Neil Gaiman vs. The Whackjobs

Ed here: I remember when Minnesota was one of the most progressive states in the union. Now it's run by the tinfoil hats brigade.

Neil Gaiman hits back at US politician's theft accusation
Author, whom Minnesota Republican says he 'hates', insists that his $45,000 fee for a public appearance was market rate

guardian.co.uk, Thursday 5 May 2011 10.55 BST


. Neil Gaiman. Photograph: Sutton-Hibbert/Rex

Pencil-necked? Maybe. Thief? No way. Award-winning author Neil Gaiman has defended himself against Republican Matt Dean's extraordinary claim that he is a "pencil-necked little weasel who stole $45,000 from the state of Minnesota".

The astonishing attack from the Minnesota House of Representatives majority leader, published in the Star Tribune yesterday, centred on a fee of $45,000 (£27,000) paid to Gaiman – "who I hate," Dean added – from state art funds last year for a speaking appearance at Stillwater Library in Minnesota.

Describing the comments as "bullying schoolyard nonsense", Gaiman said Dean's assertion that he stole the money "is a lie". "Yes, I gave the money to charities – a sexual abuse one and a library/author one, long ago, when the cheque came in, well before this ever became a political football. But that seems completely irrelevant to this: I don't like the idea that a politician is telling people that charging a market wage for their services is stealing," the bestselling fantasy author wrote on his blog. "[But] it's kind of nice to make someone's Hate List. It reminds me of Nixon's Enemies List. If a man is known by his enemies, I think my stock just went up a little."

for the rest go here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/may/05/neil-gaiman-us-politician-theft-accusation