Michael O. Freeman
Michael Orville Freeman (born May 7, 1948) is an American lawyer from the state of Minnesota. He is currently the county attorney for Hennepin County, the most populous county in the state, of which the county seat is Minneapolis.[1]
Michael O. Freeman | |
|---|---|
 | |
| County Attorney of Hennepin County | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Amy Klobuchar |
| In office 1991–1999 | |
| Preceded by | Tom Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Amy Klobuchar |
| Member of the Minnesota Senate from the 40th district | |
| In office 1983–1991 | |
| Succeeded by | Phil Riveness |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Michael Orville Freeman May 7, 1948 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Relations | Orville Freeman (father) |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | Rutgers University (BA) University of Minnesota (JD) |
| Occupation | Attorney, politician |
Early life and education
Freeman received a Bachelor of Arts from Rutgers University in 1970 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1974.[2] He is the son of Jane Shields and Orville Freeman, who was a Minnesota governor and Secretary of Agriculture under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.[3]
Career
A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, Freeman was elected to the Minnesota Senate in 1982, representing the old District 40, which included the city of Richfield and a portion of Bloomington in Hennepin County. He was re-elected in 1986, serving as Majority Whip during his second term (1987–1991). He was also vice chair of the Finance Committee from 1987 to 1991, and of the Economic Development and Commerce Committee from 1983 to 1986. He also chaired the Economic Development Subcommittee from 1983 to 1986.[2]
Freeman was elected Hennepin County Attorney in 1990, serving until 1999. He again ran for and was elected county attorney by a wide margin in 2006, after incumbent Amy Klobuchar opted to run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Mark Dayton.[1]
Freeman ran twice for governor of Minnesota. In 1994 he lost the DFL Party endorsement to John Marty. Marty was later defeated in the general election by incumbent Governor Arne Carlson. In 1998 he won the DFL Party endorsement but lost the primary election to Skip Humphrey, who went on to lose the general election to Jesse Ventura.[1]
In 2019, Freeman took a short leave of absence to enter a treatment program for alcohol addiction.[4]
References
- "Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Legislator Record - Freeman, Michael O". Leg.state.mn.us. Retrieved July 20, 2010.
- "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 22, 2011. Retrieved September 25, 2009.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- Stout, David (February 22, 2003). "Orville Freeman, 84, Dies - 60's Agriculture Secretary - Obituary; Biography". NYTimes.com. Retrieved July 20, 2010.
- "Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman to enter alcohol treatment". Retrieved May 28, 2020.
External links
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Marty |
Endorsed Gubernatorial Candidate, Minnesota DFL State Convention 1998 |
Succeeded by Roger Moe |