Today, Senate Republicans announced they filed a formal ethics complaint against Senate President Bobby Joe Champion (DFL – Minneapolis), citing serious concerns about conflicts of interest and violations of ethical conduct standards in his role as both a legislator and practicing attorney.
“This is a clear and deeply troubling case of a public official using their legislative position to potentially benefit their private legal clients,” Senator Michael Kreun (R – Blaine) said. “With what we know, at a minimum this is a conflict of interest that warranted disclosure. At worst, it’s an abuse of public office for personal and professional gain.”
The complaint alleges that Senator Champion used his elected position to advocate for and secure funding to benefit his legal clients, including Rev. Jerry McAfee and affiliated nonprofit organizations Salem, Inc. and 21 Days of Peace. The complaint includes bills and committee hearings led by Senator Champion to secure state funding for organizations while simultaneously representing those same entities in legal matters—a relationship that was never disclosed to the public until local media reports.
The ethics complaint requests that the Senate Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct review the matter, including whether Senator Champion’s conduct violates Senate rules prohibiting actions that discredit the Senate or undermine public trust in government. In addition to Senator Kreun, Republican Senators Steve Drazkowski (Mazeppa), Steve Green (Fosston), Eric Lucero (St. Michael), Paul Utke (Park Rapids), and Nathan Wesenberg (Little Falls) signed the complaint.
Senator Kreun emphasized protecting the integrity of the Legislature is not a partisan act. “Public trust is the foundation of our democracy. If legislators are allowed to direct grants specifically for their clients without disclosing those relationships, it sets a dangerous precedent,” Kreun said. “We urge the Ethics Subcommittee to take this complaint seriously and act swiftly to protect the integrity of the Senate and make clear that both the Senate Rules and Code of Ethics apply to everyone.”