As allegations of fraud sweep Minnesota’s Somali community, some local politicians who identify with it and have long benefitted from its campaign contributions may find themselves in a tough place.
People of Somali descent working in autism services, child care, and elder assistance, three areas that have recently been hit with accusations of foul play, donate tens of thousands of dollars to Somali politicians in Minnesota each year, all of them Democrats. State Sen. Omar Fateh, a 2025 Minneapolis mayoral candidate, and a handful of Somali state legislators have been among the biggest beneficiaries of such funds.
Somali community care providers have donated at least $138,000 to Minnesota politicians of Somali descent since 2020, according to a Washington Examiner analysis of state and Minneapolis municipal campaign finance records…