Fair Campaign Practices Act Complaint Against 6B Rep. Heintzeman Dismissed

A complaint alleging District 6B state Rep. Josh Heintzeman violated the Fair Campaign Practices Act has been dismissed by an administrative law judge.

Troy Scheffler, who is running as a third-party candidate in the District 6B race, alleged that Heintzeman pressured Pequot Lakes Police Chief Mike Davis into supporting him.

Davis said he felt intimidated by Heintzeman after the lawmaker made several calls to him, as well as law enforcement agencies and the mayor, after Davis signed a petition for Scheffler to enter the 6B race as a third-party candidate. Scheffler alleged in his complaint that Heintzeman violated laws by indirectly threatening Davis with a loss of employment.

Judge Megan McKenzie heard testimony on the matter earlier this week and issued an order for dismissal on Friday. She said the evidence does not establish a link between Heintzeman’s phone calls and compelling Davis to cast his ballot in a certain way.

McKenzie said in her decision that in his own testimony, Davis said he was never told by anyone to vote a certain way or given the impression he would be fired if he did not vote for Heintzeman.

Lakeland News spoke with Scheffler on Friday, who sent us a lengthy email where as part of it, he says he is planning to appeal the decision.

“I challenge anyone paying attention to square the judge’s finding, ‘Chief Davis stated that he was never told by anyone to vote in a certain way or given the impression that he would be fired if he did not vote for Respondent or against Complainant.’ with the sworn affidavit by Chief Davis asserting the complete opposite,” he noted.

Lakeland News also spoke with Heintzeman, and he released a statement saying he is thankful that the court was “very thorough and deliberate and recognized that the facts did not support Scheffler’s argument for further action and dismissed another frivolous campaign lawsuit attack.”