On Nov 24, 2003, at 4:44 PM, Lillehaug, David L. wrote:
I am proud to represent more than 50 religious institutions in two lawsuits
against the so-called "conceal-carry" law. We are pleased that the City of
Minneapolis has seen fit to intervene in the Ramsey County lawsuit.
Neal Krasnoff must have sent his E-mail hastily without reading the court
papers.
Counsel for the plaintiff responded without carefully reading my statement of 23 November.
I had stated:
"I just read in the Star Tribune that Minneapolis has joined a group of churches in a
lawsuit challenging the concealed carry law. The lawsuit, according to the article, has three parts:"
It should have be clear to Counsel that I based my statement on an article in the Star Tribune.
Unlike the religious institutions that my firm represents, the City
does not allege that its property was "taken" or that it has any religious
freedom that was infringed, as Mr. Krasnoff suggests. The City's complaint
has one count: that the conceal-carry law was passed in violation of the
requirement in the Minnesota Constitution that each law must embrace only
one subject.
Thank you for clarifying your point. Has the State Legislature ever passed any other
bill containing unrelated subjects?
In the State House, the conceal-carry law was slapped onto a bill already
passed 65-0 by the State Senate. That bill dealt with, among other things,
the state parks working capital fund, fish houses, and littering. It was
then sent back to the Senate which, under the rules, could not amend it.
The religious institutions, and now the City, allege that the law clearly
embraces more than one subject.
As an employer, parking lot owner, lessor, and an entity with police powers,
the City has a good reason to question this law. It is being represented by
the City Attorney's Office, not outside counsel.
If the City has a question with the merits of the law, they should address the
issue based upon their status of an employer, parking lot owner, lessor, and an entity
with police powers, not only addressing the alleged technical violation of the Legislature.
As to Mr. Krasnoff's argument that the lawsuit would deny him access to
armed self-defense against criminal attacks, he can, of course, keep
numerous guns in his home and carry them on his property without a permit.
Again, Counsel should correctly respond to statements as originally written.
I had stated:
"I want the Mayor to explain to me why our taxes will be spent on a lawsuit to deny citizens,
who so choose, access to armed self-defense against criminal attack;"
I did not state that I, personally, would be denied access to a firearm; nor sought to possess a firearm,
but sought an explanation why the City will spend tax money to deny the class of tax paying citizens,
who so choose, access to armed self-defense, in this case, to carry concealed on their person.
<snip>
David Lillehaug Minneapolis attorney
For the sake of an analogy:
Have any of the fifty religious institutions requested that you file an action to enjoin the State from spending tax payer provided funds for the purpose of performing abortions within the City of Minneapolis; as such funds are required to be paid by residents of the City to the State under penalty; and that a Class of City residents who are against the act of abortion as a violation of their religious or moral beliefs are compelled to pay said taxes under penalty, in violation of their rights of conscience as guaranteed in Article I, Section 16 of the Minnesota Constitution; and further, injuring the property rights of said Class, for the use of their property in the form of personal income in violation of their rights of conscience?
Neal Krasnoff Loring Park
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