UPDATED, June 1, 4:43 pm. The short answer is yes, Rep. Grossell, R-Clearwater, was in Bemidji. A fuller explanation is given by the local sheriff in our latest post, Beltrami Co. Sheriff addresses rumors and misinformation; Grossell presence confirmed [end update].
A reader sent us the screenshot above as evidence of a rumor circulating in Bemidji that state representative Matt Grossell, R-Clearbrook, was out with a vigilante group that claimed to be out during the city's curfew with the blessing of local law enforcement.
Smith is the owner of Off Grid Armory, a Clearwater Countygun shop and range. The comment appears to have been deleted from his page.
Also deleted or no longer public? The original Off Grid Armory Facebook page post that prompted the discussion above (when it was shared to Smith's page, we're told):
It's probably best for Smith to take that material offline.
We've called Representative Grossell's cell phone asking about Smith's claim that the state representative was indeed with Smith's crew.
A friend in Bemidji recommended that we call the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office about whether "law enforcement gave [them] a post to guard." The person at dispatch told us "absolutely not" had any such arrangements for vigilantes to be posted been made.
We were directed to another number where we could leave our contact information to receive a press release tomorrow.
Bluestem also reached out to Mayor Rita Albrecht via Twitter direct message. Albrecht directed us to a statement on her Facebook page:
Note the paragraph:
Albrecht noted in our exchange "We did not request nor condone these self-appointed security." She also wrote that she had heard Grossell was there, but didn't confirm that he was in fact in the vehicle with Smith.
She did note that Grossell had tried to participate in curfew planning:
We had ICS [Incident Command Structure] stood up. He requested to sit in. Our [Police] Chief said no.
We stood up on alert to be prepared for credible information about harm to public buildings and businesses.
Albrecht also shared her statement on Twitter:
The city was quiet last night, in part because we imposed a curfew and our PD had prepared well. Here's my update from earlier today. pic.twitter.com/Xmy0zfcv6q
— Rita Albrecht (@RitaforSenate) May 31, 2020
We'll update this post as we receive more information.
Grossell last appeared on Bluestem Prairie in our March post Minnesota state representative Matt Grossell's hot microphone stands out on House floor in which Grossell said that a cattle prod was needed on the house floor.
The Clearbrook Republican gained statewide notoriety when he "was arrested for trespassing [one[ Saturday morning when he refused to leave a hospital he’d been taken to after acting disorderly and intoxicated and pushing a security guard at a local hotel," as the Pioneer Press reported at the time.
In July, KTTC reported Minnesota lawmaker removed from committees after trespassing arrest (disorderly conduct was added to the charges. City Pages noted Minnesota state rep keeps paying for one very hammered night in St. Paul.
Grossell is a retired law enforcement officer, having served as a Clearwater County sheriff's deputy.
Related posts:
- In more sober moments than Saturday morning, lawmaker has more respect for hospital staff
- Minnesota state representative Matt Grossell may not want any more Muslim colleagues elected
- MN2A GOP candidate shares views of Pope, LGBT & black people & Muslims on Facebook
- Republican tells Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey 'Don't touch me' [VIDEO] [City Pages]
Screengrabs: Sent to Bluestem. We saw the Off Grid Armory post ourselves, but not the Smith comment. Several sources saw the latter, so we ran it.
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