Francis Shen has ended his campaign for Hennepin County Attorney. In his statement he cited “weighing the evidence and thinking carefully about what’s best for the greater good”, which helped him come to the decision to drop from the race and endorse Anders Folk, citing his experience as a federal prosecutor. Here’s his full statement:
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When I entered the Hennepin County Attorney’s race six months ago, I did so for one reason: to ensure that the office is in the hands of a leader who will keep a laser focus on SAFETY.
I’ve said repeatedly that this campaign is not about me—it’s about the proven, effective innovations that you and I want to see adopted by our criminal justice system. My goal from the start has been to find a path for those innovations to take hold. And today I am writing to share with you an exciting new path forward.
* Effective today I am ending my campaign and endorsing W. Anders Folk for Hennepin County Attorney. *
If you know me, you know that I don’t make decisions without weighing the evidence and thinking carefully about what’s best for the greater good. Here’s why I’m endorsing Anders.
The most common question I’ve received on the campaign trail is: What will you as county attorney do about prosecuting ICE agents? Under normal circumstances federal prosecutors would take the lead and the county attorney would play a supporting role. But these are not normal times.
The next Hennepin County Attorney will have to take on roles that have historically been played by federal prosecutors. The bottom line is that if you want justice for those harmed by ICE, you need a County Attorney who can succeed in federal court. There is only one candidate who has experience as a federal prosecutor. That candidate is Anders Folk.
Anders has been successful prosecuting at every level of the system. He served as Acting U.S. Attorney under President Biden where he signed the indictment charging Derek Chauvin with violating George Floyd’s civil rights. In other words, this is the guy you want fighting against a federal government that has failed to respect the rule of law.
Anders and I have had many moments to talk over the course of this campaign about my work in neurolaw, and I can report that he shares my commitment to adopting proven, innovative strategies that make communities safer.
Our path now is different, but our mission remains the same. A vote for Anders is a vote for the innovation I’ve been fighting for.
I want to close on a personal note because in the end it’s relationships and character that matter most. I know Anders and his family because our kids attend the same school. (His oldest child and ours are even in the same middle school political round table group—guess it runs in the family!).
You learn the most about a political candidate when they are not on the campaign trail, and I learned about Anders this summer when our 8th grader wrote and directed a musical. It was an all-youth production performed at the Southern Theater as part of the Minnesota Fringe Festival. Guess who was in the audience? Anders and his family.
That was not about politics. That was about showing up for family, community and the next generation of Minnesotans.
I hope you will continue to support our vision by supporting Anders!
With gratitude, Francis
Via Shen campaign
