Michael O. Freeman

Who is Michael O. Freeman?

Michael O. "Mike" Freeman is an attorney and politician 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. He is the son of Orville Freeman, who was a former Minnesota governor and Secretary of Agriculture under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.

A Democrat, Freeman was elected to the Minnesota Senate in 1982, representing the old District 40, which included the cities of Richfield and East Bloomington in Hennepin County. He was re-elected in 1986, serving as Majority Whip during his second term. 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.

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.

Freeman ran twice for governor of Minnesota. In 1994 he lost the DFL Party endorsement to John Marty.