Supreme Court candidate barred, removed from GOP State Fair booth

Supreme Court candidate Michelle MacDonald vowed to return to the Minnesota Republican Party's State Fair booth Thursday after she was banned and ordered by security to leave.

August 22, 2014 at 4:15AM
Endorsed GOP candidate MN Supreme Court Michelle McDonald defied Republican Party officials who did not want her in the Republican display at the Minnesota State Fair. plain clothes security people surrounded her and escorted her outside the booth. She resisted their attempts to remove her, video recording the whole exchange. She then spoke to the press outside, vowing to return. ] August 21, 2014 GLEN STUBBE * gstubbe@startribune.com
Endorsed GOP candidate MN Supreme Court Michelle McDonald defied Republican Party officials who did not want her in the Republican display at the Minnesota State Fair. (Colleen Kelly — DML - Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Supreme Court candidate Michelle MacDonald vowed to return to the Minnesota Republican Party's State Fair booth Thursday after she was banned and ordered by security to leave.

"We may as well look for justice on a stick because we can't find it here!" MacDonald told a handful of supporters as she left the booth following a 10-minute confrontation with a security guard that began as soon as she showed up.

MacDonald, a family law attorney, was endorsed at the party's state convention in May to run against Justice David Lillehaug. She drew ire from party leaders who said most delegates were not aware of a drunken driving charge at the time of endorsement. MacDonald stands trial next month in Dakota County.

This week, the party's executive committee revised its State Fair Policy to restrict access to candidates with pending criminal cases, and moved to bar MacDonald from the booth. MacDonald, who said she was notified Wednesday of the resolution, showed up anyway.

After a GOP staffer briefly pleaded with her to leave, a pair of plain-clothed "conflict resolution experts" intervened.

"I'm an endorsed candidate," she said while filming them with her camera.
"I was supported by the people at the Republican convention. The people want this."

MacDonald eventually left, urging State Party chair Keith Downey to resign. Supporters then gathered outside the booth to plot their next move.

about the writer

about the writer

Abby Simons

Team Leader

Abby Simons is the Minnesota Star Tribune's Public Safety Editor. Her team covers crime and courts across the metro. She joined the Minnesota Star Tribune in 2008 and previously reported on crime, courts and politics.

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