Report details alleged abuse by Dotseth

Rep. Jeff Dotseth this week denied allegations brought to light in a Minnesota Star Tribune story Monday detailing his “extremely difficult divorce” case 15 years ago. Divorce proceedings in 2008 included affidavits obtained by the Minneapolis-based newspaper. Dotseth’s former wife and her son described repeated physical assaults and abuse since the early 1990s from the man who today represents Carlton County in the Minnesota State Legislature and is seeking a second term in the Nov. 5 election.

Dotseth was arrested in 2008 after his wife reported an assault. According to Sherburne County court records, Dotseth was given a no-contact order, was barred from possessing a firearm, and was allowed only supervised visits with the couple’s daughter. The assault charge was eventually reduced to disorderly conduct, to which Dotseth pleaded guilty.

He denies the subsequent statements made in the ensuing divorce process. “More than 15 years ago I went through an extremely difficult divorce and child custody dispute,” he wrote in a statement to the Pine Knot News. “There were extremely hurtful allegations made against me that I deny, including a sworn affidavit I filed under oath under penalty of perjury.”

The allegations made by the woman and her son against Dotseth — including repeated punching, slapping, choking, and kicking, and threats, according to information in the Star Tribune article — was also sworn testimony. Dotseth’s stepson told the Star Tribune that he wouldn’t comment on the court information, saying he feared for his safety.

The son detailed a repeating pattern of abuse in the court documents, the Star Tribune reported, quoting him from the affidavit: “After his violent outbursts we would always go back to living life, forgive and move on. It was never long before he would find something to get mad about.”

Dotseth’s now ex-wife, according to the reporting on the affidavits, said, “Jeff claims to be a nonviolent person. This is definitely not true.”

Dotseth said this week in his statement to the Pine Knot that, “I now have a cordial relationship with my ex-wife and have worked to put this difficult chapter of my life behind me.”

Debt issues

Part of Dotseth’s ex-wife’s testimony in the assault case, according to the Star Tribune, was about the alleged early abuse in 1993 or 1994, over a dispute related to the trucking business the couple were operating.

Dotseth has been a real estate agent much of his working life.

The court battles didn’t end with the granting of the divorce in 2009. Dotseth later went to court to dispute the amount of child support he was ordered to pay his ex-wife, often confusing the court when asked about his actual self-employment income. The disputes played out in court until at least 2013.

In 2012, Dotseth told a court that if he had the money to pay court fees, he would have filed for bankruptcy. He told the court at the time that he had a $150,000 debt in collections and defaulted on nearly $70,000 in credit card debt, records show. As late as 2022, according to Carlton County court records, Dotseth was forced to settle a credit card debt of $21,594 that he agreed to pay in installments that reach into the year 2025.

DFL response

Minnesota DFL chairman Ken Martin said in a statement that the Star Tribune story revealed “appalling violence and domestic abuse” that was “disqualifying for elected office.”

House Majority Leader Jamie Long said in a news conference Tuesday that “what we’ve learned about Rep. Dotseth’s past is beyond concerning. Dotseth’s behavior, whether it was yesterday or years ago, is unacceptable and not fitting for an elected representative of our state.”

Pete Radosevich, a DFLer from Cloquet running against Dotseth for a second time, issued a statement. “I was sad to learn about the violence and domestic abuse described in the news. It is also disappointing that this violent history was concealed from the voters of our district in the last election.”

Martin said Dotseth’s not revealing the accusations from his past was also “disqualifying.” He added that “the fact that the (son) still fears for his safety today underscores how disqualifying Dotseth’s years of violent and unhinged behavior are for an elected official.”

When asked about the accuracy of the Star Tribune story, Dotseth did not respond.

In the campaign literature Dotseth has used since first running for the 11A house seat in 2018, he states that “family is a cornerstone to his passion to serve all families of this district. He believes that strong families can weather life’s challenges best. He will support and promote all legislative decisions at the capitol that put our families as priority one.”

At the news conference at the state capitol Tuesday, Martin said “no one who has engaged repeatedly in domestic violence, child abuse and threats of murder has any business writing the laws that govern our state.”

Pete Radosevich is an original investor in the Pine Knot News. As in the last election, he is currently on hiatus from participating in any way with newspaper operations, including his regular column.