Andy Luger

Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan was briefed Wednesday on the ongoing investigation into the now defunct Metro Gang Strike Force. Apparently the news was not good. In a statement released afterwards Dolan acknowledged that seven Minneapolis cops are implicated in the probe.

FBI whistleblower-turned-activist Coleen Rowley is on a roll. She rips into the City of St. Paul’s report on Republican National Convention law enforcement in a new commentary column, and Tuesday she will join others from Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) in filing formal complaints with Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher over RNC policing tactics. And Rowley’s inquiries into what she suspects was overbroad surveillance during the RNC are starting to bear fruit — of a sort.

Nearly 800 people were arrested. Pepper spray, flash-bang grenades and tear gas were repeatedly used to disperse crowds. Store-front windows were smashed and vehicle tires slashed. If nothing else, the four days of the Republican National Convention certainly succeeded in bringing some excitement to normally sleepy streets of downtown St. Paul. Today, before a sometimes rambunctious crowd, a seven-member panel led by former U.S. Attorney Tom Heffelfinger and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy Luger presented an 82-page report on policing during the Republican National Convention to the St. Paul City Council.

All eyes are on the release this afternoon of the Heffelfinger-Luger report on law enforcement during the Republican National Convention that was commissioned by the City of St. Paul, where most of the RNC events, protests and policing took place. But at least three studies from outside of St. Paul are pending as well: an internal report by the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD), an outside review by a national police organization by invitation of the MPD, and a winter term research project by a team of students from Ohio’s Oberlin College.

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman announced late Tuesday afternoon that the city will undergo an outside review of the public safety effort tied to the Republican National Convention — but its limited scope may not satisfy calls from various quarters for independent review of police misconduct.

Wednesday night’s 3rd Congressional District DFL meeting did not disappoint. Several potential candidates for the DFL nod had a chance to speak, includingstate Sen. Terri Bonoff, Rep. Melissa Hortmann, Rep. Steve Simon (who would have to move out of his state House district to establish residency in CD3)*, Buck Humphrey and a representative of Andy [...]

There’s nothing official about it, but the campaign to succeed Congressman Jim Ramstad may unofficially begin tonight at the CD3 DFL meeting in Minnetonka. The party organization hasn’t met in a while, but the meeting promises to be full of buzz following Ramstad’s recent announcement that he won’t seek reelection. Buck Humphrey is expected to [...]

Several high-profile Republicans today announced the formation of the Republicans for Luger committee.  As reported yesterday, Tom Heffelfinger, former US Attorney, was on hand to deliver remarks.  From the press release:
Former United States Attorney Tom Heffelfinger stated, “In 1991 I conducted a nationwide search to find the best prosecutor for the one vacancy in the [...]

Tomorrow (October 5th), 10:00 AM at Hennepin County Gov. Center South Plaza, Andy Luger will be announcing the formation of Republicans for Luger, a group of influential Republicans who are supporting the DFL-endorsed candidate for Hennepin County Attorney.

Notables at the event will include former County Attorney Gary Flakne and former US Attorney Tom Heffelfinger.  The [...]

Andy Luger grew up in New Jersey and later attended Amherst College in Massachusetts, graduating Summa Cum Laude.  He graduated in 1980, and went to work building the Parker Coltrane PAC, a political action committee focusing on electing black leaders in the South.  After attending Georgetown Law, he eventually got into criminal justice, becoming an [...]