Minneapolis, MN

FBI investigating Minneapolis DFL endorsement process – Minnesota Reformer

Published

2 years ago

January 12, 2024

FBI investigating Minneapolis DFL endorsement process – Minnesota Reformer

The FBI is investigating multiple allegations of cheating and chicanery that plagued the Minneapolis Democratic-Farmer-Labor party during the endorsement process for Minneapolis City Council last spring, according to two people recently interviewed by bureau agents.

The DFL endorsement conventions for two Minneapolis wards were canceled amid allegations of phony delegates, and the convention for a third ward degenerated into a brawl last spring.

After that, the DFL State Central Committee voted to mandate in-person endorsing conventions this year, except under extraordinary circumstances, and banned one candidate from ever seeking a DFL endorsement.

The party endorsement, which comes after 60% of local delegates back a candidate, carries no legal weight, but is a big boost in a heavily Democratic city like Minneapolis.

One person who has been interviewed by the FBI civil rights division multiple times — and was asked by the FBI not to talk to reporters — said the agents are investigating the endorsing process but also asked about election fraud.

“They’re very interested in the delegates thing,” he said.

The FBI agents’ take is that in one-party cities like Minneapolis, the endorsement process is key and opens the door to resources like valuable voter lists and data, which become available to the endorsed candidate, he said. The process, the agents told the source, is “ripe for fraud” if people exploit weaknesses in the system.

Another person who was interviewed by the FBI said he was asked about delegate fraud, too, specifically in Ward 6, and any possible fraud in the recent November election.

A spokesman for the state DFL party, Darwin Forsyth, said the FBI has not contacted the state DFL party. “Without more information, there’s not much more we can say about the topic,” he said.

Briana Rose Lee, chair of the Minneapolis DFL, was also unaware of the FBI investigation and has not been contacted by investigators.

Jerry H. Goldfeder, adjunct professor and director of the Voting Rights and Democracy Project at Fordham Law School, said just because FBI agents are making inquiries doesn’t mean anybody will get charged with a crime.

“At this point, I can’t imagine any federal crime that might’ve occurred when it comes to a local nominating convention,” he said.

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Several other attorneys — former prosecutors and election lawyers who did not want to be named because they don’t know the specifics of the case — said it’s possible the agents are looking into violations of the federal Voting Rights Act. The historic civil rights law dictates that the right to vote cannot be denied based on race or color — such as by diluting the vote of a protected class. One attorney said if candidates or campaigns manipulated the endorsement process, that could constitute fraud.

The FBI has been investigating voter fraud in Minnesota for several years, but so far only one person has been convicted of perjury, and the broader investigation hasn’t yielded any news in more than 18 months.

A federal jury convicted Muse Mohamud Mohamed — a campaign volunteer for and the brother-in-law of state Sen. Omar Fateh — of lying to a grand jury about his handling of ballots during Fateh’s 2020 primary victory over then-Sen. Jeff Hayden. Hayden questioned the integrity of virtual party conventions that year, when Fateh upset him and won the party endorsement.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Justice, Tasha Zerna, said she had no idea why FBI agents are interviewing people about the DFL endorsing process.

In March, the Minneapolis DFL Executive Committee rejected hundreds of delegate signups for council candidate Victor Martinez in Ward 5 after a campaign volunteer signed up the delegates using the same IP address, and was unable to validate them with paper signup forms.

Martinez, an Assembly of God pastor who opposes abortion rights and was endorsed by the Minneapolis police union, seemed like an unlikely choice for the heavily DFL ward in north Minneapolis, but signed up an unusually high number of delegates in his challenge to City Council Member Jeremiah Ellison. The DFL ended up canceling the endorsing convention. Ellison said he has not been interviewed by the FBI and wasn’t aware of the investigation.

In Ward 6, another political newcomer, Tiger Worku, signed up the most delegates, while Council Member Jamal Osman had the third most. Another candidate in the Ward 6 race, Kayseh Magan, a former investigator with the Attorney General’s Office, said he noticed over 180 delegates, mostly Worku’s, listed emails through an encrypted email service called Proton. Magan contacted some of the delegates, and some said they didn’t sign up to be delegates for Worku. Some were Republicans. The Ward 6 convention was ultimately canceled altogether.

In Ward 10, a newcomer to politics who announced a day before the deadline, Nasri Warsame, signed up more delegates than City Council Member Aisha Chughtai. Then the Ward 10 May endorsing convention devolved into chaos when Warsame supporters took over the stage as Chughtai was preparing to give a speech. They began shouting, jeering and pushing toward the stage, prompting Chughtai’s supporters to take cover in a back room.

Police were called and the convention was shut down. Chughtai said over a dozen supporters were assaulted. The Minnesota DFL Central Committee later banned Warsame from ever seeking the DFL endorsement again.

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Minneapolis, MN

Family of Minneapolis brothers killed by cousin says their deaths were preventable:

Published

9 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Family of Minneapolis brothers killed by cousin says their deaths were preventable:

A Minneapolis family is struggling to make sense of a tragedy that has left them heartbroken.

Family tells WCCO 14-year-old Xavier Barnett and 23-year-old Akwame Stewart were killed Monday.

The brothers were very different, but equally loved. Barnett was a good student and athlete. Stewart was a painter, creative and thoughtful. Two brothers, loved and full of promise, gone.

Police say the accused shooter is their cousin, 23-year-old Eddie Duncan.

Court records show Duncan was released on bail Monday on charges of fleeing law enforcement and possession of a gun modified with an “auto sear switch.”

Court records also show Duncan was ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation, but not until next month, on March 24.

Deasia Freeman, Barnett and Stewart’s sister, says this loss could have been prevented.

“They all failed us. We got two innocent lives gone for no reason. Didn’t do nothing to nobody,” Freeman said.

Family members say the system and Duncan’s family let them down.

Freeman says Duncan’s family saw the warning signs and still bailed him out

“If you knew this man was thinking like this, y’all should have kept him in there and he should not even have bail,” she said.

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office says they noted Duncan was a public safety risk and asked for a high bail, much higher than a typical request.

“In Minnesota, there is a constitutional right to bail, and the bail amount is set by the Court. Our office noted a public safety risk with Mr. Duncan and asked the judge to set bail at $70,000, or $35,000 with conditions; both of which are higher than we would typically request in this scenario. The judge set bail in that amount. Mr. Duncan posted $35,000 bail with conditions of release, as is allowed under the Minnesota Constitution, and was released from custody. Our thoughts are with all those impacted by yesterday’s violence. This was a terrible tragedy for this family and our community,” a spokesperson for the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said.

For Freeman and her family, the hardest part isn’t just the legal process but living each day without their brothers.

Even in the heartbreak, she says the memories of the good days, the laughter and love they shared will carry them through.

“I wish I could get just one more phone call from them asking me where I’m at,” Freeman said as tears rolled down her face.

Court records confirm Duncan left the scene of the crime and fled to nearby Brooklyn Center. There, a search warrant says Duncan “fired a gun at officers, striking two squads,” when police arrived. That’s when officers returned fire, shooting and killing him.

Three officers have been placed on critical incident leave as the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension leads the investigation into Duncan’s fatal shooting.

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Minneapolis, MN

First-of-Its-Kind Photography Festival Comes to Minneapolis | Minnesota Monthly

Published

22 hours ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

First-of-Its-Kind Photography Festival Comes to Minneapolis | Minnesota Monthly

MODE by Flickr

The Twin Cities has long been a hotbed of creative inspiration and artistic storytelling—from world-class cultural institutions to large-scale art and film festivals that propel emerging makers and creators into the spotlight. But, for the first time, local photographers are primed to receive a multi-day that is uniquely their own—geared toward all things visual, digital, and candid.

Today, global photo-sharing platform Flickr announced the launch of MODE by Flickr, a three-day photography festival set to take place Sept. 18-20—right in the heart of Minneapolis. A first-of-its-kind event, the inaugural lineup will gather some of the biggest names inartvisual media, from Emmy-nominated director and National Geographic photographer Keith Ladzinski to renowned culinary photographer Penny De Los Santos, as well as sponsorship support from global media companies including Fujifilm, HOVERAir, and more.

Whether attendees are coming to network, learn, or simply, admire, MODE will feature a variety of welcoming spaces designed to foster a dynamic exchange of creative energy. Expect immersive workshops led by industry legends, hands-on demonstrations, mind-expanding exhibitions, and special programming designed by Black Women Photographers’ Polly Irungu and Inside Out Project.

“MODE is photography in motion—alive, interactive, and deeply rooted in community,” said Ben MacAskill in a prepared statement, President and COO at SmugMug and Flickr. “For more than 20 years, Flickr has brought the world’s photographers together online. Now, we’re bringing that spirit away from devices and connecting in the real world with a festival built for creativity and the future of photography and visual arts.”

Designed around seven thematic pillars, MODE aims to bring the full spectrum of photography to life—uniting world-shifting storytelling, emerging tools, business insights, motion-driven media, cultural diversity, analog processes, and environmental responsibility. These seven pillars will float through each diverse experience, from live portrait shoots, tech demos, and editing workshops to photojournalism panels, film screenings, and instant-film activations.

Flickr’s choice of Minneapolis as its launchpad feels telling of an overarching alignment of values—the city a mirror for MODE’s core mission of celebrating creativity and community while prioritizing diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. To support this mission, the festival will be equipped with accessible venues, thoughtful sustainability measures, diverse programming, and a careful artist selection process that prioritizes representation and artistic vision.

Tickets are available now, starting at $300 for Flickr Pro members, and between $330 and $660 for general admission and VIP passes. For more information on ticketing, and updated programming announcements, visit modefestival.com.

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Minneapolis, MN

LETTER: Minnesota and Minneapolis created the ICE mess

Published

1 day ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

LETTER: Minnesota and Minneapolis created the ICE mess

In response to Tom McDonough’s recent letter regarding ICE in Minneapolis and the impending doom that could be coming our way from operation “Metro Surge,” I offer a different perspective.

I was born, raised and lived in the great state of Minnesota for many years. Fortunately, I was raised outside of the metropolitan area in a very conservative, rural setting. It was far away from the Twin Cities cesspool that exists amongst the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

I travel home to see family and friends often. Prior to 2020, flying into Minneapolis and taking light rail was comfortable, easy, safe and convenient. However, after COVID, the George Floyd riots and now the Metro Surge fiasco, I will no longer feel safe in Minneapolis. I pretty much despise travelling to my home state any longer.

The state of Minnesota and the city of Minneapolis created this mess, and they now are trying to blame the U.S. government for it all. Venture outside of the Twin Cities area and you will find that most of the rural folks see it for what it is and are waiting for accountability and change. They don’t believe the hype, finger-pointing and misinformation from afar. Nor do I.

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