A progressive Democrat who was previously the subject of an Alpha News report is now turning to the outlet himself — saying it’s the only place willing to tell his side of the story.
Nick Kruse, a Minneapolis-based delegate in Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party, was recently suspended from party activities after two internal code of conduct complaints. Now, he’s speaking out, arguing the process was flawed and the punishment was politically timed.
“I might as well … let the world know what happened,” Kruse told Alpha News.
The disciplinary action stemmed from two separate complaints against him tied to a 2025 DFL Feminist Caucus meeting. Kruse said he was never given a meaningful opportunity to respond to the allegations before the decision to suspend him was made.
“I didn’t even get to meet with anyone … they just collected statements … and issued a ruling,” he said.
Kruse said he decided to come forward because of what he described as a lack of transparency and accountability inside the party.
Pronoun dispute draws complaints on both sides
One of the complaints against Kruse, filed by Latonya Reeves — a candidate for Congress in Minnesota’s 5th District — arose from a dispute during a Feminist Caucus meeting over pronoun usage.
According to the findings, participants were asked to display their pronouns during the Zoom meeting. Reeves identified her pronoun as “Black,” which quickly became a point of contention.
“Black is not a pronoun,” Kruse told Alpha News. “How do you use it as a pronoun?”
Kruse said the disagreement quickly escalated into formal grievances.
“Complaints were filed against her for saying that, and she filed complaints against other people for not respecting her ‘Black’ pronoun,” Kruse said, adding that he doesn’t believe Reeves’ request was serious.
“I feel like she’s just trying to make everything a joke … just troll everyone,” Kruse said. “As a candidate for Congress, they should not be trolling people in a meeting.”
Kruse said he was issued a warning and told that continued refusal to use Reeves’ preferred pronoun could lead to further discipline.
“The Code of Conduct Committee actually sided with her,” Kruse said, before correcting himself.
“I should say, the Code of Conduct Committee sided with Black.”
Posts about fatal crashes lead to suspension
A second complaint — filed by Cory Kovatovich, a DFL Feminist Caucus at-large director — resulted in far more serious consequences for Kruse, ultimately leading to a 60-day suspension from party activities.
The complaint centered on since-deleted social media posts in which Kruse referenced two fatal traffic incidents involving Kovatovich and Cynthia ‘Cyndy’ Martin, the former vice chair of the DFL Feminist Caucus and former chair of the 8th Congressional District DFL.
According to a code of conduct complaint filed by Kovatovich, he wrote: “Nick [Kruse] suggested that manslaughter is a prerequisite for serving on the Feminist Caucus.”
The complaint alleged that in multiple social media posts, Kruse used the term “manslaughter” to describe the incidents involving Kovatovich and Martin that resulted in the deaths of two individuals.
However, according to the DFL’s findings, that characterization was false.
“The accusation of ‘manslaughter’ is not true,” the party’s code of conduct board wrote, noting that Kovatovich was convicted of lesser misdemeanor charges of failure to yield and careless driving.
According to court documents and media reports from the time, in 2015, Kovatovich allegedly pulled into an intersection on Highway 65, where he failed to yield and collided with another vehicle, resulting in the death of an 87-year-old passenger.
Kruse does not dispute that there was no manslaughter conviction — but argues his broader point still stands.
“It wasn’t technically manslaughter,” he said. “But … someone died as a result of his driving.”
He made similar comments about Martin, whom Alpha News has reported on extensively.
Martin is currently charged with criminal vehicular homicide, including an addendum for leaving the scene of a collision, in the death of a 19-year-old in Itasca County in 2024.
Leadership roles after crashes raise questions
Kruse said he spoke out to highlight what he sees as a troubling lack of accountability within the party.
“Two … leaders who both killed people with their cars,” he said. “A teenager died … how can they just not take it seriously?”
Kruse added that part of what prompted his comments was that both Kovatovich and Martin continued to hold — and even gain — leadership positions within the DFL.
“At the Feminist Caucus meeting … both Cory and Cyndy got elected to roles,” Kruse said.
Kovatovich was elected an at-large director, and Kruse said Martin was elected to a party committee just two weeks after the fatal crash that led to criminal charges.
Martin ultimately resigned as chair of the 8th Congressional District DFL in December 2025.
Alpha News asked Kruse why he believes other Twin Cities media outlets have largely ignored the Martin case.
“That’s a good question,” he replied. “Since it’s become like a party matter, you’d think statewide media should be interested in it more.”
Claims of political motivation
Kruse also believes the discipline was not just about his comments but about internal party politics.
He pointed to the timing of the suspension — issued more than six months after the caucus meeting at issue but just weeks before several key DFL conventions.
“They waited … and now I’m banned from three different conventions,” he said.
Kruse had been selected as a delegate or alternate to multiple upcoming conventions, where votes on endorsements, party leadership, and platform issues are expected.
He believes the timing was deliberate.
“They wanted to disqualify me before the state convention,” Kruse said.
Kruse, who describes himself as part of the progressive wing of the DFL, said he supports Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan in the Democratic primary for a U.S. Senate seat, while suggesting members of the Code of Conduct Committee back U.S. Rep. Angie Craig.
“I’m pretty sure that … most, if not all, of the Code of Conduct Committee members are Angie Craig supporters,” he said. “And I’m a Flanagan supporter.”
He argued that his removal from convention participation will prevent him from influencing close votes — not necessarily in high-profile races, but in lower-profile decisions where margins are tighter.
“They wanted to take me out before the state convention … not have me able to vote on platform votes and bylaw changes,” he said.
Kruse also said he has been outspoken at past conventions and believes that may have made him a target.
“I often get up to the microphone … and I do believe that I have been persuasive,” he said.
Kruse maintains that the discipline was less about rule violations and more about sidelining a voice within the party.
“I feel like they’ve just kind of made up their decision to get rid of me,” he said. “I just really have not felt like I have been given a fair shake at all.”
Appeal denied by party chair
Kruse said he attempted to appeal the Code of Conduct Committee’s ruling to the DFL State Executive Committee, but that effort was denied by DFL Chair Richard Carlbom.
The committee’s revised order — including a 60-day suspension beginning April 22 — remains in effect and bars Kruse from all party events and from holding any elected or appointed DFL position.
Kruse criticized the decision, arguing that he was denied due process.
“This is yet another violation of due process,” he said, adding that code of conduct decisions have historically been appealable to the State Executive Committee.
He also questioned whether Carlbom should have the authority to block an appeal.
“A single person doesn’t get to just say ‘no’ to an appeal happening,” Kruse said.
Kruse said the dismissal means the committee’s ruling now stands as final.
“There is absolutely something systemically wrong with the Code of Conduct Committee when loyal party activists are getting punished just for speaking facts about party leaders,” he stated.
Alpha News reached out to Carlbom for comment but did not receive a response.
Jenna Gloeb
Jenna Gloeb is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, media producer, public speaker, and screenwriter. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and on-air host for CCX Media. Jenna is a Minnesota native and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.
