a necessary addition to the Constitution.
At the time of publication, the authorship of the articles was a closely guarded secret, though astute observers guessed that Hamilton, Madison, and Jay were the likely authors. Following Hamilton's death in 1804, a list that he drew up became public; it claimed fully two-thirds of the essays for Hamilton, including some that seemed more likely the work of Madison.
The scholarly detective work of Douglass Adair in 1944 postulated the following authorship, corroborated in 1964 by a computer analysis of the text, ultimately determined Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay used the pseudonym "Publius" to author “The Federalist Papers” which led to ratification of our constitution and constitutionally protected freedom of speech.
Free speech was a relatively new concept in 1776.
235 years later, we are the product of those who fought and died to protect the freedoms now taken for granted; leaving the motives of those who write from cowardly anonymity in today’s world, open to speculation.
Following in the anonymous footsteps of FishLakeKarpa whose only real purpose appears to be attacking Fish Lake Supervisor Bob Carter, Fiefdom Politics’ only real purpose seems to be bashing Chisago County District 4 Commissioner Ben Montzka.
While the unknown author steadfastly maintains that District 5 is getting “bleeped” over by Montzka and his “band of three,” Commissioners Rick Greene, Lora Walker and George McMahon, she provides little proof that the residents of District 5 are being adversely affected by anyone other than Commissioner Robinson.
The anonymous author of Fiefdom Politics is apparently female, which has led to speculation that Johanna Puelston of the Chisago Isanti Star, Mary Helen Swanson of The North Branch Post Review or Denise Martin of the Chisago County Press might be blogging “on the side.”
Without doubt, Johanna is the best professional writer covering Chisago County. She is also the best looking. Johanna is married to Chisago County Sheriff’s Deputy Kyle Puelston, who has been publicly lambasted by Commissioner Mike Robinson and is rumored to be a candidate to replace sitting District 5 Commissioner Mike Robinson in 2012.
While this puts Johanna in the right District and Robinson is largely ignored in the blog, it is highly unlikely she would misspell her husband’s name on her own blog.
Mary Helen is a huge Commissioner Robinson fan. If she were writing, Robinson would be front and center in every article, not the moot point he has become on this Board and his ignored status in Fiefdom Politics.
And it can’t be Denise, due to the fact you can actually understand what the unknown blogger is writing about.
Fiefdom Politics story “Three Beer Lunch” is strikingly similar to an anonymous email I had received on November 28, 2010.
Begin Story
“Dear Jon,
I recently stopped into a bar in Rock Creek (Pine County) and was surprised to see Commissioner Mike Robinson, former State Rep. Loren Jennings, a 5th District Planning Commissioner and former Planning Commissioner/Fish Lake Township Supervisor Tim O'Keefe sitting together at a table.
While I was there, I overheard a conversation in regards to the funding of Mr. O'Keefe's lawsuit against Fish Lake Township. From the conversation, it was quite clear to me that Loren Jennings and the 5th District Planning Commissioner were willing to spend a great deal of money to help fund Mr. O'Keefe's lawsuit in order to keep Mike Robinson's 5th District Commissioner seat safe from Bob Carter.
After doing some research into Mr. O'Keefe's court case against Fish Lake Township, it appears that Mr. O'Keefe's first attorney, Travis Stottler, resigned from the case for lack of payment. It also appears that Mr. O'Keefe has now retained a high-powered law firm from the cities; Barna, Guse and Steffen.
The question is, where did Mr. O'Keefe suddenly come up with the kind of money it takes to retain a high-powered firm like Barna, Guse and Steffen?
After having a conversation with Bob Cupit about Mr. O'Keefe's lawsuit, Mr. Cupit stated that during the discovery process Mr. O'Keefe claimed that part of his damages included the loss of his pickup truck due to paying his attorney's fees instead of his pickup truck payments.
After reviewing the court file, I found this to be true. Upon further research, it appears that Mr. O'Keefe not only could not afford to pay his first attorney, but make his pickup payments or pay his property taxes, either. The question still remains; where is Mr. O'Keefe getting the money to retain a high-powered law firm like
Barna, Guse and Steffen?
The answer is Mike Robinson's childhood friends; Loren Jennings, part owner of East Central Sanitation, and a farmer from Rush City. All this in pursuit of protecting Mike Robinson's 5th District Commissioner seat!
Check out the facts for yourself, but please help Bob Carter and Bob Cupit save their good names and reputations from Malfeasant Mike! End Story"
To which I replied.
I suggested a face to face meeting, to which she responded:
Begin Quote "Dear Jon, After having time to think this over, I have to live in Rush City. I am scared of those four powerful people and don't want to risk my personal safety. Thanks for the invite to meet, but I will have to pass. Take care. truth.plus.justice@gmail.com--Truth and Justice End Quote”
The following anonymous story is written by peasantinfiefdom.
It is a clever story, interweaving fact and fiction.
“Begin Story: Three Beer Lunch
Small world it is. At lunch with a group of people today, the subject of Fiefdompolitics.com came up. This is surprising because no one at the lunch knew that I am the blogger for Fiefdompolitics. (It would be even more surprising if anyone had ever heard of fiefdompolitics.com much less known who wrote it. This part is fiction)
I will also say it is very hard listening to yourself being bashed (fact)
and no one knows that they are bashing you directly. (fiction)
I also think I held my composure just fine and no one was any of the wiser that the person being bashed was in fact “enjoying” (actually I was miserable) lunch with them. (This part is fiction)
This was a business networking lunch. None of us really knew each other. It was a mixed group of political opinions on a national level. I don’t talk about national politics because you will never change the other person’s opinion and suddenly it just becomes people talking over people and really what does that accomplish? (This part may be fact)
Rarely, and this may be the only time…and only because I’m still emotional from today…will I give my opinion on things besides local politics. I’ll come right out and say it. I don’t like it when people think they know what God is thinking. Which is how the conversation started at lunch today that led me to a couple stiff martinis when I got home (in addition to the beers at lunch). (This part may be fact)
So this person was discussing “wedge issues,” or “social issues,” or whatever you want to call things that you’ll never get people to agree on. (This part may be fact)
Apparently this person has a direct line with God because this person knew what God thought was best. Somewhere in the ranting, I learned our country needed to be run by people like this person because, well…they know God better than the rest. (This part may be fact, but would never be spoken by a Baptist woman)
The rest of us at lunch really weren’t in the mood to state our opinions and decided to let “the Voice of God” (which is how I will refer to this person), ramble on. (This part may be fact)
I had enough. I had to speak up. I made the comment that all that energy should be put toward worrying about what it happening at a local level; because I said God doesn’t determine our property taxes. (This part may be fact)
Even though I don’t have that same direct line, I felt pretty comfortable stating this. That’s when (sorry the pun) all hell broke loose. At least it felt like hell to me. (This part may be fact)
The Voice of God asked another member of lunch (not speaking to me anymore) if they had ever read the blog that bashes Chisago County and the commissioners. No one had. This didn’t surprise me and I’m not too worried that they will be. (This part is fiction)
Voice of God doesn’t like this blog. Voice of God, yes you guessed it…knows a lot of people that go to Church with Ben Montzka and tells us (at lunch) (This part is fiction, people like "Voice" would be aligned with Bob Gustafson, not Montzka)
he’s a real nice guy and he sings really well at Church. (This part is fact, Ben is a BINO, Baptist In Name Only, mostly he goes to church for the singing not the "fire and Brimstone")
I was pretty certain that Voice felt that God had told her that people who drink alcohol are sinners. (This part may be fact)
So, just to piss off Voice, I ordered a beer. While drinking my beer, (This part may be fact)
I asked Voice how involved in the community Voice was. Pay attention to commission meetings? Know what’s going on in the budget? Understand anything about LGA? Pay attention to council meetings? (This part is fiction)
Well, yes Voice was very active, because just last year they were going to put a fossil fuel power plant in Chisago County and power lines were going to run through their yard. So Voice went to commission meetings and through their activism they stopped the Fossil Fuel Power Plant. (This part is fiction)
(Voice was a little upset with Ben then because Ben was a power plan proponent.) (This part is fiction)
Two beers now. (This part may be fact)
First, I told Voice, I don’t think the Fossil Fuel thing is off the table. Voice is certain it is. I also told Voice, that there are a lot of things that can reduce your property value besides power lines running through it. (This part is fiction)
I went on that President Obama or Speaker Boehner don’t yield nearly the power over Voice that five commissioners do (This part may be fact)
(well actually 4, because Ben and his Band of Three don’t want to believe Chisago County has a District 5). (This part may is fiction)
Voice went back to attacking the blog. On and on about the blog’s negativity…nothing good to say….blah blah blah. I could take all this. (This part is fiction)
It’s just when Voice said the blogger didn’t know how to write, (This part is fiction)
that I ordered a third beer. Don’t worry. I didn’t drive home. (This part may be fact)
Now you may wonder, because it seems, I am giving away my identity to someone who reads this blog. (This part is fiction)
First, I don’t think Voice has read it more than once and that was way back when. (This part is fiction)
Also Voice liked to either argue or talk about Voice. (This part may be fact)
Thus, Voice doesn’t know my name and actually doesn’t know a thing about me. (This is fact)
But you met me today Voice. Had you taken two minutes to listen to anyone else talk; you might have found out who I am. (This part is fiction)
Voice, if you’re reading this, I do care about Chisago County. (This is fact)
I care about property values and property taxes. I care about the standard of living. (This part is fact)
Chisago County is beautiful and has some of the nicest people in the world. (This part is fact)
It’s Ben and his Band of Three I bash. (This part is fact)
And just because a person goes to church and has a good choir voice, does not make them a good person. (This part is fact)
In fact, from all the e-mails I’ve received about Ben…it makes him a hypocrite.” (This part is fiction) End Story
While some of this story may be based upon actual events, perhaps an actual luncheon with the girls, it has been distorted toward the author’s goal of “bashing” Ben (Commissioner Montzka).
From other articles posted at fiefdompolitics.com, the author’s office is downtown. As the “Three Beer Lunch” was a business luncheon, one would assume it would be near her business, downtown, not in Chisago County
The statistical probability that “Voice” was an actual person from Chisago County, knew of the issues here or knew Commissioner Montzka could sing are astronomically low.
More likely "Voice" is the anonymous author's manifestation of her own perception of Commissioner Lora Walker as "Voice" has views similar to Walker's concerning the power plant.
It is my humble belief that truth.plus.justice@gmail.com and peasantinfiefdom are one in the same person.
She is probably C.C. Inquirer as well. C.C. is a contributor to fiefdompolitics.com and the author of the following story, also sent to me anonymously.
Start Story "From: C. C. Enquirier
Subject: Sexual Harassment in Chisago County
To: "Jon"
Date: Saturday, September 5, 2009, 8:01 PM
Hello Jon,
As the author of the South County Epitaph, could you confirm or find out if there is any validity to the following story?
Per Commissioners Ben Montzka and Rick Greene, County Administator John Moosey is attempting to hush and cover up the sexual advancements of County Commissioner George McMahon upon a county employee.
Would you please investigate and provide a story on your South County Epitaph blog?
Thank you for your care and concern for Chisago County.
C. C." End Story
Though I don’t have the forensic capabilities for a computer analysis of the three texts, I am certain these three cleverly written stories have the same anonymous author using different pseudonyms.
A writer, as it were, playing all the parts of her own fantasy. Either multi talented, multi delusional or affected with multiple personality disorder.
More compelling is why the skulduggery? We have such a wonderful country with freedom of speech bought and paid by our forefathers, why cower in anonymity?
Perhaps, people in glass houses don't throw stones, perhaps the answers lie in the words written by my anonymous counterpart.
But, does anyone really care?
My anonymous friend is a good writer. A good writer can change the world.
Chisago County won’t be fixed with a new jail. However, it can be fixed with compassion and common sense. Our efforts to build a better government can “snowball” across Minnesota if we choose to set the example right here in Chisago County. More good writers are needed for the cause.
Sincerely, The Jack Ass from Wisconsin
