The Rice County Attorney is an elected official, responsible for a broad range of legal activities arising within Rice County. These responsibilities are primarily: The office is responsible for the prosecution of adults charged with felony crimes, as well as petty misdemeanors, misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors that occur in the unincorporated areas of the county and other limited areas as defined by statue. – Full definition available on the Rice County website
Candidates:
John Fossum (incumbent)
Brian Mortenson
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John Fossum
Q. Please list any current political offices you hold. Please list any previous political office you've held.
A. Rice County Attorney, 2015-present. Northfield School Board, 2011-2014.
Q. Please list any civic, community, or professional organizations/clubs your a part of.
A. Minnesota State Bar Association
Minnesota County Attorneys Association
Member: Criminal Law Committee
Academy of Certified Trial Lawyers of Minnesota
National District Attorneys Association
Criminal Law Certification Board
Q. What qualifies for the office your running for?
A. I have been practicing law since 1993, I was in private practice for 20 years, served in Afghanistan as a criminal justice advisor in the regional Justice Sector Support Program in 2007-2008. I have experience in criminal practice and civil and transactional practice all of which come into play for the work of the county attorney. The county attorney is not just a prosecutor but must also be able to deal with real estate, zoning, election, and all the other legal issues that arise within the county.
Q. What inspired you to run for office? If you running for reelection why do you want to stay in office?
A. I am running for re-election to further improve the effectiveness of the office in both prosecution and civil representation. We will continue to develop policies for smart, effective prosecution and protect the county with strong civil representation. We will continue the practices that have returned over $600,000 to the county treasury through effective management of the office.
My family has lived here for generations, my commitment to the community is not new. I care about the community and my fellow citizens. It has been my honor to serve and my obligation to seek effective and equitable justice for Rice County and everyone the office prosecutes and those the county deals with in civil disputes.
Q. What is something that you would like to accomplish while in office?
A. I will continue to work with the Minnesota County Attorneys Association and the National District Attorneys Association to craft legislation that improves the work of the office and in a broader context helps to seek justice for victims as well as for the accused. We will also look to help achieve the goals of the county through careful, cost effective administration of the office.
We will continue to hold dangerous offenders accountable and expand opportunities for those struggling with addiction. In the last 8 years I have worked to expand access to the treatment court and worked to create a veteran’s court. We have just received a grant that will offer treatment and pre-charge diversion in drug cases with the support of law enforcement, social services, community correction and the Healthy Community Initiative. Criminal Justice is not only about punishment, it can also help people find a way out of their situation and give the tools and support to improve people's situation.
Q. What does being a leader mean to you?
A. Leadership is primarily done by example, to model the work ethic and the goals we seek in the work. But it is also in developing and being willing to reconsider policies that help the office achieve its goals. In short a true leader needs to be willing to constantly re-evaluate positions and able to look for new solutions.
Brian Mortenson
Q. Please list any current political offices you hold. Please list any previous political office you've held.
A. none
Q. Please list any civic, community, or professional organizations/clubs your a part of.
A. Vice President of the Faribault Hockey Association
President of AFSCME Council 65 Local 2439-6
member of: Divine Mercy Church, the Rice County Bar Association, the Criminal Law Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association, the Florida Bar Association, and the Minnesota County Attorneys Association.
Q. What qualifies for the office your running for?
A. The office's primary role is prosecution. I have over 12 years of relevant experience. In 2010 I clerked for a Federal Judge, which was valuable experience knowing what goes into a judge's decisions. I then worked almost 6 years in the State Attorney's Office in Naples, Florida, handling anything from DUI to Homicide. I learned to be a prosecutor and leader from a team of prosecutors with over 300 years of experience. Prosecutors, especially the County Attorney, has great power, and I learned how to exercise the necessary discretion to protect the integrity of the justice system. In 2016, I was hired, by the County Attorney, to fill the need for an attorney with extensive trial experience. I have handled over 2,000 criminal cases, and completed scores of jury trials. I have the prosecuting experience, trial experience, and judgement necessary to lead the office effectively and efficiently.
Q. What inspired you to run for office? If you running for reelection why do you want to stay in office?
A. Watching so many quality and experienced attorneys leaving the office inspired me to make the office better. The Rice County Attorney's office has lost 8 attorneys (an 11 attorney office) over the past 3 years. Instead of being number 9 to leave, I decided to fight for those still in the office. I decided this county deserves better, our police deserve better, and those working in the office deserve better. Many of those who left, left because of how they were being treated. The left because of the toxic work environment. When an office loses that many people in such a short time, the problem is the leadership. However, the leadership blames everyone but themselves. I will usher in an atmosphere of accountability, transparency, and cooperation. I will not just list office values of Honesty, Integrity, and Respect, but live by them, and assure my staff will live by them as well. I want to make sure the office better serves Rice County, because that's what Rice County deserves.
Q. What is something that you would like to accomplish while in office?
A. I want to be part of a noticeable increase in public safety. My office would start by appropriately prosecuting our violent and repeat offenders. I will make sure the office seeks aggravated sentences for those that endanger the community the most. I will end policies limiting prosecutors from doing their job, and focus on making sure prosecutors are seeking timely resolution of their cases. My office will not only give victims a voice, but listen to them and seek justice for them. We will make sure victims' cases do not unnecessarily drag through the system for a number of years. I will also repair the strained relationship between the County Attorney's Office and local law enforcement. I already have the track record of communication, cooperation, and mutual respect with law enforcement. This is why I have been endorsed by Former Chief Andy Bohlen, the Faribault Police Officers through their benefit association, and the Rice County Deputies and Sergeants through their Union. However, putting people in prison is not the only answer. We need to expand access to our Rice County Treatment Court and properly address those with substance use disorders. There is also a large number of individuals that suffer from mental illness. I will seek to work with the courts, public defenders, mental health professionals and probation to explore the feasibility of a Rice County Mental Health Court. If necessary, I will encourage we team with other counties to implement a mental health court.
Q. What does being a leader mean to you?
A. Being a leader means doing the very things you expect others to do, and doing the right thing even when nobody is watching. I will lead the Rice County Attorney's Office through my actions, not just my words. The employees in the Rice County Attorney's Office have faced extreme distrust from leadership, and debilitating office policies. I will not hide behind being an elected official as an excuse to not follow office policy. As County Attorney, I will be the first to follow any and all policies that I implement. The office values of Honesty, Integrity, and Respect will be followed when in public, in court, or in our office. The office values will be followed from the top down. I will set high standards for myself before I set standards for those I lead. Our office will function based on communication and trust. Disagreements will be met with discussion instead of consequences. I will strive to not only be the leader the employees of the Rice County Attorney's Office need, but the leader they want.
Logan Wells is the Election Guide Editor. You can contact him here.
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