MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota News Council has denied two complaints against a Morrison County weekly newspaper that were filed by a state representative.

Democrat Al Doty of Royalton complained to the council after a March 2 story about Doty's view of a gas tax hike. Doty said he was misled by the paper because he didn't know the context in which his comments would be used.
The News Council voted 12-4 on Friday to affirm the newspaper's position, which was that the editor who wrote the story did not have to tell Doty what the story was about in advance.

Doty's other complaint stemmed from an editorial that praised both Doty and a Republican colleague for securing funding for Pine Grove Zoo in Little Falls. Doty claimed that the editorial was inaccurate, saying state Sen. Paul Koering of Fort Ripley didn't deserve the praise.

The News Council voted 12-4 to reject the complaint.

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