Minnesota’s political establishment is facing renewed criticism after newly surfaced records revealed that several prominent Democrats accepted tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions tied to one of the biggest welfare fraud scandals in American history.
According to the New York Post, more than $53,000 in political donations flowed to officials, including Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Rep. Ilhan Omar, and Minneapolis City Councilman Jeremiah Ellison.
All of the contributions came from individuals later accused or convicted of participating in a sweeping scheme that siphoned off roughly $250 million in taxpayer funds meant to feed children during the pandemic.
The payments raise questions about how deeply the fraudsters embedded themselves into Minnesota politics — and how much elected leaders knew at the time.
Ellison’s campaign reported a surge of cash just days after he met with Somali business leaders on Dec. 11, 2021 — a meeting that included two men later indicted in the scandal.
“I’m not here because I think it’s going to help my re-election,” he told attendees, according to audio published by the Center of the American Experiment.
But within 72 hours, Ellison’s re-election fund accepted four maximum $2,500 donations linked to Feeding Our Future, including one from Gandi Mohamed, who faces federal bribery and fraud charges. Critics say that it should have prompted swift action.
“Amazingly, Ellison has done nothing about the fraud, and he’s the top cop in the state,” said Policy Fellow Bill Glahn.
Ellison’s spokesman insists the attorney general immediately returned any contributions once he learned of their origins, and denies that anyone present at the 2021 meeting donated to the campaign.
The controversy intensified on Wednesday, when House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer sent letters to Gov. Tim Walz and Ellison demanding answers about widespread failures in Minnesota’s social services programs.
Federal investigators have already charged 75 people, making it the largest welfare fraud prosecution in U.S. history.
Omar is also under scrutiny after receiving $7,400 from individuals later convicted in the scheme.
Her campaign returned the money in 2022 and says she did not know about the fraud, despite her long-standing ties to members of the Somali business community — including introducing the legislation that expanded access to the meal programs exploited in the scam.
The scandal even spilled into mayoral politics. Frey’s re-election effort took in $9,000 from nine defendants, while his challenger, state Sen. Omar Fateh, received $11,000 from the same circles. Their campaigns claim the contributions were refunded.
Other recipients included Ellison’s son Jeremiah, who returned $3,000; State Sen. John Hoffman, who refunded $3,000; and former state Rep. John Thompson, who accepted $1,000.
Even campaigns outside Minnesota were touched — Seattle-based Democrat Shukri Olow collected $8,750 from donors later charged in the case.
Federal prosecutors say the fraud flourished because Minnesota continued pumping money into Feeding Our Future even as red flags piled up. With threats of litigation from some of the same businesses later implicated, oversight stalled, and the money flowed.
Now, with dozens of convictions and more charges expected, the political reverberations are only beginning.
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