Overview
- At a Feb. 12 Senate Homeland Security hearing, Sen. Josh Hawley accused Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison of aiding fraudsters and said Ellison should be indicted and resign.
- Hawley cited audio of a Dec. 11, 2021 meeting released by the Center for the American Experiment and alleged Ellison received about $10,000 in contributions days later.
- Ellison denied helping those later charged or taking money, said Hawley was cherry‑picking from the recording, and asserted his office provided information that aided prosecutions and convictions.
- The exchange turned combative as both men talked over each other; committee chair Sen. Rand Paul briefly intervened to lower the temperature, and each official called on the other to step down.
- Feeding Our Future has been described by DOJ as the largest pandemic‑related fraud case, with dozens charged and convicted and a 10‑year sentence announced in Nov. 2025, and federal investigations and congressional oversight remain active.