DOJ investigating Minnesota prosecutor over race policy

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Monday it was investigating a prosecutor in Minnesota over “race-based prosecutorial decision making.”

The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division said it was investigating Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty (D) after she recently adopted a policy that required prosecutors to consider “racial identity” during prosecutorial decisionmaking. 

“The investigation announced today will involve a comprehensive review of all relevant Hennepin County Attorney’s Offices policies and practices that may involve illegal consideration of race,” the DOJ said in a statement. 

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon shared online that Saturday, the department launched a “racial discrimination pattern and practice investigation” into the policy, which instructs prosecutors to consider a defendant’s race during plea deals. 

“Lady Justice is blindfolded for a reason,” Dhillon wrote in a post Sunday on X. She shared that Attorney General Pam Bondi and the DOJ will investigate and “take action wherever necessary” to identify government practices that go against the country’s “civil rights norms.” 

The Minnesota policy took effect April 28, CNN and its affiliate KARE reported.

KARE previously reported that the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office policy instructed resolutions to be based on individualized analyses. The policy notes that while racial identity and age are “not appropriate grounds for departures,” the resolutions should consider a “whole person,” including age and racial identity.

In a statement, Bondi said she firmly believes in the “paramount importance of a colorblind criminal justice system.”

“This Department of Justice will avail itself of every tool at its disposal to protect all Americans from illegal DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion] discrimination,” Bondi said. 

According to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office website, Moriarty was elected in 2022 and previously served as the Hennepin County chief public defender for six years. 

The Hill has reached out to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office for comment.