Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) accused Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison on Thursday of accepting campaign money from people later charged with fraud or linked to the Feeding Our Future case, during a contentious Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee oversight hearing.
“You helped fraudsters defraud your state and this government of $9 billion — and you got a fat campaign contribution out of it,” Hawley said. “You ought to be indicted.” He went on to claim the money funded criminal and extremist activity, adding: “And you took $10,000 and helped them do it.”
“That’s a lie,” Ellison shot back.
An Ellison spokesperson has previously said the attorney general “had no way of knowing these people were connected to the FBI’s investigation” when the contributions were taken and had “no intention” of keeping money from anyone indicted.
The exchange escalated as Hawley tried to reference whistleblower warnings and Ellison interrupted. “Don’t talk over me. … It’s my hearing, pal,” Hawley said.
“Don’t call me ‘pal,’” Ellison replied, before Hawley added: “Well, I should call you a prisoner because you ought to be in jail.”
Watch the clip below:
The Minnesota Attorney General just PERJURED himself when I asked why he took campaign donations from the crooks who defrauded the US taxpayer to the tune of $250 million
He should be INDICTED and PROSECUTED pic.twitter.com/yBOs9GBF5P
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) February 12, 2026