Keith Ellison’s attorney general office has long faced controversy for left ties

A massive fraud scandal is thrusting Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison into the spotlight and reigniting questions about his controversial ties to progressive environmental causes.

Ellison, who has served as attorney general since 2019 after more than a decade in Congress, has long faced conservative criticism for aligning his office with left-wing priorities, from climate cases to political fights over immigration enforcement.

Now, as a federal investigation continues into what prosecutors allege was a massive scheme to siphon taxpayer funds to feed children during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ellison is facing more intense attention — and his long-simmering, controversial environmental ties are again under a harsher spotlight.

The state attorney general joined local Democrats in condemning the fraud scandal; Ellison called it a “truly despicable act” and also criticized the Trump administration for the presence of federal law enforcement, most recently in Minneapolis and the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

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The latest flashpoint centers on Ellison’s 2021 meeting with Somali community figures affiliated with Feeding Our Future, which prosecutors described as one of the nation’s largest fraud cases of the pandemic era, allegedly costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars and serving as a precursor to investigators uncovering other fraud schemes in the state.

Ellison came under fire in early January after details of the meeting resurfaced — including audio previously obtained by Fox News Digital of attendees discussing more funding and then turning to political donations ahead of Ellison’s re-election in 2022.

“The only way we can protect what we have is by inserting ourselves into the political arena…putting our dollars in the right place,” one participant says in the recording, referring to supporting candidates who will “protect our interests.”

“Correct,” Ellison replied.

Ellison has denied wrongdoing, maintaining that he had no knowledge of the alleged crimes at the time. One April 2025 column He told the Minnesota Star Tribune that he attended the meeting “in good faith” and emphasized that he “didn’t do anything for them and took nothing from them.”

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A Minnesota woman convicted of the scheme, Gov. Tim Walz and Ellison was aware of widespread fraud before it hit the nation’s radar, though Ellison vehemently denied it.

“He is a liar, cheater and manipulator of the highest order who has never admitted or acknowledged his guilt,” an Ellison spokesperson told Fox Digital in early January. “Now, instead of finally taking responsibility for the fraud scheme he ran, he is on a media tour to deflect his guilt onto others.”

“Federal and state investigators have meticulously examined the crimes committed by Aimee Bock and her accomplices,” the Ellison spokesman continued. “Bock is solely responsible for his own actions, which have been proven beyond a reasonable doubt in court, and his claim against Attorney General Ellison is a lie with no evidence behind it.”

As attorney general, Ellison has particularly leaned into the left’s climate agenda, accusing oil companies of “decades of deception and disinformation,” accusing them of delaying “the transition to a low-carbon economy,” and presenting his case as part of a broader effort to combat what he calls the “climate crisis” and preserve a “livable world” for future generations.

As attorney general, Keith Ellison specifically addressed the left’s climate agenda. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Going back to Ellison’s career as attorney general before the scandal, Republicans frequently targeted his close ties to environmental groups.

In 2020, Ellison asked the U.S. District Court to allow partners at an eco-law firm called Sher Edling to serve as outside counsel, viewing of court filings, and outlet. Energy in Depth was reported at the time. That year, Ellison filed a consumer protection lawsuit against ExxonMobil and oil interests that is still in court.

Sher Edling is a California-based law firm that has become a major outside player in government-led climate litigation across the country, representing Democratic-run states and cities in lawsuits accusing oil and gas companies of misleading the public about climate change.

On a similar note, Ellison’s office has teamed up with a New York University program backed by billionaire climate activist Michael Bloomberg to place climate researchers in attorney general offices in at least 10 states. Ellison’s office previously published documents It shows at least one attorney identified as a “Special Assistant Attorney General” who served in his office as a fellow at the NYU State Center for Energy and Environmental Impact.

A massive fraud scandal is thrusting Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison into the spotlight and reigniting questions about his controversial ties to progressive environmental causes. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

James Comer, chairman of the Republican Oversight Committee, said in July 2025 that his committee was investigating the program for ethical concerns about left-wing interest groups potentially influencing climate issues.

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Minnesota House Republicans have also previously noted that Ellison’s office relies on “Special Assistant Attorney General” positions sponsored by the NYU program; This raises questions about independence and influence, they said in a 2024 letter to the attorney general. The trio of state lawmakers said they were disturbed that Ellison’s office also hired Sher Edling under an incentive-based pay agreement while working with the Special Assistant Attorney General, calling the arrangement a cause for concern given the size and political sensitivity of the state’s climate case.

A trio of Minnesota House Republicans wrote a letter to Ellison in 2024 with five questions about the AG’s office’s work with climate groups: “Explain why it was necessary for your office to retain Sher Edling to prosecute the Minnesota climate case, even though there are two Special Assistant Attorneys General working ‘full time’ on this case in addition to your current staff.”

Protesters clashed with law enforcement outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility as they attempted to prevent federal agents from leaving their vehicles during a protest against ICE on January 8, 2026. (Mustafa Bassim/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Ellison responded to lawmakers by saying his office acts transparently and lawfully, and argued that bringing in outside attorneys and colleagues was necessary to strengthen his office’s capacity to handle complex climate cases under his direct supervision.

“I appointed Sher Edling to ensure that the AGO has sufficient bench members to handle the case at discovery and trial. The defendants in the case have currently retained seven law firms, and more than a dozen attorneys represent the defendants,” he wrote.

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“The AGO hired Sher Edling because they are the most successful law firm in the country at protecting consumers from a decades-long campaign of fraud and deception waged at large by the fossil fuel industry.” he continued, dismissing lawmakers’ concerns about left-wing third parties and special interest groups funding Sher Edling.

Aliya Rahman was taken into custody by federal agents on January 13, 2026, near the scene where Renee Nicole Good was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis. (Adam Gray/AP)

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Fox News Digital reached out to Ellison’s office, Sher Edling and the NYU State Center for Energy and Environmental Impact for additional comment but did not immediately hear back.

Fox News’ Ashley Carnahan and Alexis McAdams contributed to this report.