Walz Falls

Our Somali fraud story takes down the Minnesota governor.

A little more than a year ago, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz came close to becoming the Vice President of the United States. Today, Walz announced that he is dropping his bid for reelection as governor. What drove this spectacular turn of events? The Somali fraud story.

In November, my City Journal colleague Ryan Thorpe and I published an investigation into Somali fraud and its connection to the Al-Shabaab terror network, which catapulted to the top of the headlines. Following the story, President Trump escalated the rhetoric about Somali crime and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced an official investigation. Over the Christmas holiday, an independent YouTuber named Nick Shirley published a viral video alleging fraud at Somali daycare centers in Minneapolis, putting even more pressure on politicians, including Walz, who had turned a blind eye to the fraud.

My goal as a writer is not only to document reality, but to change it. The initial news cycle we established with the Somali fraud story set off a chain of events that led to today’s resignation. This is a massive victory and another marker for the power of investigative reporting.

I’m grateful to all of the readers who have helped support this work. If you’d like to continue the momentum, please consider becoming a paid subscriber now.