Today, Brian Melendez and Susan Rego, the Chair and the Secretary respectively, of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party are using these same cowardly tactics to try to silence myself and others who are speaking out against this dirty war and for the rights of working people.
Melendez and Rego are very wealthy individuals with backing from Walter Mondale and the Kaplan/Cerisi crowd. Rego is part of the DFL Business Caucus and is closely linked to the well-heeled Summit Hill bunch and the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce.
Melendez and Rego have gone crying for help to the FBI in trying to silence me.
Upon Rego providing a letter from Melendez to the FBI, the FBI contacted Yahoo, Inc. about using the filtering system developed by Yahoo, Inc. in China at the request of Wal-mart and other multi-national corporations wanting to crack down on the efforts of Chinese workers to organize against the brutal exploitation they are being subjected to by these multi-national corporations.
In an attempt to squelch this rank and file led labor movement, Yahoo, Inc. developed a filtering system to disrupt worker communications in China.
That same filtering system is now being used here in Minnesota against organizations like the Minnesota Universal Health Care Coalition and other groups urging people to contact their state legislators. Yahoo, Inc. and Microsoft first made the system available to the DFL State Legislative Caucus in an effort to thwart the movement for single-payer, universal health care.
I received the following e-mail from Susan Rego:
Rego Family
Hi Alan:
As you can probably guess, there has been a lot of on-list and off-list
discussion about some of your more controversial posts. In particular,
State Central Committee members have objected to allowing attacks on our endorsed candidates and on the government of Israel.
Some have advocated for banning individuals like you who offend.
Others want a process that encourages free thought, but they insist on
respect and civility.
In response to their concerns about your posts attacking Israel, Mike Hatch, Matt Entenza and Amy Klobuchar in referring to her as Amy “Republican Lite” Klobuchar, I have developed the following list-serve policy regarding your posts specifically and have run it by members of the Executive Committee who agree that it is time to restrict your postings on our SCC list. It might be fine-tuned some more, but it will basically look like this:
This discussion group is run by and for state central committee members of
the DFL Party. Its purpose is to foster communication that is beneficial to the goals of the party, as published in our Constitution and other party documents.
By subscribing to this group, you must agree to follow these rules:
1. Sign posts with name and Senate District or county unit
2. Limit posts to two a day
3. Do not republish messages from this list on other lists or sites without the author's permission
4. Do not use this list to attack or question DFL-endorsed candidates or any other member of the Minnesota DFL SCC or our DFL officers.
5. Use language that is respectful. Suggesting Israel is engaged in a “campaign of carnage” and “subjugation of the Palestinian people” will not be tolerated.
After one warning and the violation of any of these rules you will be suspended from the list for one month. Reinstatement will be contingent upon a statement
from you agreeing to follow the rules.
Continued or severe violations will result in permanent removal from the list.
I appreciate your willingness to limit your posts and not "cross-post"
and you have always signed your posts. But I think we can agree that #4
has been problematic. If you can share your ideas without bashing the
candidates and (Israel) that we as a party have chosen to represent us in the
election, you are welcome to continue as a valued member of the list serve.
Sincerely,
Susan Rego
As a result of Yahoo, Inc. filtering all of my e-mails to any Yahoo e-mail addresses I have sent the following letter.
Please note: Because of the way Yahoo is using this filter I can not send e-mails to anyone with a yahoo e-mail address without a great deal of difficulty.
The wealthy and well-heeled like Brian Melendez and Susan Rego have never been able to defend their undemocratic activities so they resort to these means and methods to control and manipulate the MN DFL as if this Party was just another piece of their personal property.
Walter Mondale can go on TV and Radio and talk about launching pre-emptive bombing attacks against North Korea and everyone is just supposed to sit in silence as this warmonger prattles on.
Melendez and Rego couldn't control the situation in the DFL any longer and they had to help Mondale crawl out of his cave to try and help them maintain control of the MN DFL in order for sleaze-balls like Hatch, Klobuchar and Cerisi to get nominated.
The time has come for real openness in the MN DFL... this requires all financial records of the MN DFL be disclosed along with the financial records of Meyer Tele Services so we can see how the political process has been controlled by big-money and how money has been improperly used.
This is my letter to Yahoo, Inc.:
To whom it may concern;
I am considering taking legal action against Yahoo, Inc. and any other individuals, corporations, and/or government agencies responsible for interfering in my right to freely communicate my ideas and opinions to those with Yahoo e-mail addresses.
Who is responsible and working in collusion with Yahoo, Inc. in this illegal and unconstitutional endeavor I do not know for sure all parties involved at this time. I do know of at least one individual who has written to Yahoo, Inc. asking that action be taken against me; this is Brian Melendez the Chair of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party of which I am an elected member of the State Central Committee at whose discretion Mr. Melendez serves.
I am part of a caucus, the Democracy Caucus, which is working for the removal of Mr. Melendez as Chair as well as his slate of officers for a variety of reasons, among which is just this undemocratic behavior he is engaged in trying to silence his opposition; and, for financial wrong-doing; including, but not limited to his connections with Meyer Tele Services (also known as: Meyer Associates, Inc.) a firm which has engaged in the illegal practice of working out illegal union agreements known as “sweetheart contracts.”
Workers employed with Meyer Tele Services have engaged my services in representing them in an attempt to get a union contract at the Meyer Tele Services offices in Little Falls, Minnesota and St. Cloud, Minnesota. Let me point out that workers have the right to choose whom they desire to represent their economic and other interests in their place of employment. I have statements, in writing, from employees of Meyer Tele Services requesting my assistance in helping them to attain a union contract. You may have your legal team consult with the Minnesota or U.S. Departments of Labor and/or the NLRB to determine if these employees are within their rights in choosing to have me represent them. I would point out, these employees contacted me, I did not initiate contact with them.
Mr. Melendez, and those supporting this very corrupt political operative has falsely claimed to Yahoo, Inc. that I am involved in the practice known as “spamming.” I do not “spam.” I send e-mail to those who have been elected to positions, in this case the members of the DFL State Central Committee, who have a legal and fiduciary responsibility to see to it that the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party operates within legal boundaries established by state and federal laws. Negotiating “sweetheart” agreements is highly illegal.
Furthermore, I would point out that Chair Melendez approved MN DFL Secretary Susan Rego compiling the e-mail list from which I am working for the explicit purpose of members of the MN DFL State Central Committee to use as I am doing with it… putting forward my ideas, opinions, and suggestions.
If someone does not want to receive my e-mails in spite of the fiduciary responsibilities they knew their positions constituted at the time they opted to run for this position which in fact is a public office, these people on their own initiative may choose to block my e-mails, others who, without their choosing or knowledge, who have yahoo e-mail addresses should not be subjected to not receiving e-mails from me or having their e-mails delayed by yahoo.
I would suggest to Mr. Melendez and his equally undemocratic minded, scheming cohorts that if they can not stand the political heat they are responsible for bringing upon themselves, he--- and they--- should “get out of the kitchen.”
It is not Yahoo, Inc.’s responsibility to control political dialogue and debate by using the charge of “spam” to control the free market of ideas for Americans and people around the world.
Yahoo, Inc. provides its e-mail customers with a very efficient “Delete” button and a very high quality filtering system which can be easily set by any user. For Yahoo, Inc. to arbitrarily give support to a small group of individuals to thwart the democratic process in this manipulative and scheming manner is most likely illegal and unconstitutional… especially when your Corporation takes an action against those who have not requested you to do so.
I would point out that Mr. Melendez, in spite of urging others to complain about my e-mailing practices, he himself accepts my e-mails--- the proof being that he responds to them.
I am attaching several of the “delayed” messages I have received… I am sure if you check with the people who have had their e-mails from me delayed or intercepted you will find many who do not approve of your interference with the democratic process which has always been predicated upon the concept that people are entitled to put their ideas forward in the “great free marketplace of ideas.” I am sure Yahoo, Inc. has some concept of what “free markets” consist of… especially when it comes to the battle of ideas in our modern world.
I would also point out, that Mr. Melendez continues to attack me personally; to which I simply respond… a practice Mr. Melendez doesn’t seem to happy with.
Should you require, or need, more copies of the delayed messages you have caused to be generated, I will be more than happy to provide such.
I have also “Cc’ed” this e-mail to a representative of the American Civil Liberties Union; and “Bcc’ed” it to others with an interest in this matter.
I do expect that Mr. Andrew O’Leary, the Executive Director of the MN DFL Party will instruct its Secretary, Susan Rego, to make this communication available to each and every member of the MN DFL SCC.
Alan L. Maki
58891 County Road 13
Warroad, Minnesota 56763
Phone: 218-386-2432
Cell phone: 651-587-5541
E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net
Check out my blog:
Thoughts From Podunk
http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/