{"id":2528578,"date":"2026-01-02T13:38:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-02T18:38:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/somali-community-care-providers-donate-thousands-to-somali-politicians\/"},"modified":"2026-01-02T13:41:33","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T18:41:33","slug":"somali-community-care-providers-donate-thousands-to-somali-politicians","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/somali-community-care-providers-donate-thousands-to-somali-politicians\/","title":{"rendered":"Somali community care providers donate thousands to Somali politicians"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsomali-community-care-providers-donate-thousands-to-somali-politicians%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2528578&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>An investigative piece describes how Somali community care providers in Minnesota &#8211; people working in autism services, child care, and elder care &#8211; have donated at least $138,000 to Minnesota politicians of Somali descent since 2020, primarily Democrats.Many donors list themselves as &#8220;self-employed,&#8221; so the true total is likely higher. Key recipients include state Sen. Omar Fateh, former state Rep. Hodan hassan, 2025 mayoral candidate Fateh again, former candidate Abdi Daisane, Rep. Ilhan Omar (when she served in the state House), and Gov. Tim Walz. The donations have coincided with policy advocacy benefiting the Somali community, such as funding for the Somali Museum, protections for gig workers, and support for small-business initiatives.  <\/p>\n<p>Recent federal investigations into large-scale fraud involving Somali-run programs &#8211; including the feeding Our Future school meals scandal and alleged abuses in child-care funding &#8211; have raised concerns that some political contributions may have originated from illicitly obtained public funds; federal prosecutors have suggested the broader scandal could cost taxpayers billions, and the Treasury froze certain <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-admin-expands-funding-freeze-beyond-minnesota-amid-nationwide-child-care-fraud-review\/\" title=\"Trump Admin Expands ... Freeze Beyond ... Amid Nationwide ... ... Review\">federal child-care payments<\/a> to Minnesota.Some politicians who received donations have as redirected funds to charities or returned them, but officials and community leaders now face potential political and social fallout if links between fraud and campaign giving are established.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Somali community care providers are valuable source of campaign cash for Somali politicians<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2044778\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>As allegations of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/minnesota-fraud\/\">fraud<\/a> sweep <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/minnesota\/\">Minnesota<\/a>&rsquo;s Somali community, some local politicians who identify with and have long benefitted from their campaign contributions may find themselves in a tough place.<\/p>\n<p>People of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/somalia\/\">Somali<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/magazine-features\/4362685\/prices-challenge-ahead-trump-republicans-2026\/\">It&rsquo;s the prices, stupid: The big challenge that lies ahead for Trump and the GOP<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/premium\/4362941\/what-democratic-national-committee-have-hide\/\">What does the Democratic National Committee have to hide?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4393626\/mamdani-democratic-socialist-big-government\/\">Mamdani vows to govern as &#8216;democratic socialist&#8217; and embrace big government<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Somali community care providers have donated at least $138,000 to Minnesota politicians of Somali descent since 2020, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/150pf5eTihCj6VyzpGLYKnjZoWruEHnoMghJcyKxPcoc\/edit?usp=sharing\">according <\/a>to a <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>analysis of state and Minneapolis municipal campaign finance records.<\/p>\n<p>The true quantity of donations is likely much higher, as scores of Somali donors listed their occupations as &ldquo;self-employed&rdquo; without disclosing the industries they work in or providing employment details at all. At least some of these people almost certainly work in community care. While tens of thousands of dollars may not go a long way in federal campaigns, it stretches much further in state and municipal elections.<\/p>\n<p>Many of the Somali politicians receiving these funds themselves were strong advocates of policies that would benefit their community.<\/p>\n<p>Hodan Hassan, who served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2019 to 2025 as a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, for instance, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.startribune.com\/representation-absolutely-matters-historic-class-of-women-shaping-minnesota-policy-budgets\/600044566\/\">helped craft<\/a> legislation that would give women of color resources to help them start businesses. Fateh, meanwhile, used his position as a state senator to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.revisor.mn.gov\/bills\/93\/2023\/0\/SF\/1527\/\">push<\/a> public funding to the Somali Museum of Minnesota, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.house.mn.gov\/sessiondaily\/Story\/18408\">advanced <\/a>expanded protections for the Somali-heavy gig economy, and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mprnews.org\/story\/2021\/01\/04\/hundreds-call-for-justice-for-dolal-idd-at-minneapolis-rally-march\">criticized police officers<\/a> for killing a member of the Somali community after he had shot at law enforcement.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Minnesota Sen. Omar Fateh, of Minneapolis, speaks in support of the North Star Act. (AP Photo\/Trisha Ahmed)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Abdi Daisane, a Somalian who received $10,000 from Somali community care providers between 2023 and 2024 for an ill-fated legislative run, himself <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/12\/29\/us-news\/bad-timing-for-somali-born-day-care-owner-running-for-minnesota-legislature\/\">runs a day care<\/a>. About a quarter of those donations came from his employees. His business has been hit with infractions for failing to collect required medical information from children, failing to prove that staff are adequately trained, and understaffing.<\/p>\n<p>Federal prosecutors <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/12\/21\/media\/feds-say-minnesota-fraud-scandal-could-amount-to-9b-as-critics-cite-local-media-bias\/\">said <\/a>during a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ny-gov-cuomo-shunned-experts-embraced-lobbyists-drove-top-health-officials-to-quit-over-pandemic-response-report\/\" title=\"NY Gov. Cuomo Shunned Experts, Embraced Lobbyists, Drove Top Health Officials To Quit Over Pandemic Response: ...ort\">recent press conference<\/a> that the Minnesota fraud scandal could end up costing taxpayers upwards of $9 billion, with FBI Director Kash Patel <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/12\/28\/us-news\/kash-patel-threatens-somali-scammers-with-denaturalization-deportation-over-uncovered-minnesota-fraud\/\">calling the reports<\/a> of fraud the &ldquo;tip of a very large iceberg.&rdquo; The Trump administration <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4375255\/hhs-child-care-payments-minnesota-fraud\/\">froze <\/a>federal child care payments to Minnesota on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>While no one affiliated with the organizations identified in the most recent wave of fraud allegations has been charged with crimes yet, if charges do come, it could mean that funds obtained by Somalis through defrauding the government have been flowing into the coffers of the Somali politicians to help the Somali community obtain its policy goals.<\/p>\n<p>Such a possibility is far from being a mere hypothetical.<\/p>\n<p>Fateh, for example, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kare11.com\/article\/news\/politics\/who-received-donations-from-feeding-our-future-defendants\/89-37c984f1-fd55-43c9-8366-f84c55797a73\">received <\/a>roughly $11,000 from people implicated in the Feeding Our Future fraud scandal, wherein <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/foreign-nations-poured-millions-into-university-that-houses-biden-institute\/\" title=\"Foreign Nations Poured Millions Into University That Houses Biden Institute\">federal authorities uncovered<\/a> a Somali-run community organization bearing that name of defrauding Minnesota&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >federally funded school nutrition programs<\/a> of over $250 million by billing the programs for millions of meals for poor children who never existed. Dozens have pleaded guilty to their involvement in the scheme.<\/p>\n<p>Fateh, after news broke regarding the scandal, redirected the contributions to local food assistance charities. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), who served in the Minnesota House before being elected to Congress, also <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4364065\/ilhan-omar-obscure-financial-disclosures-under-scrutiny\/\">accepted funds<\/a> from people involved in the plot, which she later gave to community organizations &ldquo;out of an abundance of caution.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), who stands accused of allowing fraud to proliferate under his watch, has himself <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4379153\/walz-received-10k-from-donors-tied-somali-run-care-centers\/\">received thousands<\/a> of dollars from people linked to Somali-operated community care centers. Some of these donors have been caught up in past fraud schemes.<\/p>\n<p>The governor, for instance, received $2,750 from two Somalians employed by Best Care Home Health Care. In 2023, a judge ruled that the adult care center had improperly collected $2.23 million in Minnesota Health Care Program funds. Federal prosecutors accused Nazneen Khatoon, one of Walz&rsquo;s donors, in a 2002 lawsuit of billing Medicare on behalf of other providers who were not eligible for public reimbursements, then splitting the proceeds.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4364065\/ilhan-omar-obscure-financial-disclosures-under-scrutiny\/\"><strong>ILHAN OMAR&rsquo;S OBSCURE FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES UNDER SCRUTINY AMID MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Many of the care centers whose employees are cutting checks to Walz and his Somali Democratic allies are located in dilapidated strip malls and have scant digital footprints.<\/p>\n<p>Campaign finance aside, Somalis are a large and growing voting bloc in Minnesota, and especially in Minneapolis. Any attempt by state Democrats to cross the community, such as by applying greater scrutiny to their business ventures, could be met with electoral rebukes. Further, such actions from politicians who are themselves members of the Somali community could carry considerable social costs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Somali care workers fund Somali politicians<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":894,"featured_media":2528579,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AP25309263510361.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[33926,69969,38930,62494,69970],"class_list":["post-2528578","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-campaign-finance","tag-community-care-providers","tag-political-donations","tag-somali-community","tag-somali-politicians"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AP25309263510361.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2528578","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/894"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2528578"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2528578\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2528582,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2528578\/revisions\/2528582"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2528579"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2528578"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2528578"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2528578"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}