An administrative law judge has rejected a complaint filed by Peter Butler against Rick Varco, the sole remaining board member with the St. Paul DFL, alleging violations of the state’s Fair Campaign Practices Act in advance of the Nov. 4 election.
Fliers for two “Vote Yes!” campaigns photographed on Oct. 27, 2025 show that the St. Paul DFL supported both the special school district property tax levy and a charter amendment related to administrative citations. (Frederick Melo / Pioneer Press)
The Oct. 27 complaint alleged that Varco violated a provision of the act when the “Vote Yes for a Fairer St. Paul” campaign sent out a recent mailer urging voters to approve a ballot amendment to the city charter that would allow the city council to create new administrative citations, or non-criminal penalties for violations of city ordinances. Varco serves as the campaign’s treasurer.
The mailer — like another mailer in support of a school district tax levy from the “Vote Yes For Strong Schools” committee — listed the St. Paul DFL among a series of labor unions and progressive organizations supporting a “yes” vote. Butler called the label misleading, noting the citywide DFL party unit is on hiatus, has no chair or vice chair and rescinded its constitution in August.
Butler, in his complaint, “alleges that Varco knew that this claim was false when the mailer was prepared and disseminated.”
On Thursday, Judge James LaFave of the Minnesota Court of Administrative Hearings found insufficient initial or “prima facie” evidence to allow a hearing to move forward, noting nothing in Butler’s complaint showed or even alleged Varco had any involvement with creating the mailers.
“The statute specifically prohibits a ‘person or candidate’ from making a false claim,” reads the judge’s opinion. “Yet, the complaint does not allege that respondent had any direct role in preparing the content of or distributing the mailer. In fact, the complaint does not allege any connection between respondent and the making of the allegedly false claim of support.”
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Acting in place of the St. Paul DFL, the Ramsey County DFL drew together some two dozen members of St. Paul’s four DFL Senate districts for a Sept. 28 vote of support for both ballot questions. Both votes of support passed unanimously.
In addition to the school district property tax levy and the charter amendment, the St. Paul ballot will feature the mayor’s race. The election is Tuesday.
More information about the Nov. 4 election — including how to vote — can be found at twincities.com/news/politics/elections.
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