Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Daniel Suitor

@dansuitor.bsky.social

2.7K followers 390 following 6.2K posts

Former tenants rights attorney. Landlords do not @ me. New England then, Minneapolis now, housing and economic justice forever.

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · Nov 8

To offer a primer on my personal lore:
- moved to Minnesota for law school in 2019
- while in school, wrote a long paper on the civil rights of unhoused people scholarship.law.umn.edu/mlr/3302/
- used to work for a tenant's rights nonprofit
- now suing banks and corporations for working people

4 2 62

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 4h

please don't be worried about me, this is literally just what people from New England who move away have to do every 9 to 24 months or we'll start dreaming about trees again

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 4h

I went back to New England for two weeks and all I got was this deep melancholy about the increasingly unreachable nature of my former selves. I also ate clams.

1 24

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 7h

Pick your poison, @normcharlatan.bsky.social. When the Mariners win it, we're doing some Biggies

1 7

Reposted by Daniel Suitor

taylr @taylordahlin.com · 11h

alternate headline: robin wonsley did for ward 7 what lisa goodman never did

lims.minneapolismn.gov/Download/Fil...

lims.minneapolismn.gov

2 14

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 12h

One episode behind, but last week's SUNG.

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 18h

The All of Mpls crew are some of the sourest, most bitter people in local politics. Candidates who see Minneapolis as the grim terrorscape that the right wing bleats on about. At some point, we have to ask why the Downtown Council supporting them gets to play such a major role in our civic life.

5 34

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 18h

The Pride of Little Canada diverting money from holiday fun for the entire family towards endorsing notoriously fun people like Becka Thompson, Josh Bassais, Elizabeth Shaffer, and Lydia Millard. Money well spent 💪💲

taylr @taylordahlin.com · 1d

sorry, kids, adam duininck killed holidazzle, it costs too much money to put on! don't look at the downtown council giving we love mpls $35,000 in may 2025

taylr @taylordahlin.com · 1d

can't wait for holidazzle by the uptown association, sponsored by small business the UPS store in uptown

www.startribune.com/downtown-min...

1 6 38

Reposted by Daniel Suitor

taylr @taylordahlin.com · 1d

i'm going on D.A. bullock's radio show "no name in the street" on KFAI tomorrow morning, 8am! looks like it will also be available to listen to afterwards too -

@bullycreative.bsky.social

kfai.org/program/no-n...

No Name In The Street | KFAI | Minneapolis & Saint Paul

kfai.org

1 10 53

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 1d

A list of hobbies my dad picked up, that I am aware of, by age:
30s: dirtbiking and cross-country drives
40s: target shooting (was invited to Olympic training)
50s: photography (wound up a local photojournalist and doing weddings) and video production
60s: blacksmithing (sold many knives)

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 1d

I think having the wherewithal to meaningfully invest your limited time, energy, and attention as a parent in learning new things and improving at them speaks well of a person's character

1 3

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 1d

got into blacksmithing in his 60s

Ź🖤🥀 @lalaspeaks.bsky.social · 2d

What’s ONE green flag about your father?

1 10

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 1d

I need the Chad Finn singing meme

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 1d

Yes, they do.

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 1d

I want to beat Kupchella over this bullshit. But, as I see it, the laws that protected my friends probably serve as his fig leaf. I'm not an expert, though; just a guy who's used these laws. I would hope different people can see it from a different angle and make a run at it with their perspective

1 3

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 1d

using this an endorsement if no place I want to work will hire me and I am forced to work for the only person who would dare employ a disgraced DSA-aligned lawyer (myself)

Wedge LIVE!™ @wedge.live · 1d

Lawyer Dan, free speech warrior

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 1d

Coming back to this late because I've been traveling, but have been thinking about it. I'd be wary to go after A Precarious State because it's right on the line. Having prepared to fight a case like this on behalf of 2 journalists, I think the law is on Kupchella's side and we go there at our peril.

1 21

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 1d

That would be circumstantial evidence. But something being good for Frey doesn't inherently show that it was *intended* for "the purpose of influencing the nomination or election of a candidate." And in any case, that doesn't matter if A Precarious State is found to be "news media" and thus exempt

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 1d

But like you said, the CFB has a different charge and scope of authority than other venues for redress. I don't have a good feel for how they'd approach it besides knowing that I wouldn't use whatever strategy Carol Becker did

2 4

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 1d

Any complaint would have to grapple with the statutory definitions and exemptions to plead a case that survives the prima facie stage. Then, at probable cause, it's about bringing some facts to the table. .

1 3

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 1d

I would never advise anyone against trying if they see the argument. I see it too! And CFB is a different beast than OAH. But they apply the same definitions. I think it is a completely fair and reasonable argument, not out of bounds at all. Everyone can make their own calculus on risk/reward

1 3

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 1d

So I agree with you. But, ultimately, the structure and shape of Kupchella's bullshit is probably enough to prevent us from getting discovery without bringing some strong, direct evidence to the table to open the door.

1 9

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 1d

Having taken messy Minneapolis politics to the courthouse steps, multiple times, I can confidently say that judges are far less interested on this hive of scum and villainy than we are. We have a collective memory and map of the shitheads' schemes and my experience is that courts are less interested

1 8

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 1d

Legal fictions can tell a good enough story, sometimes.

1 4

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 1d

The journalistic privilege against disclosure is even stronger than the campaign finance exceptions, and a recent Minnesota Supreme Court case reinforced that. Just an extremely tough nut to crack. Probably good for society overall, bad for this city election cycle.

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · Jul 16

Major freedom of the press decision by the Minnesota Supreme Court today, affirming the major part of the Court of Appeals' decision that Minnesota's statutory journalistic privilege protects journalists even when they engage in allegedly unlawful conduct (in this case, trespass)

STATE OF MINNESOTA
IN SUPREME COURT
A23-1284
Court of Appeals McKeig, J.
Took no part, Gaїtas, J.
Energy Transfer LP (formerly known as
Energy Transfer Equity, L.P.), et al.,
Appellants,
vs. Filed: July 16, 2025
Office of Appellate Courts
Greenpeace International (also known as
Stichting Greenpeace Council), et al.,
Defendants,
Unicorn Riot, et al.,
Respondents.
________________________
Richard D. Snyder, Fredrikson & Byron, P.A., Minneapolis, Minnesota; and
Lawrence Bender, Fredrikson & Byron, P.A., Bismarck, North Dakota, for appellants.
Matthew R. Segal, American Civil Liberties Union Foundation, Boston, Massachusetts;
Teresa J. Nelson, Alicia L. Granse, American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, Minnesota; and
Ryan R. Simatic, Biersdorf & Associates, P.A., Minneapolis, Minnesota, for respondents.
Mahesha P. Subbaraman, Subbaraman PLLC, Minneapolis, Minnesota, for amicus curiae
The Forum for Constitutional Rights.
Mark R. Anfinson, Minneapolis, Minnesota, for amici curiae Reporters Committee for
Freedom of the Press, Minnesota Newspaper Association, St. Paul Pioneer Press, Sahan
Journal, Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics and Law, and E.W. Scripps Co

S Y L L A B U S
1. The Minnesota Free Flow of Information Act does not contain an
exception—beyond the statutory exceptions contained in Minn. Stat. §§ 595.024–.025
(2024)—for newsgatherers who allegedly engage in unlawful or tortious conduct of the
kind presented in this case.
2. The Minnesota Free Flow of Information Act does not prohibit the district
court from ordering production of a privilege log.
Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded to the district court.

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 1d

Strong protections for journalism gives indies and underheard voices the chance to do their work without being completely victimized by the heckler's veto of bad-faith litigation. It's not total protection—they can still be sued—but the framework to safeguard journalists is vital once they're there.

1 9

Daniel Suitor @dansuitor.bsky.social · 1d

And while it's frustrating that the law protects such obvious bad actors, that's the price we pay for strong free speech protections. Wealthy interests will always have the money, power, and influence to speak their piece. They're going to get their say no matter what.

1 1 20