As an attorney, state lawmaker and the first African American vice chair of the Minnesota House Public Safety Committee, I can attest that the election for Hennepin County attorney is one of the most important this year. The county attorney's job is to keep everyone in the county safe by prosecuting crime and pursuing justice. That is why we must elect our DFL-endorsed candidate, Mary Moriarty.

Moriarty's qualifications are unmatched: over 30 years working in Hennepin County's criminal legal system, including six leading the county's public defender's office, Minnesota's second-largest public law office. An independent evaluation from the National Center for State Courts found her office to be one of the best in the country. Her leadership in that office was so impressive that she earned the support of former Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo who described Moriarty as a "thoughtful and visionary leader."

Moriarty will bring a research-backed, data-driven approach to the county attorney's office and will partner with law enforcement to improve processes that sometimes jeopardize successful prosecutions. She knows the powers, responsibilities, strengths and weaknesses of the county attorney's office and is ready to lead on day one.

Martha Holton Dimick, on the other hand, has a troubling track record of biased and unethical conduct in our criminal legal system. As Joe Friedberg, one of the most highly respected criminal trial lawyers in Minnesota history, recently said on WCCO Radio: Dimick's "reputation as a judge was the worst in the county."

As a prosecutor, Dimick faced off against Moriarty in a 2002 trial. Moriarty's client was found not guilty on one charge, and additional charges were dismissed with prejudice after it was determined that Dimick made false representations to the court and violated professional standards in her attempt to replace the judge on the eve of a second trial. In another trial, Dimick's case was dismissed with the judge calling it "the worst case I have seen in 21 years."

As a judge, Dimick was repeatedly reversed for abusing her power. The Minnesota Supreme Court reversed one decision for a lack of impartiality. In another case, it found she inappropriately "tipped the scales" by inserting herself into the process. In a third, the Court of Appeals found she "abused her discretion" for "personal considerations" when she sent someone to prison because she didn't want her "face in the front page of the news."

Dimick has even shown a disregard for the U.S. Constitution during this race. Just last month she said that public defenders "only work with criminals" — tossing aside the bedrock American legal principle that you are innocent until proven guilty. This attitude is jaw-dropping in its ignorance, and should be disqualifying for anyone seeking the role of our chief prosecutor.

Dimick also cannot be trusted to hold police accountable if they break the law: She sought and won the endorsement of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association (MPPOA), the same organization that funded the private legal defense for Derek Chauvin after he murdered George Floyd. She has even admitted during this campaign that, as a prosecutor, she refused to charge a police officer with assault after he beat up a Black man without justification.

At a time when it is imperative to rebuild trust in our public safety system, we cannot afford to elect a person who has a history of abusing that trust. We need someone who leads with integrity.

While Dimick's campaign is supported and funded by MPPOA, Moriarty's campaign has earned the support of a broad, diverse, countywide coalition. Moriarty is endorsed by the DFL Party, Attorney General Keith Ellison, labor unions, pro-choice groups and over 60 current state legislators, county commissioners, mayors, City Council and school board members across Hennepin County. We know that Moriarty will effectively prosecute violent crime and will work with us to address root causes of violence by building successful community safety and violence prevention strategies, including better mental health responses, effective opioid treatment and more services for youth.

We need to elect a county attorney who is committed to keeping us safe by doing the right thing in each and every case by following the facts, the law and the Constitution. We need to elect Mary Moriarty on Nov. 8.

Cedrick Frazier, DFL-New Hope, is a member of the Minnesota House.