Greens + Taste = bad taste

Posted at 6:57 AM on July 6, 2006 by Mike Mulcahy (1 Comments)

Members of the Green Party say they got the bums' rush at Taste of Minnesota:

It was an unjust and sad display of democracy at the Taste of MN on July 4th this year when Green Party volunteers were shut out from engaging in democracy.

The Green Party of MN is required, due to minor party status, to collect signatures from MN eligible voters between July 4th through July 18th to allow our candidates ballot access on November 7th. When volunteers attempted to do so on public property, which their taxes have paid for, they were told by the St. Paul police that they had to stay 2000 feet outside of the Taste of MN event boundaries.

I am awaiting return calls from Police Commander Brian Coyle and the Taste of MN organizer Ron Maddox to obtain in writing a copy of the regulations they have implemented and enforced to shut our citizens from participating in democracy.

The experience has left a bitter "Taste" in our "MN" minds from the unfair treatment by St. Paul city officials and Mr. Maddox on the very day that we should be able to celebrate our independence and freedom.

Danene Provencher, Green Party of MN Lieutenant Governor candidate

Ken Pentel, Green Party of MN Governor candidate

Dave Berger, Green Party of MN Auditor candidate

Michael Cavlan, Green Party of MN US Senate candidate

Comments (1)

Outragous!

Political candidates and their volunteers have protected rights under the first amendment including freedom of speech and association. Repeated Supreme Court decisions have upheld these rights for candidates and volunteers.

In Minnesota, state law reinforces a nearly unlimited right to speak and associate, on both public and private land. For example, it is unlawful for the owner of an appartment building to refuse entry to persons engaged in political activiites.

If the Green Party had the financial resources of the DFL or the GOP, legal actions would probably have been initiated already. This is just another sad example showing how dollars, and not citizens, are represented by the existing power structure.

Posted by Justin C. Adams | July 6, 2006 11:12 AM

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