Bring Back Jesse Ventura

Gopher State Gov. Tim Pawlenty has a bold new idea: He wants to make antiwar protesters reimburse the state for the cost of their arrests. Reports Minnesota's Star Tribune:

"We don't begrudge people the right to protest peacefully and lawfully about whatever the topic is," he said. "But when they go so far as to say we're going to purposely go out and get arrested as a device to get attention and purposely burden the law enforcement system for their own P.R. purposes, it's reasonable to ask for some reimbursement to pay for the cost of the arrest."

But don't think Pawlenty is just trying to shut down unwanted speech. Ever a man of the people, he'd like to keep the costs nominal, said a spokeswomen, perhaps $200.

[Link courtesy of Lefty]