Attending the hearing was the complainant, Rachael Martin, director of the Fairlawn Mansion and Museum in Superior, Wisconsin. Representing the Duluth News-Tribunewere Craig Gemoules, managing editor; Steve Aggergaard, city editor; Chuck Frederick, reporter; and Jim Heffernan, editorial page editor.
The Coalition for a Progressive DFL complained that the newspaper failed to find substantial evidence for the claims it made in an article about the Coalition’s fundraising efforts. The Coalition also claimed that a follow-up article inadequately clarified misconceptions created by the first and that the follow-up did not receive comparable treatment to the first.
David N. Zentner, national vice president of the Izaak Walton League of America, complained that an article about land use regulations in the North Shore area of northeastern Minnesota was unobjective and that because it was based in part on rumors, it was inflammatory.
Representatives Peter Fugina and Douglas Johnson complained that three news stories and an editorial in the newspaper inaccurately accused them of questionable financial practices.