by Jim Schultz

When the Feeding Our Future scandal broke, Minnesotans were rightfully outraged. More than $250 million—taxpayer dollars meant to feed low-income children during the pandemic—was instead funneled into luxury cars, real estate, and personal enrichment. It was the largest COVID-era fraud in the country and the largest fraud in Minnesota history. As federal (not state) prosecutors secured convictions and dismantled the criminal enterprise, one question has lingered: Where was Minnesota’s chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General Keith Ellison?

Now we know. Bill Glahn and the Center of the American Experiment obtained this week an audio recording of a December 2021 meeting held by Ellison with individuals associated with Feeding Our Future. From that we know that Ellison was not only absent in holding Feeding Our Future officials accountable, but that he lied to the people of Minnesota about his role in the fraud and in fact planned to go to bat with state agencies to support individuals associated with the fraud.

First, the dishonesty. In that 54-minute meeting, reportedly held inside his official government office with individuals later indicted in the Feeding Our Future case, Ellison is caught on tape admitting: “This is the first I’m really hearing about it” (30:38 mark), and “[t]his has not come to my attention until now” (37:08 mark).

These statements flatly contradict what Ellison told the public less than a year later. In a September 2022 press release, Ellison claimed: “For two solid years, Attorney General Ellison’s office has been holding Feeding Our Future accountable”.

The lie is obvious. Ellison told the public he’d been working on this case since 2020. But the tape—dated Dec. 11, 2021—proves he hadn’t even heard about it until then. Ellison did his best to rewrite history to shield himself from political fallout.

Back in 2022, during my campaign for attorney general against Ellison, I argued that either Keith Ellison was asleep at the wheel or he had willfully ignored massive fraud—possibly because those connected to the scheme were helping to fund his campaign. My campaign called it out in real time, and now it has been confirmed beyond doubt.

What’s even more disturbing than the dishonesty is how cozy Ellison became with the very people he should have been investigating. The meeting, which included now-convicted fraudsters like Salim Said (co-owner of Safari Restaurant), quickly turned to contributions to Ellison’s campaign. Attendees discussed fundraising for Ellison’s campaign. One promised to raise money for “elected officials who are interested in protecting communities of color” (6:30 mark), to which Ellison responded, “That’s right” (13:29 mark).

Nine days later, on Dec. 20, 2021, Ellison accepted $10,000 in campaign contributions from individuals tied to that very meeting.

Instead of acting as a watchdog for taxpayers, Ellison sided with the insiders. In the recording, he calls state agency oversight “piddly, stupid stuff” (9:07 mark), sympathizes with claims of racism by alleged fraudsters (8:15–9:50), and promises to use his office to “fight these people”—referring to the other state regulators trying to do their job (45:00 mark).

Let’s not forget: the attorney general is supposed to be the lawyer for the state of Minnesota. That includes the Minnesota Department of Education, which appears to have made some effort—however clumsily—to halt the fraud. Instead, Ellison treated them like enemies and promised to go to war on behalf of people now convicted of defrauding taxpayers.

The Feeding Our Future scandal didn’t just reveal how porous Minnesota’s oversight systems are—it laid bare the political networks that shield fraudsters from scrutiny and funnel taxpayer dollars to the well-connected. And Ellison was complicit.

Ultimately, as federal prosecutors filed indictments against dozens of defendants for their alleged roles in the $250 million fraud, Ellison announced that his office’s contribution to the effort was … calling the FBI and sending a civil investigative demand. That’s it. No criminal charges from his office. No independent state-led investigation. No invocation of the Minnesota RICO Act—which the AG has explicit authority to prosecute under § 609.902, Subd. 9. No use of powerful statutes like Minn. Stat. § 609.465 (Presenting False Claims to Public Officer) or Minn. Stat. § 609.52 (Theft). Just press releases and political theater, delivered months after he had actively supported the fraudsters.

Minnesotans should be furious. Ellison told Minnesotans that he was the people’s lawyer. Instead, we got a politician who looks the other way when his allies are involved, then rewrites the record when caught.

This is why, during my campaign, I set out a plan to crack down on nonprofit fraud, overhaul the attorney general’s charities division, and prosecute those who steal from taxpayers, whoever they are.

Minnesota needs more than an AG who shows up for press conferences. We need one who shows up for the truth and for the people who elected him.

Keith Ellison lied. He lied about what he knew. He lied about when he knew it. He lied to cover up a failure that cost Minnesotans a quarter of a billion dollars. And he actively supported the fraudsters.

Now that the truth is on tape, the only question is whether Minnesotans will hold him accountable.

Jim Schultz is President of the Minnesota Private Business Council, has been a professor of constitutional law at the University of St. Thomas, and was the Republican nominee for Attorney General in 2022. Follow him on X @JimForMN.

Jim Schultz: Keith Ellison’s denials and dishonesty in the Feeding Our Future scandal

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