by Anthony Gockowski
Hennepin County Sheriff Dave Hutchinson won’t seek reelection in November, multiple sources told Alpha News.
This was confirmed Wednesday morning when Hutchinson told his staff that he has “made the difficult decision not to seek reelection in the 2022 election.”
“This was one of the hardest decisions I have had to make in my life, but after spending the past month having discussions with family, friends, and supporters, I realize that this decision is best for the community, our agency and for me,” he wrote in an email.
CONFIRMED: Hennepin County Sheriff Dave Hutchinson will not seek reelection, he told his staff in an email this morning. pic.twitter.com/CZv7JLzzUU
— Alpha News (@AlphaNewsMN) February 2, 2022
Hutchinson, a Democrat in his first term, has faced bipartisan calls to resign after he drunkenly totaled his unmarked squad car in the middle of the night just outside Alexandria Dec. 8. The sheriff was traveling at speeds of more than 120 miles per hour, with guns and liquor on board, and wasn’t wearing a seat belt.
He repeatedly lied to the responding officers by claiming he wasn’t the driver of the vehicle, according to a case file released by the Minnesota State Patrol of its investigation into the crash.
Prior to the crash, Hutchinson phoned a local cab company to ask if any bars were still open in the area.
Hutchinson was sentenced to two years of probation after pleading guilty to driving drunk. He won’t face consequences for carrying a pistol under the influence of alcohol if he abides by the conditions of his probation.
Minnesota law calls for revoking the licenses of those who are caught speeding in excess of 100 mph. Douglas County Attorney Chad Larson said that he was not aware of Hutchinson’s extreme speeds until after the sheriff pleaded guilty.
Hutchinson was also criticized for his response to the crash when he said “everybody has” driven drunk. Ten days prior to the incident, he said police who do “stupid stuff” should be fired.
Alpha News reached out to the sheriff’s office for comment but has not received a response. This story will be updated if a response is received.
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Anthony Gockowski is Editor-in-Chief of Alpha News. He previously worked as an editor for The Minnesota Sun and Campus Reform, and reported for The Daily Caller.
Photo “David Hutchinson” by Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department. Background Photo “Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department Police Car” by Tony Webster. CC BY 2.0.
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