HF322 – House threatens to SLAPP & silence activists
January 25th, 2017
How better to silence activists than by threatening to sue them for costs! This is an obvious attack of #blacklivesmatter, and is so offensive that I’m almost speechless… OK, calm down, look this up, and write! In particular, us older white women need to stand up here, older white men too! It’s my understanding that the St. Paul City Attorney spoke out against this, and am looking for verification.
HF 322, is in essence authorization of a SLAPP suit by local governments to recover costs for response to demonstrations, and to assess anyone convicted of any of several crimes. From the House Research Summary:
Here’s the full text:
“… public safety response costs…” will be determined how? “… being PRESENT at an unlawful assembly…” WHAT? And how on earth would costs be assigned and apportioned? EH? One protester assessed ALL costs? Those of that person’s arrest? On a percentage based on number of convictions/total number of protesters? Those pesky details.
SLAPP suits are not OK in Minnesota, where we have statutory protections of free speech and public participation. PAY ATTENTION — THIS IS IMPORTANT:
CHAPTER 554. FREE SPEECH; PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT
Section | Headnote |
---|---|
554.01 | DEFINITIONS. |
554.02 | PROTECTION OF CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE IN GOVERNMENT. |
554.03 | IMMUNITY. |
554.04 | FEES AND DAMAGES. |
554.045 | ACTION IN DISTRICT COURT. |
554.05 | RELATIONSHIPS TO OTHER LAW. |
554.06 | RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. |
In the STrib:
Bill to crack down on Minnesota protesters appears to be national trend
Minnesota GOP charts new course in response to traffic-blocking protests
What to do?
- Send a missive to the authors — cut and paste this list and fire off a quick email:rep.nick.zerwas@house.mn; rep.tony.cornish@house.mn; rep.cal.bahr@house.mn; rep.dan.fabian@house.mn; rep.kurt.daudt@house.mn; rep.dave.baker@house.mn; rep.jim.nash@house.mn; rep.steve.drazkowski@house.mn; rep.joe.mcdonald@house.mn; rep.cindy.pugh@house.mn; rep.marion.oneill@house.mn; rep.brian.johnson@house.mn; rep.mark.uglem@house.mn; rep.keith.franke@house.mn; rep.linda.runbeck@house.mn; rep.kathy.lohmer@house.mn; rep.jeff.howe@house.mn; rep.tim.miller@house.mn; rep.tama.theis@house.mn; rep.mary.franson@house.mn; rep.jason.rarick@house.mn; rep.bob.dettmer@house.mn; rep.matt.dean@house.mn; rep.eric.lucero@house.mn; rep.bud.nornes@house.mn; rep.bob.loonan@house.mn; rep.abigail.whelan@house.mn
- Keep an eye on the Public Safety Committee, its next stop in the House (there is no companion bill in Senate, WHEW!), and call the Committee Administrator, Micheal Valleau 651-296-9115 to get on the list to testify. I called about 9a 1/25/2017 and he said they’d not yet received it and so it wasn’t scheduled for a hearing and he wouldn’t put me on a list for it.
- Send the Public Safety Committee members an email opposing the bill. Note many are authors too, and it might be good to remind them that when they’re on a Committee, they’re representing more than their constituents:rep.tony.cornish@house.mn; rep.brian.johnson@house.mn; rep.debra.hilstrom@house.mn; rep.jamie.becker-finn@house.mn; rep.jack.considine@house.mn; rep.raymond.dehn@house.mn; rep.keith.franke@house.mn; rep.matt.grossell@house.mn; rep.jeff.howe@house.mn; rep.kathy.lohmer@house.mn; rep.eric.lucero@house.mn; rep.jim.newberger@house.mn; rep.marion.oneill@house.mn; rep.dave.pinto@house.mn; rep.joann.ward@house.mn; rep.nick.zerwas@house.mn
January 25th, 2017 at 6:53 pm
To imagine that John Stuart Mill already had written about the evils of silencing people and ideas.
http://bigthink.com/against-the-new-taboo/john-stuart-mill-and-the-dangers-of-silencing