Lawmaker questions police action during Gauthier investigation

An Andover lawmaker is questioning whether Duluth police broke the law by not providing public information during the investigation into Rep. Kerry Gauthier after he was involved in sexual conduct with a 17-year-old boy at a rest stop.

Author:: BMTN Staff
Updated:: Mar 8, 2018
Original:: Aug 25, 2012

An Andover lawmaker is questioning whether Duluth police broke the law during the investigation into Rep. Kerry Gauthier.

The Star Tribune reports Rep Peggy Scott, R-Andover, is accusing the department of not releasing public data after Gauthier was caught at rest stop with a 17-year-old boy.

In a letter this week, Scott claims police failed to release the public details of the case after at least two requests, a clear violation of the Minnesota Data Practices Act.

Duluth police tells the Duluth News Tribune the case was categorized as "high-profile," meaning that only a few officers could have access to the information.

Gauthier dropped his re-election bid Wednesday after pressure from party leaders.

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Disgraced Democratic state Rep. Kerry Gauthier escaped any action for his removal at the Republican-controlled Minnesota House as Friday's special session keyed in specifically on flood relief. GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers called Gauthier's sexual encounter with a 17-year-old boy at a rest stop "egregious" and still called for the Duluth lawmaker's resignation. Gauthier skipped Friday's session.

The top Democrat in the Minnesota House wants Rep. Kerry Gauthier, DFL-Duluth, off the November ballot. Gauthier has been under fire since it was revealed last week that he had a sexual encounter at a highway rest stop with a 17-year-old boy.

Law enforcement officials tell the Duluth News Tribune police are looking into an incident at the Thompson Hill rest area off Interstate 35 near Proctor last month involving state Rep. Kerry Gauthier. A State Patrol officer made contact with the DFLer from Duluth after a witness reported suspicious activity, but details aren't being released because it is "part of an active investigation and classified as criminal investigative data," State Patrol spokesman Lt. Eric Roeske said.

State Rep. Kerry Gauthier, DFL-Duluth, announced Wednesday morning that he was moving ahead with his re-election campaign. By evening he had changed his mind, forced out of the race by the furor surrounding his acknowledgement last week that he met a 17-year-old for sex at a highway rest stop.

The state's Democratic Party asked the Supreme Court Friday to remove exiting Duluth Rep. Kerry Gauthier's name from the ballot and replace it with Erik Simonson's name. Gauthier dropped his bid for re-election last month after he admitted to a sexual encounter with a 17-year-old boy at a Duluth rest stop.

Endorsed Duluth DFLer Erik Simonson is proceeding with his write-in campaign for a Minnesota House seat in District 7B after the State Supreme Court didn't act to remove disgraced Rep. Kerry Gauthier's name from the ballot. Gauthier withdrew from the race last month after admitting to a sexual encounter with a 17-year-old boy at a Duluth rest stop.

Leaders of his own party are calling on Duluth Rep. Kerry Gauthier to give up his re-election bid. DFL Party Chair Ken Martin and House Minority Leader Paul Thissen expressed disappointment with Gauthier, who acknowledged a sexual encounter with a 17-year-old boy at a highway rest stop last week. Meanwhile, a second Duluth DFLer announced a write-in campaign for Gauthier's House seat.

Disgraced Duluth lawmaker Rep. Kerry Gauthier won't appear on the ballot, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled Tuesday. The high court granted the Democratic Party's request to have Gauthier's name scrubbed and replaced by endorsed candidate Erik Simonson.

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