Lazy, incompetent and abusive government officials- a Joel Rosenberg case update

Yep, the above descriptors definitely apply to you two, Minneapolis Police Lieutenant Michael Fossum and Hennepin County Judge Janet Poston. 

As blogger Popehat helpfully points out, in their haste to "get" Joel into custody these two pillars of government service (in addition to the many other things they seemingly deliberately ignored about Minnesota law in this odious incident) managed to clownishly trip over their own legal shoelaces when Fossum swore out a contempt-of-court arrest warrant for our friend and fellow activist Joel Rosenberg without bothering to fill out the part on the form where the allegedly contemptuous behavior has to be described and the date of the allegedly transgression recorded, which means that Judge Poston apparently rubber-stamped Fossum's request without taking 5 minutes to read the paperwork (click to enlarge):

It's very interesting to learn that DESCRIBE BEHAVIOR, especially when committed after the DATE OF ORDER, happens to be illegal.  Good to know.  We'll be extra-careful to not DESCRIBE BEHAVIOR on our next visit to the state.We completely understand that the good Lieutenant was in a hurry and all, since Joel's perfectly legal visit to City Hall had occurred almost a month earlier, and there was just no time in that entire period to do a little proofreading (or any law review at all).

One more detail from our reading of the warrant - Lieutenant Fossum writes that "The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office Court Security Office has no record of ROSENBERG providing notice of his intent to carry a firearm into the Fourth Judicial District Courthouse Complex." 

We know without a shadow of a doubt the above (sworn, we remind everyone) statement isn't true, as Joel knows full well the existence and importance of the notification process, something he both writes about in his book on legally carrying a firearm in Minnesota (which is listed as a resource by the Minnesota Legislative Library, by the way.  Oh, that these particular law-enforcement doofuses would avail themselves of a copy) as well as lectures to his carry class students, of whom we proudly count ourselves alumni.

We're very happy to report that another member of Joel's very large group of friends and supporters has generously posted his bail, and he is now safe at home and undoubtedly planning to legally eviscerate this gang of incompetent and power-abusing thugs.  If anyone is so inclined, they can donate to his legal defense fund through any branch of Wells Fargo Bank by specifying the Joel Rosenberg Benefit Fund.

The latest information in the case can always be found here.