The Ramsey County Deputy Sheriff’s Union plans to file a complaint against an officer who endorsed DFL House candidate John Thompson earlier this year.
“John is wonderful. John is a leader. John is somebody that speaks truth to power,” Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Roy Magnuson said of Thompson, who threatened to burn down a neighborhood during a protest last month.
Thompson’s behavior at a protest outside the home of a police officer in Hugo, Minnesota, caused the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association to rescind the endorsements of several DFL lawmakers who refused to condemn the actions of their colleague.
In a January video posted to the Thompson campaign’s Facebook page, Magnuson said Thompson has “a lot of reason to harbor a lot of anger.”
“I’m very honored to say my only regret is that I don’t live in District 67A so I can only campaign for John, I can only give money for John, I can only tell people to vote for John. I wish I could vote for John,” said Magnuson.
Roy Magnuson Endorses John Thompson for 67A
This video was prepared by John Thompson for 67A PO Box 17434, St Paul MN 55117
Posted by John Thompson for District 67A on Monday, January 13, 2020
Allison Schaber, president of the Ramsey County Deputy Sheriff’s Union, said Magnuson does not speak for her organization “or the department’s rank-and-file employees.”
“Our Union, in conjunction with our commanders and sergeants, are in the process of submitting a complaint to the Ramsey County Manager’s Office about possible policy violations surrounding Magnuson’s endorsement of Thompson,” she said in a Thursday press release.
“We echo the sentiments of other law enforcement associations and call for those supporting Thompson to publicly withdraw their support. Anyone that continues to support Thompson’s candidacy cannot be considered a supporter of law enforcement,” Schaber added.
She said the Ramsey County Deputy Sheriff’s Union condemns Thompson’s “appalling and violent behavior.”
“Thompson threatened to burn down a neighborhood, berated children, and beat an effigy of a police officer’s wife,” she said. “Such acts by any other public official would not be tolerated.”
Thompson won his primary early last month and is expected to easily win in the general election in November.
Anthony Gockowski
Anthony Gockowski is Editor-in-Chief of Alpha News. He previously worked as an editor for The Minnesota Sun and Campus Reform, and wrote for the Daily Caller.
