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Daily Mail
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
DA probed by Trump for plea deals based on race
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty is facing a federal civil rights investigation over her new plea deal policy, which explicitly directs prosecutors to factor in race when considering offers for criminal defendants . Less than a week after Moriarty's office implemented the changes, the Department of Justice announced it was launching an inquiry into whether the policy violates the Constitution. The investigation is being led by Trump-era appointees who argue the guidelines may unlawfully treat people differently based on race. Moriarty (pictured) - who has been dubbed the country's most woke DA - is a progressive former public defender who campaigned on racial equity and criminal justice reform. Assistant U.S. Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon made the announcement Saturday. 'This letter is to inform you that the Department of Justice is opening an investigation to determine whether the Hennepin County Attorney's Office (HCAO) is engaged in a pattern or practice of depriving persons of rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States,' she wrote. 'While racial identity and age are not appropriate grounds for departures [from the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines], proposed resolutions should consider the person charged as a whole person, including their racial identity and age,' the policy states. 'While these factors should not be controlling, they should be part of the overall analysis. 'Racial disparities harm our community, lead to distrust, and have a negative impact on community safety. 'Prosecutors should be identifying and addressing racial disparities at decision points, as appropriate.' Moriarty, who took office in 2023 after winning a highly polarized election, has positioned herself as a reformer eager to disrupt traditional prosecutorial practices — including how plea deals are offered. She previously made headlines for declining to charge certain juvenile suspects in high-profile cases, sparking outrage from police unions and some community members. Supporters say Moriarty's approach is long overdue in a system plagued by racial inequities. But critics argue the new plea policy goes too far, replacing equal justice with identity-based leniency that could violate civil rights protections. 'Lady Justice is blindfolded for a reason,' Dhillon wrote on X . 'Under the leadership of @AGPamBondi and her team, @TheJusticeDept lawyers will investigate and take action wherever necessary to identify government practices that may run afoul of our civil rights norms.' The probe marks a sharp clash between federal civil rights enforcement under conservative leadership and local progressive prosecutors who argue that colorblind policies perpetuate racial injustice. It also signals the DOJ's willingness to take on local jurisdictions where reforms are seen as ideologically extreme. Moriarty has not personally commented on the investigation. However, her office issued a brief statement. 'We are aware of the letter from the Department of Justice posted to social media but have not received it,' HCAO spokesperson Daniel Borgertpoepping told KARE 11 News. 'Our office will cooperate with any resulting investigation and we're fully confident our policy complies with the law.' The case is likely to become a flashpoint in the ongoing national debate over race, justice, and the future of progressive prosecution. In April, Moriarty was accused of flouting her own rules to ensure a Minnesota state worker walked free after keying six Teslas. Her office revealed that they dropped charges against 33-year-old Dylan Bryan Adams after he reportedly admitted to causing around $21,000 in damage s during four separate incidents. Adams will instead be entered into an adult diversion program for first-time, low-level offenders, which could even allow him to keep his job as a is a program consultant at the state's Department of Human Services. Even the liberal-leaning Minnesota Star Tribune has slammed Moriarty's decision in an op-ed where they note her own office's policy, which says that diversion is only meant for property crimes of less than $5,000. Bryan - whose ultimate boss is Minnesota's Democrat Governor Tim Walz - caused more than four times that amount of damage but won't even have a conviction to his name. 'Moriarty either ignored it or bent it to fit a narrative,' columnist Brandi Bennet wrote. 'Either way, the public is left wondering: What exactly are the rules in Hennepin County, and who are they written to protect?' Want more stories like this from the Daily Mail? Visit our profile page and hit the follow button above for more of the news you need.
Daily Mail
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
America's wokest DA probed by Trump for offering plea deals on the basis of race
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty is facing a federal civil rights investigation over her new plea deal policy, which explicitly directs prosecutors to factor in race when considering offers for criminal defendants. Less than a week after Moriarty's office implemented the changes, the Department of Justice announced it was launching an inquiry into whether the policy violates the Constitution. The investigation is being led by Trump-era appointees who argue the guidelines may unlawfully treat people differently based on race. Moriarty - who has been dubbed the country's most woke DA - is a progressive former public defender who campaigned on racial equity and criminal justice reform. Assistant U.S. Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon made the announcement Saturday. 'This letter is to inform you that the Department of Justice is opening an investigation to determine whether the Hennepin County Attorney's Office (HCAO) is engaged in a pattern or practice of depriving persons of rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States,' she wrote. The memo at the center of the firestorm — titled Negotiations Policy for Cases Involving Adult Defendants — was quietly distributed inside the HCAO and first obtained by local NBC affiliate KARE 11. It lays out a series of new priorities for prosecutors, including guidance to consider a defendant's age, immigration status, employment, housing, and access to student financial aid. But the most contentious provision is the one that directly addresses race. 'While racial identity and age are not appropriate grounds for departures [from the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines], proposed resolutions should consider the person charged as a whole person, including their racial identity and age,' the policy states. 'While these factors should not be controlling, they should be part of the overall analysis. 'Racial disparities harm our community, lead to distrust, and have a negative impact on community safety. 'Prosecutors should be identifying and addressing racial disparities at decision points, as appropriate.' Moriarty, who took office in 2023 after winning a highly polarized election, has positioned herself as a reformer eager to disrupt traditional prosecutorial practices — including how plea deals are offered. She previously made headlines for declining to charge certain juvenile suspects in high-profile cases, sparking outrage from police unions and some community members. Supporters say Moriarty's approach is long overdue in a system plagued by racial inequities. But critics argue the new plea policy goes too far, replacing equal justice with identity-based leniency that could violate civil rights protections. 'Lady Justice is blindfolded for a reason,' Dhillon wrote on X. 'Under the leadership of @AGPamBondi and her team, @TheJusticeDept lawyers will investigate and take action wherever necessary to identify government practices that may run afoul of our civil rights norms.' The probe marks a sharp clash between federal civil rights enforcement under conservative leadership and local progressive prosecutors who argue that colorblind policies perpetuate racial injustice. It also signals the DOJ's willingness to take on local jurisdictions where reforms are seen as ideologically extreme. Moriarty has not personally commented on the investigation. However, her office issued a brief statement. 'We are aware of the letter from the Department of Justice posted to social media but have not received it,' HCAO spokesperson Daniel Borgertpoepping told KARE 11 News. 'Our office will cooperate with any resulting investigation and we're fully confident our policy complies with the law.' The case is likely to become a flashpoint in the ongoing national debate over race, justice, and the future of progressive prosecution. In April, Moriarty was accused of flouting her own rules to ensure a Minnesota state worker walked free after keying six Teslas. Her office revealed that they dropped charges against 33-year-old Dylan Bryan Adams after he reportedly admitted to causing around $21,000 in damage s during four separate incidents. Adams will instead be entered into an adult diversion program for first-time, low-level offenders, which could even allow him to keep his job as a is a program consultant at the state's Department of Human Services. Even the liberal-leaning Minnesota Star Tribune has slammed Moriarty's decision in an op-ed where they note her own office's policy, which says that diversion is only meant for property crimes of less than $5,000. Bryan - whose ultimate boss is Minnesota's Democrat Governor Tim Walz - caused more than four times that amount of damage but won't even have a conviction to his name. 'Moriarty either ignored it or bent it to fit a narrative,' columnist Brandi Bennet wrote. 'Either way, the public is left wondering: What exactly are the rules in Hennepin County, and who are they written to protect?'
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DOJ opens probe after left-wing DA requires prosecutors to consider race in plea deals
The Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into the Minneapolis-area Hennepin County Attorney's Office's new directive for its prosecutors to consider race when negotiating plea deals with criminal defendants. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Acting Associate Attorney General Chad Mizelle and Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon informed Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty in a letter that the Justice Department is opening a probe into whether the Hennepin County Attorney's Office "engaged in a pattern of practice of depriving persons of rights, privileges or immunities secured or protect by the Constitution or laws of the United States." The letter, dated May 2, cited Moriarty's recently adopted "Negotiations Policy for Cases Involving Adult Defendants," which instructs prosecutors to consider race when formulating plea offers, stating that "racial identity… should be part of the overall analysis," and that prosecutors "should be identifying and addressing racial disparities at decision points, as appropriate." "In particular, the investigation will focus on whether HCAO engages in illegal consideration of race in its prosecutorial decision-making," they said in the letter, which Dhillon shared on X. Soros Prosecutor Ripped For Failing To Charge Walz Staffer Over Tesla Vandalism: 'Two-tiered Justice System' Bondi, Mizelle and Dhillon said their investigation will include "a comprehensive review of all relevant HCAO policies and practices that may involve the illegal consideration of race in prosecutorial decision-making." Read On The Fox News App Dhillon has also authorized a "full investigation to determine whether the HCAO is engaged in a pattern or practice of depriving persons of rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States." "Please be assured that we have not reached any conclusions about the subject matter of the investigation," their letter addressed to Moriarty said. "We will consider all relevant information, and we welcome your assistance in helping to identify what that might be. We would appreciate your cooperation in our investigation. In our years enforcing civil rights statutes involving state and local law enforcement agencies, we have worked with jurisdictions of all sizes across the nation to resolve investigations, usually without contested litigation." Left-wing Da Forcing Prosecutors To Consider 'Racial Identity' In Plea Deals The letter said the Civil Rights Division's Special Litigation Sections will oversee the investigation and will be in contact with Moriarty "shortly to set up a mutually agreeable date and time to discuss the parameters of this investigation, including the scope of information that we will be seeking from you." Fox News Digital reached out to Moriarty's office and the DOJ for comment on Sunday. Moriarty was elected among a wave of progressive district attorneys who took office following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and subsequent Black Lives Matter protests and riots. She has been backed by groups tied to money from megadonor George Soros, one of the most prominent backers of progressive issues in the United States. The former chief public defender for the county, Moriarty became the Hennepin County Attorney in January 2023 after promising to deliver on holding police accountable in the community where Floyd was killed. Moriarty's two immediate predecessors had been in office for a combined 31 years, and her promises of dramatic changes had the backing of the state Democratic Party and community leaders. Since then, however, Moriarty has faced fierce backlash, even among some former supporters, as critics questioned decisions to seek lighter sentences for violent crimes in some cases and to divert more people to programs rather than jail. Police officers, local officials and some progressive activists condemned Moriarty after she charged a White state trooper with the killing of a Black man last summer, only to later reverse course and drop the charges. Leaders of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association had waged a high-profile campaign urging Tim Walz, the state's governor and former Democratic vice presidential nominee, to reassign the prosecution away from Moriarty. Last month, Republicans across the North Star State condemned Moriarty for failing to charge a Walz staffer who allegedly vandalized at least six Tesla vehicles. President Donald Trump's administration has identified Tesla vandalism as "domestic terrorism" and led a nationwide effort alongside the Justice Department to hold vandals accountable. Fox News Digital's Deirdre Heavy, Andrew Mark Miller and the Associated Press contributed to this article source: DOJ opens probe after left-wing DA requires prosecutors to consider race in plea deals
Fox News
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
DOJ opens probe after left-wing DA requires prosecutors to consider race in plea deals
The Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into the Minneapolis-area Hennepin County Attorney's Office's new directive for its prosecutors to consider race when negotiating plea deals with criminal defendants. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Acting Associate Attorney General Chad Mizelle and Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon informed Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty in a letter that the Justice Department is opening a probe into whether the Hennepin County Attorney's Office "engaged in a pattern of practice of depriving persons of rights, privileges or immunities secured or protect by the Constitution or laws of the United States." The letter, dated May 2, cited Moriarty's recently adopted "Negotiations Policy for Cases Involving Adult Defendants," which instructs prosecutors to consider race when formulating plea offers, stating that "racial identity… should be part of the overall analysis," and that prosecutors "should be identifying and addressing racial disparities at decision points, as appropriate." "In particular, the investigation will focus on whether HCAO engages in illegal consideration of race in its prosecutorial decision-making," they said said in the letter, which Dhillon shared on X. Bondi, Mizelle and Dhillon said their investigation will include "a comprehensive review of all relevant HCAO policies and practices that may involve the illegal consideration of race in prosecutorial decision-making." Dhillon has also authorized a "full investigation to determine whether the HCAO is engaged in a pattern or practice of depriving persons of rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States." "Please be assured that we have not reached any conclusions about the subject matter of the investigation," their letter addressed to Moriarty said. "We will consider all relevant information, and we welcome your assistance in helping to identify what that might be. We would appreciate your cooperation in our investigation. In our years enforcing civil rights statutes involving state and local law enforcement agencies, we have worked with jurisdictions of all sizes across the nation to resolve investigations, usually without contested litigation." The letter said the Civil Rights Division's Special Litigation Sections will oversee the investigation and will be in contact with Moriarty "shortly to set up a mutually agreeable date and time to discuss the parameters of this investigation, including the scope of information that we will be seeking from you." Fox News Digital reached out to Moriarty's office and the DOJ for comment on Sunday. Moriarty was elected among a wave of progressive district attorneys who took office following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and subsequent Black Lives Matter protests and riots. She has been backed by groups tied to money from megadonor George Soros, one of the most prominent backers of progressive issues in the United States. The former chief public defender for the county, Moriarty became the Hennepin County Attorney in January 2023 after promising to deliver on holding police accountable in the community where Floyd was killed. Moriarty's two immediate predecessors had been in office for a combined 31 years, and her promises of dramatic changes had the backing of the state Democratic Party and community leaders. Since then, however, Moriarty has faced fierce backlash, even among some former supporters, as critics questioned decisions to seek lighter sentences for violent crimes in some cases and to divert more people to programs rather than jail. Police officers, local officials and some progressive activists condemned Moriarty after she charged a White state trooper with the killing of a Black man last summer, only to later reverse course and drop the charges. Leaders of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association had waged a high-profile campaign urging Tim Walz, the state's governor and former Democratic vice presidential nominee, to reassign the prosecution away from Moriarty. Last month, Republicans across the North Star State condemned Moriarty for failing to charge a Walz staffer who allegedly vandalized at least six Tesla vehicles. President Donald Trump's administration has identified Tesla vandalism as "domestic terrorism" and led a nationwide effort alongside the Justice Department to hold vandals accountable.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Yahoo
Minneapolis Tesla vandal won't be charged for now, will pay for damage and enter diversion program
A man caught on video vandalizing multiple Tesla vehicles in Minneapolis won't be charged for now, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office has said, but will pay for the estimated $21,000 in damages he caused and enter a diversion program to prevent further offending. Dylan Brian Adams, 33, was identified as the suspect seen keying six different Tesla vehicles in downtown Minneapolis and in a Target parking lot in Northeast Minneapolis. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said on Friday it's estimated that it caused over $21,000 in damages, and was critical of the HCAO for not bringing formal criminal charges against Adams. Daniel Borgertpoepping, the spokesperson for the office of Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, told Bring Me The News that the attorney's office is still holding the suspect accountable, and claims its response is consistent with similar cases in which the suspect has no criminal record. 'We want to make sure we are very clear. What Mr. Adams did was wrong and we are holding him accountable for keying the cars. The HCAO did not reject or decline this case. We offered diversion as we often do with property damage cases when the person has no [criminal] record," said Borgertpoepping. "Mr. Adams will have to complete the requirements of the program. He will also have to pay every penny in restitution to the victims. If he does not meet those requirements, we will proceed through the criminal legal system process.' According to his LinkedIn, Adams is a fiscal policy analyst at the State of Minnesota's Department of Human Services. Police showed four surveillance footage videos, showing Adams in action. His strategy appeared to be keying the vehicles as he walked by with his dog, in some cases stopping to write something on them. The incidents happened in the following areas: Near the intersection of 5th Avenue South and South 2nd Street Along South 2nd Street between 5th Avenue South and 3rd Avenue South Near the intersection of Washington Avenue and 5th Avenue South In the Northeast Minneapolis Target parking lot at 1650 New Brighton Boulevard at The Quarry Police said the incidents happened between March 18-31. Chief O'Hara, along with Sgt. Rob Illetschko, claimed at the time of the announcement of Adams' arrest on Friday that the damages caused were considered to be "felony-level." "Any frustration related to the charging decision of the Hennepin County Attorney should be directed solely at her office," O'Hara said. "Our investigators are always frustrated when the cases they poured their hearts into are declined. In my experience, the victims in these cases often feel the same.' "Damage to Teslas like this is a nationwide event. We have a problem nationwide, and here in Minneapolis we would like to put an end to it," Illetschko said on Friday. Illetschko was alluding to the uptick in vandalisms to Teslas in protest of Tesla CEO and big tech billionaire Elon Musk's actions in the Trump Administration, overseeing wide-ranging federal funding cuts and layoffs as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).Earlier this month, Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges said an incident of Tesla vandalism in the city was resolved when the suspect came to an agreement with the vehicle owner to pay for the damages. In March, U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi called the attacks on Teslas a "wave of domestic terrorism," committing that the FBI will continue to crack down with heavy sentences.
