Anders Folk, Cedric Frazier outline their policies ahead of election for Hennepin County attorney

Two candidates running to become Hennepin County's next top prosecutor are sparring over whether the office has gone too easy on violent crime under outgoing County Attorney Mary Moriarty, who is not seeking reelection after roughly 3 1/2 years in the job.

Moriarty's tenure has been marked by controversy over sentencing practices and the local investigation of federal agents for their actions during Operation Metro Surge.

Former Acting U.S. Attorney Anders Folk and DFL State Rep. Cedric Frazier are battling to succeed her. In the August primary, Frazier beat Folk by 36% to 23% in a race to determine the top two finishers to move on to November.

Folk says the Hennepin County Attorney's office under Moriarty has been too lenient on sentencing.

"What we've seen for the last four years from this office is leaving consequences behind," he said.

Folk points to the 2022 murder of Zaria McKeever. Moriarty received extreme backlash for offering plea deals to two teens, including the shooter. 

"She was giving basically slaps on the wrist to people who were part of a violent premeditated murder," Folk said. "By the way, my opponent stood by her during that process."

Folk accuses Frazier of supporting Moriarty's decision and being a Moriarty staffer. Frazier says his only work for Moriarty was as chair of her transition team. 

When WCCO's Esme Murphy asked if he had an official role in her campaign or official role in her administration, Frazier said he did not.

Frazier, who has said he grew up in a violent Chicago neighborhood, said he understood the McKeever family's anger over the case. Families later protested Moriarty's approach to juvenile plea deals more broadly.

Amid the controversy, Gov. Tim Walz removed the McKeever case from Hennepin County and gave it to Attorney General Keith Ellison.

Frazier says if elected, he would increase focus on victims.

"I've talked about developing a victims and survivors advisory council. And that's because of the thousands of conversations that we're having with voters. Many of them said, look, we feel like oftentimes our cases are just being processed. They're just a number. And we want to be included more in the process," Frazier said.

Folk and Frazier agree on at least two things: both support Moriarty's investigation into federal agents' conduct during Operation Metro Surge, and both say the county needs to replace the Hennepin County Home School, a juvenile correctional facility that closed in 2021.

Election Day is Nov. 3. Absentee voting is already underway in Minnesota.