Gangbanger in Chief, Mpls. Mayor Betsy Hodges (aka pointergate)

[BainsBane]

The Mpls police and KSTP news accused Mayor Hodges of flashing gang signs while meeting with a local group of community youth working to turn out the vote and improve their community.

KSTP news ignited a firestorm by claiming the Mayor was flashing gang signs. Police contacted the local news station and insisted the mayor was "endangering their lives" by validating "those people" (young people working to involve other youth in local politics).

The photo was taken a week before the November election while the mayor canvassed neighborhoods with a nonprofit group in a get-out-the-vote event. Hodges declined repeated requests for interviews. But, her spokesperson told us the mayor enjoys meeting with many people who are organizing on the North side.

The spokesperson also says the man in the photo is well regarded by the nonprofit that employs him and the mayor is simply “pointing at him” in the photo. Retired Minneapolis Police officer, Michael Quinn, who also managed the department’s Internal Affairs Unit, says the photo is “disappointing because it puts police officers at risk.”

When asked to respond to the mayor’s statement that she is just “pointing at him.” He said, “she can’t be that naive. I cannot imagine.”

“She is legitimizing these people. She is legitimizing gangs who are killing our children in Minneapolis and I just can’t believe it. It hurts,” Quinn said.

http://blogs.mprnews.org/newscut/2014/11/gang-sign-story-backfires-on-kstp/

Here are the dangerous gangbangers engaged in conspiracy to turn out the vote.

Related commentary:

"Dear white people: Mayor Betsy Hodges is not in a gang." http://www.startribune.com/local/yourvoices/281896521.html

Despite bucking the national trend and re-electing Democrats, Minnesota has its imbeciles, the Minneapolis police force and now KSTP news foremost among them.

[Rex]

1. You know who else kills people?

Jay Kolls, while driving drunk.

[gratuitous]

2. You really have to dig to mine this kind of stupidity

But what would you expect from a television station whose call letters (KSTP) mean "Stop the Pigs"? I wonder, if someone made such a baseless allegation as that, would the Minneapolis Police be on it like they're on the Mayor Gangbanger nonsense?

[BainsBane]

3. It really is astounding

Reality has once again proved to be stranger than satire.

[KamaAina]

4. I see what you did there.

[seveneyes]

5. "Dear white people"

Two acts of ignorance does not a right make.

[BainsBane]

7. What does that mean?

Are you disputing that the people accusing the Mayor of using gang symbols are white?

[myrna minx]

6. Hubbard Broadcasting strikes again.

How absolutely stupid.