Ron Schutz, a military veteran and well-known attorney across Minnesota’s political circles, has launched his campaign for attorney general.
Schutz, a former JAG officer and current partner at a Minneapolis-based law firm, criticized current Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison for being “soft on crime” and “allowing a culture of fraud to infect state government” in his campaign announcement on Tuesday.
While the two-term DFL incumbent hasn’t yet confirmed whether he will seek a third term next year, Schutz said he’ll make the case that “Minnesotans deserve better” than what Ellison has given them since he was first elected to the statewide office in 2018.
“Under Keith Ellison’s watch, violent crime has surged, billions in taxpayer money have been lost, and once-vibrant cities are becoming ghost towns,” Schutz said. “Meanwhile, ‘Defund the Police’ Democrats side with criminals instead of law-abiding citizens. The time for real leadership is now. I will be tough on crime, aggressively pursue fraud, return stolen tax dollars to the people of Minnesota, and ensure fairness in women’s and girls’ sports.”
Alpha News has reached out to a spokesperson for Ellison to ask whether he will seek re-election but hasn’t yet received a reply.
Schutz, a Minnesota native, is a partner at Robins Kaplan LLP and a board member for the Center of the American Experiment, a conservative think thank. He also served as chair for the Minnesota Commission on Judicial Selection, a position he was appointed to by then-Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
While this is Schutz’s first official campaign for elected office, he has flirted with running for other high-profile posts in the past, including a run for governor he briefly considered leading up to the 2014 election cycle.
“In every chapter of my life — as a soldier, as a lawyer, as a community leader, and as a husband and father — I have fought for fairness, accountability, and justice,” Schutz said. “Now I’m ready to fight for the people of Minnesota as their Attorney General.”
Hank Long
Hank Long is a journalism and communications professional whose writing career includes coverage of the Minnesota legislature, city and county governments and the commercial real estate industry. Hank received his undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota, where he studied journalism, and his law degree at the University of St. Thomas. The Minnesota native lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and four children. His dream is to be around when the Vikings win the Super Bowl.
