City auditor questions Minneapolis council aides’ actions in protests at federal raid

The Minneapolis city auditor is questioning why three City Council aides participated in protests at the June 3 federal drug raid, saying it damaged organizational trust and raised questions about the city’s expectations over employee conduct when exercising their First Amendment rights.

The auditor presented his findings after examining the Minneapolis Police Department’s involvement in the raid, which has become a flashpoint at City Hall over how and why police got involved despite a city ordinance that prohibits city workers from assisting with civil immigration enforcement by federal agents.

City Auditor Robert Timmerman’s report on Minneapolis police involvement in the operation at a Lake Street Mexican restaurant noted that three city employees who work in the legislative department participated in the protest. Two were aides to Council Vice President Aisha Chughtai — senior policy aide Kai Shelley and policy aide David Gilbert-Pederson — and a third was Council Member Jeremiah Ellison’s aide, Dieu Do.

The auditor’s report said the employees “either made physical contact with federal law enforcement officers or were extremely close in proximity to them.”

Timmerman did not name the three aides in his report or in comments to the council. However, they were plainly visible to observers of the protest, including the Minnesota Star Tribune, which published photos of them at the time. The aides had not responded to requests for comment as of Monday afternoon.

The report said “nuances exist that did not lead to a clear violation of the city’s code of ethics or other city policies” and the employees have First Amendment protections. But it questioned whether having political appointees clashing with law enforcement might damage trust in the city in a way that “overshadows” their First Amendment rights. The report didn’t get specific beyond that.

The auditor’s office opted not to “pursue a legal assessment,” but recommended the City Council and City Attorney’s Office “develop expectations around speech, peaceable assembly, and timekeeping by (Fair Labor Standards Act) exempt employees.”

Timmerman said his office confirmed through payroll records that the employees took eight hours’ leave on that day.

The three aides are political appointees, essentially hand-picked by the council member each reports to.

Chughtai and Ellison are standing by their aides.

Chughtai said by text that at a time when the Trump administration is separating families and “disappearing loved ones,” people of conscience should act in solidarity with communities under attack.

“I believe that every person who showed up to exercise their First Amendment rights — including council aides — should be commended for living out Minneapolis values," she said.

Ellison told the Star Tribune his aide, Do, was repeatedly shoved in the back by federal agents, knocking her off her feet.

“I condemn federal law enforcement’s assault on my staff,” he said.

His aide was there on her own time, he said, and he called the city auditor’s mention of the incident as “illegitimate and hostile.”

Council Member Linea Palmisano said she supports the employees’ right to free speech and protest, but questioned the employees’ presence during the day on a work day at a protest “that attempted to obstruct the execution of criminal search warrants.”