Five Hennepin County Commissioners have joined the call for the resignation of Sheriff Dave Hutchinson following his DUI conviction. Angela Conley, Chris LaTondresse, Marion Greene, Jeffrey Lunde, and Irene Fernando all have issued statements asking him to step down from his position as sheriff.
Hutchinson also released a statement on Friday, in response to their calls saying that he will not resign and he is planning on running for re-election.
Conley wrote that she has been “unable to get in contact with” Hutchinson since the day of his accident on December 8. She said, “I believe that Sheriff Hutchinson needs to resign immediately and allow room for a leader who can do this work in a healthy space.”
She added that since Hutchinson refuses to resign, the power is with the people to vote him out in November.
I have been unable to get in contact with Sheriff Hutchinson since we learned of his horrendous accident while under the influence. Like you, I believe that Sheriff Hutchinson needs to resign immediately and allow room for a leader who can do this work in a healthy space. (1/2)
— Angela Conley (@D4Commish) January 7, 2022
LaTondresse said he believes public trust needs to be rebuilt between residents of Hennepin County and its sheriff’s office. He added that Hutchinson “violated laws he swore an oath to uphold and enforce.”
Statement on Sheriff David Hutchinson ✍️ pic.twitter.com/BXLEl53JNH
— Commissioner Chris LaTondresse (@HennepinD6) January 6, 2022
Greene said she also believes Hutchinson should resign.
As details have emerged regarding the car crash involving Sheriff Hutchinson's DWI, Sheriff Hutchinson’s actions and subsequent comments have eroded public confidence his ability to serve and equitably enforce laws. For these reasons I believe Sheriff Hutchinson should resign.
— Marion Greene (@MarionGreene) January 6, 2022
Lunde, who is the chair of Public Safety for Hennepin County, was the second commissioner to call for Hutchinson’s resignation.
He wrote, “With the current tense climate around public safety, an incident like this involving the head public safety official in Hennepin County needs to be addressed.”
https://t.co/8b4eQrOLQD pic.twitter.com/u7zEMZXzRP
— Jeffrey Joneal Lunde (@JeffreyJLunde) January 5, 2022
Fernando was the first Hennepin County commissioner to call for his resignation. Fernando said that “the only way to show respect for the laws he is sworn to uphold is to resign immediately.”
Earlier today, I sent this letter to Sheriff Hutchinson calling on him to resign. His actions on December 8, 2021 are egregious, and his comments since the crash are unjustifiable. The only way to show respect for the laws he is sworn to uphold is to resign immediately. pic.twitter.com/vtdiTywpKi
— Irene Fernando – Hennepin County Commissioner (@HennepinD2) January 5, 2022
All five commissioners released statements within 24 hours of each other. They also closely followed the announcement of another contender for Hennepin County Sheriff Suwana Kirkland.
Jai Hanson, a current candidate challenging Hutchinson in the 2022 election, told The Minnesota Sun, “As a resident of Hennepin County, and a police officer I’m extremely disappointed, Sheriff Hutchinson has betrayed our trust and confidence in the top law enforcement officer in Hennepin County.”
Hanson added that Hennepin County, Minnesota is now “one of the only counties in the nation with its sheriff on probation for drunk driving.” The candidate for sheriff called it “embarrassing.”
“We expect more from our elected officials… We expect our leaders to lead – especially now at this critical time as violent crimes are surging in Hennepin County,” Hanson said.
Hanson told The Sun that he believes Hutchinson is “not the right man for this job.”
Hanson also said the calls from Hennepin County commissioners for Hutchinson to immediately resign “is not going to allow him to do the job citizens voted him into office to do.”
Representative Dean Phillips (D-MN-03) who represents Hennepin County did not respond to multiple requests for comment by The Sun about the situation.
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Hayley Feland is a reporter with The Minnesota Sun and The Wisconsin Daily Star | Star News Network. Follow Hayley on Twitter or like her Facebook page. Send news tips to [email protected].
Photo “Jeffrey Lunde” by Jeffrey Lunde – Hennepin County Commissioner District 1, photo “Irene Fernando” by Irene Fernando – Hennepin County Commissioner District 2, photo “Angela Conley” by Angela Conley – Hennepin County Commissioner District 4 and photo “Hennepin County Courthouse” by City of Minneapolis Archives.
