When Sen. Amy Klobuchar launched her campaign for president on Sunday, the Minnesota Democrat did something she has done often in her two-decade career in politics—invoked her past as a criminal prosecutor.
Klobuchar’s experience as the top law enforcer for Minnesota’s most populous county has long been a sterling credential for her in politics: It burnished her image as a no-nonsense public servant who cracked down on crime, guns, and child and elder abuse after being elected to clean up a place with the notorious nickname “Murderapolis.”
In her eight-year term, from 1999 to 2007, Klobuchar embraced a “tough on crime” approach that was widely practiced by law enforcement at the time. She put drug offenders behind bars more frequently and for longer stretches, sharply increased the prosecution of repeat offenders, and launched campaigns against graffiti and vandalism.
