Dean Zimmermann

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2005 photo of former Councilman Dean Zimmermann in front of the Baja Riverside restaurant - where he later received a $5,000 cash bribe from a real estate developer

Dean Zimmermann (Gary Dean Zimmermann) is an American politician and member of the Green Party of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was an elected member of the Minneapolis City Council from 2001 to 2005. Before that Zimmermann served on the Minneapolis Park Board, in the wake of being elected with the endorsement of the local Democratic Party.

In the 1970's Dean Zimmermann briefly belonged to a group called the "O" which Janja Lalich, assistant sociology professor at California State University-Chico described as a political cult [1]. During this time, he was also involved in what became known as the "co-op wars" -- in which he took the side of those promoting a Marxist vision for food co-ops, rather than a principally ecological one.[2][3]

Dean Zimmermann was convicted August 10, 2006 in federal court of accepting bribes in connection with his official duties. He was found guilty on three counts of accepting cash from a local real estate developer who had business before the City Council of Minneapolis[4]. During the trial, the prosecutors presented the jury with videotape surveillance of conversations between Zimmermann and the developer, Garl Carlson -- who was surprised during one meeting to find the councilman interested in attending a Republican fundraiser. Zimmermann replied, "Republicans, Democrats, Greens … What's the difference? It's all money." [5]

Zimmermann is awaiting sentencing for his felony convictions.