Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison assigned lead role on George Floyd case

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz confirmed Sunday that state Attorney General Keith Ellison will take the lead role in the cases related to George Floyd’s death.

Walz reportedly appointed Ellison, a former congressman, amid concerns that the attorney in Hennepin County, where Floyd died after being arrested by police, couldn’t fairly or impartially prosecute the case. 

One officer has been charged with murder and manslaughter in connection with Floyd’s death.

Floyd died May 29 after the officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeled on Floyd’s neck during an arrest. Chauvin and three other arresting officers were immediately fired after the incident, which has sparked nationwide protests.

Ellison’s son, Jeremiah Ellison, who is a member of the Minneapolis City Council, on Sunday tweeted his support for Antifa, which has been connected to some of the violence and destruction in the protests.

Ellison’s declaration follows President Trump saying his administration will declare Antifa a “terrorist organization.”

"I hereby declare, officially, my support for ANTIFA," Jeremiah Ellison tweeted. "Unless someone can prove to me ANTIFA is behind the burning of black and immigrant owned businesses in my ward, I’ll keep focusing on stopping the white power terrorist THE ARE ACTUALLY ATTACKING US!"

During a "Fox News Sunday" appearance this past weekend, Ellison condemned the destructive behavior in Minneapolis.

"What we really need to do is refocus on justice for Mr. Floyd," he said Sunday. "And the negative behavior, looting, arson, does not help us achieve that goal."

Ellison, who is also a former deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee, has for years faced criticism about his possible connections to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who has a long history of anti-Semitic remarks. 

Ellison reportedly defended Farrakhan against accusations of anti-Semitism before renounced the Nation of Islam when running for Congress in 2006.