John Edwards and Carol Becker agree on at least one thing: "Wedge Live" is a pretty good name.
Over the past few days, questions over which person can legally use that name have generated vehement debate on social media over trademark law and neighborhood politics, and allegations that Becker — an elected official in Minneapolis — is trying to co-opt the moniker in attempt to silence her critics.
Edwards, a graphic designer, began using the title "Wedge Live" about four years ago to blog and tweet about politics in the Lowry Hill East neighborhood, commonly known as "The Wedge." In what he calls a "full-time hobby," Edwards has gained thousands of readers and Twitter followers for his often-satirical commentary on city political issues, with a focus on zoning and housing debates.
He said he'd never heard of Becker, a member of the Minneapolis Board of Estimate and Taxation, until she sued then-Mayor Betsy Hodges last year over the timing of her 2018 budget release. Edwards saw the lawsuit as a political stunt, he said, and decided to respond with a sort-of-joking, sort-of-making-a-point bid for her political seat.
Becker lost the lawsuit against Hodges. Edwards lost his write-in campaign.
Then, last week, a Wedge Live follower sent Edwards an image of a legal notice in the Star Tribune. It said Carol Becker was filing paperwork to conduct business under the name "WedgeLive."
"I couldn't believe it," Edwards said. "It seemed like a very extreme thing to do … at that point, I didn't know, am I about to lose my brand that I've built for four years?"
In an interview, Becker acknowledged she filed business and trademark applications to do business under the name. But she denied it was an attempt to silence Edwards.
