Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) went after his Republican challenger during a televised debate this week over campaign cash from donors accused of fraud. His opponent didn’t deny taking it.
Independent journalist Aaron Rupar shared a clip of the exchange on X. It shows Ellison pressing Republican Ron Schutz, a trial lawyer and Army veteran running against him in November, over the donations.
“You still have campaign donations from Bashir and Mohiba Tareen who defrauded the government for $1.6 million and they gave you money,” Ellison said.
Schutz said the couple “have been supporters” of his but had made “no admission of guilt.”
After some crosstalk, Ellison said: “You think somebody just spent $1.6 million for nothing? No exposure at all? I’ll let that sit right there.”
Fraud has been at the center of the race. Minnesota is still dealing with the fallout from the Feeding Our Future scandal, in which hundreds of millions of dollars meant to feed children were stolen. Schutz has spent the campaign attacking Ellison’s record on the issue.
Ellison turned that attack around after the debate.
“I’ve convicted over 350 fraudsters, one every 8 days. Ron knowingly took donations from fraudsters who stole $1.6 million from the government,” he wrote on X. “Who do you think is really serious about fighting fraud?”
The Minnesota DFL said the answer “should be a campaign ending moment.”
“Ron Schutz admits that known fraudsters are supporting his campaign AND he doubles down on accepting their money when pressed by Keith Ellison,” the party wrote.
Richard Carlbom, the DFL’s party chair, piled on: “Ron. Ron. Ron. Stop taking $ from fraudsters.”
Brian Evans, a communications staffer for Ellison, wrote, “I can’t believe this actually happened live on television.”
Left-wing streamer Hasan Piker wrote, “there isn’t a single competent republican in the country.”
Not everyone agreed. David Pollack, a conservative attorney and political commentator, said Ellison was “the last man in Minnesota who should lecture anyone about fraudster money.” He pointed to a 2021 meeting Ellison had with people later convicted in the Feeding Our Future case.
“Nine days after his recorded 2021 meeting with Feeding Our Future figures, his campaign banked $10,000 from people tied to it,” Pollack alleged.
This should be a campaign ending moment.Ron Schutz admits that known fraudsters are supporting his campaign AND he doubles down on accepting their money when pressed by Keith Ellison.Why do fraudsters want Ron Schutz in office so badly? — Minnesota DFL (@MinnesotaDFL) October 17, 2026
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