# The Minnesota Star Tribune *News publication whose reporting is cited throughout the Minnesota record.* The Minnesota Star Tribune appears in this record as a source of news reporting. It is not a party to any enactment, filing or finding. Its articles are catalogued as news reporting that supplies notice and public-record context for primary documents. The record holds no instrument, case or audit in which the newspaper is itself the actor.[^1][^2] The reporting cited from the newspaper falls into several clusters. These are the [[Feeding Our Future]] case and State oversight of public funds; the 2020 unrest in Minneapolis and the prosecution that followed George Floyd's death; Twin Cities foundations and Give to the Max Day; the University of Minnesota's agreements on discrimination complaints; and statewide campaign coverage in [[Minnesota]]. Each item is one news article. It is cited here for what the newspaper reported, not as an independent finding of fact.[^3][^4][^5][^6][^7] In a few places the record relies on the newspaper as corroboration beside a primary source. Examples are the vote counts on the 1982 [[State Government Pay Equity Act]] and the 1982 founding of the [[Minnesota Women's Campaign Fund]].[^8][^9] ## In the Minnesota record ### What **Feeding Our Future and the State's handling of warnings.** In April 2025 the newspaper published Attorney General Keith Ellison's account that his meeting before the Feeding Our Future raid was routine.[^3] It also reported these items: - the organization's leader alleged a Minnesota Department of Education cover-up;[^10] - a Legislative Auditor report on whether the Department of Education did enough to stop the losses was due for release;[^11] - a timeline of the investigation.[^12] Later reporting, under headlines stating that new records show officials failed to act on fraud warnings and that political pressure helped restore funding despite staff warnings, set officials' handling against those warnings.[^13][^14] On May 21, 2026, the newspaper reported that Aimee Bock had been sentenced to more than 41 years in prison in the Feeding Our Future case.[^15] **Other oversight of public money.** The newspaper reported the following: - a State audit that, in the words of the record's label for the article, *Audit finds widespread problems in DHS oversight of behavioral health grants*;[^16] - Small Business Administration suspensions of Minnesota PPP and EIDL borrowers over suspected fraud;[^17] - on Feb. 25, 2026, an examination of the figures behind President Trump's repeated claim of $19 billion in Minnesota fraud.[^18] **The 2020 unrest and the Floyd prosecution.** The newspaper reported that the Hennepin County Medical Examiner classified George Floyd's death as a homicide.[^19] It covered the charges against Derek Chauvin and Judge Peter Cahill's role in presiding over the trial.[^20][^1] Its reporting also documents how officials described their own response, alongside what followed: - Mayor Jacob Frey and Gov. Tim Walz hesitated to deploy the National Guard;[^21] - Walz described the riot response as an "abject failure";[^22] - an article titled *Officials back off after first blaming outsiders, extremists for Twin Cities violence*;[^23] - recorded audio of President Trump praising Walz in 2020 for the response to the unrest.[^4] Further coverage reported Walz's statement that there would be consequences after the Columbus statue was toppled. It also covered marchers taking the defund-MPD message to Minneapolis streets and a widening rift between Mayor Frey and Council President Lisa Bender over police reform.[^24][^25][^26] **Foundations and charitable giving.** The newspaper covered the following: - the Minneapolis Foundation's centennial;[^5] - the retirement of its chief executive, Sandy Vargas;[^27] - its funding of equity initiatives;[^28] - a local coalition that had raised nearly $1 billion for Black homeowners and entrepreneurs;[^29] - Twin Cities foundation leaders' joint funding of rebuilding after George Floyd's death;[^30] - the Saint Paul and Minnesota community foundations passing $1 billion in giving.[^31] Its Give to the Max Day reporting covered a record fundraising total and the 2013 website crash that drew criticism.[^32][^33] **The University of Minnesota.** The newspaper reported that the University revised the criteria for a summer research program amid discrimination concerns.[^34] It later reported that the University signed an agreement acknowledging discrimination against white and Asian students and cut ties with a recruiting nonprofit.[^6] **Politics and courts.** The newspaper's campaign coverage across parties includes the following: - Minnesota Republicans' conflict with the group Action 4 Liberty;[^35] - a Republican governor debate in Duluth;[^36] - a party convention that left Republicans more divided;[^37] - Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan's U.S. Senate campaign;[^7] - the 2022 attorney general results between Ellison and Jim Schultz.[^38] It reported that [[Amy Klobuchar]] urged the Hennepin County Attorney to investigate the Myon Burrell case. Separately, it reported that the Board of Pardons commuted Burrell's sentence and called for his immediate release.[^39][^40] Its court coverage includes a judge's ruling that electronic pulltabs do not violate the tribal gambling monopoly.[^41] Its historical coverage includes Gov. Wendell Anderson and the "Minnesota Miracle".[^42] One document in this cluster is a primary-source file rather than a news article. It is a speech-tribute document hosted on the [[governor]]'s website and catalogued under the label "Star Tribune tribute". The record does not state its date or its connection to the newspaper.[^43] ### When Where the record gives dates, the cited articles run from April 2025 (the Ellison article) to Feb. 25, 2026 (the $19 billion figures) and May 21, 2026 (the Bock sentencing). The other articles are undated in this record.[^3][^18][^15] The record's contradiction register cites a Star Tribune account dating Saint Paul's strong-mayor charter to a 1970 referendum. That conflicts with the commonly cited "1972 charter". The register marks the entry unverified, and this article does not resolve it.[^44] ### How The newspaper also serves in the record as a corroborating source for legislative history. The 1982 State Government Pay Equity Act made Minnesota the first state to legislate [[comparable worth]], covering about 35,000 state employees. The [[Council on the Economic Status of Women]] had recommended it. The act drew "little visible opposition". It passed the Senate unanimously and the House 100–13. Gov. [[Al Quie]] (R) signed it in his final year in office (1982 c 634, "Approved March 23, 1982").[^8] The act and Quie's signature are confirmed against the session law. The vote counts rest on corroboration from several sources, including the Star Tribune's *Minnesota's pay equity achievement*. The Senate and House Journals remain the controlling primary record for the counts.[^8] The record thus places a Republican governor's signature on Minnesota's first [[pay equity]] statute.[^8] The Minnesota Women's Campaign Fund, now WomenWinning, was co-founded in 1982 by [[Marlene Johnson]] (DFL) and [[Kathleen Ridder]] (R). Johnson was Minnesota's first woman Lieutenant Governor. The fund's stated aim was to elect women candidates in both parties. The record lists the Star Tribune, with MPR and WomenWinning, as sources for that founding.[^9] ## Notes [^1]: Star Tribune, *Judge Peter Cahill faces huge challenge leading Derek Chauvin trial* (undated in this record; headline per URL) — catalogued as news reporting for notice and public-record context. https://www.startribune.com/judge-peter-cahill-faces-huge-challenge-leading-derek-chauvin-trial/600039032 [^2]: Star Tribune, *Political pressure helped restore fraud funding despite staff warnings* (undated in this record; headline per URL) — catalogued as news reporting for notice and public-record context. https://www.startribune.com/political-pressure-helped-restore-fraud-funding-despite-staff-warnings/601846170 [^3]: Star Tribune, *Attorney General Keith Ellison: My meeting before Feeding Our Future raid was routine* (April 2025) — Ellison's account of the meeting. https://www.startribune.com/attorney-general-keith-ellison-my-meeting-before-feeding-our-future-raid-was-routine/601335939 [^4]: Star Tribune, *Trump praised Minnesota Gov. Walz in 2020 for response to unrest over Floyd's murder, audio shows* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/trump-praised-minnesota-gov-walz-in-2020-for-response-to-unrest-over-floyds-murder-audio-shows/600946307 [^5]: Star Tribune, *Minneapolis Foundation turns 100, throws a party* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-foundation-turns-100-throws-a-party/298787071 [^6]: Star Tribune, *The U signs agreement acknowledging discrimination against white and Asian students, cuts ties with recruiting nonprofit* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/the-u-signs-agreement-acknowledging-discrimination-against-white-and-asian-students-cuts-ties-with-recruiting-nonprofit/601564669 [^7]: Star Tribune, *Peggy Flanagan channels anti-Trump anger into U.S. Senate campaign* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/peggy-flanagan-channels-anti-trump-anger-into-us-senate-campaign-to-avenge-minnesota/601639901 [^8]: How Minnesota Got Here, *The Instrument No One Will Name* (densified, 2026-06-18), validated passage [21] — 1982 State Government Pay Equity Act: first state, ~35,000 employees, Council recommendation, Senate unanimous, House 100–13, signed by Gov. Al Quie (R), 1982 c 634, "Approved March 23, 1982"; act and signature primary-confirmed, vote counts corroborated by the Star Tribune and others. (No URL in this record.) [^9]: How Minnesota Got Here, *The Instrument No One Will Name* (densified, 2026-06-18), validated passage [25] — Minnesota Women's Campaign Fund co-founded 1982 by Marlene Johnson (DFL) and Kathleen Ridder (R); sources Star Tribune / MPR / WomenWinning. (No URL in this record.) [^10]: Star Tribune, *Feeding Our Future leader alleges a Minnesota Department of Education cover-up* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/feeding-our-future-leader-alleges-a-minnesota-department-of-education-cover-up/600341707 [^11]: Star Tribune, *Did Minnesota Department of Education do enough to stop Feeding Our Future fraud? Legislative auditor report to be released Thursday* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/did-minnesota-department-of-education-do-enough-to-stop-feeding-our-future-fraud-legislative-auditor-report-to-be-released-thursday/600373216 [^12]: Star Tribune, *Timeline of Feeding Our Future investigation* (undated in this record). https://www.startribune.com/timeline-of-feeding-our-future-investigation/600210805 [^13]: Star Tribune, *officials failed to act on fraud warnings* (record label; undated in this record). https://www.startribune.com/an-open-secret-new-records-reveal-officials-failed-to-act-on-fraud-warnings/601838325 [^14]: Star Tribune, *Political pressure helped restore fraud funding despite staff warnings* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/political-pressure-helped-restore-fraud-funding-despite-staff-warnings/601846170 [^15]: Star Tribune, *Aimee Bock sentenced to more than 41 years in prison for Feeding Our Future fraud* (May 21, 2026). https://www.startribune.com/aimee-bock-sentenced-to-more-than-41-years-in-prison-for-feeding-our-future-fraud/601843327 [^16]: Star Tribune, *Audit finds widespread problems in DHS oversight of behavioral health grants* (undated in this record). https://www.startribune.com/audit-finds-widespread-problems-in-dhs-oversight-of-behavioral-health-grants/601552223 [^17]: Star Tribune, *Minnesota SBA loans: PPP, EIDL borrower suspensions over suspected fraud* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-sba-loans-ppp-eidl-borrower-suspensions-suspected-fraud/601557209 [^18]: Star Tribune, *Trump repeats $19B fraud claim — the numbers* (Feb. 25, 2026). https://www.startribune.com/trump-repeats-claim-of-19-billion-in-minnesota-fraud-heres-what-the-numbers-show/601588451 [^19]: Star Tribune, *Hennepin medical examiner classifies George Floyd's death as homicide* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/hennepin-medical-examiner-classifies-george-floyd-s-death-as-homicide/570918792 [^20]: Star Tribune, *Derek Chauvin charges, trial: George Floyd murder, manslaughter* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/derek-chauvin-charges-trial-george-floyd-murder-manslaughter-police-minneapolis-minnesota/600030691 [^21]: Star Tribune, *Mayor Frey, Gov. Walz hesitated to deploy National Guard during Minneapolis riots* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/mayor-frey-gov-walz-hesitated-to-deploy-national-guard-during-minneapolis-riots/571999292 [^22]: Star Tribune, *Gov. Tim Walz laments abject failure of riot response* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/gov-tim-walz-laments-abject-failure-of-riot-response/570864092 [^23]: Star Tribune, *Officials back off after first blaming outsiders, extremists for Twin Cities violence* (undated in this record). https://www.startribune.com/minnesotans-doing-damage-onto-themselves/570906572/ [^24]: Star Tribune, *Walz says he understands why Columbus statue was toppled but there will be consequences* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/walz-says-he-understands-why-columbus-statue-was-toppled-but-there-will-be-consequences/571193802 [^25]: Star Tribune, *Marchers take #DefundMPD message to Minneapolis streets* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/marchers-take-defundmpd-message-to-minneapolis-streets/571075452/ [^26]: Star Tribune, *Rift between Mayor Frey and Council President Bender widens at key moment for police reform* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/rift-between-mayor-frey-and-council-president-bender-widens-at-key-moment-for-police-reform/600049865 [^27]: Star Tribune, *Minneapolis Foundation CEO Sandy Vargas to retire* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-foundation-ceo-sandy-vargas-to-retire/335928411 [^28]: Star Tribune, *The Minneapolis Foundation funds equity initiatives* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/the-minneapolis-foundation-funds-equity-initiatives/409592535 [^29]: Star Tribune, *Local coalition so far has raised nearly $1B to help Black homeowners, entrepreneurs* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/local-coalition-so-far-has-raised-nearly-1b-to-help-black-homeowners-entrepreneurs/600316188 [^30]: Star Tribune, *Twin Cities foundation leaders join forces to fund rebuilding efforts after George Floyd's death* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/twin-cities-foundation-leaders-join-forces-to-fund-rebuilding-efforts-after-george-floyd-s-death/571621982/ [^31]: Star Tribune, *Saint Paul & Minnesota community foundations surpass billion in giving* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/saint-paul-minnesota-community-foundations-surpass-billion-in-giving/506056572/ [^32]: Star Tribune, *Give to the Max Day wraps up with a record fundraising total* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/give-to-the-max-day-wraps-up-with-a-record-fundraising-total/564912012 [^33]: Star Tribune, *Give to the Max draws flak over web crash* (undated in this record; headline per URL). http://www.startribune.com/give-to-the-max-draws-flak-over-web-crash/232771291/ [^34]: Star Tribune, *University of Minnesota revises criteria for summer research program amid discrimination concerns* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/university-of-minnesota-revises-criteria-for-summer-research-program-amid-discrimination-concerns/600278873 [^35]: Star Tribune, *MN Republicans vs. Action 4 Liberty* (record label; undated in this record). https://www.startribune.com/fed-up-with-attacks-minnesota-republicans-wage-war-against-far-right-group/601321963 [^36]: Star Tribune, *GOP governor debate, Duluth* (record label; undated in this record). https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-republican-governor-debate-lisa-demuth-kendall-qualls-mike-lindell-duluth-gop-convention/601850077 [^37]: Star Tribune, *How a convention meant to unify Minnesota Republicans left them more divided* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/how-a-convention-meant-to-unify-minnesota-republicans-left-them-more-divided/601851753 [^38]: Star Tribune, *Minnesota attorney general election results: Ellison, Schultz 2022* (headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-attorney-general-election-results-ellison-schultz-2022/600222727 [^39]: Star Tribune, *Amy Klobuchar urges Hennepin County attorney to investigate Myon Burrell case* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/amy-klobuchar-urges-hennepin-county-attorney-to-investigate-myon-burrell-case/568533312 [^40]: Star Tribune, *Board of Pardons commutes Myon Burrell sentence, calls for immediate release from prison* (undated in this record; headline per URL). https://www.startribune.com/board-of-pardons-commutes-myon-burrell-sentence-calls-for-immediate-release-from-prison/573399171 [^41]: Star Tribune, *MN judge: Electronic pulltabs don't violate tribal gambling monopoly* (record label; undated in this record). https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-judge-electronic-pulltabs-don-t-violate-tribal-gambling-monopoly/570665842/ [^42]: Star Tribune, *Wendell Anderson and the Minnesota Miracle* (undated in this record). https://www.startribune.com/wendell-anderson-and-the-minnesota-miracle/387348651 [^43]: Office of the Governor of Minnesota, *Speech-Tribute_Wellstone* (PDF; undated in this record) — catalogued under the label "Star Tribune tribute". https://www.mn.gov/governor/images/Speech-Tribute_Wellstone.pdf [^44]: How Minnesota Got Here, contradiction register, history row HE-0165 — Saint Paul strong-mayor charter: 1970 referendum (Star Tribune) versus commonly cited "1972 charter", marked unverified. (No URL in this record.)