Ethics Subcommittee Issues Decisions on Fateh Complaints

The Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct issued its recommendations Wednesday, July 27, regarding complaints brought forward by members of the Senate Republican Caucus against Minneapolis DFL Senator Omar Fateh. The panel recommended that Fateh receive additional training in campaign finance law as a result of failing to report paying Somali TV for two campaign ads televised in the 2020 election. The recommendation will be reviewed by the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration.

The committee was charged with reviewing two complaints. The first stated the Fateh violated Senate rules by failing to disclose a conflict of interest with Somali TV when authoring legislation that would have appropriated $500,000 to the television organization despite receiving primary election campaign promotion. Committee chair David Osmek, R-Mound, said, "I don't see tangible evidence that the half million dollars that was put into a bonding request was necessarily a direct action or a direct result of any other activity." During their investigative hearings, the committee learned that Fateh paid Somali TV for producing and distributing a campaign ad; however, he failed to report it.

The second complaint stated that Fateh violated Senate rules "by failing to expressly address his involvement in the unauthorized delivery of 2020 Primary Election absentee ballots and retaining his Senate staffer who reportedly directed the fraudulent election activity." Osmek said, "There is no discernible, tangible connectivity between Senator Fateh and the vote. I cannot find any testimony that can make that case." The committee voted to dismiss the second complaint entirely.