Minnesota fraud is shaping the early contours of the state’s next gubernatorial race as Attorney General Keith Ellison reportedly considers a run following Gov. Tim Walz’s exit. Minnesota Fraud concerns intensified after Walz ended his campaign amid fallout from a sprawling Somali welfare fraud scheme that occurred under his administration.
A person familiar with Ellison’s thinking told the Star Tribune that the attorney general is weighing a bid for governor. After Walz announced he would not seek reelection, Ellison praised him as a “remarkable leader” who left a “legacy to be damn proud of.” Walz’s departure followed growing public dissatisfaction with fraud in state-run programs.
Ellison’s possible entry into the race comes as his own record faces renewed scrutiny. Critics have pointed to a December 2021 meeting between Ellison and representatives from Feeding Our Future, a nonprofit later exposed as the center of a major federal fraud case. Feeding Our Future was organized by a group of mostly Somali immigrants and was used to siphon money from a federal child nutrition program.
During that meeting, Ellison told the group he was “here to help” and offered to intervene with state officials who were blocking funding applications. Nine days later, Ellison accepted four campaign contributions totaling $10,000 from individuals connected to the organization. When federal prosecutors later moved forward with indictments, Ellison’s office stated it had worked “for two solid years” to hold Feeding Our Future accountable. Ellison later acknowledged he was unaware a federal investigation was already “in full swing” at the time of the meeting.
Federal authorities have since brought 78 indictments, with investigators uncovering similar Somali-related fraud across other welfare programs. Walz’s exit followed polling showing 79 percent of registered voters viewed fraud as either the biggest or a major problem in Minnesota. Nearly seven in ten said Walz needed to “do more” to stop it.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar is also reportedly considering a gubernatorial run and has taken early steps signaling interest in the race.
