Goings on for and about the County Attorney's office

I know neither Dave Pinto nor Cory Tennison, but they seem to be the first two people in the race for Ramsey County Attorney to replace Susan Gaertner who is seeking her newly-adopted party’s endorsement/nomination for governor.  There will be more.

 

In the meantime, Ms.Gaertner who probably cannot afford to alienate any of the trendy left, has told former Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer that Kathleen Soliah cannot be prosecuted for voting under her alias of Sara Jane Olson.

 

There can be little doubt that Ms. Kiffmeyer resents her removal from her constitutional office and is merely posturing here and one suspects that there is little point in prosecuting Ms. Soliah for these relatively minor offenses at this late date, but Gaertner’s rationale is disturbing.  It may be good law.  I don’t know about that, but it doesn’t make sense.

 

I understand that marriage allows for name changes.  Changing name at marriage is an old tradition in many communities.  But to call Ms. Soliah’s use of an alias on her wedding license, made necessary by her status as a fugitive, to a name neither hers nor her husband’s a legal name change seems strange.