Fire at Minnesota Building That Houses Three Conservative Organizations Being Investigated as Arson

MIKE LACHANCE

FEB 3, 2024 9:30 AM

One of the offices affected here is that of the Powerline blog. This sure does look like they were targeted.

Fire at building housing 3 conservative organizations being investigated as arsonFederal and local agencies are investigating a fire that broke out early Sunday morning in an office building in Golden Valley that houses three of the state’s most prominent conservative organizations.Ashlee Sherrill, public information officer for the St. Paul Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), did not provide details or indicate who, or if anyone, was targeted but confirmed the investigation is moving forward as an “arson investigation.”John Hinderaker, president of the Center of the American Experiment (CAE), said based on the location of the fires in the building, it appears that someone targeted conservative groups.“The fires were obviously set by someone. They targeted conservative organizations. They didn’t firebomb the chiropractors or psychologists or Manufacturers Alliance. We are working with authorities to try to identify the perpetrators,” Hinderaker said.The Golden Valley Fire Department responded to a fire at 8421 Wayzata Blvd. shortly after 2 a.m. Sunday morning, according to the fire department.The nonprofits TakeCharge, CAE, and the Upper Midwest Law Center (UMLC) all rent office space in the building. CAE and TakeCharge are located on the first floor. UMLC is on the third floor. All three organizations advocate for conservative causes across the state and each reported extensive damage.Sherrill said the investigation is a team effort. The FBI, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the Hennepin County Fire Investigation team, and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal Division are all investigating the incident.The building has been deemed uninhabitable and will take months to repair.