In a decision that would otherwise merit little attention, a California court recently ruled in favor of a gay rights organization's challenge to canvass outside a big-box retailer. Because the retailer that sued the gay rights group was Target, the story was a scandal as the gay community continues to hold Target accountable for its history of political donations to groups such as MN Forward that support anti-gay candidates (an activity the chain continued even after a public apology). The decision came just weeks after Lady Gaga caved to pressure and backed out of an exclusive deal with the retailer.

Earlier in the year, a couple [...]

News that negotiations between Target and the Human Rights Campaign have fallen apart is disappointing, if not surprising. HRC's demands were simple and reasonable. Target's best chance to salvage some of its reputation on gay rights would have cost it pocket change, just $150,000. The HRC had a great interest in the deal as well; they'd get to combat the view that they're inefficient. So what happened? It's possible that MoveOn.org's involvement scared Target from the table.

And also, with new information we've found on Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel, it's reasonable to believe a pro-gay equality donation was spiritually distasteful anyway.

The end result is that money [...]

As we noted in our last look at some of the funding in the Minnesota governor's race, Best Buy has joined with Target by donating $100,000 in cash to MN Forward, a PAC that supports Tom Emmer, the vehemently anti-gay rights GOP candidate for governor.

As Target's PR woes roll on-the corporation seems deaf to public outrage, refuses to condemn Emmer and is taking on damage to its brand image (Target/MN Forward results are now on the first page of a Google search for "anti-gay corporation")-one would be excused from speculating that Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel's personal support for Emmer (thanks to moves like Emmer's vote against [...]

Apparently America is snapping up the new Target line "by" Jean Paul Gaultier, with Target reporting out of stock warnings on various pieces of the slatternly ensemble items. But my fave, the conceptual "Look #4," is still available! It's sort of saucy in that "just popping out for a baguette and some antibiotics" way. TURNS OUT it's really cute if you coat it and belt it??

The December 4th Star Tribune article begins, "It isn't easy being CEO of a public company." The business section's ode to Minneapolis-based Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel, which describes the executive as "always classy," was a public display of affection Minnesotans stereotypically avoid.

The author makes little mention of the recent revelations of gay-friendly Target's long-standing support for many of the most openly anti-gay politicians. Of these donations, the Star Trib says only, "The worst one could say about this incident is that Steinhafel may have been naive. But he admitted his mistake and reaffirmed the company's long-standing support for gay rights."

According to documents filed [...]

When Target's CEO said he was "sorry" last week for his company's donation to anti-gay causes, AP, CBS, TPM, AOL and a number of other acronyms declared that Target had apologized for its political donations. Yet, anyone who had ever had an intense fight with a spouse or lover knew the "I'm sorry it made you feel that way" nopology when they heard it. A deeper look at Target's Gregg Steinhafel, his political team, and his engagement with anti-gay Christian organizations may explain why the CEO's actions and statements on supporting gay equality don't mesh-and why they probably won't anytime soon.

Last week, after we profiled Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer, we asked why retailer Target would support Emmer, by way of a PAC called MN Forward. Target's statement to us argued that "Target supports causes and candidates based strictly on issues that affect our retail and business interests."

Hmm! St. Louis' Washington University "backed out of a partnered event with Target Corp. after the retail powerhouse received heat for a donation it made to an organization backing a Minnesota gubernatorial candidate with a history of staunch opposition to gay rights."

A full-page ad shook up the Vikings preseason coverage in last Sunday's Minneapolis Star Tribune. Paid for by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), it demanded Target and Best Buy "make it right" after donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to the MN Forward, the conservative political action committee. That PAC directly supports Minnesota candidate for governor Tom Emmer, a politician with a track record for anti-gay activism and who, amongst other things, proposes shutting down Minnesota's Department of Human Rights.

As we reported this week in our profile of Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer, a PAC called MN Forward raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in just a few weeks. MN Forward is using that money to run ads in support of Emmer, a Republican.

Target, long headquartered in Minneapolis, was one of the four corporate patrons of MN Forward. They forked over $100,000 cash and another $50,000 of in-kind goods and services. It's an odd move for a corporation that expresses support for gay rights. And it's your chance to stop whining and do something.