The fight between Powerline, and the Minneapolis Star—Tribune, over its hapless columnist Nick Coleman, appears to be escalating. Scott Johnson excerpts his correspondence with the reader representative of the paper, an ombudsman—like functionary, and the rather unsatisfactory response so far. I am no lawyer (and Scott is), but a lot of his language looks as though Scott is laying the ground work for a lawsuit.

More interesting, however, is what follows near the end of Scott's post. For the past few years, Scott has been a vice president at TCF Bank, a very large presence in the local retail banking market in the Twin Cities. When I was growing up in Minneapolis, TCF had by far the largest branch network and deposit base in the metropolitan area. Coleman had cutely mentioned something about depositing and then withdrawing funds from a bank, an apparently veiled reference to Scott's employer. Astonishingly, the CEO of the bank, Bill Cooper was completely unaware of Scott's blogging life until Time Magazine made him a celebrity in the local media.

Upon learning of Coleman's indirect intimation of punishing TCF Bank for the activities of his vice president, Bill Cooper said,

While I have disagreed with the Star Tribune on many issues, I respect with all my heart your right of freedom of the press and free speech. Apparently Nick Coleman does not share these values.

To suggest that customers of TCF Bank should move their money because of a TCF employee's blogging activities (an exercise of free speech) is just wrong. To suggest that an employer of an individual who exercises free speech rights should be punished is, I am sure, a violation of journalistic ethics and perhaps a legal issue.

Just for the record, the first time I ever heard of Power Line (which I have never read) was when I read about it in Time Magazine. To suggest that TCF or I am somehow the creator or supporter of Power Line is simply not true. Incidentally, Mr. Coleman never contacted me to ask if I was behind it (another example of great journalism!).

One thing I can assure you of is that if your columnists can suggest that people stop banking at TCF because of the political activities of one of its employees, TCF will never spend another dollar on advertising in the Star Tribune as long as I am Chairman.

I have no way of knowing how large a revenue loss this represents for the Strib, and its parent McClatchey, which recently purchase the paper and must be eager for a return on its money. But it cannot be a welcome loss, particularly in an era in which profit pressures are rising. We can expect cries of "censorship" from the usual suspects, but "responsibility" is a more appropriate concern.

The death throes of the daily press continue apace.

Thomas Lifson  1 05 05