JNS BLOG EXCLUSIVE: PDF Of The Recent Lawsuit Against Dolan

Contributed photo, blog post by John Hoff

Word has been flying around the Minneapolis issues list of a lawsuit against Chief Dolan, who is expected to be reappointed soon by the City Council despite an unrealistic fantasy to the contrary by a small number of activists. The recent lawsuit is filed on behalf of activist Dave Bicking, who was recently asked to resign from his seat on the Civilian Review Authority for participating in an event which could be fairly characterized as an anti-Dolan pep rally thinly disguised as some kind of objective "forum." One issues list source says, however, Bicking was careful in his remarks at that forum. 

The lawsuit--click here to enjoy your very own PDF copy--seeks dramatic court intervention in what could be accurately described as a "political question," the kind of stuff courts usually take great care to avoid. Basically, the lawsuit says Dolan is not doing his job when he doesn't discipline officers the CRA thinks should be disciplined. Where did the lawsuit come from? Well, I'll leave readers to experience their own personal sense of joy and discovery by checking out the PDF.

I will add this: right before the City Council elections I spoke to Council Member Diane Hofstede, and recently I've spoken to Don Samuels, saying something needs to be done about the frivolous and politically-motived lawsuits which the city is forced to fight, at great expense to the tax payer. Where these lawsuits will next come from can be predicted with stunning accuracy. The city officials who are forced to deal with this garbage over and over should have a meeting and plot a unified strategy, which may involve countersuits, Rule 11 motions, complaints to the Board of Professional Responsibility or--and this is probably what will need to happen--all of that stuff at once.

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