Minnesota Attorney General Under Scrutiny Amid Fraud Scandal and Environmental Ties

A massive fraud investigation has thrust Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison into the spotlight, reviving questions about his controversial connections to progressive environmental causes and his office’s handling of a significant pandemic-era fraud case.

The federal investigation focuses on what prosecutors describe as one of the largest pandemic relief fraud schemes in the country, where hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars meant to feed children during the COVID-19 pandemic were allegedly misappropriated. The scandal, centered around the nonprofit Feeding Our Future, has brought renewed attention to Ellison’s political affiliations and decision-making.

Ellison, who has served as attorney general since 2019 following more than a decade in Congress, has publicly denounced the fraud as “a truly despicable act.” However, controversy has emerged over a 2021 meeting between Ellison and Somali community figures connected to Feeding Our Future.

In audio recordings previously obtained by Fox News Digital, attendees at that meeting discussed securing additional funding before pivoting to political donations ahead of Ellison’s 2022 reelection campaign. One attendee can be heard saying, “The only way that we can protect what we have is by inserting ourselves into the political arena… putting our dollars in the right place,” referencing support for candidates who would “protect our interests.” Ellison responded with “That’s right.”

The attorney general has firmly denied any wrongdoing, stating he had no knowledge of the alleged crimes at the time. In an April 2025 op-ed in the Minnesota Star Tribune, Ellison maintained he took the meeting “in good faith” and “did nothing for them and took nothing from them.”

The fraud scandal has intensified scrutiny of Ellison’s environmental policy positions and partnerships. Since taking office, Ellison has pursued an aggressive climate agenda, accusing oil companies of “decades of deception and disinformation” and filing consumer protection lawsuits against major energy corporations like ExxonMobil.

Central to these concerns are Ellison’s relationships with specialized environmental law firms and advocacy groups. In 2020, court filings show Ellison requested that a U.S. District Court allow partners from Sher Edling, a California-based law firm specializing in climate litigation, to serve as outside counsel. The firm represents numerous Democrat-led states and municipalities in lawsuits targeting oil and gas companies for allegedly misleading the public about climate change.

Additionally, Ellison’s office has collaborated with a New York University program backed by billionaire climate activist Michael Bloomberg to place climate fellows in attorneys general offices across at least ten states. Documents from Ellison’s office identify at least one attorney serving as a “Special Assistant Attorney General” through NYU’s State Energy & Environmental Impact Center.

These arrangements have drawn criticism from Republican lawmakers at both state and federal levels. In July 2025, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer announced an investigation into the NYU program, citing ethics concerns about left-wing interest groups potentially influencing climate policy decisions.

Minnesota House Republicans have also questioned the independence and influence of these arrangements. In a 2024 letter, state lawmakers expressed concern about Ellison’s decision to bring in Sher Edling under an incentive-based fee agreement while already employing two Special Assistant Attorneys General working full-time on climate litigation.

Ellison has defended these partnerships, arguing they were necessary to bolster his office’s capacity to handle complex climate litigation against well-resourced opponents. “I engaged Sher Edling to ensure that the AGO has sufficient bench strength to handle the case in discovery and trial. The defendants in the case have currently engaged seven law firms, and more than a dozen attorneys are representing the defendants,” he wrote in response to lawmakers.

As investigations into the Feeding Our Future scandal continue, Ellison remains at the center of overlapping controversies that highlight tensions between progressive policy priorities and concerns about political influence and accountability in state government.