Minneapolis DFL loses appeal over Fateh mayoral endorsement

DFL denounces Fateh endorsement for Mpls mayor

The Minnesota DFL has revoked Omar Fateh's endorsement in the race for Minneapolis mayor. Fateh received the endorsement after a convention in July that some describe as chaotic. FOX 9's Mike Manzoni has the latest.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - In a virtual hearing on Monday night, the Minneapolis DFL unsuccessfully challenged the Minnesota DFL’s decision to revoke its endorsement of State Sen. Omar Fateh.

Minneapolis DFL loses appeal, says organizer’s stroke complicated convention

What we know:

The Minneapolis DFL made its case to state party leaders that the decision to revoke its endorsement of Fateh exceeded its authority.

The Minnesota DFL, whose Constitution, Bylaws and Rules Committee, or CBRC, rescinded the endorsement in August, determined that the panel did not make any errors. In a separate decision, party leaders also voted to empanel a subcommittee to ensure that the Minneapolis DFL complies with convention rules in the future.

"Our main operator suffered a stroke during the convention and was no longer really even able to even communicate about the issues much less fix them herself," explained John Maraist, the Minneapolis DFL chair. In his appeal, he challenged the party’s decision to revoke Fateh’s endorsement, accused committee members of having "clear personal interests" in the outcome and refuted allegations that convention organizers lost or did not secure records.

Committee co-chair calls convention ‘substantially flawed’

In his rebuttal, Tim O’Brien, co-chair of the committee that revoked the endorsement, said: "The CBRC concluded that significant irregularities in the endorsement process compelled the revocation of the endorsement of Omar Fateh. The first and only ballot for mayoral endorsement was substantially flawed."

Fateh loses endorsement

The backstory:

Sen. Fateh won the Minneapolis DFL's endorsement in the mayoral race in July.

However, the endorsement was challenged by current Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey's campaign, which raised questions about errors during the voting process at the convention.

In August, the state DFL's Constitution, Bylaws, and Rules Committee overturned the endorsement. Earlier this month, the Minneapolis DFL filed an appeal of the decision.

What they're saying:

In its initial complaint, the Frey campaign raised a number of issues with the convention process, including issues with the voting system. On the first ballot vote for the mayor's endorsement, the Frey campaign said there was a significant under-count of ballots.

The rules committee found that 176 votes out of nearly 1,000 delegates and alternatives, had not been counted on the first ballot. The committee also determined that candidate DeWayne Davis had been wrongfully dropped after the first ballot.

Because of the issues with the voting system, the state DFL committee revoked Fateh's endorsement. The committee also prohibited the party from reconvening its convention or endorsing a mayoral candidate.

Decision appealed

The other side:

In its appeal, the Minneapolis DFL raised several issues over the rules committee's decision.

First, they accused some committee members of having conflicts of interest that should have required them to be removed from the committee decision.

The Minneapolis DFL also questioned the facts the committee used in its findings and accused the state DFL of overstepping its authority by barring them from reconvening.

They are fighting for the endorsement to be restored.