Minnesota For Sale: how liberal, out-of-state interests purchased our politics on the cheap

For about a year, I have been documenting how wealthy coastal donors bankrolled the Democrats’ successful takeover of our state government in the 2022 election. Now that all the campaign finance numbers are in, this series will tell the whole story.

But first, we begin with just a small corner of it to illustrate the larger forces at work. Back in August, I profiled the oddly-named “PAC for Minnesota’s Future,” appropriately based in Washington, DC, and New York.

The PAC was first registered in Minnesota in November 2021. During the 2022 election cycle, the fund took in $2.3 million. Of that amount, two donations accounted for $2 million.

A Brooklyn, NY, real estate developer named Gideon Friedman gave $1 million. Also giving $1 million was Wendy Munger of Pasadena, CA. She is the daughter of billionaire Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chairman Charlie Munger.

Both are profiled here.

Where did their $2 million go? The bulk of it, $1.9 million, went to the two official campaign accounts working to elect Democrats to the Minnesota legislature. The DFL House Caucus received $610,000. The DFL Senate Caucus received $1.3 million.

The DFL Senate Caucus took in $6.7 million in 2022. The PAC’s $1.3 million placed them at No. 1 as the Caucus’ largest contributor. Their donation represented 20 percent (one-fifth) of the Caucus’ total take for the year.

Senate Democrats managed to squeeze out a narrow 34-33 majority in the chamber, by flipping a single seat by 321 votes.

That one-seat majority gave Minnesota Democrats full control of state government. Democrats have wasted no time in enacting the most radical agenda in state (perhaps national) history.

And all done at a bargain price.

Stay tuned for part 2.