Posts tagged 2020 Election

Thissen defeats MacDonald for MN Supreme Court

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Thissen defeats MacDonald for MN Supreme Court

Michelle MacDonald, who was labeled a “person of interest” in the disappearance of missing children and is facing discipline by the Minnesota Supreme Court, was defeated by Associate Justice Paul Thissen in her fourth campaign for the Minnesota Supreme Court.

Thissen is leading with nearly 60 percent of the vote against MacDonald, based on initial election results. He declared victory today over MacDonald, noting that he won 84 of 87 counties in Minnesota.

MacDonald was an unsuccessful candidate for the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2014, 2016, and 2018. In total, over 4.5 million votes have been cast against MacDonald during her failed campaigns for the Minnesota Supreme Court.  Continue reading →

Poll shows Thissen with a massive lead over MacDonald

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Poll shows Thissen with a massive lead over MacDonald

Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Paul Thissen has a massive lead over his opponent for a seat on the Minnesota Supreme Court, Michelle MacDonald, according to a poll of members of the Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA).

The poll released last week shows Thissen with the support of over 91 percent of members of the MSBA, while MacDonald had the support of less than 9 percent of the membership.

Thissen received 91.18% (1840 votes) and MacDonald received 8.82% (178 votes) of the 2,018 total votes cast by members of the MSBA in an online poll. 

The results of the poll from the MSBA, which was founded in 1883 and is the oldest professional association for attorneys in Minnesota, shows MacDonald is facing an uphill battle in her campaign to against Thissen.  

MacDonald was an unsuccessful candidate for the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2014, 2016, and 2018. Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Paul Thissen was appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2018. 

According to their website, the MSBA “promotes the highest standards of excellence and inclusion within the legal profession, provides valued resources to its members, and strives to improve the law and the equal administration of justice for all.” Continue reading →

MacDonald’s campaign reports riddled with problems

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MacDonald’s campaign reports riddled with problems

The campaign finance reports filed by Michelle MacDonald’s campaign committee over the past few months fail to disclose contributor information, detail questionable spending, and improperly hide the massive debt owed by her campaign. 

MacDonald is running against Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Paul Thissen, who was appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2018. In July, MacDonald’s campaign committee reported raising only $410 – from two donors – since she announced her fourth campaign for the Minnesota Supreme Court last December.

MacDonald was an unsuccessful candidate for the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2014, 2016, and 2018. Continue reading →

Michelle MacDonald’s campaign only raises $410

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Michelle MacDonald’s campaign only raises $410

Michelle MacDonald’s fourth attempt to get elected to the Minnesota Supreme Court isn’t gaining support with donors, as MacDonald’s campaign reported raising only $410 from two donors since announcing her campaign last December. 

MacDonald is running against Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Paul Thissen, who was appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2018.

Thissen’s campaign reported raising $68,742.91 since January and has a massive financial advantage over MacDonald’s campaign.  Thissen’s campaign reported a cash-on-hand total of $62,578.08 on July 20, 2020, while MacDonald’s campaign reported having only $3,779.11. Continue reading →

MacDonald files to run for the Minnesota Supreme Court

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MacDonald files to run for the Minnesota Supreme Court

Michelle MacDonald, who was labeled a “person of interest” in the disappearance of missing children, and is facing discipline for multiple violations of the rules governing licensed attorneys, filed today to run for the Minnesota Supreme Court.

MacDonald was an unsuccessful candidate for the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2014, 2016, and 2018. In December, MacDonald started her fourth campaign for the Minnesota Supreme Court. Despite MacDonald facing serious discipline and the likely suspension of her law license, MacDonald can still run for the Minnesota Supreme Court. Continue reading →

MacDonald begins fourth campaign for MN Supreme Court

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MacDonald begins fourth campaign for MN Supreme Court

UPDATE (4:04 PM, Friday, December 13, 2019) – This story has been updated to include confirmation from Justice Paul Thissen’s campaign that he will stand for election to the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2020. 

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Michelle MacDonald launched her candidacy today for the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2020, just hours after her attorney argued in court that she wasn’t a public figure because she wasn’t a candidate for public office.

During oral arguments at the Minnesota Court of Appeals MacDonald’s attorney, Karlowba R. Adams Powell, told the three judges who were hearing MacDonald’s appeal that since MacDonald was not a candidate for office, she was not a public figure.

But within hours after the hearing ended, MacDonald’s Twitter profile was updated to encourage people to “Vote for Michelle MacDonald for Justice in 2020…”

This is MacDonald’s fourth campaign for the Minnesota Supreme Court. MacDonald was an unsuccessful candidate in 2018, having previously lost two bids for the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2014 and 2016. Since 2014, MacDonald has maintained an active campaign committee and website to promote her candidacy.

Today’s activity by MacDonald on social media is the first public campaigning she has specifically done for her fourth campaign for the Minnesota Supreme Court since announcing in July through an unrelated lawsuit that she planned to run for office “in 2020 and in the future.”

MacDonald will likely face Justice Paul Thissen, who was appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2018. Thissen has not made a formal announcement that he will seek election to the Minnesota Supreme Court, but a representative of his campaign committee confirmed on Friday he will run for election in 2020. Continue reading →

MacDonald announces plans to run for office in 2020

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MacDonald announces plans to run for office in 2020

Michelle MacDonald, who was labeled a “person of interest” in the disappearance of missing children and is currently under investigation by the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility, announced today – in a lawsuit – that she “plans to run for office in 2020 and in the future.”

The news about MacDonald’s intention to seek public office in 2020 was buried in a 379-page lawsuit by MacDonald and other Minnesota Republicans challenging the constitutionality of a Minnesota law regarding endorsements for public office.

MacDonald was an unsuccessful candidate for the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2018, having previously lost two bids for the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2014 and 2016. One week after losing her third campaign for the Minnesota Supreme Court, MacDonald refused to rule out the possibility of running again in 2020.  Continue reading →

MacDonald isn’t ruling out run for Minnesota Supreme Court in 2020

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MacDonald isn’t ruling out run for Minnesota Supreme Court in 2020

Michelle MacDonald, who was labeled a “person of interest” in the disappearance of missing children and is currently under investigation by the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility, is not ruling out a fourth run for the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2020. Last week, MacDonald was defeated by Associate Justice Margaret Chutich in her third failed campaign for the Minnesota Supreme Court.

News that MacDonald had not ruled out another run for the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2020 was first reported by Steve Timmer, who contacted MacDonald to inquire about her running again.

After losing her third statewide election, the news that MacDonald has not ruled out another run for the Minnesota Supreme Court is shocking.

While MacDonald did receive 825,779 votes last week, she is currently being investigated by the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility for alleged violations of the Minnesota Rules of Professional Conduct governing licensed attorneys. The investigation into the alleged violations by MacDonald was opened after Missing in Minnesota filed a formal complaint with the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility in June after MacDonald filed a “frivolous and vexatious” lawsuit against Missing in Minnesota, which appears to be in violation of an Order of the Minnesota Supreme Court which details the conditions by which MacDonald is allowed to practice law.

The Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility was notified last month about MacDonald repeating the same allegations against Judge David Knutson that were described as “recklessly false” by the Minnesota Supreme Court. Continue reading →