St. Paul, MN – On May 22, seven members of the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus submitted a complaint to the President of the Senate for the Sub-Committee on Ethical Conduct to review regarding recent news stories about Senator Omar Fateh. Recent news stories have raised questions about his sponsorship of legislation and his ties to a man convicted of perjury to a grand jury examining election violations during his campaign for election in 2020. 

“Minnesotans place their trust in elected officials to direct state policy and state spending. It’s an immense responsibility and we owe it to the citizens of Minnesota to conduct ourselves with the highest level of integrity and transparency.  Unfortunately, what we have recently learned regarding Senator Omar Fateh has raised questions about legislation he has sponsored at the Senate and the conduct of the primary election that elevated him to the Minnesota Senate. Minnesotans deserve to know elected officials are seeking to support the general improvement of the lives of Minnesotans when we take on legislation and not using the power of the state to advance our own personal interests. We urge the Sub-Committee to promptly examine our complaint and provide the public with transparent and clear answers about what happened.”

–  Joint Statement of Senators Mark Koran (R-North Branch) Mark Johnson (R-East Grand Forks), Justin Eichorn (R-Grand Rapids), Scott Newman (R-Hutchinson), Andrew Mathews (R-Princeton), Mike Goggin (R-Red Wing), John Jasinski (R- Faribault) 

The complaint raises two specific issues to the Sub-Committee on Ethical Conduct:

• The complaint asks the Committee to examine the report that Senator Fateh received an in-kind contribution of a campaign advertisement from a commercial entity, and then in response carried legislation that would have benefited that commercial entity.

• With the conviction in federal court of a campaign volunteer for Senator Fateh for perjury in a case of election fraud, we are asking the Committee to examine the extent of Senator Fateh’s involvement. This volunteer was directed by a Fateh staffer and is the brother-in-law of Senator Fateh. 

The Sub-Committee of Ethical Conduct is chaired by the President of the Senate and is made up of two members from each party. The Committee must meet to review the complaint within 30 days of receiving the complaint and is empowered to make recommendations regarding appropriate discipline if warranted.