What a Racket: A Response to “Don’t Fall for the Folk-Tales”

By Mike Erlandson

Elections at every level of government, especially local, nonpartisan races, should be decided on ideas, qualifications, and record. These offices often have the most direct impact on people’s lives. But their lower profile makes them vulnerable to distortion, outside influence, and misleading attacks that go unanswered.

Hennepin County voters have seen this before. In 2022, significant outside spending helped shape the outcome of the County Attorney’s race. One of these key organizations (Take Action MN) directed more than $230,000 into that contest, funding that was later scrutinized after it was traced to a national partner with expectations it would be used elsewhere, not on behalf of Mary Moriarty, as it was. That history is not irrelevant. It is a warning.

Now, the same ecosystem appears to be at work again, this time targeting former Acting U.S. Attorney Anders Folk, a candidate with the experience to restore credibility to the Hennepin County Attorney’s office.

A recent hit piece authored by an employee of a Take Action MN subsidiary published in Racket MN, a pop culture and entertainment website with no real editorial standards, reflects that playbook. It relies on insinuation, omits key facts, and is already being circulated by Folk’s opponent, Cedrick Frazier, with claims that are untrue. That is not a debate on the merits; it is a coordinated attempt to mislead voters.

The central claims:

First, the “Trump administration” label is a distortion.
Folk’s record spans service under both Democratic and Republican administrations. He began his career in Amy Klobuchar’s Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, served as a Marine Corps judge advocate, and spent years as a career Assistant U.S. Attorney under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. When his name was later considered for U.S. Attorney, it was submitted to the White House by Democratic Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken. He was never appointed. Presenting this as evidence of partisan allegiance is either a misunderstanding, or a deliberate misrepresentation, of how the process works.

Second, minimizing his role in the federal prosecution of Derek Chauvin ignores the facts.
Folk signed the federal indictment that led to Chauvin’s conviction for violating George Floyd’s civil rights. That case forced an admission, in federal court, of willful constitutional violations. It was not redundant; it was essential accountability under the law. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison called the federal sentence “important and historic” and “another step of accountability on the road to justice.”

Third, claims that he would not hold federal agents accountable are baseless.
This is an accusation contrary to the evidence. Frazier and Adams imply Folk would not hold federal agents accountable, without pointing to anything for support. In fact, Folk has been a leading voice nationwide, not only in support of these investigations, but by discussing how they actually work. He can do that credibly, because he is the only Hennepin County Attorney candidate with relevant experience prosecuting cases in the federal system. Folk is significantly more qualified to prosecute these cases than our current county attorney, and Frazier himself, who has never prosecuted a case in his life, and clearly recognizes this weakness for his candidacy as chief prosecutor.

Specifically, Folk went on NPR and publicly called for a “thorough, impartial, and nonpolitical investigation” into the ICE shooting of Renee Good. He criticized the decision to exclude Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension from the case. He called out that the Trump administration’s refusal to investigate was a problem. And he has posted several videos that help explain the legal processes at play in these complex cases. That is not the record of someone who protects federal agents from accountability. It is the record of someone both willing to say difficult things publicly and do the hard work privately.

At its core, this election is about who is best equipped to uphold the law fairly, competently, and without fear or favor. Voters deserve an honest debate grounded in facts, not recycled tactics, selective omissions, or coordinated smears.

Public trust in government depends on more than who wins. It depends on how campaigns are conducted. Let’s get it right this time.

Evaluate candidates on their records. Anders Folk’s record stands up to scrutiny.

Mike Erlandson served as the State Chair of the Minnesota DFL Party for six years and Chief of Staff to U.S. Congressman Martin Olav Sabo (DFL) for fifteen.

Related: Please Don’t Be Like Mike: A Response to “What a Racket”

Related: Who’s running for Hennepin County Attorney