External investigation to be conducted in Duluth Mayor’s girlfriend’s role in city business

Duluth City Administrator Dave Montgomery has called for an external investigation into reports that Mayor Roger Reinert’s girlfriend and campaign manager, Amber Gruske, was involved in city business.

Montgomery spoke briefly on the matter at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, October 15, saying that the city attorney’s office has completed its investigation.

“I have complete confidence in the impartiality of the city attorney’s office in their investigation,” said Montogomery. “That being said, in effort to be completely transparent, I’ve directed the city attorney’s office to engage an independent attorney to conduct an outside investigation.”

Back in September, the Minnesota Star Tribune and Duluth Monitor reported that Gurske, a marketing manager for AMSOIL, asked Duluth city staff to take action on some matters. As per reports, emails showed her reaching out to city staff directly on multiple occasions without going through the proper channels.

Michelle Soldo of Soldo Consulting will be running the independent investigation,

The City of Duluth declined to comment further. See Mayor Reinert’s previously issued statement.