Laserfiche WebLink
<br />City worker won't be charged <br /> <br /> <br />Page 1 of2 <br /> <br />Posted on Sat, Jun. 10,2006 <br /> <br />City worker won't be charged <br /> <br />An assistant St. Paul city attorney who was r'allying election support for a Ramsey County District judge on city time won't be prosecuted, <br />officials said Friday. <br /> <br />Eric Larson did admit to sending dozens of e-mails from his city account April 11, soliciting support for Dale Lindman, a judge up for re- <br />election this fall who is widely expected to face a challenge from City Council Member Jay Benanav. <br /> <br />The e-mail came to the city's attention when the Pioneer Press obtained a copy and inquired about its authenticity, City code prohibits <br />political activity using public property or conducted during working hours. Records released Friday show Larson sent 42 e-mails mentioning <br />Lindman over a four-hour period that day. <br /> <br />Bloomington City Attorney David Ornstein, who investigated the case for St. Paul, said in official findings that he did not "believe criminal <br />charges are appropriate" and suggested the city handle the matter through the employee discipline system. <br /> <br />Larson got an oral reprimand from City Attorney John Choi and voluntarily gave up a day of vacation time, according to r'ecords released <br />by the city. <br /> <br />"We're very glad to put this behind us and focus on the important legal matters facing the city," Choi said in an interview about the <br />matter. <br /> <br />The disciplinary letter from Choi called Larson "one of our finest litigators" and referred to his "prior spotless record." 1V1ayor Chris Coleman <br />on Friday concurred, calling Larson "a great attorney and outstanding public servant" and characterizing the incident as "an honest <br />mistake. " <br /> <br />Larson declined comment. <br /> <br />That apparently marks the end of the matter, although it is only the latest turn in the winding course of judicial elections in Minnesota. <br /> <br />State rules pr~viOL;~IY ~ut sharp limits on w;lclt:jU:di~ial candidates could say and do 'd;';~in6 their campaigns, SliCCl as discussing legal <br />matters, seeking endorsements and solicitincj campaign funds. <br /> <br />But the U.S. Supreme Court pared back those pr'ohibitions in 2002, siding with a challenger in Minnesota's Supr'eme Cour't elections. The <br />8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals further' liftr~cl the restrictions last summer. <br /> <br />Since then, judicial elections <br /> <br />once borcler' <br /> <br />on the cer'emonial - have enterecl unchartecl waters. <br /> <br />Benanav, for' instance, is amonC) the most <br />nomination to run for mayor' in 2001 ami <br /> <br />!:rcally active candiclates in memory to r'Ul1 for' clrsl:r'ict cour'!: He cJol Ihe DFL <br />'Jeen active as an attor'ney on behalf of fellow DFLer's since then <br /> <br /> <br />month, attorney Gr'eC) <br />1-\nill~J politica! st' Clte~JY cJur-1 <br />Dr-enl e Ch-:JI i t?cl <br /> <br /> <br />n who took the 'uclrcral elections issuI- <br />rlC) the rClai Council - <br /> <br /> <br />JuclC)fcs <br />i /\ncjci-:;C)~-1 <br /> <br />che <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Hamlr <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />>'llcnlber <br /> <br />'1111 <br />