Legalectric

It sure ought to be necessary for employment with the City (HELP, how do I upload stuff here?? Still haven’t a clue). Today a City of Red Wing “Press Release” arrived in the inbasket, and suddenly I’m off in this alternate reality:

City of Red Wing Policy on Candidate Background Checks

Recently, there have been media stories which have created misconceptions about the City of Red Wing’s practices in accepting affidavits of candidacy from individuals who wish to file for public office. These misconceptions have been based on inaccurate information. The purpose of this news release is to clarify these practices and prevent further reports based on inaccurate information.

The City of Red Wing does not run credit checks on candidates, nor does the City require that candidates consent to credit checks. The City does not refuse affidavits of candidacy, nor does the City intend to refuse to place an individual on the ballot, for an reason other than the proper execution of the affidavit of candidacy and related filing documents. The city does not require candidates to sign consents for background checks as a prerequisite for filing.

The City does ask candidates to sign a consent to run a criminal background check for the sole purpose of determining whether the candidate has a felony conviction, wtihout the restoration of civil rights, and is therefore ineligible to run for office. However, even if a candidate opts not to sign the consent form, the City accepts the affidavit of candidcy and places the candidate on the ballot. The City has never instituted policies or practices which prevent an individual from filing for election to public office.

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This is a test. HOW MANY LIES CAN YOU COUNT ON THIS PAGE? I have the background check form, I don’t think it takes 3 years of student loans and a JD to understand that signing a “General Authorization and Release” that says that the bearer is “authorized to release any and all private data” to a handful of entities including a private corporation, where it specifically says that there will be a credit check… anyway, it doesn’t take much to figure out that this is NOT authorization “for the sole purpose of determining whether the candidate has a felony conviction.” PUHLEEEZE, don’t waste your breath. Tell it to the County Attorney who is investigating. This is utter bullshit, and as I told the City Clerk (who called this a.m. to tell me there was a new form), the County Attorney, the newspaper, “I’m not ready to admit that this is a police state… yet…” Take that paper and don’t ask me what to do with it. Haven’t heard back from ACLU or Minnesota LWV. But the County Attorney is on it.