Anton Lazzaro, a young Republican strategist and former congressional campaign manager in Minnesota, was arrested on underage sex trafficking charges Thursday morning, according to federal law enforcement.
Lazzaro, an occasional Fox News guest who flaunted his wealthy lifestyle on social media, was indicted on five counts of sex trafficking of a minor, one count of attempting to do so, and three counts of obstruction of justice. The FBI confirmed its agents had arrested Lazzaro in Minneapolis this morning. And the indictment was unsealed in federal court Thursday afternoon during his initial appearance in federal court in St. Paul, Minnesota, which took place over a video conference.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Becky R. Thorson ordered that Lazzaro remain jailed until a court hearing next week, after prosecutors claimed six victims had asked for additional protection from Lazzaro.
“It’s their strong wish that the United States proceed with a recommendation of detention,” Thorson said of the alleged victims.
The indictment accuses Lazzaro of having “recruited” at least five underage victims for paid sex between May and December last year, and trying to entice a sixth. It also says he “knowingly and intentionally interfered” with the investigation as it closed in on him.
The feds have yet to arrest a second person under investigation, who is mentioned as a co-conspirator in the indictment but not identified.
The FBI raided Lazzaro’s luxury condo in mid-December last year, and agents had sought evidence concerning whom he had brought home into the Hotel Ivy residences in downtown Minneapolis, according to three sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Law enforcement served the condo building’s management company with a search warrant seeking Lazzaro’s bank records and video surveillance footage a week before the raid, according to a person with direct knowledge. The search warrant appears in federal court records but remains sealed. The prosecutors working on this case did not return phone calls seeking further detail.
A few observations:
Today, following GOP strategist Anton Lazzaro's arrest for child trafficking, we are calling on Minnesota Republican officials, candidates, and organizations to donate the over $150,000 they received from Lazzaro to anti-trafficking organizations.https://t.co/y1NXggo1hz
— Minnesota DFL Party (@MinnesotaDFL) August 12, 2021
Kudos to elected GOP officials like Congressman Tom Emmer and State Senators Karin Housley & Mary Kiffmeyer for essentially taking those very steps.
MNGOP Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan and her husband Congressman Jim Hagedorn are very closely associated with Anton Lazzaro.
— Rebecca Brannon (@RebsBrannon) August 12, 2021
Lazzaro funded her first run for chair and reelections. pic.twitter.com/jHYxH3sR44
About 12+ hours after this story broke, Carnahan finally got around to making an official statement. Let's just say it was found wanting.
"If the allegations against Mr. Anton Lazzaro are true, this is an abhorrent act that we condemn in the highest possible terms.
"The Republican Party of Minnesota will be donating the contributions that Mr. Lazzaro has given our organization to charity.
"Sex trafficking is a heinous act that preys on victims of all ages, races, and backgrounds, and warrants severe punishment by our judicial system. A full investigation is necessary to ensure due process is provided to all parties involved."
Some have estimated that Lazzaro's financial contributions to the state party and various local units totaled nearly $200,000. Given the latest financial outlook of the MNGOP, it's highly unlikely they'd be able to scare up that kind of cash. Not mentioned in Carnahan's statement is the money she raked in from Lazzaro in her three different campaigns for state chair.
While I'd be hard pressed to believe Carnahan et al had intimate knowledge of Lazzaro's activities, it's not a stretch to believe they'd be blinded to what many sensed was a general creepiness given the financial clout he had to help the party.
- Chairwoman Carnahan needs to resign her position, posthaste.
If she honestly believes Minnesota is better off having more Republicans elected, Carnahan's presence inhibits what was already a formidable task for statewide GOP candidates in 2022 (i.e. breaking a 16-year losing streak). That's just a fact. And with the MN State Fair starting in two weeks, how awkward will it be for GOP officials to be visiting the party's booth with Carnahan hanging around? I know the midterm elections aren't until next year but a scandal of this magnitude isn't going down the memory hole.
You know a saga like this is perilous when some activists are actually pining for the days of a Chairman Tony Sutton.
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That's the trouble with Republicans. ANY minor moral failing, no matter how remotely linked to one of ours, and we "cancel" that person. Never mind how effective they have been at their job, or could be, we have to go looking for the next brass-plated idiot with the "perfect" past to install in their place. Couldn't we be a LITTLE like Democrats, where fooling around is more of a badge of honor than a disqualification?
ReplyDeleteThis isn't a hill to die upon, Jerry. Carnahan needs to go. Fair or unfair, the GOP has ZERO shot to win any meaningful races as long as Carnahan remains GOP Chair.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the purpose of a state party? To help their candidates win elections. I think it's fair to say that whomever inhibits that goal needs to move on. That's not "canceling," that's enhancing your organization's chances to achieve its goals.
Forget the connection with Lazzaro for a minute. Her creating a toxic work environment and then squandering party resources by asking fired employees to signs NDAs in exchange for $10,000 is alone a good enough reason to move on. How many tens of thousands have been wasted that could've helped candidates in tight races?
You seem to have information I do not have, so I cannot get to where you are. I object mostly on principle, that Republicans need to stop shooting our own horses, just because some Democrat accuses one of us of some sort of "moral turpitude." Constructive criticism or better yet, HELP is preferable. We cannot be doing this constant OJT with our selected leaders and candidates. And "ZERO shot" is a bit hyperbolic, don't you think? Surely the other 100,000 of us GOP activists matter?
ReplyDeleteWe're not gonna agree on this, Jerry. The bottom line is the GOP brand is radioactive as long as Carnahan remains Chair. I don't give a flying f--k what Democrats do or say about this and neither do GOP elected officials who are calling for her resignation. The party needs to disassociate themselves from an alleged sex trafficker. The fact he was part of Carnahan's inner circle makes it clear she has to move on. If she doesn't, then she truly does not care if Republicans get wiped out in 2022, which will certainly happen.
ReplyDeleteThe bottom line is this isn't a court of law (i.e. innocent until proven guilty), it's politics. And given the MN GOP always has a disadvantage in the political realm, it is of zero benefit to to try to whitewash this by stumping for Carnahan.
Hi Brad. What procedures or processes might be put in place to help insure that dirty money is never accepted by the Republican Party, in the future? Might large donors be asked to voluntarily disclose all of their sources of revenue?
ReplyDeleteWhat procedures or processes might be put in place to help insure that dirty money is never accepted by the Republican Party, in the future? Might large donors be asked to voluntarily disclose all of their sources of revenue?
ReplyDeleteI have no idea, but that doesn't seem relevant to this case. Lazzaro was wealthy via inheritance and investments long before the trafficking allegations.
I think the big lesson to be learned here is for political party officials to never become too chummy with big dollar donors.
And yet, "being chummy" is exactly what is called for. Like it or not, money drives politics and political success, and Carnahan has done that very well. There are ample procedural safeguards on accepting donations from anybody, especially big donors, and the Party is following them in this case. I just don't see how this "rises to the level of impeachment" nor do I see this as a reason to re-litigate the recent chair election, especially considering the candidates involved in that. We'll see what the Exec Committee does, but it seems to me if they ordered a financial audit, and reviewed the policy on NDAs, that would resolve the real issues one way or the other. A bright light, rather than a wrecking ball.
ReplyDeleteA bright light, rather than a wrecking ball.
ReplyDeleteBoth need to happen.
" I don't give a flying f--k what Democrats do or say about this and neither do GOP elected officials who are calling for her resignation." Maybe this is the "BOTH" you are looking for? By saying our "brand is radioactive" you are saying that what Democrats and the media say about us is the utmost consideration, and we have to get past that sort of "cancel culture" mentality. The audit and HR review have been ordered, and if any of those prove mismanagement by Carnahan, then and only then will her ouster seem appropriate to me. Instead, what we have allowed to happen is that a little negative publicity, guilt by association, and a whole flock of "#metoo" charges have made it impossible for her to continue, regardless of whether that proves to be the "correct" decision. The additional resignations are part of the "wrecking ball" that we do not need.
ReplyDelete