Attorneys in Klobuchar's office ask their union not to endorse her

(AP) MINNEAPOLIS - The local union representing the staff of Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar is asking its parent group, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, not to endorse her in her bid for the U.S. Senate.

Jim Appleby, an assistant Hennepin County attorney and local union president, said in a letter to union leaders this month that Klobuchar had denigrated lawyers at her office publicly and privately, taken credit for their work and "created a hostile work environment."

The two-page letter said Klobuchar's management style had resulted in increased grievances and that she used successfully prosecuted cases to give the public the false impression that she was actively involved in those cases.

The local union represents more than 300 employees in the office, including investigators, paralegals and all 112 of its non-management attorneys.

"Has it made some people angry that I've done some things differently? Yes," said Klobuchar, who held the office since 1999.

Klobuchar said the focus of the discontent seemed to be last year's contract negotiations and the charge that she did not support a wage increase for those employees.

But Appleby disagreed.

"It's about how our people are treated in the workplace," he said.

He said the union also asked that Klobuchar be denied endorsement in 2002, when she was running for re-election. That request was ignored, he said.

Veterinarian Ford Bell is also seeking to be the DFL nominee. The likely Republican candidate is U.S. Rep. Mark Kennedy, who faces only token opposition in his own party.