"Shakedown Blogger" Don Allen Sought Restraining Order Against Activist Al Flowers Last Summer, ALL THE JUICY DETAILS, Plus A "Gloves Are Off" Johnny Northside Editorial About Don "Judas" Allen, My Former Co-Defendant In The Blogosphere Trial Of The Century...

Photo used under First Amendment Fair Comment and
Criticism, blog post by John Hoff

In a recent blog post about Don Allen's email sent to me in Afghanistan, in which Allen forwarded information about Minneapolis Public Schools money paid to, among others, Al Flowers, I made passing mention of a restraining order Don Allen tried to file against Al Flowers. (27-CV-11-13351, Donald WR Allen II v. Alfred Flowers) When I wrote that blog post, I didn't have all the info about the (attempted) restraining order.

Well, now I have the info...

Allen sought a restraining order within a day or so of a meeting at Summit Academy OIC in North Minneapolis. According to Allen's allegations in the request for a restraining order, "In the meeting I stated my opinion about a topic. Respondent (Al Flowers) followed me out of the meeting, then to the parking lot where he swung at me two-times (sic) and told me he would kill me and my family and to stay out of the community. I contacted the police (4th Precinct Minneapolis and the City Attorney) to report this on June 16, 2011. (Police Report #11-172250)"

Don Allen Is Afraid Of Al Flowers

In response to questions on the form about "when were you harassed" and "how did that make you feel" and "did you ever wet yourself as a result" (OK, I'm paraphrasing) Don Allen filled in the following statements:

"On April 2011--This is not the first time that Respondent has been confrontational. In April of 2011, at the Minneapolis Urban League (in a meeting), Respondent persistently asked me to step outside of the Urban League so he can 'kick my ass.' He said he would 'f***k me up' and my family would never find me."

"If you don't agree with Respondent, he will attempt intimidation, harassment, and threaten personal bodily harm."

(In regard to any phone calls, as follows)

"Sometime in February of 2011--I have a saved recording of Respondent calling me and threatening to fight me."

"Respondent has continued to make threats to me and associates who don't agree with his 'community' position. He is the Community Action Chair for the Minneapolis NAACP. I have tried to address this issue with Respondent in a non-combative way, but Respondent continues to argue, threaten and harass me."

"I attend community meetings where sometimes Respondent shows up and interrupts, demeans attendees. I don't feel safe when Respondent is in the room, nor do I feel I can express in simple clarity when it is I'm thinking without being harassed by Respondent."

"On yesterday in the Minneapolis City Council Chambers, Respondent approached me and said, 'Bring it on, I'm not afraid of courts.' This was in a reaction to me contacting the Minneapolis NAACP and demanding that the NAACP address Respondent's behavior at public meetings."

Don Allen Brings It On, Then Un-Brings It On

Don Allen lists his home address as "confidential" in the complaint. Which is ridiculous, because anybody with access to Google can easily figure out it is (most likely) 556 Huset Parkway, Columbia Heights, Minnesota, which is also the home of Virtual Global Media Group LLC, yet another Don Allen entity with a grandiose title and...well, a grandiose title.

The paperwork associated with the requested restraining order (I will spill the beans and tell you right now no permanent restraining order happened because Don Allen backed down) was served by a Deputy William Condon on Al Flowers at 2100 Plymouth Avenue. (I assume that should be Plymouth Avenue NORTH, and this happens to be the address of the Minneapolis Urban League) In the complaint, another address was listed for Flowers, which was "935 Olson Memorial Highway, c/o Louis King, Minneapolis, MN 55405." This is the address of Summit Academy OIC. The complaint was served on June 27, about a week after the meeting Don Allen was complaining about where, Allen says, Flowers threw two punches.

Flowers went out and retained Attorney Jill Clark to handle Don Allen and the attempt at a restraining order. So much for Don Allen's (apparent) belief that turning Judas against co-defendant Johnny Northside would mean protection from the wrath of Jill Clark. Who knows if Allen and Flowers worked things out, or if it was the threat of Jill Clark's endless litigation. In any case, Don Allen withdrew his request for a restraining order on July 13, 2011.

Don Allen Wants Summit Academy, UROC, Park Place, And To Be The Little Game Piece Shaped Like A Top Hat

Before giving up, Don Allen asked the court to require Al Flowers to stay away from Internet Marketing MN (another tedious Don Allen entity, apparently, with an address marked "confidential") as well as Summit Academy OIC and the Urban Outreach Engagement Center.

Wouldn't THAT have been nice? Al Flowers would be required to keep away from the places where Don Allen likes to go for little meetings and try to have influence. Don Allen's request was ridiculously broad. Did Allen think the judge would fail to notice both parties were enthusiastic participants in the rough and tumble world of community politics and just grant Don Allen a monopoly on two locations where important public meetings take place?

Typical Don Allen. Too greedy for his own good.

Oh, also Don Allen was asking that Respondent "shall not confront Petitioner whatsoever either directly or indirectly through the use of third parties, Respondent is to stay the minimum of 100 feet away from Petitioner. Respondent shall not call Petitioner by phone or use other electronic transmissions such as email or Facebook to send petitioner messages."

Al Flowers May Have A Point

And now my promised editorial. I rue the day I met Don Allen and believed he was somebody who wanted good things for North Minneapolis. I regret that I ever trusted Don Allen to be my co-defendant in the Johnny Northside case and share the same lawyer, because Don Allen turned out to be a Judas; more concerned he might have to pay a nickel out of his own pocket than stand on the principle that publishing the truth makes the world better, even if truth tellers must sometimes pay a heavy price. There are very few money grubbing, amoral, rat fink con men in this world of the stunning caliber of Don Allen, people who can fool somebody as cynical and world-bitten as Johnny Northside.

Interact with Don Allen at your own risk.

On the other hand, just about everything Don Allen said about Al Flowers rings true. Al Flowers is loud and scary. People feel unsafe simply because Flowers has walked into the room.

However, I find myself in rare agreement with Al Flowers. Oh, I don't mean the part where Flowers talked about kicking Don Allen into the middle of next week, or the part about how Don Allen's family would never find him, or any of those nasty things. (See, Al Flowers is a man who, like a toddler throwing a temper tantrum, needs to learn to "Use your words." And I don't mean words like, "I will f***k you up.")

(Why does "f***k" have three asterisks instead of two, some readers might wonder? Because Don Allen is an idiot, that's why)

No, the part I agree with is how Al Flowers reportedly expressed that Don Allen should "stay out of the community."

For years, Don Allen has taken far more from the community than he has added. The term "shakedown blogger" was coined by me to describe Don Allen's unique approach to blogging. In the world of Don Allen, blogging is a means to filling up the bottomless pockets of Don Allen. The smell of money can put Don Allen into a one man stampede. To hell with facts, with spelling, with any sort of consistency, because it's not about FACTS, it's about using facts as LEVERAGE to shake loose money.

Money to do good?

If you call buying yourself drinks at JD Hoyt's Supper Club "doing good."

One minute he's slamming the Minneapolis Public Schools, the next minute $15,000 will transform Allen from harsh critic to pussycat. One day he's writing all sorts of articles in defense of Eric Yusef Mahmoud, (but Don hints that he resents how Eric with a 6 figure salary hasn't asked Don Allen to perform any paid work) the next day an email turns up where Don Allen hints test tampering might have taken place at Mahmoud's institution.

One day Allen is crying out to the universe about how he, Don Allen, will find out the truth about the circumstances surrounding the death of Major Topps. Two years later, Don Allen still hasn't gotten around to it.

Don Allen (like Al Flowers) doesn't even live in North Minneapolis. Allen is a pimp in a flashy suit who attempts to prey upon our difficulties and use those difficulties to line his own pockets.

Don Allen should do what Al Flowers (allegedly) said.

Don Allen should stay out of our community.