Minnesota Report
On Friday, the MN State Supreme Court released its ruling on the case brought by DFL Party Chair Ken Martin against Secretary of State Steve Simon (DFL-MN) and the Legal Marijuana Now Party over their major party status. The court ruled Legal Marijuana Now Party has not maintained the rudimentary requirements of maintaining a State Central Committee and thereby does not met the status test. Once again attorney Erich Kaardal, usually an attorney for the Minnesota Republican Party on campaign and politically related matters, suffered another defeat at the hands of DFL Party attorney Charles Nauen.
This shows a linkage between the two interests, because it has been clear since their inception the “Pot Parties” have played a past role in elections, benefiting and facilitating Republican Party victories in legislative elections. The candidates endorsed by Legal Marijuana Now Party and the Grassroots Legalize Cannabis Party will still have ballot access if their candidates meet the minimum requirements to do so, collecting the required 2,000 signatures for statewide races, 1,000 for congressional races, and 500 for legislative races by June 4th, and paying the filing fee, but the party will no longer receive state money from the political contribution fund.
This is largely an empirical victory for the DFL.