Introduction
The first question Cedric asked when we met was, “How are you doing with everything that’s going on?” I told him I felt scattered, and, like many people, I was having difficulty concentrating. Neither of us knew when we recorded this interview that, two days later, 37-year-old Alex Pretti would be shot and killed by ICE agents just a block from the Speak MPLS studio where we were sitting.
The final question I asked Cedric was this: “What in your background prepares you to manage a crisis? We know there will be one—we just don’t know what it is yet.”
We plan to publish a separate newsletter with deeper reflections on the current moment. But as I watched press conferences and scrolled through social media, one lesson stood out: Minneapolis and Minnesota need leaders with the temperament to govern in times of crisis. For the second time in five years, the city finds itself at the center of a national reckoning over how to respond when injustice occurs. How should communities confront systems that appear indifferent to the harm they cause? Elected officials play a critical role in shaping that response.
Our democracy works best when voters choose leaders with the judgment, steadiness, and moral clarity to serve the public in an accountable and transparent way. Political parties or endorsement committees don’t bestow these qualities. They’re best evaluated by listening carefully to candidates and making our own assessments. With the Hennepin County Attorney now bearing new responsibilities, including ensuring investigations into federal agent–involved shootings, voters must ask a fundamental question: who do we trust to handle the unforeseen?
Summary
In this interview, Cedric Frazier, a state representative and former public defender, lays out the personal and political experiences driving his campaign for Hennepin County Attorney. Raised on Chicago’s South Side and shaped by firsthand exposure to violence, poverty, and inequity, Frazier describes a career rooted in public service—from criminal defense and education law to six years in the Minnesota Legislature. He frames his candidacy as a response to the current moment, arguing that constitutional rights, due process, and public trust are under renewed threat amid federal overreach and high-profile uses of force.
A central theme of the conversation is accountability paired with legitimacy. Frazier strongly supports investigations into officer-involved killings, emphasizing that transparency and evidence-gathering are essential to maintaining public confidence in the justice system. Drawing parallels to the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, he warns that the absence of credible investigations fuels despair, unrest, and vigilantism. As county attorney, he says his goal would be to reinforce the idea that no one is above the law—and no one is beneath its protections—while continuing reforms that many communities see as long overdue.
Frazier also outlines clear priorities for the office: strengthening victim advocacy and communication, expanding youth-focused prevention and accountability programs, investing in community violence intervention, and addressing gun violence and fentanyl addiction through a public health lens. He argues for closer collaboration with law enforcement alongside honest, sometimes difficult conversations, and for standing up to harmful federal policies when they impact residents. Throughout, Frazier presents his vision of public safety as prevention-forward, constitutionally grounded, and built on trust—especially with communities that have historically felt excluded from the system.
Frazier is seeking the DFL endorsement. More information about his campaign can be found on his website: https://www.cedrickfrazier.org/
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