Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek's re-election campaign has been pushing several agencies to investigate campaign practices of his opponent Dave Hutchinson in the weeks leading up to the general election.
After first approaching the Hennepin County Attorney's Office and the Minnesota Attorney General's Office, the Stanek campaign took its complaint to Brooklyn Park police, which is investigating "accusations that Mr. Hutchinson or his 'campaign' violated Fair Campaign Practices," Deputy Chief Mark Bruley wrote in an e-mail.
Hutchinson said Wednesday he "had no idea what they were looking at," and that he was not contacted by Brooklyn Park police. "It's just Stanek being a bully," he said.
The accusations came from Alex Lewison, the deputy treasurer for Stanek's campaign, Bruley said. They concern "technical aspects of the law," such as filing deadlines for campaign material. The department had yet to determine if there had been a criminal violation, he said.
"All we have right now are allegations," Bruley said.
Hutchinson's attorney, Alan Weinblatt, said it's "the first time in my 48 years that I've experienced a police department doing anything" regarding campaign law.
Lewison and Stanek campaign staff member Julianne Ortman did not respond to requests for comment Thursday.
In August, Lewison filed a complaint with the state Office of Administrative Hearings with numerous accusations into Hutchinson's campaign. The administrative law judge dismissed all of the allegations except one: that the campaign used two yard signs that did not have a disclaimer for who paid or prepared them. Hutchinson is currently appealing a $200 fine.
