Readers Write: Joe Thompson, the Democratic Party, the Epstein files

Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes letters from readers online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

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Thank you Minnesota Star Tribune for printing the excellent interview with Joe Thompson (“Joe Thompson works to solve state’s widespread fraud crisis,” July 30). But his interview highlights the limitations of the current prosecutions as Thompson readily admits that his office does not have the resources to investigate and prosecute all crooks and criminals. The scandals have become an epidemic: Feeding our Future and the housing frauds. Who knows what scandals have yet to be uncovered? Taxpayers are sick and tired of both the criminals and the incompetence of politicians and bureaucrats who have failed the public. Much more needs to be done.

Large private law firms need to get involved volunteering their time and expertise to investigate every aspect of these failed programs. They need to partner with the over-stressed state and federal prosecutors to conduct wide ranging internal investigations. These experienced lawyers will surely be of great help in exposing the truth.

I was involved decades ago in a somewhat similar program as a young lawyer at a very large Minneapolis based law firm. I was a full-time volunteer prosecutor for Minneapolis for approximately six months. I gained valuable trial experience and the city was able to try more cases. This can and should be accomplished. Honest Minnesotans deserve it.

George Eck, Mound

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I know there was an attempt earlier this year by both Republican and Democratic legislators to enact a bill putting a team of independent inspectors on the job to close the door on fraud possibilities. I know one of the bill authors, state Sen. Michael Kreun of Blaine, publicly declared his intent to get that bill passed in 2025. Like Kreun and Thompson, most people recognize the superiority of preventing crime rather than simply resorting to prosecuting it after the fact. May the political will to install independent inspectors and proper management of our expenditures next year prevail.

Diane J. Peterson, St. Paul

The abundance of Readers Write letters that are critical of the Trump administration present an overview of thought steeped in an allegiance to socialism and the promotion of mistruths. This represents a body of political thought that is in denial. Further, with the absence of critical thinking, there is little chance for cooperation. I guess they call it bipartisanship. Devoid of any cogent leadership, the Democrats have sowed the seeds for their ongoing race to the bottom. This isn’t gloating, but reality. In recent years, Democrats have have moved decidedly to the left — some even say communism. American voters have had enough of this trend and made a significant departure by electing President Donald Trump again. The pendulum of political thought has swung to center-right in response to what the Democratic agenda has offered. Rather than recognizing their error, Democrats are moving further left — a trend that has given them a 35-year low in approval. The successes for Trump are successes for the American people. Fanning the flames of economic class warfare has fallen flat as voters reject the premise. Trump’s efforts for world peace are unprecedented as are his numerous tariff/trade deals that will benefit all participants. Americans still value western civilization and a Judeo-Christian culture.

Undoubtedly angry voices will dominate commentary pages because negativity sells. Yet their vitriol should be directed to their party which is leaderless and devoid of solutions. Until they reverse course, Trump will move America forward without their engagement. Democrats have two glaring faults: An insatiable desire for power and an extreme hatred for Trump. In my view, these are incompatible as they will not advance what Americans are looking for — a safe and promising future.

Joe Polunc, Waconia

Let’s keep it real. DFL moderates have chosen to demonize state Sen. Omar Fateh because he is a Muslim immigrant and a self-proclaimed democratic socialist.

Meanwhile, DFL insiders give Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey a pass because he is a do-nothing status quo Democrat whose public safety policies led to the worst civil unrest this century in the United States.

The losing, down-ballot narrative being peddled by so-called moderate Democrats in Minnesota is disingenuous at best. DFLers simply can’t stomach the notion of a man like Fateh being the mayor of Minneapolis or any other large city in America. All one must do is look at the demonization of Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani in New York City’s mayoral race for proof of this.

For some strange reason, Fateh and Mamdani can’t be idealistic or overzealous young men with a passion for abolishing wealth inequality in America. Sadly, moderate Democrats feel compelled to paint them as dangerous and un-American, which puts targets on their backs in Minnesota’s violent political culture.

The DFL and larger Democratic Party love to point out bigotry, racism and xenophobia in the Republican Party, which is not hard to do in Trump’s America. However, it’s way past time Democrats take a long, hard look in the mirror where these social ills are concerned as well.

Lee Hayes, St. Paul

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I live in Minneapolis and was mugged by a group of young men a year or so ago. I have personally experienced being face to face with unpredictable individuals in an environment of pure terror. I’m outraged that Sgt. Mark Hanneman of the Minneapolis Police Department was removed from his position leading the use-of-force training unit by a faction of citizens unable to comprehend the unimaginable danger that Hanneman faced while carrying out his sworn duty to fulfill a no-knock warrant order in 2022. Who better to lead that division than one who has walked through the fire himself? How is it that he now be held wrongly accountable by a kangaroo court three years after the event? This timely maneuver seems politically motivated, using Hanneman and the MPD as reason to discredit Frey in the eyes of the public before the November elections by a faction that included DFL-endorsed Minneapolis mayoral candidate Fateh.

Denise Saupé, Minneapolis

I am curious why there has been so little attention paid to the testimony of victims of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. There have been 150 women paid from the Epstein estate’s victim compensation fund and as many people identified as underage victims by the Miami Herald’s reporting. Why do we need to interview Maxwell, the convicted abuser, when there are so many credible survivors whose testimony we could use to identify more abusers? Let’s give the power back to the survivors by listening and believing them. Let Maxwell’s reputation be the one that is forever damaged.