Feds deny easement for Dakota Access pipeline

Well, sometimes you lose and then sometimes you win. The Washington Post story by Brady Dennis and Steven Mufson on the (apparent) end of the Standing Rock confrontation says: “The Army said Sunday that it will not approve an easement necessary to permit the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline to cross under Lake Oahe in North Dakota, marking a monumental victory for the Native American tribes and thousands of others who have flocked in recent months to protest the oil pipeline. ‘I’m happy as heck,’ said Everett Iron Eyes, a retired director of natural resources for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and one of the organizers of a camp protesters set up near the pipeline site. ‘All our prayers have been answered’. … The victory for the Standing Rock Sioux and its allies could be short-lived, though. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to support pipelines such as this one.”

For the Strib, Jennifer Brooks says, “North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple called the Corps’ decision “a serious mistake” in a statement, saying it “prolongs the serious problems” that law enforcement faces and “prolongs the dangerous situation” of people camping in cold, snowy conditions. …The Corps’ denial of an easement for the pipeline’s construction may not halt construction; it could merely result in fines against the pipeline company if work continues.”

For NPR, Nathan Rott and Eyder Peralta say, “In a statement, Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Chairman Dave Archambault II said the tribe welcomed the decision, but he also sounded a note of caution saying he hoped the incoming Donald Trump administration would ‘respect this decision and understand the complex process that led us to this point’. … Tom Shaving shares Archambault’s caution, and he fears that a President Trump could undo Sunday’s announcement. Like many at the camp, he isn’t planning to leave.”

Kevin Hardy, for the Des Moines Register, says, “Yet even as men and women began drumming and dancing around the fire, many Native Americans were unconvinced that Sunday’s news was the end. ‘It’s not over. It’s never over,’ said a Standing Rock member who gave his name as Ghost. ‘They say one thing and do another.’ Craig Stevens, spokesman for the pro-pipeline Midwest Alliance for Infrastructure Now, said the decision was a rejection of the entire regulatory and judicial system, as well as a repudiation of the Corps’ previous decisions to green-light the project. ‘With President-elect Trump set to take office in a 47 days,’ he said in a statement, ‘we are hopeful that this is not the final word on the Dakota Access pipeline.’”

Meanwhile, the temperature is increasing on the Keith Ellison front. For The Huffington Post, Daniel Marans writes, “On Thursday, however, newly unearthed comments Ellison made in 2010, where he questioned the outsize influence of concern for Israel on U.S. Middle East policy, drew the condemnation of the Anti-Defamation League, an influential Jewish anti-racism organization with hawkish Middle East views. The ADL’s criticism deserves to be assessed on its merits. But some members of the media have gotten a little premature in their pronouncements that it doomed Ellison’s candidacy. … Rather than provide measured, reporting-based commentary, [NBC’s Chuck] Todd and [The Washington Post’s Ruth] Marcus exemplify how journalists are capable of doing politicians’ bidding. …This is how pessimistic analysis becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

For The Intercept Glenn Greenwald writes, “Ever since he announced his candidacy to lead the Democratic National Committee, Keith Ellison, the first American Muslim elected to the U.S. Congress, has been the target of a defamation campaign that is deceitful, repugnant, and yet quite predictable. … As J.J. Goldberg of The Forward noted, Ellison wasn’t lamenting the insidious influence of U.S. Jews — as the ADL shamefully claimed — but rather was ‘plainly describing how American Muslims could have greater influence on American policy if they learned to organize.’ And agree or disagree with those positions, it is an indisputable fact that Israel receives far more in U.S. aid than any other country yet continually does exactly that which numerous U.S. presidents have insisted it not do, often to the detriment of U.S. interests.”

Meanwhile, predictably, the conservative Daily Caller has a piece up from Peter Hasson saying, “Haim Saban, a top Democratic donor who donated millions towards Hillary Clinton’s failed presidential efforts, said Minnesota Rep. and DNC chair frontrunner Keith Ellison is ‘clearly an anti-Semite,’ according to a CNN report. Saban also said it ‘would be a disaster for the relationship between the Jewish community and the Democratic party’ if Ellison is selected as DNC chair.”

Christmas week in San Diego? Kirk Kenney’s story for the San Diego Union says, “The National Funding Holiday Bowl is bringing two teams in from the cold, inviting Minnesota from the Big Ten and Washington State from the Pac-12 for this year’s game. The 38th Holiday Bowl will be played Dec. 27 at 4 p.m. (ESPN) at Qualcomm Stadium. ‘We are very excited for this matchup,’ said Mark Neville, executive director of the San Diego Bowl Game Association. ‘I think it has the makings for another exciting chapter in our history. Washington State likes to throw up a lot of points and Minnesota is an exciting team in its own right.’” Boy, did Alabama ever dodge a bullet on that one.

Soon to arrive. Says the AP, “A division of the U.S. State Department recently told Minnesota officials that the state will be allowed to take in 2,505 refugees for resettlement during federal fiscal year 2017. That’s roughly in line with recent years.”

Mr. Football. Another AP story says, “Lakeville North running back Wade Sullivan has been named Minnesota’s Mr. Football for 2016. The Minnesota Football Coaches Association chose Sullivan from among 10 finalists. The award was presented Sunday at the Mr. Football Banquet in St. Louis Park. Sullivan rushed for 1,900 yards, averaging 6.1 yards per carry, and 31 touchdowns in his senior year. He also made 11 receptions for 83 yards and one receiving touchdown.” Fit him for a purple jersey.

Elsewhere in seasonal lows … Julio Ojeda-Zapata of the PiPress says, “Many Twin Cities residents have had just-delivered parcels snatched from their doorsteps in what has become a ‘porch piracy’ epidemic in recent years. And some victims have tried to fight back. That’s what happened to Dariush Amirahmadi of St. Paul, who dabbles in beer brewing and often has supplies shipped to his address. When a boxful of pricey hops vanished from the front of his house a few years ago, he decided to set a trap. He placed a fake package outside, attached fishing wire to it and tied the other end to a glass bottle inside his front door. Sure enough, someone took the bait. When he heard the bottle clatter as it fell one cold December day, he went to the door and found a man on the sidewalk, clutching the box.” The Castle Doctrine covers “pricey hops,” right?

Do not pick a fight with a woman wearing stiletto heels. A Mankato Free Press story says, “Two exotic dancers were arrested after they allegedly fought with other employees at a Mankato stripper bar and fled from police Thursday night. … [Bianca] Strayhorn and [Ebony] Jordan allegedly attacked the other two employees. One employee reported Jordan hit her in the face with a stiletto-heel shoe.”