In Thursday's Pioneer Press, Bill Salisbury reported Friday protest outside MN Governor’s Residence seeks end of ‘Stay at Home’ order over coronavirus.
Lots of other media coverage, but only one venue took a glance at the leadership of the Facebook group organizing the event.
At City Pages, Mike Mullen does a good job looking at some of the leadership behind the rally in 'Liberate Minnesota' rally to protest coronavirus order, 'anti-American governor,' science, reason.
He does miss Michele Even's central role in one recent intra-conservation fight in Minnesota. We looked at the February scuffle in Who owns Trump brand in MN?: MN GOP, #mnleg caucuses' battle Dorr Bros, MAGASOTA "scams" on new website; MAGASOTA fights back.
Minnesota Scammers Exposed is a project of the Republican Party of Minnesota, the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus and the Minnesota House Republican Caucus. The logos of all three organizations are on the bottom of the website.
Michele Even--whom we profiled in the post Anti-Muslim activists badger Rod Hamilton about Muslim Day at capitol and more during office visit--formed a MAGASOTA federal PAC, which we explored in MAGASOTA's Michele Even responds to party creators of Minnesota Scammers Exposed.
UPDATE: Apparently the President didn't get the memo from Republican leadership in Minnesota. Fox 9's Theo Keith just tweeted:
#BREAKING: President Donald Trump weighs in on Minnesota Gov. Walz's stay-home order for the first time.
— Theo Keith (@TheoKeith) April 17, 2020
The slogan "Liberate Minnesota" is being used by pro-Trump protesters who will be outside Walz's home at noon calling for Minnesota to be reopened. https://t.co/e84jCwatuz
On Even's personal Facebook page, executive director at Libertarian Party of Minnesota Matt Kowalski posted Kowala Media's sharing of her press release about the event, Activists to protest Walz’ peacetime emergency orders:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 14, 2020 Contact: Michele Even Phone: [redacted by Bluestem Prairie] Email: [redacted] Liberate Minnesota - Reopen Our Lives Credit River Twp, Minn. – Gov. Tim Walz issued an Executive Order on March 13, 2020 declaring a Peacetime Emergency that he just extended into the middle of May. This has effectively put the entire populace in the state on hold that is now destroying our economy and people’s homes along with it.
“This overreaction by the governor has gone on long enough and we aren’t going to take it anymore,” Liberate Minnesota organizer, Michele Even, said in a statement. She continued, “All jobs are essential. People need to support themselves and their families. The governor and these legislators need to stop hurting us. We need someone to care about us. Give us our life back!”
Liberate Minnesota is seeking to send a message to the governor and legislators by exercising their 1st amendment right to peacefully assemble and use their free speech. “People’s lives are already in turmoil and the cure is worse than the disease at this point,” Michele said. “People are fed up with this lock down and want to get back to their jobs to support themselves and their families. This ‘Stay Home’ order has destroyed homes. Enough is enough!” she concluded. Liberate Minnesota will be holding a 1st Amendment peaceful assembly at the Governor's mansion on April 17, 2020 from 12:00 - 3:00 pm to send a strong message that people have had enough and they’re not going to take it anymore. It’s time to Liberate Minnesota now.
There's nothing about the rally on the Republican Party of Minnesota's Facebook page. Here's the most recent post from that page:
The most recent Facebook post from the House Republicans:
And from the Minnesota Senate Republicans? Mostly, the caucus is sharing members' posts. This is pinned at the top of the page:
When we look at individual lawmakers' Facebook pages, we're not finding much about the rally itself.
We find this at New Republican Jeremy Munson's page (this close adherence to social distance should make him very popular when the House convenes at noon):
Update: At Bring Me The News, Adam Uren reports on Munson's photo in State lawmaker joins Stay-at-Home order protest outside governor's mansion. Republican United States Senate candidate Jason Lewis was also there.
The man in the photo with Munson is another Liberate Minnesota organizer, Don Huizenga. [end update]
Representative Mary Franson's Facebook page doesn't allow embedding, but here's the text posted on Friday morning:
There’s a peaceful protest in front of the Governor’s residence today from 12-3. If you can’t go, it’s encouraged you call his office 651-201-3400.
Mary Franson, why are you encouraging people to protest? (I’m saving you the trouble of angry typing)
Mary Franson: because so many people are asking me “what can I do, why aren’t yo d oing anything” etc etc. Here’s your chance to join with like minded people and let your voice be heard.
We'll update this post as the rally unfolds. Reader tips on lawmakers and conservative leaders at the rally appreciated.
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