In today’s news and commentary, new documents show that federal surveillance operations targeted Minnesota labor unions during the ICE surge, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission denies halting federal class discrimination complaints.
Newly released government documents show that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) launched a widespread undercover surveillance operation against Minnesota labor unions and other progressive organizations earlier this year. Disclosed as part of an ongoing federal lawsuit against 15 protesters accused of interfering with the Minnesota ICE surge, the documents detail operations “Puppet Master” and “Whipple Shield.” These operations involved federal agents infiltrating meetings, group chats, and public gatherings associated with Direct Action Minnesota (DAMN), a broad coalition of organizations including the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, the Minneapolis Association of Educators Local 59, the Minnesota AFL-CIO, SEIU Local 26, and other workers’ rights groups. As one of the defendant’s motion for discovery observes, the majority of the government’s surveillance focused on preparation for conduct protected by the First Amendment. Additionally, the government used administrative subpoenas to obtain years of financial records from the Communications Workers of America and Service Employees International Union to supposedly investigate “domestic terrorist financing.” The motion asks the court to compel the...
With election day in Florida just two days away, congressional candidate Michael Carbonara finds himself in the hot seat over his potential involvement in efforts to suppress negative media covera...