Constitutional Law

John Kriesel says Boston bombing suspect "shouldn't have constitutional rights"

Former state representative and decorated war hero John Kriesel is known for being an outspoken gay rights advocate, but he's no liberal when it comes to national security.SEE ALSO: Bob Koss, MNGOP Senate staffer, calls John Kriesel a "piece of shit" -- and gets fired On Friday night, Kriesel got in ... More >>

DRE drug scandal: Civil lawsuit against state seeks millions in damages

Today, St. Paul attorney Nathan Hansen and New Jersey attorney Alan Milstein filed a civil lawsuit against the state of Minnesota, State Patrol, and other law enforcement agencies seeking millions of dollars in damages for subjects who participated in the scandalized Drug Recognition Expert program. ... More >>

Oliver White, St. Paul minister, named 'Brave Thinker' by The Atlantic magazine

The Atlantic magazine has included St. Paul minister Oliver White in its annual list of 21 "Brave Thinkers."The list spotlights prominent people who have risked their "reputations, fortunes and lives in pursuit of big ideas."White, who spoke out in favor of gay rights, appears in the November-issue ... More >>

MN for Marriage doesn't fire Rev. Brad Brandon after repeated Vote No-Nazi comparisons [VIDEO]

In recent weeks, Rev. Brad Brandon, the director of church outreach for Minnesota for Marriage, has traveled the state giving a presentation where he compares same-sex marriage advocates to Nazis.SEE ALSO: Rev. Brad Brandon wants his GOP endorsements to be tax exempt Minnesotans United for All Famil ... More >>

Zeus Jones releases free "Vote No" wedding bands

Zeus Jones, a Lyn-Lake-based marketing and branding agency, has devised a unique way to show solidarity with the "For All" rights cause -- free "Vote No" wedding bands.SEE ALSO: Guerrilla Girls' "Vote No" billboard features Michele Bachmann [PHOTO]"It's about applying the skills we have to stuff we' ... More >>

Hamline Wesley Award winners request honors be annulled over school's gay marriage stance

Colin Schumacher and Shona Ramchandani, two recipients of Hamline's prestigious John Wesley Award, have requested the annulment of their honors after school administration decided to remain neutral on the Minnesota marriage amendment.SEE ALSO: Hamline professor Stephen Kellert calls on university ad ... More >>

Rush Limbaugh has a crush on Chris Kluwe

SEE ALSO:-- Chris Kluwe to Emmett Burns: Gay marriage "won't magically turn you into a lustful cockmonster"-- Chris Kluwe says politician is "literally an asshole" for anti-gay marriage stance-- Chris Kluwe coins "turdsloth" while defending Crossfit on GawkerYesterday, Rush Limbaugh devoted a few mi ... More >>

Gay bullying must end

In wake of suicides, schools face federal scrutiny

Brian Johnson, Pride Fest Bible hander-outer, files federal lawsuit over "no pride zone" policy [UPDATE]

A dispute that has been ongoing for years recently escalated: Notorious Bible hander-outer Brian Johnson filed a federal lawsuit against the Minneapolis Park Board, alleging that his constitutional rights are violated by the Twin Cities Pride Festival's "no pride zone" policy. That policy, endorsed ... More >>

Wisconsin middle schooler sues over "I Heart Boobies!" bracelets

Schools across the country have banned the bracelets.​A Wisconsin eighth-grader is suing her principal and school district for the right to wear a somewhat silly bracelet that deals with a deadly serious topic. Kaisey Jenkins, a student at Sauk Prairie Middle School in central Wisconsin, says the ... More >>

Bachmann: Obama would be a "dictator" to invoke 14th Amendment [VIDEO]

Pay no attention to the doomsday clock in the lower left.​In an interview with CNN this morning, Michele Bachmann reiterated her fringe position that it's no big deal if the U.S. hits its debt ceiling, which will happen midnight Aug. 2 unless Congress and Barack Obama can strike a last-minute deal ... More >>

Jason Andersen is not guilty and wants his cop job back

Mug shot Ex-cop Jason Andersen wants his job back ​The cop who shot Fong Lee was found not guilty yesterday of violating a teenager's civil rights by kicking him in the head.Now Jason Andersen, who has been fired twice by the Minneapolis Police Department, after a domestic dispute allegation and t ... More >>

Keith Ellison invokes Thomas Jefferson's Koran in 9/11 mosque fight

Keith Ellison wants to know why churches, but not mosques, are allowed near Ground Zero.​Rep. Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, invoked the Constitution and Thomas Jefferson's Koran when asked last night by Larry King whether he was being "insensitive" by supporting an Islam ... More >>

Target says it will only back Tom Emmer for governor

Target won't balance it's contribution to Tom Emmer's campaign for governor.​Target Corp. feels really, really bad about upsetting GLBT folks by backing an anti-gay man for governor of Minnesota. But yesterday it officially said it has no intention of actually putting its money where its mouth ... More >>

Park Board supports anti-gay activist at Pride Fest

Photo: Pride FestivalWho gets to hang out in Loring Park during Pride Fest?​Minneapolis Park Board President John Erwin said on Tuesday that the Twin Cities Pride Festival can decide which organizations are allowed to set up booths in Loring Park during their event, but the board can't stop an ... More >>

Judge upholds Cannons' discrimination lawsuit in case of impounded car

James and Lois Cannon​A three judge panel has ruled that Minneapolis police officers discriminated against an African American judge and his wife in 2006 when they showed up to get their son's car out the impound lot. But the Minnesota Court of Appeals also found that the Minneapolis Commiss ... More >>

Minnesota corporations' free speech released from bondage

​Today a federal judge struck down a state law banning corporations from spending on political advertising, endorsements, and other campaign activities, on the grounds that the law violated the First Amendment rights... of corporations.The decision, by Judge Paul Magnuson, relies on the U.S. Supre ... More >>

Velma Korbel is the new Minneapolis Civil Rights Director

City of Minneapolis​The Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved R.T. Rybak's nomination of Velma Korbel for the city's new Civil Rights director this morning. Korbel is currently the Commissioner of the Minneapolis Minnesota Department of Human Rights. She is slated to start the new g ... More >>

R.T. Rybak nominates Velma Korbel new Civil Rights director

Rybak nominated Velma Korbel to succeed current director Michael Jordan. No, not that Michael Jordan.

TiZA inquiry ruling nixes race bias

​The Minnesota Education Department's investigation into the test scores and teaching licenses of Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy was not racially motivated, the U.S. Education Department ruled this week.The Inver Groves Heights academy known as TiZA is a charter school whose student body is about 80 perc ... More >>

Rybak not backing civil rights director for reappointment

Michael Jordan is the only department head Rybak didn't nominate for reappointment.

Lynne Torgerson denies attacking Keith Ellison's Muslim faith

In an interview, the Minneapolis lawyer defends her comments about Islam and Keith Ellison.

White Castle Slider-craving ex-stripper loses disability complaint

And with that, the Rosa Parks of the scooter community rests her case.

Minnesota Law & Politics cover spoofs Metro Gang Strike Force

The controversial and defunct unit is likened to the cast of characters in "Reno 911" on the magazine's November cover.

MN court rules being a cop doesn't entitle you to cop a feel

An appeals court judge says an undercover cop went over the line in a massage parlor sting.

Woodbury picket ban echoes state law

The Woodbury City Council banned targeted residential picketing, which provoked an outcry over the squelching of First Amendment rights. But as it turns out, the state banned targeted residential picketing 16 years ago.

Bob Dylan's toilet stench is blowing in the Malibu wind

Bob Dylan's Malibu, Calif. neighbors sure aren't proud to call the Minnesota superstar their neighbor. You probably wouldn't brag either if his toilet stank was wafting into your home and making your family ill.

Would you like to be felt up while your nails dry?

Tuesday's five most fascinating stories printed on wood pulp.

First RNC felony sentence calls for probation

Vote today

Two Green Females Vying for Presidency

6/22: Morning Communique

Daddies Dearest

Kids Don't Follow

"You can't do all of it by yourself."

St. Paul joins the hit parade

Fixing a Leak

What happens when a reporter doesn't keep his word to an anonymous source?

Quoteworthy

All the News That's Unfit to Print

City Pages runs letters to the editor--of the PiPress

Busted

Is Minneapolis police chief Robert Olson trying to stop federal mediation?

Reckless Eyeballin'

Longtime civil rights activist and agitator Ron Edwards talks about the city he loves and hates

The Jordan Shuffle

The city plays politics with police/minority relations

United They Sit

Minnesota's senators were supposed to be the type to stand up for social programs, the environment, and civil liberties. So why are critics left and right accusing them of lying down on the job?

White Heat

Kenneth White and the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights take some more flak

Let Them Eat Questions

You Make Me Blush

City officials call Minneapolis's numbers on minority contracting "an embarrassment." So what are they doing about it? Uh, well, gosh...

Let There Be Light

A Minneapolis church and city leaders square off over windows

Sheep in Wolf's Clothing

Proponents say an amendment on the Minneapolis ballot will mean tougher civil-rights scrutiny for the cops. They may be in for a surprise.

God and Man at Stillwater

Correction