A Democratic public relations consultant has sued a Republican blogger for defamation in a case that the Associated Press writes may test the First Amendment rights of bloggers. The lawsuit was filed in Dakota County District Court by Blois Olson, president of PR firm New School Communications and a political commentator, against Michael Brodkorb, a Republican operative who publishes the Minnesota Democrats Exposed blog.

Brodkorb had operated the blog since July 2004 anonymously - until Wednesday. He outed himself as a result of the lawsuit. Until June 2005, Brodkorb also worked for the state Republican Party.