Alan Fine used an MPR photo on his campaign literature
MPR attorneys have sent Alan Fine's campaign a cease and desist letter after he used an MPR photo on its campaign literature. How do I know? I took the picture.
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Fine, the GOP candidate running in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District, released the campaign mailing on October 5th. It criticizes Democrat Keith Ellison's relationship with the Council of American Islamic Relations.
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The photo in question is on the back of the mailer. The reason I noticed it was because of the red brick background.
The photo was taken after Ellison won the DFL endorsement. Ellison talked with a few reporters after his speech to the delegates. No one from the Fine campaign or the Republican Party was there during the interview.
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As you can see from the mailer, Fine's campaign flipped the photo and cropped it. Look real closely at the lower left edge of the photo on the mailer and you can see Star Tribune reporter Rochelle Olson's pink sleeve. MPR attorneys issued a letter to the Fine campaign this afternoon. (MPR removed the cease and desist letter).
Fine's campaign told the news media that the mailer was sent to 100,000 5th Congressional District voters. Fine's Campaign has not returned calls on the matter. Independence Party member Tammy Lee and Green Party candidate Jay Pond are also running in the 5th.