The Christian Action League of Minnesota is being sued for harassment by a Twin Cities lawyer in Minnesota District Court, following a campaign to inform City Pages advertisers that the publication was also promoting “strip clubs, porn stores, and phone sex ads.” The Thomas More Society is defending the group against attack for its work against sexual exploitation and pornography addiction. A hearing in R. Leigh Frost v. Christian Action League of Minnesota is scheduled for Thursday, July 11, 2019.

The Christian Action League of Minnesota is dedicated to helping those with an addiction to pornography for the health and well-being of both the viewer and the objectified. Because the group believed that local advertisers might be uncomfortable sharing advertising space with purveyors of pornography, personal postcards were sent to advertisers in City Pages.

In response, local lawyer R. Leigh Frost hauled the Christian Action League of Minnesota into court seeking and receiving a temporary harassment restraining order.

Thomas More Society Special Counsel Erick Kaardal explained why the order should be vacated or dissolved: “The Christian Action League of Minnesota and its agents engaged in protected political speech under the U.S. and Minnesota Constitutions concerning matters of public concern - pornography, sexual exploitation, and sexually oriented businesses."

Contacts by postcard and email informed Ms. Frost and her law firm that ads they chose to place in the City Pages were supporting pornography. The same communications requested that Frost consider ceasing advertising with City Pages. Instead of considering the request, Ms. Frost ran to the courthouse for a restraining order to curtail political speech. And the harassment order has chilled the League’s political speech for fear of future prosecutions by other businesses advertising in the City Pages.

Ann Redding, President of the Christian Action League of Minnesota, shared the motivation behind the postcards sent to City Pages advertisers: “We wanted City Pages advertisers to know that they may be unwittingly supporting sexual exploitation. It’s a real problem, especially for parents raising children in a hypersexualized culture. We believe that some businesses may be uncomfortable having their ads run next to promotions for sex shops and strip clubs. Today’s children can be so easily harmed by unintentional exposure to pornographic images and ideas in the media. Christian Action League of Minnesota's focus is on protecting innocence and preserving families.”

The Thomas More Society’s Motion to Dismiss was filed on June 14, 2019, and a Memorandum Opposition the Motion to Dismiss was filed by Frost’s attorneys on June 29, 2019.

Read the Thomas More Society’s Memorandum of Law to Dismiss Temporary Harassment Restraining Order, filed June 14, 2019, in the State of Minnesota District Court – County of Hennepin, Fourth Judicial District, in R. Leigh Frost v. Christian Action League of Minnesota, here.